Bravo subby. Bravo.

Abagadro: Bravo subby. Bravo.

Thanks!

Sometimes they just write themselves, you know? :-)

+1 subby

/Side note, Ari doesn't look so good.

Hau Ruck: Side note, Ari doesn't look so good.

Beelzebub is starting to call in the contract.

MuadDib: Sometimes they just write themselves, you know? :-)

Was very well crafted nonetheless.

Excellent headline is excellent!

I'm not a follower of college football, but have they really sunk to the point where hiring Ari Fleischer represents a farking improvement to their PR?

He found work with the one group of people currently less popular than the former Bush Administration.

UNC_Samurai: He found work with the one group of people currently less popular than the former Bush Administration.

In fairness, it's not like he's working for bankers or something.

"Is the BCS considering a playoff system?"

"I don't recall."

Myownepitaph: I'm not a follower of college football, but have they really sunk to the point where hiring Ari Fleischer represents a farking improvement to their PR?

The BCS is a complete travesty. There are at least three teams deserving of a shot at the National Championship who won't have a shot even if they go undefeated because they belong to the wrong conferences. The Big conferences don't even pretend it's fair anymore and are asking for changes to the bowl eligibility requirements so that more BCS conference schools can get in at the expense of the supposedly weaker conferences.

*snert*

Hey subby, I lold. Literally.

Mentat:
The BCS is a complete travesty. There are at least three teams deserving of a shot at the National Championship who won't have a shot even if they go undefeated because they belong to the wrong conferences.

Exactly. Not only is my GT likely going to be 12-1 and have no shot at a title, but even if they went 13-0 it's pretty likely they would finish 3rd and still have no shot, like Cinci/TCU/BSU. It's just ridiculous. College football is the only team sport that doesn't have a playoff, and Division I is the only one in college football that doesn't have a playoff.

Now that Ari's put a face on it, I can see Congress spending at least 20 or 30 percent of their time on this issue.

Racht: Exactly. Not only is my GT likely going to be 12-1 and have no shot at a title, but even if they went 13-0 it's pretty likely they would finish 3rd and still have no shot, like Cinci/TCU/BSU. It's just ridiculous. College football is the only team sport that doesn't have a playoff, and Division I is the only one in college football that doesn't have a playoff.

Aside from the fact that I'm a blatant homer, I was really hoping for a Mizzou-West Virginia NC a couple of years ago. After that, I imagine a lot of the vitriol towards a playoff would have evaporated.

Racht: Exactly. Not only is my GT likely going to be 12-1 and have no shot at a title, but even if they went 13-0 it's pretty likely they would finish 3rd and still have no shot, like Cinci/TCU/BSU.

Too bad they don't play in a real football conference

bulldg4life: Racht: Exactly. Not only is my GT likely going to be 12-1 and have no shot at a title, but even if they went 13-0 it's pretty likely they would finish 3rd and still have no shot, like Cinci/TCU/BSU.

Too bad they don't play in a real football conference

OK, but the point is that they should be allowed to play in some sort of actual playoff. Is Cincinnati good enough to make a run for the national title? Probably not, and I say that as a resident here. But the BCS is a bullshiat way of determining anything, I think we all agree on that.

Hau Ruck: OK, but the point is that they should be allowed to play in some sort of actual playoff. Is Cincinnati good enough to make a run for the national title? Probably not, and I say that as a resident here. But the BCS is a bullshiat way of determining anything, I think we all agree on that.

TCU is. Boise State maybe. They should have the chance.

Mentat: Hau Ruck: OK, but the point is that they should be allowed to play in some sort of actual playoff. Is Cincinnati good enough to make a run for the national title? Probably not, and I say that as a resident here. But the BCS is a bullshiat way of determining anything, I think we all agree on that.

TCU is. Boise State maybe. They should have the chance.

I'm not arguing, I'm surprised as anyone that Cincinnati is undefeated and as far into the rankings as they are. When you have this many undefeated teams, you need a playoff to see who is real and who isn't. I'd like to find out if Cincinnati is real, but I probably won't have a chance.

At least I'll know if their basketball team is real since there is an actual playoff system there.

bulldg4life: Racht: Exactly. Not only is my GT likely going to be 12-1 and have no shot at a title, but even if they went 13-0 it's pretty likely they would finish 3rd and still have no shot, like Cinci/TCU/BSU.

Too bad they don't play in a real football conference

Like the Big 12, which is invariably ranked below the ACC and the Big East in most rankings this season? The Big 12 with fewer top-25 teams in the BCS than the Mountain West or the ACC?

I've wondered why one of the smaller schools who finish undefeated don't just declare themselves "College Football National Champions". Fark it- Cincy or Boise goes undefeated, print up a bunch of hats and t-shirts for the players to wear on ESPN postgame. Maybe raise a banner at the homefield the next day. Seriously, what could anyone do as long as you didnt mention "BCS" or "NCAA"? Not invite you to a BCS game AGAIN the next year?

wait

wait what

i guess subby is right. +1 on multiple levels.

/someone thought this was a good idea
//should have gotten tony snow instead

RminusQ: bulldg4life: Racht: Exactly. Not only is my GT likely going to be 12-1 and have no shot at a title, but even if they went 13-0 it's pretty likely they would finish 3rd and still have no shot, like Cinci/TCU/BSU.

Too bad they don't play in a real football conference

Like the Big 12, which is invariably ranked below the ACC and the Big East in most rankings this season? The Big 12 with fewer top-25 teams in the BCS than the Mountain West or the ACC?

And last year they had 5. And in 2007 they had 5. It's a down year, but the Big XII is always going to be a major conference because of the Texas recruiting base.

Abagadro: Bravo subby. Bravo.

THIS

It may be early, but I back this for a Headline of the Year candidacy.

Mentat: RminusQ: bulldg4life: Racht: Exactly. Not only is my GT likely going to be 12-1 and have no shot at a title, but even if they went 13-0 it's pretty likely they would finish 3rd and still have no shot, like Cinci/TCU/BSU.

Too bad they don't play in a real football conference

Like the Big 12, which is invariably ranked below the ACC and the Big East in most rankings this season? The Big 12 with fewer top-25 teams in the BCS than the Mountain West or the ACC?

And last year they had 5. And in 2007 they had 5. It's a down year, but the Big XII is always going to be a major conference because of the Texas recruiting base.

So even when the ACC is better by multiple measures than the Big 12, the Big 12 is better than the ACC because it's the Big 12.

RminusQ: So even when the ACC is better by multiple measures than the Big 12, the Big 12 is better than the ACC because it's the Big 12.

You would have to be very dumb to interpret that as what I said.

So wait a second. The independent schools are invading Iran?

bulldg4life: Racht: Exactly. Not only is my GT likely going to be 12-1 and have no shot at a title, but even if they went 13-0 it's pretty likely they would finish 3rd and still have no shot, like Cinci/TCU/BSU.

Too bad they don't play in a real football conference

A real conference schedules FIU and Charleston Southern, and plays a total of 8 home games right?

Mentat: RminusQ: So even when the ACC is better by multiple measures than the Big 12, the Big 12 is better than the ACC because it's the Big 12.

You would have to be very dumb to interpret that as what I said.

My bad for attributing the "ACC is not a real football conference" to you rather than bulldog.

Not to give a plug to ESPN, but thisDJ Gallo NFL Hangover column had me lulz'ing uncontrollably.

Arizona (7-3): Missing out on a BCS bowl has to hurt, because the Cardinals have a better record than the Steelers and the same record as four of the eight teams who received bids. But Arizona strikes voters as nothing more than another high-scoring team from the West in a bad division. They have to schedule a much tougher out-of-division schedule. Who knows, maybe if there was a playoff system, the Cardinals would get to prove they are good enough to reach the title game. But that's unlikely.

falcon176: bulldg4life: Racht: Exactly. Not only is my GT likely going to be 12-1 and have no shot at a title, but even if they went 13-0 it's pretty likely they would finish 3rd and still have no shot, like Cinci/TCU/BSU.

Too bad they don't play in a real football conference

A real conference schedules FIU and Charleston Southern, and plays a total of 8 home games right?

I have a theory that when the SEC isn't in the running for the National Championship (either through the BCS or a playoff system) then their fans are going to whine, cry, and call the SEC Championship game the REAL National Championship because the SEC is just so gosh darn tough!

falcon176: bulldg4life: Racht: Exactly. Not only is my GT likely going to be 12-1 and have no shot at a title, but even if they went 13-0 it's pretty likely they would finish 3rd and still have no shot, like Cinci/TCU/BSU.

Too bad they don't play in a real football conference

A real conference schedules FIU and Charleston Southern, and plays a total of 8 home games right?

Pssh... not all SEC teams are like that. Ole Miss only had 7 home games and played the mighty OOC schedule of Memphis, Southeastern Louisiana, UAB, and Northern Arizona.

falcon176: bulldg4life: Racht: Exactly. Not only is my GT likely going to be 12-1 and have no shot at a title, but even if they went 13-0 it's pretty likely they would finish 3rd and still have no shot, like Cinci/TCU/BSU.

Too bad they don't play in a real football conference

A real conference schedules FIU and Charleston Southern, and plays a total of 8 home games right?

Give Bama and Florida credit for playing BCS teams in their OOC schedule. Texas can't make that claim and their conference is an absolute joke this season.

/Praying that Cincy beats Pittsburgh and ends up #2 in the nation with Texas still undefeated.

Outshined_One: Give Bama and Florida credit for playing BCS teams in their OOC schedule.

Those Florida International and Chattanooga games are indeed killer.

Abagadro: Outshined_One: Give Bama and Florida credit for playing BCS teams in their OOC schedule.

Those Florida International and Chattanooga games are indeed killer.

Compare:

Florida OOC: Charleston Southern, Troy, Florida International, Florida State
Alabama OOC: Virginia Tech (Neutral Field), Florida International, North Texas, Chattanooga
Texas OOC: Louisiana-Monroe, @Wyoming, UTEP, UCF

All teams schedule OOC cupcakes, but give Alabama credit for playing Virginia Tech (#14) and give Florida at least a bit of credit for scheduling Florida State. Texas played nothing but patsies and didn't even bother scheduling a low-level joke from another BCS conference.

At least we can be sure the BCS has no WMDs.

or sumtin like dat

Outshined_One: All teams schedule OOC cupcakes, but give Alabama credit for playing Virginia Tech (#14) and give Florida at least a bit of credit for scheduling Florida State. Texas played nothing but patsies and didn't even bother scheduling a low-level joke from another BCS conference.

Texas was supposed to play Arkansas this year but Arkansas pussied out and backed out late because they decided they would rather play A&M (not an unreasonable decision).

We were also supposed to play Utah but they backed out as well.

When schedules are made 10 years in advance and people break their obligations you have to take what is around.

Outshined_One: Abagadro: Outshined_One: Give Bama and Florida credit for playing BCS teams in their OOC schedule.

Those Florida International and Chattanooga games are indeed killer.

Compare:

Florida OOC: Charleston Southern, Troy, Florida International, Florida State
Alabama OOC: Virginia Tech (Neutral Field), Florida International, North Texas, Chattanooga
Texas OOC: Louisiana-Monroe, @Wyoming, UTEP, UCF

All teams schedule OOC cupcakes, but give Alabama credit for playing Virginia Tech (#14) and give Florida at least a bit of credit for scheduling Florida State. Texas played nothing but patsies and didn't even bother scheduling a low-level joke from another BCS conference.

Incidentally Sagarin's strength of schedule shows:

Bama 41st
Florida 51st
Texas 56th
TCU 60th
Cincinatti 65th.

Wow, looks like the BCS rankings.

lilplatinum: Outshined_One: Abagadro: Outshined_One: Give Bama and Florida credit for playing BCS teams in their OOC schedule.

Those Florida International and Chattanooga games are indeed killer.

Compare:

Florida OOC: Charleston Southern, Troy, Florida International, Florida State
Alabama OOC: Virginia Tech (Neutral Field), Florida International, North Texas, Chattanooga
Texas OOC: Louisiana-Monroe, @Wyoming, UTEP, UCF

All teams schedule OOC cupcakes, but give Alabama credit for playing Virginia Tech (#14) and give Florida at least a bit of credit for scheduling Florida State. Texas played nothing but patsies and didn't even bother scheduling a low-level joke from another BCS conference.

Incidentally Sagarin's strength of schedule shows:

Bama 41st
Florida 51st
Texas 56th
TCU 60th
Cincinatti 65th.

Wow, looks like the BCS rankings.

Get back to those in a few weeks if Cincy beats Pitt.

Wow, Subby, dont hold back, tell us how you really feel!

/agrees
//HOTY candidate

Psychohazard: So wait a second. The independent schools are invading Iran?

I was thinking USC would just hang a "Mission Accomplished" banner and start printing the national champion hats and t-shirts.

I am so f-ing sick of both sides of this argument. On the college presidents' side, I wish they would man up and say what it is - it is about money. The current system guarantees them a lot of it. It is time for them to stop with the idiotic "time away from class for these student-athletes" bull crap.

On the other side, we have everyone else that argues against the "time away from class for these student-athletes" crap, completely oblivious to why it is staying the way it is. The current system insures the most money to the most schools. The college presidents are the sole decision makers on this issue and they are the presidents of the whole college, not just the athletic department. Until someone shows ALL of the college presidents how a playoff will make at least the same amount for all of them, there will be no playoff.

Get over it.

Outshined_One: Get back to those in a few weeks if Cincy beats Pitt.

At that point both Texas and Cincy have the same amount of ranked opponents, and if Okie Light beats Oklahoma, our ranked opponent is ranked higher.

Not sure how the SoS numbers will calculate that, aggies wont help our SoS for sure and not sure what the addition of beating nebraska will do.

Fortunately its a popularity contest, which we'll win, so I've already booked my flight back to the US to see the NC game.

/BCS sucks, i'll admit it even though it helps me this year

"Mr. Fleischer! What about the BCS Rape Rooms?"

"You mean my office?"

I'd like to see NCAA football use something similar to the premier league soccer system. Play your conference games and the bottom teams in each tier get replaced with the best teams from the next tier. Use the bowl games to determine who wins (championship between the top teams in the top division) and who gets booted to the next tier down. That way every bowl is meaningful, we can determine a national champion, and there's less incentive to schedule cupcakes (if they continue to do so, make a rule that if a cupcake wins you have to go down to their division and work your way back up).

nelsonal: I'd like to see NCAA football use something similar to the premier league soccer system. Play your conference games and the bottom teams in each tier get replaced with the best teams from the next tier. Use the bowl games to determine who wins (championship between the top teams in the top division) and who gets booted to the next tier down. That way every bowl is meaningful, we can determine a national champion, and there's less incentive to schedule cupcakes (if they continue to do so, make a rule that if a cupcake wins you have to go down to their division and work your way back up).

In theory that would be cool but the problem is in NCAA each years team can be drastically different, you often bear no resemblance to the team that got you promoted/demoted like in kickball systems.

Outshined_One: Abagadro: Outshined_One: Give Bama and Florida credit for playing BCS teams in their OOC schedule.

Those Florida International and Chattanooga games are indeed killer.

Compare:

Florida OOC: Charleston Southern, Troy, Florida International, Florida State
Alabama OOC: Virginia Tech (Neutral Field), Florida International, North Texas, Chattanooga
Texas OOC: Louisiana-Monroe, @Wyoming, UTEP, UCF

All teams schedule OOC cupcakes, but give Alabama credit for playing Virginia Tech (#14) and give Florida at least a bit of credit for scheduling Florida State. Texas played nothing but patsies and didn't even bother scheduling a low-level joke from another BCS conference.

TCU's cupcakes are in-conference (yes, I am looking at you UNLV and New Mexico), so they have to schedule tough opponents to compensate.

lilplatinum: Outshined_One: Abagadro: Outshined_One: Give Bama and Florida credit for playing BCS teams in their OOC schedule.

Those Florida International and Chattanooga games are indeed killer.

Compare:

Florida OOC: Charleston Southern, Troy, Florida International, Florida State
Alabama OOC: Virginia Tech (Neutral Field), Florida International, North Texas, Chattanooga
Texas OOC: Louisiana-Monroe, @Wyoming, UTEP, UCF

All teams schedule OOC cupcakes, but give Alabama credit for playing Virginia Tech (#14) and give Florida at least a bit of credit for scheduling Florida State. Texas played nothing but patsies and didn't even bother scheduling a low-level joke from another BCS conference.

Incidentally Sagarin's strength of schedule shows:

Bama 41st
Florida 51st
Texas 56th
TCU 60th
Cincinatti 65th.

Wow, looks like the BCS rankings.

You left out GaTech's, which is the best on in the top 10 (if I remember). Of course, that will drop after they play UGA.

/Suck it, bulldg4life
//What's even worse is that you went to Tech. You should be smarter than that.