BCS blather

[jojo]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Yes, they are clearly not #1. An overtime win against Alabama that with most kickers in the country, Alabama wins outright and a 21 point loss against Alabama with everything on the line means they aren't better than Alabama. Not sure what is confusing about that.

Using "with most kickers in the country" as a premise is analogous to cherry picking though. The kicking game is an important phase of the game that like offense and defense also confers a tangible advantage (or disadvantage). Clearly in the first Bama/LSU game, Saban was pushing the boundries of his kicking game by making the conscious decision to attempt several that were beyond the safe range/ability of his kicking game.

Basically in the first game, Miles played field position and Saban was more agressive and Miles won.

Besides, if Quinn Sharp makes a 37-yard field-goal at the end of the Iowa State game that most kickers in the country would've made, then this whole conversation is moot because OSU would've played LSU in New Orleans....

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Todd Gack

So LSU plays one extra game, plays a schedule that laughs at Alabama, they both lost to each other, (LSU won on the road btw), and you're arguing that Alabama is more deserving AFTER they get a 2nd chance at a rematch?

Ok doug.

I am arguing it because Alabama was the better team. LSU has better wins. That doesn't make them a better team.

And LSU didn't play one extra game. The only way they weren't going to play that 13th game was if they finished below .500 on the season.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by jojo

Using "with most kickers in the country" as a premise is analogous to cherry picking though. The kicking game is an important phase of the game that like offense and defense also confers a tangible advantage (or disadvantage). Clearly in the first Bama/LSU game, Saban was pushing the boundries of his kicking game by making the conscious decision to attempt several that were beyond the safe range/ability of his kicking game.

Besides, if Quinn Sharp makes a 37-yard field-goal at the end of the Iowa State game that most kickers in the country would've made, then this whole conversation is moot because OSU would've played LSU in New Orleans....

I guess that is true..... but even then I would still argue that Alabama was the best team in the country because LSU would have smacked OSU in the face and I have believed since before the first game that Alabama was better than LSU.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

I am arguing it because Alabama was the better team. LSU has better wins. That doesn't make them a better team.

And LSU didn't play one extra game. The only way they weren't going to play that 13th game was if they finished below .500 on the season.

Come on Doug. Bama played 13 games. LSU had to play 14 with the additional game being a conferrence championship game in what most consider the strongest conference in football this year against an opponent that was ranked 14th in the country at the time.

What was Bama doing? Watching an extra game (and gathering more data)while getting an additional 7 days to prepare for LSU and for key players to recover from injury.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by jojo

Come on Doug. Bama played 13 games. LSU had to play 14 with the additional game being a conferrence championship game in what most consider the strongest conference in football this year against an opponent that was ranked 14th in the country at the time.

What was Bama doing? Watching an extra game (and gathering more data)while getting an additional 7 days to prepare for LSU and for key players to recover from injury.

For some reason I completely had forgotten about the SEC Championship game. 2.5 hours of sleep last night.... viable excuse?

Still, I don't think that game made an ounce of a difference when it came to playing Alabama.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

For some reason I completely had forgotten about the SEC Championship game. 2.5 hours of sleep last night.... viable excuse?

Still, I don't think that game made an ounce of a difference when it came to playing Alabama.

Doug, what are you arguing? Surely you're not arguing that Bama should have played someone else in the championship game?

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

Doug, what are you arguing? Surely you're not arguing that Bama should have played someone else in the championship game?

No, I am not arguing that at all. I am arguing that had Oklahoma State played LSU, after LSU walked all over them, I would still tell anyone who would listen, that Alabama was the best team in the country.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

No, I am not arguing that at all. I am arguing that had Oklahoma State played LSU, after LSU walked all over them, I would still tell anyone who would listen, that Alabama was the best team in the country.

I understand. That's why they need more than a 2 team playoff. The flaw in the BCS isn't in how it picks its two teams; it's that it only picks two teams. I rarely think the NC really is the best team. (This yr I think USC very well may have won it all were there a playoff.)

[jojo]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

I understand. That's why they need more than a 2 team playoff. The flaw in the BCS isn't in how it picks its two teams; it's that it only picks two teams. I rarely think the NC really is the best team. (This yr I think USC very well may have won it all were there a playoff.)

If there was a 128 team playoff format, USC would not have been eligible.

[Roy Tucker]

Its all just a matter of when you lost your games.

If you would turn around when the wins happened (Bama wins game #1 and LSU game #2), LSU is #1.

Whether or not what me or anyone else thinks how good a team is, the only thing that should matter is the games they win and who they beat. Everything else is opinion.

[MWM]

This highlights one of the worst, and most often overlooked, problems with the current system, IMO. I think you can throw a lot of these conversations about who is better out simply because the time between the last game and the championship game is so much that it can change the dynamic of a matchup. I think this is a completely different game were it played a week or two after the SEC title game. Give a team 6 weeks to prepare for a single game, and all the preparation, film watching, etc.... can be thrown out the window because it allows teams and coaches to do things entirely different than they otherwise would do because they have the time. These teams go into the championship game not knowing what to expect. I think this is a huge factor.

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by MWM

This highlights one of the worst, and most often overlooked, problems with the current system, IMO. I think you can throw a lot of these conversations about who is better out simply because the time between the last game and the championship game is so much that it can change the dynamic of a matchup. I think this is a completely different game were it played a week or two after the SEC title game. Give a team 6 weeks to prepare for a single game, and all the preparation, film watching, etc.... can be thrown out the window because it allows teams and coaches to do things entirely different than they otherwise would do because they have the time. These teams go into the championship game not knowing what to expect. I think this is a huge factor.

Absolutely. The best coaches are able to take the month + to plan and become a better team.

I will say this about LSU. Les Miles is one heck of a recruiter but an awful game coach. I was absolutely shocked that he stuck with Jefferson for the entier game when it was obvious he wasn't getting the job done. But I was even more shocked that with 6 weeks of prep time he couldn't find a way to get Matheau the ball on offense for a handful of snaps. He had the most dangerous player on the field and couldn't scheme anything up.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by bucksfan2

Absolutely. The best coaches are able to take the month + to plan and become a better team.

I will say this about LSU. Les Miles is one heck of a recruiter but an awful game coach. I was absolutely shocked that he stuck with Jefferson for the entier game when it was obvious he wasn't getting the job done. But I was even more shocked that with 6 weeks of prep time he couldn't find a way to get Matheau the ball on offense for a handful of snaps. He had the most dangerous player on the field and couldn't scheme anything up.

And the Bama staff schemed to completely take Matheau out of the game.

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by jojo

And the Bama staff schemed to completely take Matheau out of the game.

How so? I would have given Matheau a handful of offensive snaps which I don't believe LSU did. I don't think Alabama schemed to take him out of the game. I think they schemed to beat LSU while Miles never made any adjustments.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by jojo

If there was a 128 team playoff format, USC would not have been eligible.

We all know that