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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2008 > May > 02 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USSEC is why you won’t see football playoffs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Can we talk? This whining around the SEC over the lack of a playoff system in big-time college football is transparent. This is all about Auburn in the past, Georgia in the present and Florida, LSU, Tennessee and every other potentially explosive team for the conference in the future.
This is all about the SEC, period, and money, money, money.
That’s SEC money, lots of it, which those in the conference see coming their way like, well, to quote a raspy voice, “sugar [oranges, roses or the names of whatever bowls would be involved with a playoff system] falling from the sky.”
So why don’t these disingenuous folks just come clean? They should tell the truth, which is that they aren’t obsessed with switching to a playoff system for the good of college football, the student-athlete or all of mankind. They are obsessed with this for what they perceive would be for the good of themselves. That’s why their mostly selfish idea of implementing a playoff system of four teams was slammed again this week in Hollywood, Fla., by a gathering of the commissioners who run the flawed but perfectly adequate BCS.
That’s also why you’ll never see a playoff system any time soon. When it comes to a playoff system, the majority of those in charge of running college athletics understand that these really are disingenuous folks in SEC territory.
“I certainly wouldn’t say that,” said the diplomatically inclined Thomas Hansen over the phone on Friday from Walnut Creek, Calif., where he is commissioner of the Pac-10. Hansen joined the BCS commissioners of the Big Ten, Big East and Big 12 to vote against the proposal of SEC commissioner Mike Slive to seed the game’s top four teams each year. ACC commissioner John Swofford voted for Slive’s proposal, but it was four against two, and college presidents are overwhelmingly against a playoff system anyway.
Added Hansen, “I think we all have multiple interests, and different teams within our own conferences feel differently.”
Not in the SEC. The rhetoric is primarily the same from Baton Rouge to Athens to Gainesville. With apologies to Hansen, these disingenuous folks are saying forget everything and everybody else and think of an expanded SEC bank vault. They know their conference is more likely to have a team or three with national-championship credentials in most years. They know those particular teams already produce big bucks for themselves and also for their conference by just meeting the opening kickoff in a BCS game. They know those big bucks can become bigger bucks with a playoff system, especially since most playoff games would be dominated by SEC teams.
They know they are full of Gatorade if they say anything less.
For academic reasons, logistical reasons and so many reasons in between, a playoff system makes no sense for an already prosperous sport that has set attendance records for 11 straight years. Not only that, television ratings for college football last season on ESPN and CBS were their highest in nearly a decade.
“The strong consensus among the 11 conferences and Notre Dame was that there is no support for — and let’s just say for the sake of discussion — a full playoff of 16 teams,” said Hansen, suggesting that Slive’s four-team plan would grow before growing some more. “The fact that every single playoff in college sports or professional sports that’s ever been initiated has led to a greatly expanded playoff was the most important factor in the decision of these conferences not to even really give a lot of consideration to a plus-one format.
“We all felt the political pressures would mound rapidly and very, very strongly to expand if you add four teams, then eight teams. Wherever you draw that line, you’ll always have controversy and resulting pressure for an expanded field.”
Guess who would be screaming the most for expansion? That’s right, the SEC, in search of even bigger bucks.
Permalink | Comments (52) | Categories: UGA/SEC
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By Rabun Dawg
May 2, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this
Terence, why do you punish yourself by staying in the South, and having to endure SEC football? I think that you would be much happier being back up in Big 10 territory, or closer to your beloved Irish! Please, go back, and spare us your dislike for all things SEC!!
By cgggy
May 2, 2008 5:56 PM | Link to this
what
By RxDawg
May 2, 2008 5:57 PM | Link to this
Keep pushing those buttons Mr. T. Your very skilled at it. I’ll just ask one question, what do you think the players want?
By RxDawg
May 2, 2008 5:59 PM | Link to this
“by a gathering of the commissioners who run the flawed but perfectly adequate BCS”
Why should my favorite sport just be adequate?
By gadawg
May 2, 2008 6:01 PM | Link to this
your columns are worthless along with your racist self. You never say anything postive. the secc is an elite conference and we will never figure who the best team is until installed. why does every other league and d2 have it?
say something positive bro and or get our of the biz
By Andy
May 2, 2008 6:15 PM | Link to this
Oh please…
By DawgsChick
May 2, 2008 6:26 PM | Link to this
Are you serious?! Wow! So it’s better to have a flawed system which will base a team’s numbers (whether in a mediocre or elite conference) in lieu of a system which will make the highest ranking teams compete in a playoff to show best ALL AROUND?! Are you kidding me?!
Other conferences choose NOT to vote for the playoff system b/c they are aware of the SEC’s ability blow EVERY other conference out of the water. I’m a female and could do a WAY better job writing this column than you, Mr. Moore.
Go Dawgs!!!!
By Uncle Dave
May 2, 2008 6:27 PM | Link to this
Terence: How is it disingenuous to want the opportunity to settle things on the field? It is not, therefore you are wrong. Nuff said.
By Russ Brock
May 2, 2008 6:32 PM | Link to this
Merciful heavens, Moore. I am amazed you have the ability to feed and clothe yourself. You are obviously an idiot savant. You know how to write but nothing about which you write. Please, stop subjecting us to your insanely idiotic suppositions and head north. “Perfectly adequate BCS???” I rest my case.
By jimmy
May 2, 2008 6:34 PM | Link to this
Of course this is all about the benjamens, BUT it’s also for the betterment(is this a word?) of the sport as well! More people watching=more $$ for everybody. Establishing a true champ would put more people in the seats/in front of their TVs. Why is this so difficult to figure out?? Of course the SEC would be heavily involved because their teams dominate the sport.
College basketball players miss way more school than football players, yet they can have a playoff and football can’t?? This entire system is a$$ backwards.
By mvp
May 2, 2008 6:38 PM | Link to this
mr.moore hit it on the spot. truth hurts and uga fans are cry babbies!
By Michael
May 2, 2008 6:45 PM | Link to this
What a loser!
By Tom
May 2, 2008 6:46 PM | Link to this
YOU ARE SICK MAN. GET A LIFE. YOU ARE NOT A SPORTS WRITER, JUST A TROUBLE MAKER.
By Ron
May 2, 2008 6:49 PM | Link to this
Better to keep your mouth shut and let everyone think you are a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
You sir are not only ignorant but an idiot.
By Time for cut-backs @ AJC
May 2, 2008 6:53 PM | Link to this
Enough of this third rate crap that T. M. spews out. This man needs to go write for some high school paper. What an idiot he is
By DawgsChick
May 2, 2008 6:55 PM | Link to this
Sorry MVP… Until you Tech can ATLEAST achieve #10 Rank, it’s better to just keep quiet when speaking on bowls and playoffs ;-)
By RhinoDawg
May 2, 2008 6:56 PM | Link to this
A playoff system may seem to the SEC’s advantage at the moment, however, like all sports, things change. Five, ten or twenty years from now the SEC could become the NCAA whipping post. Who knows?
All of this money talked about is clearly exploitation of the kids playing ball and taking the risks. Some of this money should be set aside for the kids who have career ending injuries for the entertainment of America. Unfortunately, in 2008 it is all about the money. The kids that never make it to the pros should be compensated for their commitment and efforts once out of school. Without them their would be no money or entertainment.
Sadly Mr. gadawg does not even know the definition of racist. It’s funny to me that he spends his time reading a column then commenting on it as worthless. I call that just plain dumb. Mr. T. succeeded again at his job as an opinion writer. Now that is entertainment.
By Dennis G. Berdanis
May 2, 2008 7:04 PM | Link to this
I wish they’d scrap this STUPID BCS and go back to the old bowl system. I miss the Rose, Sugar, Cotten, Fiesta and Orange being important and all the fun debates over “my team is better than your team”
By obama
May 2, 2008 7:09 PM | Link to this
Terence Moore: the Rev. Wright of sports writers.
By Bravesfan79
May 2, 2008 7:13 PM | Link to this
I think it is YOU terrance who get off on, and are obsessed about no playoffs!
The ones getting screwed are the fans, and the players. If you cant see that….your a idiot !!
Why would ANYONE wanna play in a league were the coach tells u at the start of the year “ok boys, we have no shot at a nation championship because we didnt start the year in the top 5, but maybe we can bring home a big pizza trophy from the little ceasers bowl!!”
I dont see how these teams are inspired…and you can tell in some of their lackluster performances in the meaningless bowl games.
Any sport where a team can go UNDEFEATED and have NO shot at a title….ISNT A REAL SPORT!!
By AltamahaDawg
May 2, 2008 7:15 PM | Link to this
Logically the article makes no sence, but I dont even care to point out the obvious flaws. Who cares what TM says.
The words from the meeting still puzzle me. They are afraid to do something, because it might work TOO well?
By AltamahaDawg
May 2, 2008 7:17 PM | Link to this
Do the ACC fans even realize just how bad TM insulted them?
By Ramguy
May 2, 2008 7:18 PM | Link to this
Like Tuberville said about Lee Corso and Lou Holtz, one never won anywhere he coached and the other couldn’t win in the SEC so why would anyone listen to them? Since you could possibly be their ghostwriter on Gameday, why should anyone listen to you. Oh I’m sorry, nobody does.
By Comin' Down The Track
May 2, 2008 7:32 PM | Link to this
Does anyone ever agree with you, Terence? Ever? Are you even trying to write coherent pieces or are you just intentionally making up this blather to simply be contrary? If that was the case, I could at least respect you for taunting and confounding the football crazies around here. In fact, that could be rather entertaining for awhile. However, wouldn’t that get tiresome fairly quickly? What is your purpose? Is this even fun for you anymore? I admit that I am confounded, but I don’t feel especially taunted. What are you doing?
By President Bush hates Black People
May 2, 2008 7:38 PM | Link to this
So I guess the Basketball tournament should be scrapped as well since it could be dominated by one conference…..such as when UF won it back to back years.
TM-You are so stupid it is unbelievable.
By Jeff
May 2, 2008 7:43 PM | Link to this
Typical TM…. b***’ and moanin’ and gripin’ and offering no real answers for anything. He reminds me of a Democratic politician. Come on TM, you and I know college football NEEDS a playoff! The longer the sport goes without one, the less legitimate it becomes. And I’m sorry, I don’t buy your argument. Maybe the SEC is bound to make more cash in the future if a playoff system is set up, but it would ALSO crown an SEC team as national champ every few years. The longer college football goes without a playoff and relies on “voting” in ANY part of its championship determination, the more the sport will become like figure skating…. purely subjective. TM, go back to writing about the Braves and their terrible manager and leave your nose out of college football until you bring something decent to the table.
By
May 2, 2008 8:04 PM | Link to this
The Headine ” SEC is why you won’t see playoffs” is the only thing I have ever agreed with Terrance about. He is 100% correct. Its his reasoning thats flawed.
The rest of the country LED by the Pac 10 and Big 10 know that the SEC has NEVER been beaten in the championship game. Thats why there is no playoff. No other conference would have a chance.
By mike28212
May 2, 2008 8:15 PM | Link to this
mr. moore, please allow me to offer a quote from a beloved cartoon character. (since you seem to be one yourself) as krusty the clown would say “you sir are an idiot.”
By Seriously?
May 2, 2008 8:24 PM | Link to this
Terence, the point is to let the best teams play for the title. Period. The REAL money issue is with the BCS. By the way, you’re a terrible sportswriter.
By shane#1
May 2, 2008 8:26 PM | Link to this
Terrance, the SEC has three or four teams that could possibly win a real crown in gollege football? Is that what you are saying? If that is the true then You have made the case for the SEC. Academics has nothing to do with it, basketball has a playoff. Div II football has a playoff. College Baseball has the college World series, even the GymDawgs had a real championship awarded to them. Why is Div 1 football the only college sport without a national champion? Until You can answer that question I would suggest that You shut up! As for Your examples of college football at it’s best, Notre Dame? Please, Notre Dame stabbed college football in the back with Their big tv contract. If the Big East has any guts at all They will refuse to play Them at all. Pac 10, Big 10, of course They are opposed to a playoff, how else could They be sure of having at least one of Their teams in the so called NCG every year? They tie up every Rose Bowl and NC game and exclude other conferences. They don’t want a playoff? Big shock!
By Bravesfan79
May 2, 2008 8:27 PM | Link to this
Terrance your about as bright as the guy who tried to cash a $360 Billion Dollar fake check….WITH a gun and 2 ounces of bud in his pockets!! haha
Anytime i see u embarassing Atlanta with your retarded comments on the BCS “it would mess up their schoolwork” I hope Jim Rome snaps one day and smacks some sense into you.
We all know football players are the dumbest (collectively) out of all the jocks, and study less and get more “assistance” on papers and work than most other students. Your excuses are lame TM.
From time to time you write some good articles about the Braves, but man when it comes to College Football and what the FANS WANT (you know the reason why the games so big now) you are CLUELESS!!
College Football will always be a joke of a sport until changes are made. I hope this next season either A: like 5 teams go undefeated, or B: everyteam has 1 loss. JUST TO MESS UP THE BCS!! I mean its really not hard to make the BCS look foolish, 9 years out of 10 it does it with ease.
By Hugh G
May 2, 2008 8:30 PM | Link to this
Why should we have a playoff? College football already has a great one and done tournament, it’s called the regular season. Lose one game and you’re in trouble, lose two (unless you’re LSU last year) and you’re gone. It provides a good microcosm of what you actually get in the NCAA basketball tournament anyway. The NCAA basketball tournament is a 3 stage thing: First weekend, survive the little guys, but watch a few upsets, just like teams early in the Football season (Remember Appalachian State?). Second Weekend, good close games between pretty good teams, sorta like the conference regular season, where the folks are tougher than Troy and you gotta win to keep up. Then, third weekend, Final Four and the title, much like Conference Title Games/Bowl Title Game, where it’s really put up or shut up time. Playoff means the first two don’t matter. And all the hyping about brackets or cinderella ignores it. Cinderella won’t make the 4 or 8 or 16 or whatever team tournament. They will, however, play the big boys and can wreck their season on a crisp saturday in May. Even “upsets” in the playoffs won’t matter.Does anyone remember when Kansas and Marquette upset the favorites to win the National Title, Arizona and Kentucky respectively in ‘03? Or any upset in NFL history? No, because big on big isn’t an upset, it’s a dead heat.
By MUTT_H8R
May 2, 2008 8:37 PM | Link to this
Altamaha, yes, I realized it and i’m sure most ACC fans caught the drift as well. Like the rest of his AJC cronies he follows the rules and downplays Tech and the conference we are in as much as possible. Par for the course.
But, as Dawgs and Jackets, we still have one thing in common: We could all care less about the drivel that Terence Moore spews to stir up the masses. Logic be damned, we sure are a bunch of suckers in the ACC, what with us wanting to crown a real champion and all.
By tiger7_88
May 2, 2008 8:39 PM | Link to this
There’s a reason all the other conferences don’t want to be in a playoff system with the SEC as a participant, Little Terry.
If you’re tiny pea-brain can’t figure it out, I’ll give you a hint: Florida 2006, LSU 2007.
(Which is the same thing that would have happened to the Pac-1 in 2004 if Auburn had been given a chance.)
By Festus
May 2, 2008 8:47 PM | Link to this
Aw shucks we woodnt be haivin thees decussion if Waste Virginny would haiv beet Peatsbugh laist yer. looks lykes them thare Waste Virginny boys ar a thorn in them thare doagies side startin with thait there bowal win a few yers baick.
By Kevin
May 2, 2008 8:52 PM | Link to this
Wrong again Terance. Are you really that out of touch, that stupid, or that intellectually dishonest? Jim Delaney, aka �the godfather� of college sports is who you should be writing about. All Big 10, All Pac 10, All the time Terance. The reality of it is that thanks to people like Jim Delaney � the godfather - the czar of college sports, and ignoramuses like you Terence, college football is an ego massage for the Big 10 and Pac 10. How many times do sports fans have to endure all this Big 10 & Notre Dame favoritism? Look at the Big 10�s record in the BCS Championship games. My god Terence, remember that Miami � Ohio State game? You remember, the one where Ohio State got all of those mulligans at the end of the game so they could get a win they did not earn? I�m not a Miami fan Terance. That same kind of crap got old back in 1982 when Nebraska and Alabama both beat Penn State with seconds left on the clock, only to have the exact same official declare both catches to be traps. Remember Terance? That would be the same official who was fired for those two calls and probably retired from his payoff. St. Joe. Yeah right! This is what you get with people like Jim Delaney. It is called stealing from the poor and giving to the rich. Terence, thanks to pawns like you, who knows how much longer this garbage will continue.
By David C
May 2, 2008 9:02 PM | Link to this
Terrance for a guy that hates the SEC you sure do spend a lot of time writing about us
By Jon
May 2, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this
That�s also why you�ll never see a playoff system any time soon.
Has anyone else noticed this guy is a complete lunatic? What a moron!!!
By Terence Moore is an idiot
May 2, 2008 9:29 PM | Link to this
(See above)
By JoyDawg
May 2, 2008 9:36 PM | Link to this
While I always look forward to your essays, I get a main line from reading the responses. Thanks.
By Duston
May 2, 2008 9:41 PM | Link to this
Your Dawg gone right the playoffs would be dominated by the SEC. I’m so sick of hearing about the big 10 and the buckeyes and every other second rate mid west and west side team that gets so much attention from sports commentators that are obviously in denial. Thats why the other conferences don’t want it because they know full well that they would all be SHUT DOWN and sent packing.
The SEC is the most skilled conference out of all PERIOD. I hope a play off system is brought in so that all doubts can be put to bed and so that Moore can suffer more than he obviously already is.
By ga.wolf
May 2, 2008 9:41 PM | Link to this
To anyone who feels that we don’t need a playoff system- look at the ohio state university in the title games. Vandy would have kicked their a*. Was fla. the best team in the nation when they won the nc. Hell no, what a joke! LSU lost a game every time they were ranked #1 until they were matched with a 2nd rate OSU team. I guess OSU will be #1 when the preseason rankings come out. When is it going to stop? Maybe when the fans stop paying money to go meaningless bowl games.
By Kendall
May 2, 2008 9:53 PM | Link to this
Why you still have a job is beyond me. The AJC personel department must be pure idiots.
By BigDawg34
May 2, 2008 9:56 PM | Link to this
Terrence you are as arrogant as Mark May and Jesse Palmer. I really don’t know why you waste your time writing these Stupid columns. You set yourself up for critcisim whenever you post something. If you don’t like it down here in the south and the SEC. Then go up north to be with the sissy Big Ten. If this job doesn’t work out you can always be a shoe shiner at the Marta Station.
By Buzz In Roswell
May 2, 2008 9:59 PM | Link to this
Mr. Moore you have got to be the dumbest man to ever walk this earth. First of all, the SEC currently makes more money from the bowls than just about any conference. The proposed system in theory would bring in LESS money to the SEC. Overall the SEC has more to lose than the other conferences. They have won four national titles under the current system, including the last two straight. The next best conference is the Pac-10 with two. The BCS is far from adequate as you state, it is flawed beyond repair and last year was a perfect example. Only one of the five games in the BCS was close, and that wasn’t even very exciting. The Rose Bowl has been reduced to a giant joke because they can’t seem to get over their Big 10/Pac 10 obsession. The Plus One is far from perfect, but at least it will decide things on the field. No one seems to care about academics when they flaunt the NCAA Basketball Championship as so great, yet they miss more classes than any sport. I had a class with a basketball player at a SEC school that did not even make the NCAA’s and he still missed most of our classes during the basketball season. And so what if it expands? It doesn’t have to go into the Spring semester unless you keep the date the same as the current bowls (which is as illogical as your article anyway, Mr. Moore). And yes, the #65 team probably moans if it is left out of the NCAA championships but no body ever talks about it. There is much less agreement in who gets hosed by the BCS from #5 than #3, because the fifth team doesn’t have a strong argument at #5. Even if the football tournament expands it will be better than our current system. Did you even look at the polls this year? They got changed around so much at the end of the season it was obvious that people just wanted to see OSU LSU, they did not even take into consideration other teams. They jumped from like 3 or 4 to 1 and 2. The BCS is as flawed as your argument, Mr. Moore, false journalist.
By TheItalianDawg
May 2, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this
The big10, big east and Pac 10 are gang of cowards, scared! with a play off system they will never have a chance to play for NC and they know it. they even dont want a conference championship game! the big10’s best team Ohio state always play through weak schedule and rely on media to put them in the NC game where they get killed. we all know that Miami is the actual winner of the 2002 NC game. anyway 8 teams play off is the way to go
By jdawg
May 2, 2008 10:21 PM | Link to this
Are you suggesting that no one has a financial interest in keeping this screwed up mess of a BCS in place, Terrence? All those upstanding, honorable non-SEC commissioners, coaches, presidents, etc. are just selflessly trying to protect the integrity of the game, not watch out for their own interests? Are you high, or just not very bright?
By Bryan
May 2, 2008 10:22 PM | Link to this
Thank you Rev Wright!
Idiot
By P Dawg
May 2, 2008 10:26 PM | Link to this
A playoff system is like the FairTax. It makes so much sense, it will never happen! Too many idiots (special interest groups) calling the shots.
By Fed Up
May 2, 2008 10:28 PM | Link to this
Auburn had a legitimate issue. Georgia just plain whined. Win the SEC, or even the east if you want a shot punk dawgs!
By P Dawg
May 2, 2008 10:43 PM | Link to this
FU Fed Up, Auburn did get screwed, but that is all the more reason you should want a playoff too. Or are you too f’n stupid to realize that. Probably so.
By Reality Check
May 2, 2008 10:48 PM | Link to this
To this point, and irregardless of the constant critisism from the people who post here, I have refrained from any negativity toward Mr. Mooore. I have seriously tried to give the guy a benefit of the doubt. At this time, and after this article, I am sorry to say that Mr. Moore himself has finally, yes finally, broken that barrier.
After paying close attention to his constant yet unfounded claims of racial discrimination, article after article of content that is more fitting to a comic strip section, and most of all his total lack of any journalistic talent whatsoever, I have no choice but to state the obvious:
Terence, you are either tugging at the strings of the fans out there or you really are a moron and a complete shame to this newspaper. Either way, you have wasted a completely good webpage and 5 minutes of my time.
Going forward, if it says Terence Moore at the top I will proceed elsewhere. I am finished with your bull and I seriously don’t think I am alone.
Have a great day!
Go Dawgs!