Some days I wish the BCS would just go away completely. I'm not sure these days of all these teams posturing for where they precisely rank in the great BCS multi-formula hierarchy is all that good for the sport.

The sport used to be about rivalries, mostly regional, like the matchup the other Saturday between Minnesota and Wisconsin. Thats what football is all about. Who cares who's number one or national champ in that context. And rivalries within conferences.

And who cares about playoffs. In college football, every Saturday is a playoff. There are only a limited number of games, and every one of them counts. Any Saturday a team is eliminated, either from conference title or national rankings.

And who cares about national rankings. To someone in the Big10, it only matters that Michigan is better than Ohio State at the end, or vica versa. Who gives a plug nickle for Oklahoma or LSU? Only the persons living in SEC territory or Big12 territory.

And I care a lot about the big bowls and their traditions. Rose Bowl is Big10/Pac10. SEC team goes to the Sugar Bowl. I even resent the fact the Big12 team goes to the Fiesta Bowl. It belongs in the Orange Bowl.

What have we lost? Considerable in the name of the almighty tv dollar/competition and national rankings, instead of old-fashioned rivalries, sportsmanship, tradition, and just plain fun.

:(

Amen Java!!! If USC wins out this season, that probably means the third year in a row that the Rose Bowl has not hosted the Big Ten champ vs. Pac-10 champ. AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!

great look back here--it includes the famous five-laterals run through the Stanford band that is replayed so often on television. wonder why noone ever replays highlights from the NotreDame/MSU tie that generated the wonderful line from Duffy, "a tie is like kissing your sister".

http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2003/Columnists/History.htm

;D

I wish, I wish, I wish it were so...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/brennan/2003-12-04-brennan_x.htm

:'(

Am I the only one with retro fever?

Thank goodness for some sports writers who know history, and by the way, I love his closing line:

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~111~1820520,00.html

8-)

I'm with you java!!! Is I've stated before, having no playoff system is what makes College 1-A football so unique. I believe it is the MAJOR reason I consider college football my favorite of all sports. ;D ;D ;D

Hoorah!!! Chalk one up for tradition. I'm with you. Decide the national championship on the field...during the season!!!!

:o

.........................I'm speechless after reading this. You're right on the money javaman.

I may be a little late in posting this, and perhaps it was posted on the BCS thread while I was away, but I enjoyed reading it so much I thought It deserved a place here as well. It also provides good insight on probable coming BCS changes:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/writers/stewart_mandel/12/31/rose.preview/

8-)