I have seen the postseason light.....

[soonervegas]

I have been a stauch defender of the bowl season and anti-playoff for many years now......but I have officially changed course. I believe many of my reasons to defend the bowl season stood upon what I remember as a child.....but those days are long gone. We now have:

too many bowls
too many teams who don't want to be there
too many bad matchups as a result of ridiculous conference tie ins
too many bowl games after January 1st

The bowl system needs a complete overhaul or a playoff needs to be implemented immediately.

As my argument for the bowl system lies dying on the half built death star, theres no need to try and save me......you already did.

[SoonerLB]

Well said, and I totally agree!

[pphilfran]

The NCAA is NOT going to cut the number of bowls...if a bowl makes money it will stay in existence..if it loses money it will disappear....

There will always be teams in games they don't want to participate in...

With a playoff there could be more games after New Years...hard to tell...

There will still be conference tie ins for teams not playing in your suggested playoff....

[badger]

I think it isn't a matter of teams not wanting to be there. Rather, I think they're having tons of fun at a (usually) resort destination far from home vacationing with their teammates and coaches, relaxing a little while maintaining some sort of practice structure and healing from any lingering injuries... and bowl gifts!

What seems to be the case is that some teams go into vacation/offseason mode, in that they'll still train, practice, whatever, but not really want to play in that final game. Regardless of the stakes, they've had a month off from playing games virtually every week.

So... perhaps playoffs would be the answer, in that teams won't go into offseason mode and will actually be ready to play.

[Leroy Lizard]

I have been a stauch defender of the bowl season and anti-playoff for many years now......but I have officially changed course. I believe many of my reasons to defend the bowl season stood upon what I remember as a child.....but those days are long gone. We now have:

too many bowls
too many teams who don't want to be there.

Then why did they agree to play?

Rather, I think the teams want to be there. They just don't necessarily play that well. Upsets happen.

[StoopTroup]

Then why did they agree to play?

Rather, I think the teams want to be there. They just don't necessarily play that well. Upsets happen.

?

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/581154/2/istockphoto_581154-pile-of-money.jpg

[KantoSooner]

I've never understood why it had to be an 'either/or' propositiion. Couldn't you have a field of however many teams you want, single elimination, and work out some rotation so that the No. 1 seed vs. the No. 16 seed was the 'Meineke Muffler Bowl' and so on?
It would be grueling for the teams that finally made the final but a lot of teams woudl be eliminated early and go home in time for finals, Christmas dinnah, etc.

[Seamus]

Leroy, it doesn't matter much what the players want.

It will always come down to a few major factors:

1. The above pile of cash.

2. The TV exposure the university and program will receive.

3. The additional 3-4 weeks of practice time, which coaches say is invaluable in developing younger players.

So again, if the players themselves are ambivalent, it doesn't really matter much. There are higher forces afoot.

[Leroy Lizard]

?

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/581154/2/istockphoto_581154-pile-of-money.jpg

Everyone in here says that the teams go broke playing in these games. Now we hear that the only reason they play is for the money.

[badger]

Agree on the TV thing. Teams go into bowls knowing that money will get lost in the shuffle, but it's about the only time of the year some of them will get the national spotlight (and no, ESPN3.com does NOT count!) and on top of that, 15 extra practices for the team.

The pile of cash usually stays with the bowls (why else do the orange blazers get to travel everywhere --- researching which teams to invite? hahahahahahaha) and their questionable non-profit status.

[Leroy Lizard]

So again, if the players themselves are ambivalent, it doesn't really matter much. There are higher forces afoot.

Have the players said that they don't want to play in these games?

[OUinFLA]

Then why did they agree to play?

Rather, I think the teams want to be there. They just don't necessarily play that well. Upsets happen.

Best answer I have found is: If they refuse to play, their opponents will use that as a recruiting advantage.
Apparently, most bowl participants lose money by going, but for the future of their program, they have to go.
Plus, you're correct, upsets happen.

Just imagine going to a bowl that costs your school a monetary loss of
$ 500K , and having to play a team you have already beaten this year by 30 or so points.
Oh, wait, didn't that happen last night? :D


But, Im sure NU will get great recruits out of the experience.

[Leroy Lizard]

Best answer I have found is: If they refuse to play, their opponents will use that as a recruiting advantage.
Apparently, most bowl participants lose money by going, but for the future of their program, they have to go.
Plus, you're correct, upsets happen.

Just imagine going to a bowl that costs your school a monetary loss of
$ 500K , and having to play a team you have already beaten this year by 30 or so points.
Oh, wait, didn't that happen last night? :D


But, Im sure NU will get great recruits out of the experience.

What I think we're seeing is a bull**** excuse for poor play. "Oh, but we didn't really want to be there anyway. But we're still the better team."

[Jason]

I won't support the bowl system because only certain teams have a chance for the national championship game in a given season. If, before the season starts, every team is 0-0 then each team should have an even chance to make the NC game. However, how many teams have gone undefeated, yet are still excluded from a chance for a national championship. Only in FBS football.

Btw, it's easy for supporters of the bowl system to do so. Your team is on the inside, so you endorse a biased opinion. Believe it or not, you're not the consensus.

[Jason]

What I think we're seeing is a bull**** excuse for poor play. "Oh, but we didn't really want to be there anyway. But we're still the better team."
Of course, you know this for a fact. ;)

Why is it that everything you post is supposed to be accepted as absolute? I'm just curious as to what goes on in your head, when you share your opinion. Believe it or not, that's all it is. Your opinion.

[CrimsonRez]

I just want to rename the bowl games "Citi Rose Bowl" is boring I'm thinking more like the "Trojan Condoms Take Her- Rose Bowl"

[delhalew]

We need the bowls to usher in a playoff, but otherwise, I agree.

Today's bowl games are a mockery of a once beautiful thing.

[OUinFLA]

I live in the past.
All bowl games on New Year's eve and New Year's day.
End of season.

[StoopTroup]

I live in the past.
All bowl games on New Year's eve and New Year's day.
End of season.

Yeah....it's really hard on MNC Fans to have to take off the first week of the Season to go halfway across or all the way across our great Country to root their Team on. Most Bosses will either take off and leave you there or could give two ****s about your need to take a few days to go to a football game.

I've been lucky to make the games I have in the past. If we'd made it to the big one this year....I'd probably had to quit my job and go job hunting when I got back.

If you own your own business or have the ability to travel and spare no expense...you can make these games....if you don't....your really making a hell of a run to make these games.

[Leroy Lizard]

Of course, you know this for a fact. ;)

Why is it that everything you post is supposed to be accepted as absolute? I'm just curious as to what goes on in your head, when you share your opinion. Believe it or not, that's all it is. Your opinion.

Yeah, as in "What I THINK we are seeing..."

I didn't state it as fact. I stated it as my opinion.

Having said that, do you have any statements from players where they indicate their lack of interest in playing in these games?

[Seamus]

Have the players said that they don't want to play in these games?

Jesus, Leroy. Your comprehension level is somewhere between granite and Bermuda grass.

Ambivalence doesn't require an outright declaration of "we don't want to be here."

Stop trolling for trolling's sake, and make a resolution to join the human race in 2011. :rolleyes:

[Leroy Lizard]

We need the bowls to usher in a playoff, but otherwise, I agree.

Today's bowl games are a mockery of a once beautiful thing.

And we lost that beautiful thing because of our insatiable appetite for more games. We are our own worst enemy.

[Leroy Lizard]

Jesus, Leroy. Your comprehension level is somewhere between granite and Bermuda grass.

Ambivalence doesn't require an outright declaration of "we don't want to be here."

So what do you have to show that their is ambivalence among the players?

Pointing out occasional upsets isn't going to suffice. Those happen in the regular season too.

[StoopTroup]

Having said that, do you have any statements from players where they indicate their lack of interest in playing in these games?

Yes....

If a kid is on his way to the NFL no matter what and he is risking getting hurt for a shot at his Team winning the Music City Bowl lets say....I think you don't see the same interest in them playing unless they are in a BCS Game and a National Exposure Game that NFL Scouts/Teams are watching you to decide if they want you in the first Ten Picks of the draft.

If a kid gets pounded in the mouth in the first few minutes of one of these lesser Bowls....I think they lose interest quickly sometimes. I don't think you'll see many of them make such an open statement that you seem to think you need to make an argument regarding this. Any kid doing such a thing would be an idiot....and....you're an idiot to think they would make such a statement.

[Jason]

Having said that, do you have any statements from players where they indicate their lack of interest in playing in these games?
As a matter of fact, I do. However, these statements were never published; they were told to me.

Incidentally, I agree with Seamus' post above. In many cases, a player's ambivalence is just apparent.

[Leroy Lizard]

Yes....

Okay, we'll see...


If a kid is on his way to the NFL no matter what and he is risking getting hurt for a shot at his Team winning the Music City Bowl lets say....I think you don't see the same interest in them playing unless they are in a BCS Game and a National Exposure Game that NFL Scouts/Teams are watching you to decide if they want you in the first Ten Picks of the draft.

"I don't think you see the same interest"?

That's all you've got?

That's just perception, and it is completely unfounded. You can't measure it anyway.

There may be times in which a player is unmotivated to play in a game. Sure. But these players are mostly fierce competitors and given the opportunity to win a ball game they will usually put up good effort. They wouldn't be pro material otherwise.

Sorry, but calling someone an idiot isn't a very good way to strengthen your argument. You're a typical fan who blames player ambivalence for upset losses. And you base it on nothing more than your own perceptions about how motivated you think they should appear.

In other words, garbage.

[Leroy Lizard]

As a matter of fact, I do. However, these statements were never published; they were told to me.

Holy ****, that's a :rolleyes:

[StoopTroup]

Okay, we'll see...



"I don't think you see the same interest"?

That's all you've got?

That's just perception, and it is completely unfounded. You can't measure it anyway.

There may be times in which a player is unmotivated to play in a game. Sure. But these players are mostly fierce competitors and given the opportunity to win a ball game they will usually put up good effort. They wouldn't be pro material otherwise.

Sorry, but calling someone an idiot isn't a very good way to strengthen your argument. You're a typical fan who blames player ambivalence for upset losses. And you base it on nothing more than your own perceptions about how motivated you think they should appear.

In other words, garbage.

Whatever Gundy. Perception is usually all you use in any of your arguments, which are mostly garbage. The thing is....you being called an idiot isn't a perception either....it's a statement that's been made to you by more than just me. Don't act like I'm singling you out because you know that's garbage too.

[Jason]

Holy ****, that's a :rolleyes:

You're entitled to believe that. I'm not here to win an argument. I do that for a living. I'm merely pointing out an alternative to your point of view.

[Seamus]

You're entitled to believe that. I'm not here to win an argument. I do that for a living. I'm merely pointing out an alternative to your point of view.

The alternative to Leroy's point of view is generally known as "reality."

[Jason]

The alternative to Leroy's point of view is generally known as "reality."
http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/06/nelson-haha.gif