OK, I'll say it...

Originally posted 01.05.06

This was the best set of BCS games ever. Bar none. Not that we still couldn't use a playoff (in spite of what the new coordinator says), but these four games were amazing!

Here are some thoughts about each, without corporate sponsorship:

Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 2o

Really nothing to say here- I'm still grinning. One piece of frustration (other than Brent Musberger)... I found out the day after the game that 1) tickets were going for $50 a pair (seems Notre Dame couldn't sell their allotment and there were a ton of extras- tell me again why they have an automatic BCS bid?) and 2) I have a student whose parents live 5 miles from the stadium that I could have stayed with. Dang, dang, dang, dang...

Thanks to Fox Sports' coverage of the NFL, we have two annoying features to cherish during the bowl season: 1) Aggressive promos of network shows (commercials and in-game tie ins... Kevin Pinkham is the master of these), and 2) The following progression: TD/Extra point/commercial break/kickoff/commercial break. Seriously, do we need more commercial breaks? I haven't been so exasperated since the dawn of the "stay tuned for more /commercial break/show credits/commercial break/new show intro/commercial break" era. Ladies and gentlemen, the blessing that is DVR.

The good news is that Fox Sports gets ALL of the BCS next year (except the Rose Bowl), including the new fifth game (played on January 8- you're telling me a playoff would take to long?). I wonder how much the BCS will fall out of favor once ESPN/ABC get off of the bandwagon and can start blasting it on air.

Sugar Bowl: West Virginia 38, Georgia 35.

Most surprising game that no one watched... Georgia was heavily favored in front of a home crowd, no one (including me) took the "Big Least" champion Mountaineers seriously, and then WVU goes out to a 28-0 lead in the early second quarter. The Dawgs come roaring back to make it a game, and WVU wins by faking a punt on 4th and 5 at the Georgia 48 with 1:45 to go in the game. Faking a punt. HUGE guts, that Rich Rodriguez. Almost as huge as Florida faking a punt on 4th and 2 at their own 17.

While I thought WVU had a great game, I wasn't impressed with their team. Their offense essentially spreads the field so they can run with their QB, and even their punt team has the same philosophy (until someone finally rushes the punter... dead punters usually end experiments with spread punts).

Nevertheless, they proved that they deserved to be there, in spite of all of the haters...

"How many innocent people will have to go to jail?" Well, I can think of one, for the crime of overacting.

Orange Bowl: Penn State 26, FSU 23. Paterno 79, Bowden 76.

I didn't get to see this three overtime thriller (too busy watching Oklahoma State kick the crap out of Pepperdine in basketball), but I was torn throughout. I wanted Penn State to lose so tOSU could rise in the polls, but a PSU win would bolster the Big T1e1n's record in bowls. Nonetheless, it was interesting that this went until 1:00 AM eastern, well after the coaches should have been in bed (after their 3:00 dinner and Matlock at 4:00).

Funny that it came down to kicker issues, given the history. Both of these (all time winningest) coaches have lost huge games because of missed field goals and extra points. "When karmas collide- tonight on ABC"

As another aside, it was sad to see Penn State's linebacker Posluszny injure his knee. Speaking of karma; how is this guy the best linebacker in college while AJ Hawk is the defensive player of the year for the Big T1e1n and an award winner for the top interior lineman in the country (both over Posluszny). I guess the 'Linebacker U' tag is good for extra credit.

Again, another home game for one of the teams. In fact, three of the four bowls were home games... and you wonder why Florida and California schools are successful. They have great weather for year round practice (at every level- Pop Warner to college), and get home games in January. I'd love to see a bowl in Lambeau or in Soldier Field; but the closest we get is the Boise Idaho bowl game.

"He's an all pro receiver, but this week Jerry Rice begins his most difficult challenge... on Dancing with the Stars" You're kidding, right? That's tougher than going across the middle against Steve Atwater?

Rose Bowl: Texas 41, USC 38. whoops... Vince Young 41, USC 38.

And yes, my brother called it. This was the best BCS championship game ever. The OSU win means more to me, but this was a better game.

Vince Young is a man. M.A.N. He exists to deliver touchdowns the way cake exists to deliver icing. And yet, some NFL idiot will draft him low and try to make him a wide reciever.

Reggie Bush not only wasn't the best player on the field, he wasn't even the best player on his own team. LenDale White was unstoppable last night... it would be hard to pick between the two if I wasn an NFL GM. Do you want consistancy and durability or flash and sizzle? 5 yards every carry, or a lot of short gains with the possibility of ripping off a huge one? Again, this is why I'm not writing for ESPN.com.

But Bill Simmons is. Here's his running diary- Sports Guy: Coach Fredo

For the record, USC has 1.5 championships and not 2, and I can't believe that the BCS committed ABC/ESPN networks kept propogating this lie- LSU won the BCS championship two years ago, while USC won the AP poll (the "we hate the BCS and will always vote for another team if possible because we're sportswriters who like to be important once a year" award).

A call from my friend Troy confirmed what I believed last night- Pete Carrol (and USC) were just too arrogant. Two fourth and 2 situations and you don't put the Heisman Trophy winner in at all? You're up by 12, and you (and everyone in the free world) know that Vince Young will be running the ball for the rest of the game, and you can't/don't come up with a plan to stop him? I'm glad I'm not the only person who thinks this.

I was really nervous that we would have "the big one" last night- a mega earthquake triggered by all of Southern California jumping off of the USC bandwagon. These people really do not deserve good athletics- all of the pro teams that they have in LA started somewhere else and moved here, and they've managed to lose two NFL franchises. Realistically, I understand this completely- there's too much else to do here. But be honest about that instead of acting like you're the best sports town ever when one of your teams starts to do well. With all of my students who were "pumped" about the game last night, only 10% of them could name more than three players on USC. Ah well...

The few true USC fans that I do know are still griping about the missed call that gave Texas a TD (Vince Young's knee was down) and the fumble/incomplete pass. Here are my responses: 1) What about the interception and fumble that wasn't reviewed and that Texas didn't get (to deprive USC of a score- DB caught the ball, landed on his back, fumbled out of bounds)? 2) What about other subjective calls (LenDale White's constant facemasking of defenders, the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty he should have received for high stepping into the end zone, etc.)? 3) That call didn't cost you the game- your inability to play defense and convert fourth downs in the fourth quarter did. It's like the Nebraska game- the last play didn't give Michigan the loss, their 11 point choke did. Same for the Trojans, just make it a 12 point choke.

Given that USC was the "third greatest team ever" (according to ESPN), and they weren't even the greatest team this year , what does that say about the level of college football we've gotten to see this year? I believe it will be difficult to top it... Unless the Buckeyes win it all next year.

Either way, I'm looking forward to it.