Monday, December 18, 2006

Playoff = Dumb

For those of you wondering (all four or five of you) I am not in favor of a playoff for the Bowl subdivision or whatever they've decided to call Div I-A. The reasons for my opposition are simple. I just don't want one. I'm worried that the hoopla surrounding a playoff would take away from the excitement of Bowl season and even the playoff system in place for Divisions I-AA, II, and III. It's not a concept too alien, and I link it to the relationship between the NCAA Basketball tournament and the NIT tournament. Do you know who won the NIT last year?

Exactly, nobody (at least not regular fans) knows, and once more, nobody really cares. I don't want this to befall the Bowls, and the I don't want the matchup between two of the best teams in the land detracting from the significance of say, oh a Rice (which hasn't had a winning season in forever) in albeit a very low-tier Bowl. That's not to say I hate the hoopla of the big game or I'm anti big-time college football, I just would be very suspicious of where the "rest" of the Nation's teams would fit in amongst an ESPN/ABC controlled playoff system. Do we really think the powers that be would take anytime to contribute (meaningfully) to the Bowl games featuring teams that (gasp) aren't a prominent feature in the Top 10?

Because I don't, and that's why I'm proud to be part of what Brian has labeled the "Playoffs are bad, m'kay?" coalition. Well, that's my short little speil. I have more to say about this issue but not a lot of time to say, so if by chance you should like to either rudely disagree with me or give me the thumbs up, feel free to leave a comment.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

only a thumbs up from me. I've been foraging through the net, hoping to find anyone who agreed with me that the idea of a playoff is collossally flawed, boring, antithetical to what makes college football college football and even outright stupid, as you highlighted. Fans (or fans that want College Football to be Minor League Football) and ESPN/ABC analysts fanning the flames for a playoff assume that a 8/10/16 team tournament could easily include those 4 or 5 teams that they assume could/should/would qualify for a national title game. But yet, creating such an 8/10/16 tournament entitles 8/10/16 teams to participate, and who defines who gets to participate? To my knowledge, nobody has said (and I don't think anybody has really cared). People just assume that you use the polls to determine who those teams are. But if that's your measure, why should one believe that there won't be more programs complaining when they don't get in? If you thought Auburn whining in 2004 was bad, wait until you get 3 to 4 more programs complaining about being left out, and having as much money to plead their case as Auburn did.

There are so many logistical and philosophical arguments against a D-1A playoff that it's worth being hashed out in greater detail. I look forward to hearing what you have to say about it.

Actually, I have to admit, the real reason I found your blog was because I just fell in love with the Middies over the past two years, despite having no ties outside of knowing a guy in Annapolis, and was trying to find a Middie-blog. Keep up the good work.

Adam said...

Thanks for the comment Steve. When you're into "Mid-major" football like me, you eventually start talking to folks in the I-AA business. Most of the people I've talked to have at one point or another complained about their own playoff system and how the teams are selected. I don't know if you knew this, but Montana St. was a very controversial pick to be in the playoffs this year (they lost to D II Chadron St). People always talk about the I-AA playoffs as having gotten it right, but you've got to understand that the particular playoff system they run is controversial as well. You're never going to get it right no matter what system is in place, and I say as long as the TV contracts are there and the country still loves college football, why not stick with the Bowls for I-A?