More Playoff Distortions
Thursday, August 9, 2007 at 10:06AM As is usually the case, this comes from Get The Picture.
What is it with some people? Why is having a good thing never quite enough?
First, this incredible diatribe from Clay Travis (h/t DawgsOnline):
For about a month I can forget that the relationship between college football’s power structure and their fans is broken more than any sport in America. That college football fans are going to turn out by the millions to root on their favored teams even though we know all along that each week is more like a trip to the dentist for a root canal than an actual enjoyable football experience.
What game has he been going to? Five conferences set attendance records in 2006. As for “broken relationships” between sports power structures and fans, get back with me when they cancel a college football season over a labor dispute, [censored].
If "each week is a root canal", sign me up for 52 straight weeks of that root canal.
Reader Comments (11)
College football below the D-1 level has had playoffs for years and I don't see what problems this has caused their programs. Just the opposite in my opinion. Their playoffs are televised, are well attended, and are profitable.
Playoffs are a part of every college sport except D-1 Football. I have not read any arguments against a playoff that has any merit. Tradition, give me a break! According to Business Wire their poll says that 75% of D-1 football players are in favor of a playoff. I and I think a greater majority than that of fans are for a playoff. I think that your opposition is just part of your ongoing attempt to be different.
I say let's start a new tradition.
Popular support for something doesn't necessarily make it right or appropriate.
What part of 'every major sport that has a playoff has a crappy regular season' don't you understand?
I think that the BCS does exactly what you're crying about. It ruins seasons for good football teams. Instead of arguing over who's 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., we would be arguing about who's no. 9 or, 10 or, 17 or, 18.
Talk about some high interest bowl games. Instead of having one meaningful bowl game, you could have eight. Sounds exciting to me.
Going undefeated is near-impossible (although easier with the schedules nowadays). A qualified team is likely to be represented in the BCS title game whether they be undefeated or have a loss or two. The argument always comes down to whom among those qualified teams MOST merited being there.
"With a playoff, the season is not "crap" because these teams would have a chance to prove their worth on the field."
They have proven their worth over the course of a 12-game (or 13 game if you're in a conference title game, Hawaii or play Hawaii) season. "Proving it on the field" already happened many times over, unless you don't think the regular season counts for anything which is of course exactly why a playoff sucks.
It is no surprise that the major playoff sports all have crappy regular seasons. Their fans and players have gotten accustomed to waiting until the postseason to pay attention. This link is strong. College football WILL eventually end up like that if we go down that playoff road. No thanks.
"I think that the BCS does exactly what you're crying about. It ruins seasons for good football teams."
1)Nonsense. A season is an adventure, a journey in college football. It is self-contained and teams make what they can of them. Michigan's season wasn't ruined last year, Auburn's season wasn't ruined in 2004, USC's season wasn't ruined in 2003 etc. etc. etc.
2)We have bowl games, you know.
"Instead of arguing over who's 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., we would be arguing about who's no. 9 or, 10 or, 17 or, 18."
And when 8 beats 1 or whatever, the entire thing collapses upon itself. It ceases to have any meaning other than one giant crap shoot with potential frauds who got hot and the right matchups claiming crowns on a regular basis.
"Instead of having one meaningful bowl game, you could have eight"
Every bowl game is meaningful. I really don't understand people when they say only one bowl game is meaningful. It's the capper to the season for each and every team fortunate enough to go bowling.
The current setup works well in making each game from the first to the last meaningful instead of a playoff where ultimately there's only a handful of meaningful if brutally flawed games.
Playoffs won't devalue the regular season? Are you kidding me? When's the last time you sat down and watched a regular season MLB, NFL, NBA, or NHL game and feel like it's life-or-death? That's what your missing.
All playoffs would do to the sport would water it down. There is more parity at the D-1 level then it is in the sub levels (hence, Grand Valley State, Mount Union, and Appalachian State winning every year against the 2 seed). What if Texas got upset against Penn State in your playoff in 2005? Where's the drama for the championship game? We knew Texas and USC were the 2 best teams in the nation that year.
It would ruin the sport. Unless we want college football to turn into the NFL, go right ahead then. College football is a pure adrenaline rush, that doesn't happen with the attitude of, "well, maybe they can win out and still play for the title."
And what about the other schools? With a playoff, it would be damaging to the Wyomings and the Northern Illinois' of the world. Imagine coming into the season and not even having a chance to compete for a postseason.
Take a look at college basketball. The all-inclusive tournament still has controversy swirling when Drexel gets left out and Stanford gets in. No matter how many teams get in, controversy will follow.
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