FB: Empire 8

[boobyhasgameyo]

again....every once in a while a cinderella team emerges, do you think george mason would have finished even in the top 10 in the big east? that didn't stop them from doing what they did... that wasn't my main point anyway, my problem is who is to say the top 2 teams would meet each other every year, that never ever ever ever happens.  The only way you should be able to determine who should play in the national championship is on the field, and the BCS cant do that

[SJFF82]

I am so tired of the NCAA promoting its agenda...$$$....by selling the actual game of football out to anyone (advertisers) who will pay millions for it.

Its sad to say the least.  Should education not be free by now at D1 schools and perhaps to all NCAA institutions.  After all, all levels (DI, D2 and D3) are bound by the same rules and regs as D1. How many billions of dollars do most of these publicly funded schools reap out of the scheme that is major college athletics.  The crazy thing is that all the money comes in, and there is essentially no player pay-roll to expense it on....just overpaid coaches.  The counter seems to be that the schools and programs are benefitting from all the money....BUT to what extent?  How many state of the art athletic facilities does one campus need at the additional expense of 6-figure tuitions?  Was there anything wrong with Notre Dame football of the '40's '50's and '60's.   How 'bout Oklahoma and Alabama of yesteryear?  The programs and their fan support did not seem to suffer from a lack of million dollar bowl games and media crush.

When is enough ever enough in anything?

ok, my rant is over...

['gro]

all these sportswriters and TV heads talk over and over about a playoff...  why don't they show what a real college football playoff is like and give extra coverage to the IAA, II, and III tourneys?

[SJFF82]

all these sportswriters and TV heads talk over and over about a playoff...  why don't they show what a real college football playoff is like and give extra coverage to the IAA, II, and III tourneys?

Good question in theory, but the day consumption of D3 football by the American public rises to the level that 'we' consume D1 football will be the day that the writers and tv-jockeys stop paying lip-service to play-offs and go and actually cover the existing play-offs.


I thing the rule is called 'Follow the money....'

[AUPepBand]

A playoff format would only hurt Boise St.  They would not have been able to physically sustain themselves for 3, 4, or 5 weeks of playoffs against much bigger opponents. 
Furthermore, Boise St. would've been killed in a conference like the SEC.  They would have finished their season with 4 losses (at least).  The bowl system was great for them because on any given night the stars can align and anyone can beat anyone.  On one night though.  Let's not get carried away and put them up there with Florida or LSU (possibly the best 2 loss team EVER).
The BCS did get it right.  They took the best team, from the best conference, and kicked the crap outta the best team from the rest of the country.

AUPepBand is not a Boise State fan nor does he consider them national champs, but fact remains that no one beat them so the question will always remain....how good are they and how far could they go? Pep would agree that Boise State would probably be defeated by someone along a prospective playoff run. But we just will never know. It appears the Big 10 was overrated as Big Ten "dynamic duo" Michigan and Ohio State both were blown out.

Pep has always been a fan of the "little guy" or the "underdog." Back in 1971, when Alfred went 8-0-0 and a D3 post-season was in its infancy with the Knute Rockne Bowl in Atlantic City, NJ, a once-beaten team from Bridgeport was selected ahead of the Saxons to face unbeaten Hampden-Sydney (I believe). Alfred and Bridgeport didn't not have any common opponents. But Bridgeport, even though they had lost a game, was selected over an Alfred squad that won every game on their schedule.

It irked Alfred fans so much that AU's athletic director scheduled Bridgeport for the Saxons' 1973 opener. It was a different AU squad, mind you, but the Saxons put up a gallant fight. Bridgeport scored early to take a 7-0 lead that they held until the final minute when the Saxons scored to make it 7-6, then converted a two-pointer for an 8-7 lead (and apparent victory). With just seconds remaining, Bridgeport scored on a 60+ yard pass play thrown to mid-field where the Bridgeport receiver (admitted to a reporter for his school's newspaper) pushed off two Alfred defenders who fell to the ground, allowing him to go the rest of the way for a TD and the 14-8 win.

Perhaps Boise State would do well to schedule a couple of SEC opponents!

[AUPepBand]

I am so tired of the NCAA promoting its agenda...$$$....by selling the actual game of football out to anyone (advertisers) who will pay millions for it.

Its sad to say the least.  Should education not be free by now at D1 schools and perhaps to all NCAA institutions.  After all, all levels (DI, D2 and D3) are bound by the same rules and regs as D1. How many billions of dollars do most of these publicly funded schools reap out of the scheme that is major college athletics.  The crazy thing is that all the money comes in, and there is essentially no player pay-roll to expense it on....just overpaid coaches.  The counter seems to be that the schools and programs are benefitting from all the money....BUT to what extent?  How many state of the art athletic facilities does one campus need at the additional expense of 6-figure tuitions?  Was there anything wrong with Notre Dame football of the '40's '50's and '60's.   How 'bout Oklahoma and Alabama of yesteryear?  The programs and their fan support did not seem to suffer from a lack of million dollar bowl games and media crush.

When is enough ever enough in anything?

ok, my rant is over...

AUPepBand will point out that the NCAA takes care of its athletes. Julio Fuentes, starting tailback for Alfred's Saxons, who sustained a critical spinal injury on the second half kickoff of AU's 2006 opener versus Thiel, is getting the finest of care at a spinal injury rehab facility in Atlanta, GA, thanks to the NCAA's insurance coverage for its athletes.

Recent word has Fuentes still in Atlanta, having had a couple of additional surgeries. His rehab progress has been slowed somewhat by some complications but Pep remains hopeful that Julio will be back on campus for classes in Fall 2007.

+K to all for some discussion on the E8 board!

[SJFF82]

Good point, but is the NCAA taking care of the game as well?  The game is played not only at that state of the art 'museum' of a stadium that last night's game was played at but also at a field carved out of a mountain called 'Merrill'...

[dewcrew88]

I would be a big fan of a Division I playoff... If not, at the very least, have a plus one game between Boise and FLA.

[Sir Spiedie]

I hate to sound simplistic, but we will have a playoff system as soon as the teams want one. And it would start with teams eliminating the sacrificial lambs on the schedule to make way for some playoffs at the end of the year. Every major team has them. And they all make money from them. Eliminate the creampuffs, don't start ranking until 4 weeks into the season, have an eight team playoff. Sure, someone is going to get screwed, but the 9th team, not the third. Easy, huh?
But its not going to happen for economic reasons. And the fact is that when a team does get screwed by the current BCS system, it's just that, one team, the uproar is localized (Do you mind if I say "localized"?) and the public quickly forgets until next year. Urban Cryer was bitterly complaining  until Florida jumped Michigan. Do you think anyone cares that  Boise is singing the blues,  pun intended And while you are at it, quit stopping the clock on first downs, football is in danger of becoming baseball.

[boobyhasgameyo]

man i love stopping the clock on first downs.  something that really irks me about professional football is how they waste time at the end, sure its the smart thing to do but it's frustrating and cowardly.  For instance the end of the eagles giants game wasting the clock down until there were 3 seconds left to kick the field goal.  it's so anti-climatic and boring to watch.  taking knees bothers the helllll out of me, just run the ball at the very least.  again i know its the smart play and a  way to seal the victory but i just hate watching it. 

p.s. 40 seconds is entirely too long for the play clock, knock that down to 30 seconds.

this is me ranting

[Lyco80]

I agree with you Bobby, and I am a devoted Eagles fan.

Another thing that irks the heck out of me, regarding clock oversight, is the very subjective approach to when to stop it on a play and when to start it.

Sometimes, usually near the end of the first half, the officials seem to "juice" the clock to keep the game marching on to the every important TV format.  This keeps the games all on about the same plane for halftime blather and more truck and beer ads. 

I just love a good ball control game.  One where the clock runs and runs and runs and the networks are just pissed because their commercials are just piling up.  Then, when there is a score or punt - bam - sound like Madden there - you get deluged with them until you forget about the game - wish you had a beer and were driving somewhere offroad in your 4x4 pickup.

That is my rant - and I am sticking by it.

Also - the time has come for a playoff system.  If the BCS is so good a method - a playoff system with the ranked best 8, will not hurt it and will settle the question on the field - where it belongs and not in the newspapers by talking heads or the guys who used to bring the movie projectors down from the library.  (I know I am dating myself with that one.)

ATB

[Sir Spiedie]

Booby, I don't know if you are a Giants fan, but since you mention the Giants Eagles, taking a knee can be risky, too. 

['gro]

I think the NFL needs to stop the clock on 1st downs like in college, shorten the play clock to 30 sec, and eliminate kneel downs (I think in the arena leage you need to get positive yards or the clock stops).

I think the NCAA needs to let players that were down without contact (diving catches, slips) get up and continue the play.

Re: Replay

ANOTHER botched replay during the bowls. Florida's 2nd TD, the guy's knee was clearly down. Didn't matter in the game but WTF are the officials looking at?

[Regulator]

I think the NFL needs to stop the clock on 1st downs like in college, shorten the play clock to 30 sec, and eliminate kneel downs (I think in the arena leage you need to get positive yards or the clock stops).

I think the NCAA needs to let players that were down without contact (diving catches, slips) get up and continue the play.

Re: Replay

ANOTHER botched replay during the bowls. Florida's 2nd TD, the guy's knee was clearly down. Didn't matter in the game but WTF are the officials looking at?

Gro-
I don't even think they should allow replay in college games.  Seriously, they replayed so many plays in the last 2 weeks, the only ref they needed on the field is the one spotting the ball.  You could have controlled everything else from the booth.

You know whats funny.....the tiny screen they make the main ref look at.  Why does he even need to look at anything?  He isnt the one making the call??!?!

[Sir Spiedie]

General E8 question---- Do all the E8 schools conduct a summer football camp?