The Bitching Season

The college football season is effectively over. Now begins the bitching season. That wondrous time when everyone who “knows better” complains about those that “run the show”; badly as most see it.

All around, most are not happy. The only people happy are the Bowl owners, the ‘fat cats’ that attend the games in private boxes ferried by limos, and the Conference ‘bean counters’. That is about 5000 people, ’round about. The rest of the football world is unsatisfied, filled with anger bordering on bitter resentment.

The Problem

This years BCS was particularly unsatisfying. The so-called National Champ had 2 losses; most would say backed into the title game and did not deserve to be there. Several teams, that many think should play for the Title didn’t even get a consideration. One team, Missouri was not even in a BCS bowl even though they were a better team than at least 2 of the teams that did make a BCS bowl game.

Georgia also stands out there. They were motivated in their game and were lucky enough to field an opponent not used to “big time ball”. Nothing against Hawaii, they were overwhelmed by their surroundings, under-facilitated (still are), and up against a team with lots — in their mind — to prove. Oh, did I mention that the Bulldogs didn’t even with their division much less their conference? Yet many will argue that they were playing the best of any team at the end of the year.

That points out why the system, as always has been is so hated. One loss early and you can recover. One loss late and forget it. Take a look at Michigan. They ended up far higher than they deserved, after starting the season with an embarrassing loss to Appalachian State.

Who is to Blame

The BCS exacerbates the issue. By attempting to create a system that made the most money while pretending to crown a champ; they did neither. Fans, Alumni, football watchers, coaches, and students are frustrated by lopsided blow outs in the “premier bowls”, and quality teams being ignored for the top bowls that could have been competitive. How can you say you have a champion when no one played their way to the finally game?

The BCS backers (big money bowl game admins, backers, and clueless ADs) point to the fact that the season determined who made it, and that there were playoffs. Not all conferences have playoffs, and those conferences fair better in the rankings. Once again playoffs were never about crowning a champ, but filling coffers. You could say the worst ADs and Conference Directors have actually helped their Conference to better poll positions. Look at the Big 10 and Pac 10. No Championship, and they play in big bowls always.

Now we have Conferences, College Presidents, and ADs attempting to pacify the angry mob with more fake playoffs. They are determined to keep the Bowl System, come hell or high water. Typical of entrenched power

So Whats the solution

In the past you could make a case for tradition, wrongly and stupidly; but you could do it. Had they ditched the bowls when the BCS started and gone straight to a playoff, the pain would have been minimal. Now it’s going to be very painful and they won’t like it. It’s going to happen, and they desperately hanging on to their power. Typical of those who time has passed by, and don’t realize it.

The conferences need to either be forced, or of their own volition decide to do what is best for the students, players, and staff. The alumni hold much sway and it must be brought to bear on College Presidents to force them to force their ADs to get on with a playoff. The NFL needs to drop it’s rule about not taking players out of high school. College should not be a training ground for the NFL. The problem is that the relationship is symbiotic. NFL gets a training program that it does not pay for, and the colleges makes tons of money with football to fund nonsense. Even better the colleges get a mention of their school on every broadcast of a NFL game. Sweet deal.

All you have to do is follow the money. The people who are getting paid, are exactly those who want the BCS. A few exceptions abound, but most of those who want are getting paid.

Tags: football, bcs, nfl, bowl games, draft, georgia, texas, florida, usc, ucla, cal, osu, uh, ut