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Home > Jeff Schultz > Archives > 2008 > November > 18 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USMr. President, college playoff can wait
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
And now for the Tuesday Countdown:
10: And Mark Cuban probably assumed the Jason Kidd trade would be the low point of his year.
9: Anybody who read, “The Godfather,” should remember the Balzac quote in the prelude to the book: “Behind every great fortune, there is a crime.” So, with that in mind, let’s assume for a moment that Cuban is guilty of insider trading (because, like, duh). Take a cue from crooked celebrity predecessors, Mark: Admit guilt, don’t lie, act contrite. Then maybe you can end up avoiding temporary residence in the Martha Stewart home for wayward potholder makers.
8: Devin Harris is averaging 23 points and six assists for New Jersey. Kidd is averaging 10 points and eight assists for Dallas. Harris is 25. Kidd is 35. On second thought, Cuban might find solitary confinement therapeutic.
7: To President-elect Barack Obama: If I may speak for 303 million Americans. I think it’s really great that you want to take a sledgehammer to the BCS like the rest of us. But, really, Prez, before you strong-arm college football into a playoff system, can you do something about the economy? And maybe Iraq. And Afghanistan. And the stock market, health care, unemployment, energy, illegal aliens, the tax code, corrupt CEOs, golden parachutes, my 401ks and brain-cell-melting productions like the Real Housetwits of Atlanta?
6: The Braves’ Frank Wren says talks to acquire Jake Peavy from San Diego are dead. Folks, nothing is dead in mid-November.
5: The SEC obviously is more down this season than anybody realized. But the conference still has Alabama and Florida, two dominant teams that give it an identity and a great championship game. You know what the ACC needs? Miami’s return to greatness.
4: Oh, I can hear Tech fans now. “He’s pulling for Miami Thursday! I knew it!” Calm down. I’m not pulling for anybody or anything, except maybe everything in No. 7. But when the ACC decided to split into two divisions and create a championship game, it hoped for increased visibility. That hasn’t happened. Part of the reason is Miami’s decline and absence from the three conference title games. The Hurricanes once were a national power with national appeal, even if a bit slimy. If they make it to Tampa this season, it would be the best thing that could happen to the ACC.
3: The Thrashers can talk all they want about a star player trying to adjust to a new coach’s system. But when Ilya Kovalchuk has only six goals in 17 games, something is wrong.
2: The good news for Cuban: Even if he is found guilty and the NBA suspends him, he can always find a job in the NHL. They’ll take anybody. When Tampa Bay fired coach Barry Melrose after only 16 games, it named Rich Tocchet interim head coach. This is the same Rich Tocchet who last year pled guilty to conspiracy and promoting gambling in connection with a nationwide sports gambling ring. He also played in the World Series of Poker last July. Seven months later, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman reinstated him. Wonder if Tocchet is still giving odds on NHL games?
1: News: Arthur Blank lays off employees in his foundation office. Views: Blank to Obama: “College playoff can wait.”
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Comments
By tide rising
November 18, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
Jeff,
You mention Miami being down and the loss of national exposure for the ACC but you also left out FSU, which was also a dominant national power and has lost a lot of luster. I know FSU isn’t in the lead to win their division but I think its worth mentioning that their recent downfall has also hurt the image of the ACC.
I’m glad I’m not the only guy who thinks the SEC is down this year. Auburn and Tenn. are 2 bigtime programs with mostly qb and offensive system issues right now. They’ll both be back soon.
As for Mark Cuban there he’ll go down for the same reason Martha went down. He got caught red handed but the ego built upon the arrogance of wealth and power will not allow him to admit fault no matter how ironclad the case is against him. It’ll cost him a lot more to fight this than to admit guilt, pay his fine, and move on. But don’t count on it.
By Will
November 18, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
Ummmm Jeff…. I’m going to take a wild guess here and say that constructing a College Football playoff is not 1st or even 31st on President-Elect Obama’s agenda. As a matter of fact I believe all those things you pointed out are still the responsibility of the Guy still living in the Whitehouse. Why don’t you make who you voted for more obvious….Geez.
By ga_tech_92
November 18, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this
College playoff cannot wait. We have wasted freakish amounts of time arguing something that’s clear as day to the majority of people in the world. Strong arm the college pres’s about this…and do all the other stuff too.
Gasp
By CarolinaJacket
November 18, 2008 10:45 AM | Link to this
So you slam the President Elect for voicing his opinion on the subject. I’ll bet he has more support around here on this subject than he obsviously does on some other matters. Go for the playoff!!!
By ...BCS is a MESS
November 18, 2008 11:04 AM | Link to this
GEORGIA TECH WAS A NATIONAL POWER under Bobby Dodd, way before Miami was.
By ga_tech_92
November 18, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this
GT has a proud history, but that’s the past. Let’s look forward, not backwards. Go Jackets!
By Charlie
November 18, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this
DEAR PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH, PLEASE FIX THE COLLEGE PLAYOFF PROBLEM
We need a college football playoff. Maybe you could start working on it in January. Think about it: maybe you could do something good an positive for a change.
By Red_Rover
November 18, 2008 11:34 AM | Link to this
Jeff, did you even know the context of the quote and where it came from?
Obviously not.
If you watched “60 Minutes” this past Sunday, it was the last question the interviewer asked President-Elect Obama.
Of course, you’re going to put a little spin on it and come off as a complete douche … yet again.
By The Grinch
November 18, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
If Obama pulls it off and does get a playoff going, that’ll be exactly one more positive thing than Bush accomplished in 8 years. Cut the man some slack, at least he’s going in the right direction about sports instead of pounding the podium and wagging his finger about steroids.
By Herschel Talker
November 18, 2008 1:05 PM | Link to this
Red_Rover likes men
By Dr. Warren
November 18, 2008 1:14 PM | Link to this
Jeff, do you seriously think Obama would spend hours and hours of his time on the college football issue at the expense of the economy and national security? Seems to me you’re either lacking in perceptiveness or simply looking to fill column space. Come on, so he makes a few phone calls to get the ball moving. Give him—and us—a break.
By CrimsonRedScarlett
November 18, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this
The last president to spend much time thinking about college football was Nixon. Think about it.By Al Beeski
November 18, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this
Jeff, I found your satiric writing style very humorous at times, but your political views are something we can do without. Everyone knows you don’t think Obama is qualified, and I’m trying not to call you a “r-word”, but get a grip bro’. He was simply giving his views on the BCS, not saying it was his #1 priority. Leave the brother alone and let him do his job & you do yours which is annoy some like Mike Woodson, etal, and make the others laugh.
By GT_EE_Major_ClassOf87
November 18, 2008 1:44 PM | Link to this
I don’t think Jeff makes anybody laugh - this blog about how a Hurricanes win would be the “best thing that could happen to the ACC” makes me sick to my stomach.
And I thought Bradley was the only Uga homer here.
By NikkiFree
November 18, 2008 1:56 PM | Link to this
Obama was asked a question and he answered it. Do you really think the man would place the BCS as priority #1 over the economy and the two wars. If you do then you sir are not playing with a full deck.
By Wendell
November 18, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this
Hey Jeff…I’m sure the BCS or a college play-off system is very low on President (elect)Obama’s list of things to do. In fact I’m sure it’s not on his list at all. He simply voiced his opinion when prompted by a reporter. Live with the fact that McCain lost and quit trying to nit pick everything our President elect does. At a minimum, please let the man get his foot in the door. Last time I checked Bush was still running this country. Forward your concerns to him!!
By BobbyDodd
November 18, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this
Yes…Tech has a much greater history than the Athenian strays. But professional sports (especially their move to Atlanta) seriously injured Tech. That coupled with leaving the SEC and being denied re-entry later (largely because of UGay’s vote) wiped out the Tech program. Tech is now a top 25 program rather than a top 10 program (we still have more national titles and nearly as many SEC titles as the mutts do) but it will take opening up the core curriculum at Tech to more liberal arts majors for it to ever compete with UGay on a yearly basis again.
By jim
November 18, 2008 2:24 PM | Link to this
Hey Jeff, lose your sense of humor, did you? The question about playoffs was at the end of the interview and was a throwaway question. You got to be working overtime to go into a tirade about the problems in this country,etc. Take a deep breathe, chill, and realize Obama won - get over it. P.S. Stick to sports - at least you are so so there. Politics - LOSER
By Riz
November 18, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this
Why not let the NAACP and ACORN handle the BCS problem. They’ve certainly done a good job with past situations and the vast majority of Americans have nothing but respect for both organizations. Their basic principles are being honest and not manipulating money - so they’d be perfect for the job!
Wait…..what?
By Ralph Cavender
November 18, 2008 4:27 PM | Link to this
Your Sunday colum on the Ga. X Auburn game was the best ever.
By The Fight Realtor
November 18, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this
Another clunker by Shultz. No insight. No humor. Just sarcasm.
By jcy1968
November 18, 2008 5:34 PM | Link to this
GTEEMajorClassOf87 ___hate to break it to you…Jeff makes me LOL….the dude’s hilarious…accept it…if it weren’t for this web site I’d buy the paper every Friday in the fall…and I know I am not alone…
By Najeh Davenpoop
November 18, 2008 7:50 PM | Link to this
Dear President Bush, please pardon Michael Vick.
By drew
November 19, 2008 6:20 AM | Link to this
Come on, Jeff…you know the BCS is a fraud, let’s get on the bandwagon.
OK, here’s how it could work…
Top eight teams in a seeded play-off ( 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, etc). A total of seven games (4 first round, 2 semis and a championship). Three rounds in 3 weeks. And don’t give me that crap about extending the season If the play-offs started at the end of the regular season (December!) it could be done by the first week in January. Each play-off game is a bowl game, with the big bowls getting the semis and final, on some kind of ratating basis, so that each of the “major” bowls would get the championship game at some point.
Boycott this years bowl (exhibition) games, cause with the exception of the (tainted) championship game, thats all they are—glorified exhibition games.
As far as what system is used to determine who the top 8 teams are, I don’t even care. The current BCS ranking system, or any other system the NCCA decided to go with would be fine with me.
Using the current BCS rankings, this would be the first round:
Bama vs Penn St Texas Tech vs Utah Texas vs USC FL vs OK
And that’s just the first round. Talk about excitement! Talk about meaningful games! Talk about ratings! And finally, for the powers that be, talk about big bucks!
I might watch the championship game this year, and if MY team is in a bowl, I might watch it. Other than that, I couldn’t care less about all of the other meaningless exhibition games (win, and you go home…lose, and you go home). Once they make the games meaningful I’ll tune in. Until then, I’ll be boycotting the current fraud of a system.
By Florida Dawg
November 19, 2008 6:50 AM | Link to this
Jeff…your comments about Obama’s opinion about a playoff is about as stupid and immature as it can get. Can’t the President-elect have an opinion other than a political issue? He’s just a guy too…no harm done. Are you upset your lost or what?
By swhite
November 19, 2008 7:20 AM | Link to this
Thanks Florida Dawg…he was asked a SPORTS RELATED QUESTION!
By swhite
November 19, 2008 7:28 AM | Link to this
Jeff…when you are asked a sports related question, you give a sports related answer. You don’t go into a conversation about the economy when you are asked a SPORTS RELATED QUESTION. Do you see the connection…
By m
November 19, 2008 7:57 AM | Link to this
Jeff, you sound like that TOOL Tony Barnhart regarding your Miami comments. The ACC doesn’t need Miami to do anything in order to justify the league to a bunch of sec hacks. If you haven’t noticed, there is a NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN. His name is Paul Johnson. Tech is the one that is returning to national recognition. FEAR THE I….SCREW THE U. And as always, Thank God and Greyhound that Chan Gailey is gone forever.
By yall gonna find out
November 19, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this
Obama is the Antichrist!!
By wcole
November 19, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
Jeff, unlike many who comment in this forum, I’ve been an appreciative reader for a long time and look forward to your columns. But good lord, man. I join the masses this time. Good for the President Elect. He answered a question and showed he has a grasp of the issue and its importance to a lot of people.
By Ms. Manners
November 19, 2008 5:04 PM | Link to this
Dear “M”, Your comments are stupid and obnoxious enough without bolding them. Please desist, dear.
By Jarvis
November 19, 2008 5:04 PM | Link to this
You suck. I have nothing more to add.
By Politically correct
November 19, 2008 5:08 PM | Link to this
Obama’s comments about the BCS are like his “bowling” during the campaign. An attempt to show he is one of the boys, when he ain’t.
By SQUAWKER
November 20, 2008 1:53 AM | Link to this
Jesus, Jeff. You really think Obama really gives a $hit about the BCS? I’m sure that is, um, last on his list of priorities. I imagine by making a that statement he was trying to connect to an American audience that is increasingly less informed, plus it was something that everyone agrees on. Apparently, these complex shenanigans are way over your head…
By SQUAWKER
November 20, 2008 1:56 AM | Link to this
Wait, let me guess, you voted for McCain? That’s the only explanation for wasting one of your ‘precious’ top-tens on such an idiotic topic.
By spotts
November 20, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this
Presidents and presidents-elect can do more than one thing at once. Obama mentioned a college football playoff while being interviewed on a football program. He didn’t say it was his #1 priority and he would drive the nation further in debt until a solution was found.
By BravesFan79
November 20, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this
Who needs playoffs when we have such excitment as the Copper Bowl….. zzzzzzzzzzzzz…….wake me up when its over!