tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300012139741038635.post1641542693808296591..comments2024-02-16T02:12:08.305-08:00Comments on Fire Jay Mariotti: Do College Sports Need the Little Guy?Larry Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16141943214237719821noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300012139741038635.post-29345580111046228872010-04-26T11:39:57.294-07:002010-04-26T11:39:57.294-07:00Typical. It's nice being one of the big boys,...Typical. It's nice being one of the big boys, until you are the one on the outside. Interestingly enough, Cincinnati has a much better basketball reputation than football. I've never seen anybody argue before that big program influence should be MORE of a determining factor in the NCAA tournament other than which teams get in on the bubble. <br /><br />I guess next year we will have to consult the Paul Daughtery upset effectiveness-o-meter to make sure things don't get out of hand.Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05117565553215414852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300012139741038635.post-38302391736907424142010-04-05T07:42:01.577-07:002010-04-05T07:42:01.577-07:00The fact that the regular season serves as a de fa...The fact that the regular season serves as a de facto playoff is partially my point. If a team goes 12-0, I do not think it is fair that that team has to play a game in the first round against, say, an 8-4 Sun Belt Champion. Or a 9-3 third place finisher from a power conference. <br /><br />The rewarding of soft schedules is highly debatable, too. The last four national champions, coming out of the SEC, played among the top 20 tougest schedules in the country heading into the bowl game. I think LSU's was generally ranked toughest in the country in their two-loss championship season. Florida's two championship schedules were in the top 10 if memory serves. Alabama's was the weakest of the bunch, clocking in only at 20 per Sagarin. Texas' was more questionable. Depending on which computer was crunching the numbers it was either slightly better or slightly worse than Cincy's, TCU's or Boise's. I never really delved into the two Ohio State Championship Game appearances, as they seemed pretty obviously deserving both years. Same with Oklahoma in '08.<br /><br />As to your last statement, that is why I view expanded tournaments as inherently unfair. To use a couple of pro examples, I don't want an 83-win Cardinals team to even get a chance to get hot at the right moment and win a World Series, or an 11-5 Giants team to get a shot to make a miraculous play to beat an undefeated New England team. While these outcomes are definitely exciting, I cannot understand why anyone thinks they are in any way fair to teams who achieve excellence over the course of a full regular season.Biggus Rickusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300012139741038635.post-75498581040654140812010-04-05T06:05:11.538-07:002010-04-05T06:05:11.538-07:00The first argument I heard for it was (65/340) is ...The first argument I heard for it was (65/340) is not equal to (68/120) or whatever the ratio of football teams that go bowling actually is. Really? You want to compare the number of teams that make the postseason to the bowl system??<br /><br />In response to Biggus Rickus, your argument against playoffs confuses me. Regular season or postseason, anything can happen on any given day. You could be the best team in the country but lose in the regular season for whatever reason, and miss out on the BCS championship game as a result. You could also be the best team and lose in the playoffs. If you don't have a playoff, the regular season turns into a modified playoff (qualification for nc) where the advantage lies with the easiest schedule.<br /><br />Playoffs are fair precisely because every team has an equal opportunity to win the tournament, whether you are seen as the favorite or not.Angelohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13565602337634280524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300012139741038635.post-88738516357927742492010-04-03T04:26:18.760-07:002010-04-03T04:26:18.760-07:00The 96-team tournament in basketball completely my...The 96-team tournament in basketball completely mystifies me. I mean, <i>why?</i>dan-bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02465285716333091226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300012139741038635.post-948760635890516232010-04-02T13:16:47.313-07:002010-04-02T13:16:47.313-07:00You can go round and round on playoffs vs. the BCS...You can go round and round on playoffs vs. the BCS. Is it really fair that Georgetown has to play a 9th place finisher from the MAC? On a given night anything can happen, and the team who put together a very good (great, maybe) season can lose to someone who shoots lights out or gets a few key calls or something. Basketball is worse than anything that might develop in college football. Logistically, anything beyond a 16-team college football playoff isn't really workable, so at worst you'll end up with a 3-loss team playing an undefeated team on aveerage. Still, I don't think it's fair to make teams who had great regular seasons have to play teams who were pretty good in a playoff. At the least it is no more fair than screwing over a few teams who actually deserve a shot. <br /><br />I like the idea of a +1 in college football, but I have no faith in it remaining just that. Playoffs always expand to their maximum potential (hence the talk of 96 teams in basketball). Inevitably, any college football playoff will lead to a 16-team tournament, and I think that's simply too many teams. Fortunately, the power conferences will keep it from happening, so their greed suits me.Biggus Rickusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300012139741038635.post-2227363717463211702010-04-02T10:47:00.341-07:002010-04-02T10:47:00.341-07:00I think everyone has already established there'...I think everyone has already established there's a problem with the BCS. And I agree with your last paragraph. What's the point of having mid major teams at all if there not even given a shot at the title (however small it is)?Dylanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02521399272029891606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300012139741038635.post-40413335423781201722010-04-02T10:25:13.404-07:002010-04-02T10:25:13.404-07:00FJM LIVES!FJM LIVES!Elliotnoreply@blogger.com