Weekend Report

We still have a couple of games today and a big one tomorrow as Boise St takes on Virginia Tech. What did you guys learn after watching the opening couple of days of football? I learned quite a lot although none of it was really unexpected.

I learned that the Cats could win 9 or they could win 5. They are still playing not to lose in the second half rather than to kick ass but still managed a good win over the dirty birds. Special teams play wont cut it when they get to the SEC so they better improve. The receivers looked much better, Hartline played good, Cobb and Locke did as expected and several defensive players are going to be real good this year. Over all they left Joker with a lot of work to do but earned the win.

I learned for the 20th time not to pick a Dennis Erickson team to win because something will cause me to lose. While I’m talking about that game what about LSU, over rated or what. And speaking about over rated how about Florida, mediocre is the best I can say after watching that game and next weekend they have South Florida a team that can very easily cause them to become the 4th best team in Florida. I’ll give Mississippi credit for putting up enough points to win but come on Jacksonville St.

Continuing in that frame of thought how about the Big East. How can they be thought of as a major conference when their best showing was Syracuse beating Akron or W Virginia beating Coastal Carolina.

How about the MWC and the WAC. The MWC big boys beat #15 Pittsburgh, #24 Oregon St. and Heisman favorite Jake Locker and Washington. The WAC had a respectable showing as Fresno St. thumped another Big East team Cincinnati. Utah St. gave a team some are picking to win it all all they could handle before falling to #7 Oklahoma on a late pick. If Hawaii could have tackled they would have spoiled Layla’s stud muffin’s first game but no tackle no win.

Hard to tell about the Big Ten other than Ohio St. Wisconsin had a rougher than expected game with MWC opponent UNLV and Penn St. managed to pick up steam after a slow start against Youngstown St. How about Rich Rodriguez and Michigan? They finally look like they are rolling and just in time to be put on probation.

The SEC is going to be interesting if this weekends games are any indicator. It looks like it might be a rerun of Snow White and the seven Dwarves since no one besides Alabama, Georgia and S Carolina impressed me and Georgia and SC face each other next weekend.

Hats off to my adopted nephew Kawika who got a win in his first game as NAIA Azusa Pacific beat FCS U of San Diego 42-14.

The Real Mountain God

A day has gone by since Fresno St. and Nevada cannibalized the WAC and I’ve had time to think more on it. This wasn’t a Stacy Keach, Ursula Andress movie with slinky tops like the Mountain of the Cannibal God. It was more of a Donner Cookbook type of a cannibalization with better spices.

I’ve come to the conclusion that there was a Mountain God involved in it and that God’s name is BCS. Sure the first thing I wanted to blame is the world wide leader and they do deserve to get a piece of the blame for trying to own the sports universe and forcing people like Pat Forde with his obvious bias for Kentucky and Cow______ fill in the blank yourself on us. Just kidding Cow_____ your a dedicated, educated reporter unlike this blogger and I’m only using you for a small laugh.

The real blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the BCS though. If there was a playoff system then the MWC wouldn’t have had to strengthen its conference at the WAC’s expense. Boise St. would still be going 12-0 and being ranked in the top 10, and the MWC’s future wouldn’t look like one of those meals at the Donner Pass where its eat or be eaten.

When you think about the excuses for not having a playoff there is not one that makes since other than the players missing classes. Thats what tutors are for though I will grant you its not what Tennessee tutors are for. Does anyone really believe that TCU or Boise St. no matter their records are going to be able to beat USC, Florida and Alabama in a row to win a BCS championship playoff. You notice I didn’t say national championship as a NCAA national championship is open to all and the NCAA once again should be ashamed of themselves for allowing their democracy to be ruled by a few. Heres another on of those does anyone really believes, that the BCS conferences would leave the NCAA.

The only true winner in the whole thing is the BCS, while the WAC teams and football fans as a whole are the losers.

Please don’t think that I’ve forgiven the MWC and those Karen Sypher wantabe’s from Nevada, Idaho and California because I haven’t.

The Boring Bowls

When I read something starting out with “Is it just me” the first thing that crosses my mind is yeah its probably just you buddy.

Having poked a little fun at one of my favorite lead in lines. Is it just me or is this going to be another bowl season where the incidental bowls are going to be a lot more fun to watch than the BCS bowls.

There was a small chance that we were going to get to see if a non BCS team was worthy of playing for the national championship. Instead we get a Texas team that hasn’t shown much against anyone but patsy’s. A team who lucked by a Nebraska team who’s offense has been lost in limbo all year. The only thing Texas playing Alabama is going to show is that Texas isn’t a championship team and Alabama is.

The major bowls look like this.

Orange Iowa vs. Georgia Tech
Sugar Florida vs. Cincinnati
Fiesta Boise State vs. TCU
Rose Ohio State vs. Oregon

Lets start with the Rose Bowl’s stance on Pac 10 vs Big 10. Going by that premises they shouldn’t be considered a major bowl anymore since the Big 10 reminds most fans of the MAC. Wouldn’t everyone rather see Oregon play Boise St. again rather than perennial flop Ohio St.

On to the Orange Bowl where people get to watch Iowa vs Georgia Tech. Wouldn’t it be more fun to watch Ga Tech vs Pittsburgh rather than another big boring team.

The Sugar Bowl at least has some exciting football possible with Cincinnati going against Florida.

That leaves me with the Fiesta Bowl where if it was up to me Texas would be playing. I’m one good team short of having someone to play TCU so I guess the team would have to be Penn St, Ohio St or Iowa so the big boring fans don’t feel to bad.

Wouldn’t a eight team playoff be more fun to watch than what looks to be a boring week of football.

MWC signs agreement with BCS

OK I admit my first thought when I saw the headlines was that the BCS gave in over fear of congress and a antitrust violation. Didn’t take long to realize that they signed because they had no choice but to sign after the WAC voted to sign.

Here is what the MWC said.
Today, the Mountain West Conference has executed the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) agreement and the attendant rights agreement with ESPN. While the Mountain West has expressed serious concerns with the various fundamental flaws in the current BCS system, our various good faith initiatives to generate reform have thus far not been accepted.

Therefore, the Mountain West believes it has no choice at this time but to sign the agreements. If a conference wishes to compete at the highest levels of college football, and the only postseason system in place for that is the BCS, no one conference can afford to drop out and penalize its football programs and student-athletes.

The Mountain West will continue its efforts for change, including a request for dialog with representatives of the BCS. Our goal is to ensure the eventual outcome of these endeavors is what our universities and student-athletes need, what the vast majority of American sports fans want, and what is long overdue: an equitable system.

Four years from now if the MWC and WAC continue to go to BCS bowls the BCS will have no excuse to exclude them.