[NU Sports] Big Ten image ...

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> I know everyone (especially SJT) LOVES to hate on the BCS, but you have to give it a break, particularly at this point 

Well, it wouldn't be fall break if I didn't finally send out the picks standings and then find time to beat up on a deserved target in the B(C)S. Give it a break? NEVER!!!

I suppose for those who support the B(C)S, I'm just doing my part to contribute to the "wonderful controversy and discussion" that they believe this stupid system stirs up every year.

And for the rest, there's really only one way to get rid of the annual "SjT B(C)S SUCKS" rants. You know what that is? Get rid of this awful system, because fans who care about college football love the sport too much to see it ruined every year by such an awful finish.

BTW - the argument of "it's better than the bowl system" is both debatable (see attendance/ratings figures for all bowls except the Fiesta) and a bogus argument. Yes, drinking antifreeze may be better than drinking raw sewage, but that doesn't mean either is good for you.

But anyways, saying that it's too early to worry about it is also not quite true, as in the B(C)S era, it's become better to "lose late" than "lose early" as ESPN did a report earlier this year on how it used to be the opposite but in the B(C)S era, the late losses to strong teams don't hurt as much in dropping (see OSU and LSU in recent years).

The truth is that it's never too early to rag on the many flaws of this laughable joke of a system. Defenders say that the two human polls negate those wacky computers, but here you have Wisconsin at #4 in both human polls (largely due to the fact that their thumping of Nebraska was more impressive than all of Okie State's wins combined) ... yet those computers have the Cowpokes at #1 and Badgers at #11 (I could accept OSU higher, but TEN SPOTS HIGHER?!?!?!). Given how overrated the Big XII is with KSU, Texas Tech and of course OU left on the schedule, I don't think the Cowpokes can be caught by the Badgers.

And finally, the B(C)S (aka the Big XII Computer Sham) has rarely produced a legit #1 vs. #2 matchup. Look at the B(C)S era and then the 10 years of so before it with the polls - you'll find a true 1/2 matchup about the same number of times. The last time you had a real title game was 2005 with Texas and USC. The controversy usually comes in who's #2 ... and it worked out OK for the B(C)S as long as #1 won the final game, but a couple times in recent years, #2 has won and thus led to several teams having a claim to the championship.

It's just an awful way to end an amazing season - the worst of both worlds as you get no closer to a champion than under the old system and you lose the ratings/attendance/tradition/interest in the bowls. There really is no defense of the system and sooner or later, the house of cards for the B(C)S sham will fall. And on that day, the bells will ring, the birds will sing and everything will be right in the world for at least a few hours.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT