48 replies to this topic

[PromoTheRobot]

Okay, it's not exactly Bills-related but it's big news and the Bills stuff is pretty slow right now.  Not that this will solve the bitching but it's still better than just 2 teams vying.

LINK

PTR

[ajzepp]

I HATED the fact that college didn't have a playoff. I've always thought it was completely stupid how the figured a national champion and felt I'd become a much bigger fan of college ball with a playoff system in place. That being said, clearly this is not a perfect solution, but it's a step in the right direction and I'm thrilled with the news. I'd much rather be wrong about the 5th place team than I would the 3rd place one...this gets us one step closer to truly deciding it on the field instead of letting some computer nerd figure out the best "formula". I don't really like that they're waiting until 2014, especially since they're using the existing bowl structure...don't see why they can't start it next year. Maybe in 2026 they can finally go to an 8-team playoff

[jeremy2020]

ajzepp, on 26 June 2012 - 11:42 PM, said:

instead of letting some computer nerd figure out the best "formula".

Computer nerds didn't like it either.

[Mark Vader]

This is great news.

It's about time that college football got out of the prehistoric era.

Hopefully this is a first step to an even bigger college football playoff system.

[Hplarrm]

I love the pros because its great entertainment and these pros deserve to be paid well for the great work they do and the risks they take.  However, I generally have given up on college balls (except paying some attention as it relates to whom the Bills might draft) as because quite frankly I would prefer for college to be about education.

The money ball around the contradictory phrase student/athlete just got even sillier.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

About time, 64 teams here we come!!!

[ajzepp]

Hplarrm, on 26 June 2012 - 11:53 PM, said:

I love the pros because its great entertainment and these pros deserve to be paid well for the great work they do and the risks they take.  However, I generally have given up on college balls (except paying some attention as it relates to whom the Bills might draft) as because quite frankly I would prefer for college to be about education.

The money ball around the contradictory phrase student/athlete just got even sillier.

I'm not sure I understand how college football makes college NOT about education? People can go to school for whatever they want regardless of the fact that these major football programs exist, can't they? I honestly used to rarely pay any attention to college ball whatsoever but I've really come to enjoy it. I'm interested in the the point you're making, though, so maybe you can expound on it a bit? Maybe I don't understand what you're saying.

[Hplarrm]

ajzepp, on 27 June 2012 - 04:47 AM, said:

I'm not sure I understand how college football makes college NOT about education? People can go to school for whatever they want regardless of the fact that these major football programs exist, can't they? I honestly used to rarely pay any attention to college ball whatsoever but I've really come to enjoy it. I'm interested in the the point you're making, though, so maybe you can expound on it a bit? Maybe I don't understand what you're saying.

Back in the day (perhaps 30 or so years ago in the distant past) when education was the priority, the football season was important but it had to fit around the class schedule of the kids.  Bowl games were an extension of the season which were to some extent fought against by the academic schedule but generally the bowl games which previously were all played by January 1st did manage to expand out a bit since afterall what it first cost players was some family time during vacation.

However, this expansion was caused by a delivery of more and more $ to the participating schools and the academic schedule was forced to accomodate first 11 and then in some cases 12 games in the regular season and the bowl schedule expanded with sponsorship by the traditional 4 New Years Day (Orange, Rose, Cotton, and something else bowls) to an expanded schedule of Tostitos etc bowls.  The bowls themselves with the advent of huge TV moneys allowed for enormous bribes to the participating schools and slowly but inevitably has moved to a playoff system where the colleges actually imitate the pros at finding one pretend winner per season (as I think Duane Thomas said when someone asked him if he upcoming SB was the most important day of his life he replied if it so important then why do they play it every year).

The establishmrnt of a playoff and likely inevitable expansion to something like a 64 team playoff of the huge moneymaker the NCAA basketball championship is actually a blip on our way to something like year around football.  There is simply no way I can see to accomodate the needed regular season where you play for seeding and then the playoffs to advance in the tournament of this "game" which cannot be played 3 nights a week as in college but the needed healing mandates weekly games.

Spring practice used to be the ritual as players built their athletic time around the academic time of mid-terms and finals but when we go year around the tail of athletics will wag the dog of education.

The NFL side of this equation is quite interesting as it has unlike its competing major sports like baseball, basketball, and hockey has found a way to dump virtually all the training costs on college and not been forced into signing 16 year olds to contracts or paying for an enormous minor league system.  However, though the NFL teams avoid this cost, the price they pay is that their athletes become adults before the teams buy their loyalty.  Led by a talented tenth such as player Gene Upshaw these men have now forced the owners to not only split the pie but in fact guarantee them a majority of the gross receipts.

My sense is one of the next steps is going to be players looking at the $6 billion payout I have seen estimated as the cost of broadcasting the playoff games and we will see the student/athletes effectively organizing to demand their cut.

The illusion of the student/athlete will receed further into the distance of reality and who knows what will come of it.

At least the Ivys will still emphasize academics over athletics with no playoff system and a focus on education as the rational for teams working to play well together, but who knows where the balance between education and athletics will fall.  The two are not necessarily opposed to each other but there is a balance which must be found between the two.  The advent of the football playoff simply means that the balance is now going to go way over to the side of athletic entertainment.

[eball]

Gotta love the hypocrisy and corruption of college football:

In 2010, Rick Baker, president of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, said, "A playoff system would ruin the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic."

Tuesday, Rick Baker, president of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, said, "It's a great day for college football. We congratulate the conference commissioners and presidents for their diligent work to enhance the postseason."

[Luxy312]

eball, on 27 June 2012 - 01:55 PM, said:

Gotta love the hypocrisy and corruption of college football:

In 2010, Rick Baker, president of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, said, "A playoff system would ruin the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic."

Tuesday, Rick Baker, president of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, said, "It's a great day for college football. We congratulate the conference commissioners and presidents for their diligent work to enhance the postseason."

It's a joke.  Unfortunately, it's one of those jokes that isn't funny....and about cancer.....and killing puppies.

[reddogblitz]

I suppose it is better than what we have now, but not much.  You still got a beauty/popularity contest to see who gets one of the 4 spots.

I say put everyone in a conference.  8 or 16.  Then let the conference champs play down to a winner.  It's not complicated really.

[Simon]

So all they did was add two games to the schedule and they think that's going to fix one of the biggest ongoing jokes in all of sports?
I haven't bothered with college ball in a long time and this isn't likely to change that stance.
If they want me and many others back, then they can give me a call when they decide to stop embarrassing themselves and address this in a manner that doesn't make everybody look like a bunch of crap-throwing monkeys.

[Faustus]

reddogblitz, on 27 June 2012 - 02:16 PM, said:

I suppose it is better than what we have now, but not much.  You still got a beauty/popularity contest to see who gets one of the 4 spots.

I say put everyone in a conference.  8 or 16.  Then let the conference champs play down to a winner.  It's not complicated really.

I very much agree, but I know a lot of people who don't.

[BRAWNDO]

eball, on 27 June 2012 - 01:55 PM, said:

Gotta love the hypocrisy and corruption of college football:

In 2010, Rick Baker, president of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, said, "A playoff system would ruin the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic."

Tuesday, Rick Baker, president of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, said, "It's a great day for college football. We congratulate the conference commissioners and presidents for their diligent work to enhance the postseason."

Especially since Jerry Jones is going to bid for the National Championship Game every few years, making the Cotton Bowl the title game.

[Ramius]

Faustus, on 27 June 2012 - 03:48 PM, said:

I very much agree, but I know a lot of people who don't.

I'm with you guys. At least 8 teams, but 16 teams with all 11 conference winners getting a playoff spot would be ideal. Whats always the 1st rule/goal in college sports? Win your conference.

But, the 4 team playoff is a step in the right direction, and now it seems like only a matter of time before the bowls are rendered largely irrelevant and the playoff is expanding.

[The Senator]

Ramius, on 27 June 2012 - 04:12 PM, said:

I'm with you guys. At least 8 teams, but 16 teams with all 11 conference winners getting a playoff spot would be ideal. Whats always the 1st rule/goal in college sports? Win your conference.

But, the 4 team playoff is a step in the right direction, and now it seems like only a matter of time before the bowls are rendered largely irrelevant and the playoff is expanding.

It's good to see the NCAA powers-that-be are finally listening to...


Mike Leach


"I think it's tremendous progress," said Washington State coach Mike  Leach, a playoff proponent. "Five years ago there wasn't even dialogue  about a playoff. Instead of diving in the water, they dipped their toes  in. I think it's going to be ridiculously exciting and it's going to  generate a bunch of money. I wish they dived in.  I want more than four; 16 is better. I'd like to have 64. I think it would be a lot of fun..."

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[BillyBaroo]

Ramius, on 27 June 2012 - 04:12 PM, said:

I'm with you guys. At least 8 teams, but 16 teams with all 11 conference winners getting a playoff spot would be ideal. Whats always the 1st rule/goal in college sports? Win your conference.

But, the 4 team playoff is a step in the right direction, and now it seems like only a matter of time before the bowls are rendered largely irrelevant and the playoff is expanding.

It is a step - but I would be more for 8 teams- it would only take 3 weeks which the bowl season spans anyways and would give 7 games - enough for any major bowl to get in on if they wanted

[Steve O]

BillyBaroo, on 27 June 2012 - 07:30 PM, said:

It is a step - but I would be more for 8 teams- it would only take 3 weeks which the bowl season spans anyways and would give 7 games - enough for any major bowl to get in on if they wanted

Here is my version of the 8 team playoff:
New Years day - Top 8 teams play (in my perfect scenario they would play in the bowl games of my childhood, Cotton, Orange, Sugar, and Rose)
This is followed by a 5-10 day break for the players before they start preparing for the semi finals, which will be held the day before the NFL championship games. So there would be semi-final Saturday for college followed by Championship Sunday for the NFL
College championship game will be held the following weekend, the bye week before the Super Bowl.
Never happen but if it did I would truly be footballed out and ready for a break from watching it.

[judman]

I have come to like college football more  than in the past because of the atmosphere in those stadiums.  My wife and I met at a small college with no football team.  When we see those stadiums (sometimes filled with 100k+ fans) it is almost beyond comprehension.  The bands are a nice touch too.  And sometimes the crowd shots make it worth while...  

[ajzepp]

The Senator, on 27 June 2012 - 07:07 PM, said:

It's good to see the NCAA powers-that-be are finally listening to...


Mike Leach


"I think it's tremendous progress," said Washington State coach Mike  Leach, a playoff proponent. "Five years ago there wasn't even dialogue  about a playoff. Instead of diving in the water, they dipped their toes  in. I think it's going to be ridiculously exciting and it's going to  generate a bunch of money. I wish they dived in.  I want more than four; 16 is better. I'd like to have 64. I think it would be a lot of fun..."

.

I agree with the coach for sure. Would have been nice to have at least 8, but clearly it's moving things in the right direction.