Playoff proposal

It is routinely accepted by the majority of college football fans that a playoff is needed because the current system has a terrible habit of leaving undefeated teams short of their goal, raising the coach’s trophy in early January.

An undefeated team has been slighted by this at the end of the last three seasons, and it is likely that it will happen again this season due to six teams being currently undefeated, though LSU and Alabama will square off this Saturday. A remedy is definitely needed.

I propose that the NCAA change a significant amount in regards to conference alignment. As of late, the Automatic Qualifier conferences, conferences automatically receiving a bid to a BCS, have been shuffling to realign to the larger "Super Conferences" that are forming before our eyes. With the way things are currently evolving, the Big East conference is being dissolved because institutions are moving to higher paying, more prominent football conferences, but this can be solved.

Suppose that there were only six large regional conferences ranging for 10-12 schools as suggested in a recent USA Today article. At the end of the season, the conference champion would receive an automatic bid without the need of a championship game. Then the rest of the teams to fill the 16 team playoff bracket could be decided by a committee. Teams that weren't selected for the playoff, would still be able to play bowl games.

Another big obstacle for the transitioning to a playoff is the money factor, but I think that could be easily fixed. If there was a payout to each playoff game, schools could still get paid for playing in the game. There are two ways you could go with this system. Pay the purse to the losing team or pay a purse to each team, which is currently how the bowl system payout works. If the second choice is selected, a team could accrue a very large amount of money. With this second choice, the school would have to pay more into their respective conference because of the profit sharing each conference has. The amount shared with the conference would correlate with how much they earned. Sponsors are a factor that needs taken into consideration, and a rather simple explanation can be given to satisfy them.

Each of the 14 playoff games can be sponsored by anyone interested. The teams that currently sponsor the BCS bowls may be allowed to represent the final four games including the National Championship game. They could also continue the rotation as they do now. A bidding system could be used to determine who will sponsor the playoff games. While all other sponsors may continue to sponsor their respective bowl games or bid for a playoff spot.

I imagine that there are many holes in my plan, but I think it could be a starting point.

Super Bowl Week

The final football game of the season is upon us, and it's a bittersweet time of the year. The Super Bowl is by far the largest viewed sporting event this country knows, but with it's coming means that the season will be over until September when college football makes it's return. That being said I would like to offer some insight into the upcoming game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. In this blog i'll look at various match ups that I think could ultimately decide the outcome of the game.

Pittsburgh Secondary vs Green Bay Receivers

The weakest link for the Steelers versus the strongest link for the Packers provides a very intriguing match up. The Steelers have been very suspect at times this season when going against the upper echelon of wide outs and quarterbacks, and how well they play could be the deciding factor in the game. We all know about Troy Polamalu and how much of a disruption he can be around the line, but if he is forced to stay twenty to twenty five yards off the line of scrimmage, Aaron Rodgers could find some holes in the middle of the field and along the sidelines. It will be interesting to see how the twenty first ranked Steelers pass defense during the regular season handles the number fifth ranked Green Bay passing offense.

Advantage: Green Bay

The Steelers secondary rely far too heavily on the pass rush of the Defensive Line. If the Packers can keep Aaron Rodgers clean, the Steelers defense is in for a long Sunday evening.

Pittsburgh Offensive Line vs. Green Bay Defensive Line

Rumors have been swirling daily about the condition of Maurkice Pouncey's left ankle. The Pro-Bowl center has handled the leagues top defensive tackles and nose tackles well throughout the season and has been a key player in the Steelers running game. Green Bay Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji is a monster and could overwhelm backup center Doug Legursky. Though Legursky was thrown into the fire last week against the Jets and played well, Raji is on a different level in terms of skill level than last weeks opposition. The Steelers will have to plan their offense around how they will handle Raji if they're offense is going to be productive. I believe Bruce Arians will be more concerned about the match ups on the inside than he will be with the ones on the outside. The Steelers have already played and beat teams with better Outside Linebackers and Defensive Ends than the Packers, notably the Baltimore Ravens. Clay Matthews has played nearly every game at the Right Outside Linebacker which will be a huge disadvantage for the Packers. Even if he is able to get around Right Tackle Flozell Adams, Ben Roethlisberger will be able to see him coming.

Advantage: Even

B.J. Raji will make some plays on the inside to slow the Pittsburgh running game, but the Steelers will be able to neutralize the Packers up field rush to make some plays in the passing game.

Pittsburgh Defensive Line vs. Green Bay Offensive Line

The Steelers have made a name for having a dominating defense, and it all starts up front. The combination of James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley have been a nightmare for opposing Tackles and will continue to be in this game. Pro-Bowl Left Tackle Chad Clifton may be able to subdue Harrison, but rookie Right Tackle Bryan Bulaga is going to have his hands full with Woodley speed rushing off of the edge. The Packers will have to use Tight Ends and Running Backs to help in pass protection. Taking weapons out of Aaron Rodgers' arsenal is Pittsburgh's best bet in containing the Packers potent offense.

Advantage: Steelers

The Steelers have only allowed three players to rush for more than a hundred yards in the past five season and this game won't be any different. More defenders dropping back into pass defense will help the entire defense as a whole.

Final score: Pittsburgh 21 Green Bay 10

The Steelers defense is playing on an extremely high level and will continue to do so. The Packers offense will have its hands tied by the Steelers ability to stop the run, as well as put pressure on Aaron Rodgers. Ben Roethlisberger will use his ability to extend plays to find open Receivers down field for big plays. The Steelers will prove to be too much for the Packers in nearly all phases of the game.

The Cerebral Sport

As I sat and watched a softball game recently, I realized that I knew how the play was going to develop before the pitch was even thrown. It was then that I came to the conclusion that the sports of baseball and softball both require a heightened sense of awareness and a better knowledge of the game than other sports.

A good ball player could be described as someone who can hit well, field well, and run well. Knowledge of the game is something that can't be measured, which is why it is often overlooked by fans of the game. It's something that you look past when you see an incredible play. It can be the difference between scoring a run or being thrown out at the plate, winning and losing.

Physical intangibles are important in every sport, but intelligence isn't always a necessity. Let's use football for example. Athleticism, tenacity, and a good work ethic is what it takes to be a good football player. Simply put, football as a whole requires much less intelligence and awareness to have success. In baseball, knowing the game is just as important as a fast 60 yard dash time or a cannon arm. Those physical aspects cannot be put into effective use if you don't know what the situation is, where the ball could be going, where you are going to need to be, and where your opponent is going to be. This aspect of the game is more prevalent than in any other sport.

Even as I am typing this, the Sunday Night Baseball team of John Miller, Joe Morgan, and Oral Hershiser are talking about the importance of basic fundamental execution. Once I finally came to this glorious realization, my appreciation for the game has sky rocketed. Mental stimulation will become just as important as visual. Hopefully the next time you flip the ball game on, you'll find the same appreciation for the game as I have.

NBA All-Star Weekend

After watching today's festivities for the All-Star game I feel pretty empty. The game of H.O.R.S.E had some moments of entertainment but it drug on what seemed like forever. The only bright spot was the ending as Rajon Rondo and Kevin Durant hit a long string of three point shots with Durant being the victor.

The three point contest was probably the highlight of the evening which ended in a battle between rookie star Stephan Curry and Celtics star Paul Pierce. It came down to the wire with Pierce prevailing, but the excitement that Pierce displayed after winning was what truly made it special.

Now I must talk about the final event of the evening, the Dunking Contest. All week I watched highlights of the greatest dunks from years past and then today, I saw things that I could see at the Intramural Building on campus. With only notable highlight from Demar DeRozan, I wonder why the NBA's biggest stars won't participate? What is LeBron's beef with participation? Jordan did it, Vince Carter did it, and even Kobe did it. So if the NBA keeps getting guys that aren't gonna put show, then I probably won't watch and neither will anyone else. C'mon the three point contest was more interesting for crying sakes.

What a fantastic week this is!

I would first like to apologize to all of my fans for my recent leave from the blog. Finals week came and I tailed off from the blog but I am back in the swing of things and have some things that I would like to talk about.

First off I am struggling to decide which I am more excited for, The Super Bowl or The Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. One marking the end of a season and the other marking the beginning of a new year. Some may think that I am foolish for comparing the magnitude of the Super Bowl with the less renown Bud Shootout, but I challenge you to sit and watch the coverage leading up to the race and not feel even a hint of excitement.

Also let us not forget the national holiday that took place yesterday in the world of college football. National Signing Day, a stimulus package for every college football program across the nation, the day when those blue chip recruits finalize where they will be attending college for the next three to four years. An exciting day for any avid college football player.

I would like to end my first post since my leave of absence with my prediction for the Super Bowl. I really like the Saints with the spread in this game. If Dwight Freeney plays, I doubt he will have anywhere near the impact that he has throughout this post season. Peyton Manning is the best in the business but an opportunistic Saints defense will be more formidable than most fans think. Give me Drew Brees and a five and a half point spread and that is my winner.

Bad year for the BCS

This year could possibly be the definition of the worst nightmare for the BCS. The first seven teams are without a loss and seven additional teams only having a single loss. This will just continue to fuel the fire for those who are pushing for a post season playoff.

There is absolutely no way, on paper, to determine which two teams are the worthy of playing for that coveted crystal ball in January. The answer would be an eight team playoff to settle all discrepancys that currently arise.

With an eight team playoff system, everthing can be settled and bowl games can still happen. Which means the universitys can still receive humonguous revenue as they always do by making a bowl and everyone will remain happy.

Less scrutiny, everyone gets paid and we will have an outright champion. The key is getting everyone to by in to this idea, but that will be the most difficult aspect. Good luck NCAA committee, we all hope you come to the light.

Leave Early or Stay Late?

Sam Bradford. The second collegiate football player to win the Heisman Trophy as a Sophomore. Likely a early first rounder in the '09 draft, decides to return to OU for his Junior campaign. Bradford is twenty one years old and has millions of dollars in endorsements and signing bonuses staring him in the face. Yet he opts to return to Norman for the right reason, he enjoys the college life and wants another crack at the BCS Championship and another Big Twelve title.

Flash forward to September 5th, 2009. Bradford fires an 18 yard completion to set the all time passing record by a Sooner, but is buried on the play by a BYU defender. A sprained AC joint in the shoulder is the diagnoses and Bradford will go on to miss the next three games before returning to torch Baylor for nearly 400 yards through the air.

The following week in the Red River Rivalry, Bradford reaggravates the injury and is once again lost for the game. Yet again the Sooners are without their star quarterback and his return is uncertain. Head Coach Bob Stoops already made it clear that Bradford would not be available for this weeks matchup with the 25th ranked Kansas Jayhawks.

So now the question is, did Sam Bradford make the wrong decision by foregoing the NFL Draft and returning for another season? Millions of dollars may have been lost if Bradford is unable to return to original form. Scouts have seen what he can do on the field, but will his durability be in question?

Sam Bradford made the correct decision. He returned to school for a simple reason. He wasn't in a rush to get all the attention of the first pick in the draft. I doubt his stock will take too big of a hit because of the injury, mainly because I think he was rushed back in preparation for the matchup against Texas. More guys should follow Bradford's lead and stay that extra year, because if you're the real deal it won't matter.