Before I get into some MLS enws, I wanted to take a few seconds to talk football - specifically college football. Wow, what an amazing weekend. First, #2 OK State blew their shot at the title game by losing to Iowa St on Friday night. Then #4 Oklahoma lost to #22 Baylor (Robert griffin III for Heisman!) Saturday night. All of a sudden, the road was open for Oregon to make the title game and amazingly they lost to USC later that night. In all, 4 of the top 10 teams lost over the weekend, meaning that the SEC now has the top 3 teams in the BCS - LSU, Alabama and Arkansas. Next week LSU plays Arkansas while Alabama plays Auburn. Alabama virtually has no shot at winning the SEC West, but being is almost assured to make the title game as long as they beat their rivals. The LSU-Arkansas game then might be for the other birth. Either way, it looks like an all-SEC match-up in the title game (unless my Dawgs get the job done in the SEC Title game).
I think weekends like this remind us all how necessary a playoff is. The BCS works when there are two undefeated teams (ok, two undefeated teams from power conferences), but when there are 1-loss teams to sort from, it just doesn't get the job done. Correct that - it gets a job done, but the reality is that in most years, it will always leave someone out. Yesterday went a long way in helping to sort the title picture out as now Oregon and Oklahoma have two losses, but sitting with 1 loss are OK State, Alabama, Arkansas, Stanford, Boise St and Va Tech. Say what you want about the last two teams, but some believe they deserve a shot too.
Anyway you look at it, I can't help but be reminded how amazing a tournament would be. Some say it might diminish the importance of the regular season, but wins by ISU and Baylor over Ok St and Oklahoma would still mean a heck of a lot to the schools. Fans would still rush the field even if their school didn't effectively ruin the title chances of their foes. If you had a 16-team tournament, the drama would be unparalleled. The football would be amazing. There would be no losers - except for the bowl games themselves.
Ok, now on to MLS.
Some of you may have heard that MLS Cup was yesterday. I unfortunately have to admit that I did not watch the game, but I am happy that the best team won. I am in no way a Galaxy fan, but I am content with their win since they were clearly the best team in the league this year. I respect that a US based league needs to have playoffs, but allowing teams like RSL and Colorado to win championships in the past two years certainly diminished the reputation of the league. Sure, it makes it interesting for fans of mediocre teams knowing that anyone can win, but having a team like the Galaxy, who went 19-5-10 in the regular season and who boast interntional stars like Beckham, Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan (ok, he is barely known in other areas of the world, but still a damn good player), is the best result.
For other supporters though, the MLS news most on their mind besides expansion lists is the new scheduling and playoff format. We have known for a while that the 2012 MLS schedule was going to be unbalanced (MLS is adding another side, but wanting to keep the number games fixed at 34 for now) and yesterday we finally found out the details.
Focusing solely on the Western Conference which will again have 9 teams, each team will play their conference opponents 3 times and each Eastern Conference opponent once. Of the 8 Western teams that they will play, against 4 of them they will host 2 game and against the other 4 they will be on the road twice. Games against Eastern conference opponents will be split between home and away. Home field will switch year to year.
So what does that mean? Well, from a supporters perspective, this is great great thing. This means that the Sounders will get two home games a year against either Portland or Vancouver (I am assuming MLS will work it so that each Cascadia team has two games against one of their opponents, but then again, that would be a smart thing to do - something MLS is not always known for). This also means more games against LA, RSL and Dallas, which are not a bad thing. Now some are saying that rotating home field advantage from year to year will provide hurt and help some teams, I think it is a necessary evil. As long as the teams know the situation before the season starts (as opposed to being thrown a curveball mid way through the season), then it just comes down to getting the results. Some seasons things don't work out as they should (for example, see 2011 when Seattle and RSL had to play each in the first round even though they were 2nd and 3rd respectively in the league).
As a fan, I can't think of anything better than seeing more games against our local rivals. No offense to NE, Toronto, Columbus and Philly, but they don't exactly do it for me. But here's the thing: they might not be who I want to see, but more games with Philly and DC will undoubtedly be a great thing for NY and vice versa. Attendance is sure to go up. Interest will go up. This is a great thing.
I have been saying it all along - if MLS is going to keep their conferences, then they need to change the schedule. Having a balanced schedule but keeping the conferences means nothing. You could randomly pick conferences and have the same effect. The reason we have conferences is to allow geographic rivals to play each other more often than those on the other side of the country. By having an unbalanced schedule, the league will truly have a team deemed to be the best in the West because they will have played (and beaten) more teams in the West. It means more to be the Western Conference champion if it means you played LA, RSL and the like more often.
The league also got rid of the cross-conference Wild Card system that was just a bad idea. Now 5 teams from each Conference will make the playoffs, with 4 and 5 playing for the right to play #1. This system would have still produced Seattle-RSL in the first round, but at least we would have had nothing to bitch about. There would be no reason to believe in a single table or seeding teams #1-#8 by overall points. Now it is all about Conferences again. To me, that is a great thing. I don't say it much, but....good job MLS.
Ok, expansion lists are due today. I don't know if MLS will release the lists or not this afternoon, but if they do, you know I'll weigh in on them. To remind everyone of the JerseySounder list, it's Montero, Alonso, Rosales, Zakuani, El Flaco, Hurtado, Parke, Neagle, Ochoa, Riley, Fucito.
Enjoy the day!
[Update - I forgot the other reason why LA winning was a good thing...it means the Sounders, get to skip the CONCACAF Champions League play-in games and instead go straight into the group stage. (2 of the US's 4 teams go straight through - normally they are reserved for the Supporters Shield and MLS Cup winners, but since LA won both, it went to the #2 team in MLS. I assume Houston will make it to CCL but will have to win a home-and-home qualifying series to advance to the group stage) That is really positive news, as it means two less games for a team that seems to have continual match congestion. Also, it means I don't have to worry over the humiliating idea of us losing to the likes of San Francisco of Panama or Isidro Metapan of El Salvador being the group stage even begins]
Showing posts with label college football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college football. Show all posts
Monday, November 21, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
SEC's Most Hated Team
It's official - the SEC's most hated team is officially the Georgia Bulldogs.
For the past five years, all the talk in college football was how the Boise St Broncos should be given a fair shot to play for the national title. After all, they have a five year record of 63-3 including 4 undefeated regular seasons. Simply put, they have been the most successful program over the past five years. The rub however, is that conference of theirs. Critics railed on the Broncos, noting that they wouldn't even go .500 in the SEC, which has claimed the past 4 national champions. No matter what colors they wear, fans of the SEC HATED the idea that little Boise St deserved a shot. Finally the day had come when Boise St traveled down South to take on a big boy from the SEC, the Georgia Bulldogs. After Georgie sent them home with their tails between their legs they would never have to deal with Boise again.
Well, funny thing happened. The Broncos came down to Georgia and put it to the Dawgs 35-21. This will only add fuel to the fire. Fans from around the country will now point to this win if (more likely, when) Boise St goes undefeated this year. SEC fans are feeling sick right now.
But here's the rub: I'm a Dawgs fan, but this team isn't very good. They are merely a .500 team with an above average QB whose reputation proceeds them. Critics started to talk themselves into the Dawgs making run simply because of their easy schedule and their decade long success. Credit to Boise for coming down to SEC country and winning, but a true test would have been Alabama or LSU. Hopefully we can all see that come this January.
A few other notes about the opening weekend in college football:
For the past five years, all the talk in college football was how the Boise St Broncos should be given a fair shot to play for the national title. After all, they have a five year record of 63-3 including 4 undefeated regular seasons. Simply put, they have been the most successful program over the past five years. The rub however, is that conference of theirs. Critics railed on the Broncos, noting that they wouldn't even go .500 in the SEC, which has claimed the past 4 national champions. No matter what colors they wear, fans of the SEC HATED the idea that little Boise St deserved a shot. Finally the day had come when Boise St traveled down South to take on a big boy from the SEC, the Georgia Bulldogs. After Georgie sent them home with their tails between their legs they would never have to deal with Boise again.
Well, funny thing happened. The Broncos came down to Georgia and put it to the Dawgs 35-21. This will only add fuel to the fire. Fans from around the country will now point to this win if (more likely, when) Boise St goes undefeated this year. SEC fans are feeling sick right now.
But here's the rub: I'm a Dawgs fan, but this team isn't very good. They are merely a .500 team with an above average QB whose reputation proceeds them. Critics started to talk themselves into the Dawgs making run simply because of their easy schedule and their decade long success. Credit to Boise for coming down to SEC country and winning, but a true test would have been Alabama or LSU. Hopefully we can all see that come this January.
A few other notes about the opening weekend in college football:
- A HUGE win by #4 LSU without their suspended QB over #3 Oregon. Sure the game was in their backyward, but Oregon was unstoppable last year
- So much for Notre Dame running the table like some critics predicted. Now I know this doesn't take them out of the BCS race - voters still swoon over the Irish and will put them in the top 10 if they win 9 games - but it sure doesn't help. Huge props to USF Head Coach Skip Holtz for going into South Bend and getting the win. I wonder how his dad is feeling tonight.
- UW got the win over defending FCS champion Eastern Washington, but I think the game definitely showed some areas that need improvement. Can you say defense? The Huskies gave up 504 total yards, of which 473 came in the air. Now last year they couldn't stop the run, so it was good to see that improve, but wow, the Eagles definitely put it to them. They were lucky to have escaped with a win. Keith Price may have only thrown for 102 yards, but overall I really liked what I saw from him. It may not have been impressive, but I am excited for where this team might be able to go.
- I LOVE watching Hawaii play
- Terrible loss by Oregon St to FCS team Sacramento St. These are the games you are supposed to win
- Congrats to Baylor with their upset win over TCU. This is a team I have been hoping would make some noise because, quite frankly, I would LOVE to see their green and gold playing in a bowl game
- All the talk about relocation is making my head spin. Now the latest reports are suggesting Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, Texas and Texas Tech to the Pac 12. If the four schools stay put in the conference formerly known as the Big 12 then BYU might be the school to replace Texas A&M. Oh, and the Aggies to the SEC along with FSU may not be too far off. Just crazy stuff
- I can't believe that Greg Schiano has now been at Rutgers for 10 full years. He helped put the team on the map in 2006 with their 11-2 records but has since seen a slow decline (8-8, 8-5, 9-4 over the next three years). Last year they finished 4-8, the first losing season since 2004. This will be a key season for the Knights. You have to imagine he still has a long leash, but if they can't get to a bowl game, the pressure will start to mount. Now any rational observer would give him a long, long leash...I mean, Rutgers had NEVER been a contender before Schiano. He changed the culture and actually made it cool to support the Knights. Here's hoping 2010 was just a blip in the radar.
- Bucknell with a rare opening day win, 27-26 over Fordham. No analysis, just wanted to let everyone know
Friday, August 26, 2011
I Still Love College Football
I don't have to tell any of you how effed up college athletics are. I'm not talking about cross country, swimming, softball, tennis or gymnastics. Nor am I talking about soccer, baseball or hockey. I'm talking about football and basketball, the two sports where college athletics essentially are used as feeder systems to the NFL and NBA...a sort of minor league if you will.
I won't even try to dig deep into all the shit that is going down. We have heard about Miami, LSU, Tennessee, Oregon and USC. They are the ones who have been caught. Guaranteed there are at least 20 other schools doing the same shit, if not worse.
The real problem I have with it all is that I still can't get enough. My whole life I have loved college football more than the NFL. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but there was always something fun about the sport. I loved learning about new teams from places like Pullman, WA or Waco, Tx or East Lansing, MI. I have always loved seeing rankings next to the teams. (Now I am smart enough to know that Indy-NE is going to be a good game, but the build-up for #1 Texas against #2 Oklahoma is soo much more exciting.) I love the mascots and the traditions and the hatred between the schools. I love that some of the athletes will never play again; that this is the highest level they will ever achieve. Oh, and I love watching College GameDay. Everything about it I love.
I know that in order to be a great program you need to cut corners. I know that the system is messed up, but I just can't get enough. I simply can't turn my back and make a stand that I have had enough.
I wish I could, but I can't. So like baseball and basketball with the escalating salaries and drug problems, I will turn a blind eye to the problems and continue to watch. I'll ignore all the corporate sponsorships, all the off-the-field problems, all the corruption. Instead, I will turn on Chris, Lee and Craig Saturday mornings and get ready for the exciting day ahead. September 3 can't come too soon.
I won't even try to dig deep into all the shit that is going down. We have heard about Miami, LSU, Tennessee, Oregon and USC. They are the ones who have been caught. Guaranteed there are at least 20 other schools doing the same shit, if not worse.
The real problem I have with it all is that I still can't get enough. My whole life I have loved college football more than the NFL. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but there was always something fun about the sport. I loved learning about new teams from places like Pullman, WA or Waco, Tx or East Lansing, MI. I have always loved seeing rankings next to the teams. (Now I am smart enough to know that Indy-NE is going to be a good game, but the build-up for #1 Texas against #2 Oklahoma is soo much more exciting.) I love the mascots and the traditions and the hatred between the schools. I love that some of the athletes will never play again; that this is the highest level they will ever achieve. Oh, and I love watching College GameDay. Everything about it I love.
I know that in order to be a great program you need to cut corners. I know that the system is messed up, but I just can't get enough. I simply can't turn my back and make a stand that I have had enough.
I wish I could, but I can't. So like baseball and basketball with the escalating salaries and drug problems, I will turn a blind eye to the problems and continue to watch. I'll ignore all the corporate sponsorships, all the off-the-field problems, all the corruption. Instead, I will turn on Chris, Lee and Craig Saturday mornings and get ready for the exciting day ahead. September 3 can't come too soon.
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