BCS or Playoff - Adams vs Cotcher (4-11)

[Matt Cotcher]

Here's this week's edition of Taking Sides. This week Sean and I weigh in on the BCS vs a playoff to determine college football's champion....

 

[BudreauReye]

Yeah Sean, boo Matt!    We need some up thumb and down thumb smileys!  All kidding aside, guys.  We need a play off system.  The only thing better than a four team playoff would be an eight team playoff.  There would be no controversy about who is the Campeen!  I think a better comparison than comparing the college football playoffs to March Madness, would be comparing the pro football playoffs which are a different dynamic than March Madness.  Sure the team that everybody thinks should win can lose out, but that is a part of the new dynamic.  The regular season dynamic does not change that much.  Everybody is playing for their conference championship and for the lucky few, positioning themselves for the playoffs.  I do not see much more of a change in college football than when they introduced the BCS championship game.  Besides, it is a done deal.  We are going to have a playoff, and it will probably be expanded before too long.  Yeah!  More football! 

 

[Darrell McPhaul]

Matt, 

My argument would have pointed out the limited amount of entertainment $ the average fan has and whether or not that fan will forgo the semi final bowl game in order to be able to afford the Championship game.

Are the playoffs going to hurt the bowl gaames finacially?

 

[streettopeschel]

Matt, 

My argument would have pointed out the limited amount of entertainment $ the average fan has and whether or not that fan will forgo the semi final bowl game in order to be able to afford the Championship game.

Are the playoffs going to hurt the bowl gaames finacially?

i think your first point  hasn't gotten near enough discussion. Like many here, i've been to several bowl games. Made mini-vacations out of them. burned money, vacation time and when the kids were young baby-sitting arrangements. Could i afford  monetarily or time-wise now to do TWO trips like this? Probably not.   

I think on balance a 4-team playoff is better than a 2-team bcs title game, and it sure as hell would have been nice in '08. But it may not be the utopia some are expecting.

 

[armadillo slim]

matt--your basic argument is grossly flawed.  your argument that "anyone" can win is off.  in a four team playoff, all four will be worthy.  

you've compared it to the final battle between kentucky and uconn where they had 19 losses between them.  that was the product of a 64 team playoff where anyone COULD win.  that won't happen in a four team playoff.

go back and play march madness with just the four number one seeds.  that's what will happen with the football playoff.

playoff is the correct answer.  how can that diminished the regular season?  you have to have a stellar regular season in order to be one of those four teams.

 

[Darrell McPhaul]

For whay it's worth, I would not have argued against the playoffs.  I would have simply pointed out how they can negatively affect the conference championships and semi final bowl games.

 

[monarch]

somehow, upon my view, it seems as though both sides have a bit of merit.  however, in the grand scheme of things, it really is all about the fandom.  ($$$)  we shall now see...

 

[Darrell McPhaul]

No monarch,

I'm not going to let you sit you sit on the fence on this one.

CFB despartley needed a playoff system.  

I'm ok with pointing out the upfront issues on how it can affect the bowl games but, let's call a spade a spade.

 

[BudreauReye]

No monarch,

I'm not going to let you sit you sit on the fence on this one.

CFB despartley needed a playoff system.  

I'm ok with pointing out the upfront issues on how it can affect the bowl games but, let's call a spade a spade.

OK, Darell, your spellar done went kerplunkity!

An, you proly notice I hadda edit that!  Don be makin no snyde comments, now!  Imma just a tad sensitivO!  Late at NITE!  OOP!  Early at NITE, on a Saturday NITE!  OOP!  I mean, ona FRIDAY NIGHT!  An, lookity here below us, MR Monarch, is still bein SiriUS! 

Ms SFLonghorngirl,  I bet you did not sign on for lichen this, but this is how ya role in the (early) nighttime,  on a Saturday Night, no wait!,  On a Friday Night, just before bedtime! With the Olden Fartes!  Oh YEAH!  Symbiosis with a photobiontic!

Do you guys really know what you are missing by canceling the TailGate? 

Sorry folks, I don got no more, I gotta go do dishes before my wife comes home. 

 

[monarch]

No monarch,

I'm not going to let you sit you sit on the fence on this one.

CFB despartley needed a playoff system.  

I'm ok with pointing out the upfront issues on how it can affect the bowl games but, let's call a spade a spade.

and you are so very correct, my great pal.  however, i did say that "both sides have a bit of merit".  nonetheless, i would hate to see a team perform through an overall great season, only to have it completely tarnished, as per a team that just comes out of nowhere.  i'm trying in earnest to relate to the fandom, upon regards to this most controversial matter.  as a fan, i do not think i could stomach such an occurrence, year after year.

 

[Darrell McPhaul]

Brother,

Let's get this understood right now.  NO team comes out of no where to play in the MNC.     

 

[Topstarr]

some team in Alabama

 

[Darrell McPhaul]

No Top,

How can argue thate team wins the every championship game in front of them comes out of now where?

 

[Topstarr]

No Top,

How can argue thate team wins the every championship game in front of them comes out of now where?

Not the question or answer:        but they did come out of no where to play in the MNC last year. Is this wrong,  wins in MNC has no price in this.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

i think your first point  hasn't gotten near enough discussion. Like many here, i've been to several bowl games. Made mini-vacations out of them. burned money, vacation time and when the kids were young baby-sitting arrangements. Could i afford  monetarily or time-wise now to do TWO trips like this? Probably not.   

I think on balance a 4-team playoff is better than a 2-team bcs title game, and it sure as hell would have been nice in '08. But it may not be the utopia some are expecting.

STP is spot on.  I think 4 team playoff is a great start.  We'll see how the economics of fan travel fare.  Eventually I would like to see this expand to 8 teams.  But really, too many bowl games.  Get rid of half of them.  Attendance is hideous and who cares about the Beef O'Brady Bowl.  6-6 is mediocre and IMO doesn't deserve bowl game.    Increase the win total to 8 for bowl eligibility.  

 

[BudreauReye]

STP is spot on.  I think 4 team playoff is a great start.  We'll see how the economics of fan travel fare.  Eventually I would like to see this expand to 8 teams.  But really, too many bowl games.  Get rid of half of them.  Attendance is hideous and who cares about the Beef O'Brady Bowl.  6-6 is mediocre and IMO doesn't deserve bowl game.    Increase the win total to 8 for bowl eligibility.  

I agree.  the bowl system is bloated and overrated.  It is in long need of an overhaul.  It is a relic of the fifties.  Post season football is now a function of television.  All of these small city bowl towns need to work it out with the TV powers that be or find some other way of self promotion.

 

[texasdobbs]

Maybe they can create the NIT national championship or the CBI championship in college football. ... #sarcasm

 

[Chris Flanagan]

I do agree somewhat with the thought process the best team doesn't always win the NCAA tournament. However, some years in college basketball the top teams that the media and coaches believe are the top teams are really flawed. Kentucky was the preseason #1 so in those terms, the national championship game was where they were suppose to be. UConn was a very good team but the consensus amongst college basketball writers (myself included) was that UConn was a few years away from competing for that national title. They got some breaks in the tournament and took advantage of it. 

I think the crucial number is 16 for the college football playoff to work. If you win your conference at the FBS level, you should have an opportunity to compete for the national championship. Then we fill in the at large teams and go from there. I never understood punishing Boise State because they are in a small state and conference. Not to mention if you look at those Nevada teams with Colin Kaepernick and the number of NFL players that were on the Boise State teams like Doug Martin and Ryan Clady, I think they would of had a shot at winning a national title. 

 

[BudreauReye]

I do agree somewhat with the thought process the best team doesn't always win the NCAA tournament. However, some years in college basketball the top teams that the media and coaches believe are the top teams are really flawed. Kentucky was the preseason #1 so in those terms, the national championship game was where they were suppose to be. UConn was a very good team but the consensus amongst college basketball writers (myself included) was that UConn was a few years away from competing for that national title. They got some breaks in the tournament and took advantage of it. 

I think the crucial number is 16 for the college football playoff to work. If you win your conference at the FBS level, you should have an opportunity to compete for the national championship. Then we fill in the at large teams and go from there. I never understood punishing Boise State because they are in a small state and conference. Not to mention if you look at those Nevada teams with Colin Kaepernick and the number of NFL players that were on the Boise State teams like Doug Martin and Ryan Clady, I think they would of had a shot at winning a national title. 

I agree with this,  Sixteen is a good number.  Let the bowl games fit themselves into this, or go the way of the dinosaurs.  In most cases, the best teams will win out.  And if they don't, it will make for good drama, and it will be good for TV - that is where the money is.