Deadspin
We enjoy this picture of Georgia center Fernando Velasco, taken after the Bulldogs' win over Georgia Tech Saturday, because he is holding an orange. Presumably, a fan through him — and some other Bulldogs — an orange to symbolize the Orange Bowl. This is odd not because Georgia is not going to the Orange Bowl — it's difficult to victoriously brandish a cube of sugar — but because the Orange Bowl is not a destination Georgia would have necessarily wanted. Were Georgia fans rooting for the Orange Bowl?
Keith Law, in his personal blog, points out the ridiculousness of a system that rewards a team for spending a season playing inferior competition and then sitting alongside, idle, watching while teams above them lose. (Which is how Ohio State is here.) But we point out the opposite problem. We're not sure we understand why everyone is so insistent — rule or not — that a team win its conference to have an opportunity at the title. We do not do this in any other sport; not even in the supposedly tradition-obsessed world of baseball to we chafe when a wild-card team is playing for the championship. How the BCS can move Virginia Tech ahead of Georgia simply because they beat a slightly above average Boston College team is bewildering. If LSU had lost to Tennessee, would Virginia Tech have moved ahead of Georgia? Oklahoma? According to the BCS standings, they would have ... though hardly any voters would have put them ahead before this weekend's action.
The way this worked out: Ohio State was rewarded for not playing, and Georgia was penalized. And we have the Ohio State-LSU matchup we all would have enjoyed a few weeks ago, back when we were under the misconception that each team was really good.
One Reason I Hate College Football [TheDish]
Comments
"a fan through him -- and some other Bulldogs -- an orange to symbolize the Orange Bowl.
Late night last night Will?
Keith Law is really going out on a limb by calling the BCS ridiculous.
@Hazel Maes Landing Strip: No, the fan, through Fernando Velasco, realized a lifelong dream of becoming an orange. Georgia fans are a metaphysical lot.
Will was on a bed of rose petals with Coach Redacted, though.
I expected a picture of Ron Zook waterskiing on an ocean of roses. What gives?
Wouldn't Georgians prefer to metamorphose into peaches?
@Rusty: I expected a picture of Ron Zook reprising Mena Suvari's nude scene in American Beauty.
Fixed.
I would just like to point out that the impartial, entirely consistent computers rank 'em: 1. VaTech; 2. LSU; 3. tOSU. Sounds about right to me.
[Grumble, grumble, stupid Ohio State . . .]
No Black Bones will be awarded here.
Someone needs to ask Jim Mora about playoffs.
I expected more words regarding Mizzou's absence from the BCS party (though I find the Arkansas-Mizzou Cotton Bowl intriguing). I eagerly await the future Illini post, and I am waiting for Dan Shanoff's Obituary from the brain aneurysm he must have had after Saturday evening.
An orange runs through him.
"I think it sucks!"
- Lee Corso
Had the Dawgs been wanting the Cotton Bowl Will would have been treading lightly in his description of the picture.
If I were in Will's shoes today, I'm quite sure my post would read like this:
BCS Madness
Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rick Ankiel Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl Illinois Rose Bowl
"Alright everybody, now let's go practice for five weeks!"
Not pictured: Oklahoma players clutching fistfuls of Tostitos Mild Salsa.
"well, at least I'm an orange!"
- Jim Gaffigan
Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetarded.
Hawaii should be galloping pissed off. A 2 loss team plays for the title while a school that went UNDEFEATED doesn't? Fuck the heck? Exhibit 30,001 for a playoff.
also not pictured: Chippewas hoisting V8s (punter lifts V4)
Isn't the "NL Menstrual" just the "NL West?"
And didn't that situation happen to the Rockies this year?
Keith Law's blog < Bob Loblaw law blog.
@ghostsoftheSCupcountry: But according to Les Miles, they were undefeated in regulation this season - just couldn't finish the sandwich in OT
@Pennington_Noodlearm_Enthusiast: or Las Vegas-bowl bound UCLA players hoisting strippers and croupiers
@Sarge: which is where mangino took over... bah-dum
Not pictured: Mizzou players hoisting nuts and bolts (along with some cotton, I suppose).
@Hazel Maes Landing Strip: Huh.
Not even in the supposedly tradition-obsessed world of baseball to we chafe when a wild-card team is playing for the championship.
Ahhh... Most Sentence Mondays.
Add Arizona State and Missouri into the BCS team mix and you've got a pretty exciting 12-team playoffs. Oh well.
Every child dreams of one day throwing the winning touchdown in the Capital One Bowl.
-Michigan
To paraphrase Lou Holtz, at least the crowd didn't think Georgia got an invite to the Gator Bowl.
Vance Law > Keith Law
Martial Law> Keith Law
Really, would we have wanted to put up with 5 weeks of barely educated Georgia fans barking into cameras? You think the rest of the world hates us now?
Derek Anderson can consume an entire sugar cube with his balls
@Sarge: And because I've seen her on screen, I'm dear friends with Erin Andrews and we're engaged.
Perhaps Coach Miles need to check in with Hermie "We play the ganes to WIN" Edwards. No 2-loss team is worthy of being picked by their conference commissioner and his buds to play for a national title as long as any unbeaten or 1 loss teams are available.
It's bogus and a complete cluster-f*ck.
@VTBen: Add Florida and Missouri into the BCS team mix and you've got a pretty excited 12-team playoffs.
I thought we decided that Arizona State just isn't that good?
@VTBen:
I think a 16 team playoff works better, mathematically speaking.
@ghostsoftheSCupcountry: Amen. The bygone years of BYU and SMU competing for titles is gone because of conference affiliations. Fun, ain't it?
@hockalees: I think a 12-team playoff with the potential for play-in games might work best; you automatically throw in unbeatens, one-loss teams, and conference champions, and then, if there is debate over leaving teams out, farm out play-in games to lesser bowls...
If all is run by the dollar...
The Pitt-WVU game had not even hit 00:00 yet before the gasbags at tWWL had summarily decided that being a conference champ is now a requirement. Yet none of them seemed to have a problem with UGA being voted 4th when it was already known that they won't play in the SEC championship game. This shit is beyond crooked.
/dickjoke.
@ghostsoftheSCupcountry:
It's a clusterfuck for sure. But stop and think: Do you really want Hawaii in that game? Do you really want to see Colt "The Colorado Rapist" Brennan get stomped by a team that is vastly superior?
If you think the system is a joke now, add Hawaii to the championship game, and let the hilarity ensue.
I've flirted with college football a lot this season, but it's not working out between she and I.
I'm moving on with my life. Anyone know what channel motorcycle racing or downhill skiing are on?
But if everyone's upset that UGA got left out simply because they weren't the conference champs, than where the fuck are the Kansas apologists? 11-1 in a BCS conference that has 3 of the top 10 teams?
Typos make me through up.
You're just making the BCS more famous.
@Rob Iracane:
It makes me want to loose my lunch.
it's difficult to victoriously brandish a cube of sugar
Tell that to Barbaro.
New Jersey makes me through up.
Fixed.
@Botswana Meat Commission FC: @Rob Iracane: Come one, guys, their not so bad.
All I know is, I can't wait to read Dan Shanoff's exciting, original take on the situation.
And seriously? No one can bitch, except Hawaii. But come on-- Don't play Charleston Southern or be down 21 to a 4-8 Washington team. Everyone else, it's their own damn fault. Georgia was treated like an all-you-can-eat dessert cart by Fulmer. Kansas, Missouri and West Virginia gagged under the spotlight. Oklahoma and USC lost to far inferior teams. (USC lost to a team that lost to Notre Dame. They shouldn't even be in the Rose Bowl on that account.) Va Tech was eviscerated by LSU and gave BC a game they shouldn't have. If they had won their games, they wouldn't be on the outside looking in. So shut up.
MAO!
@katolesce:
Anything that helps kill the BCS monster is fine by me. Hey, if Hawaii made it thru with a clean record, fine go get your brains bashed in. They did what was expected in years past and get no reward for it. As far as Brennan's off the field stuff, I'm not a Hawaii fan, I just think they got hosed.
//dick joke.
@Maybe The Nibbles Ate Your Baby: I'm not upset that UGA was left out. I'm just wondering why it was ok to vote them 4th last week when they were not going to play for their conference. But it's now totally unacceptable just a week later.
Beat a Tennessee team that needed consecutive miracles to beat two unranked opponents just to make its title game, score only one offensive touchdown in the process, and have that opponents QB as your MVP... yeah, that's worthy of jumping five spots in the polls.
Les Miles reminds me of the kid who cheated his way off of you through High School alegbra then got new car from his parents for getting straight A's.
@Da_Mang: Apparently, it's only okay to be Ohio State and not play.... pretty much anyone else, and it's going to screw you (see 2006 and 2007)