Sports Columnists

By JD

November 29, 2007 9:14 PM | Link to this

You’re right, Terence. A playoff solves nothing. How many teams would there be and who would be invited this year? At the margins there will always be teams left out. Heck, the basketball tourney has 65 teams (65!!!!) and every year we have to listen to some team with 14 losses complain about not getting in.

The real problem with football is that there are 119 D 1-A teams. If they cut it down to 6 twelve team leagues and forced teams to only play against other BCS teams out of conference, it would be easier to find out who the best team is. However, with that many teams and only 12 games, it is impossible. Just go to whatever bowl game and be happy.

By Randy

November 29, 2007 9:19 PM | Link to this

If it were perfect, what would the UGA fans have to whine about??

Oh, that the student / athletes have to go to class now…….

By JacketGrad07

November 29, 2007 9:35 PM | Link to this

I just don’t understand why we can’t have a 4 team playoff. With the exception of this one screwey year for the last decade every team that’s ever been in serious conention for the number 1 spot at the end of the season has been in the top 4. On New Years Day Team 1 plays team 4 and Team 2 plays Team 3. The championship bowel is a week later between the winners. It wouldn’t hurt finances, no more Auburn type BCS scandals, and I don’t think that any team’s players would be that seriously offended by missing one week of classes on the once in a career opportunity to go to the championship bowl.

By sljackson

November 29, 2007 9:44 PM | Link to this

ummm- does march madness mean anything to you idiots? I like Joe and all but how many schools will actually go to the playoffs? Basketball kills way more classtime than football could dream of. The risk is substantially outweighed by the reward of a 4 or 8 team playoff system. BCS is a money making scheme that certain university presidents are hanging on for dear life for.

By TTech

November 29, 2007 9:47 PM | Link to this

I only have two words to say which answer the question and give the one and only correct answer.

Only two words = MARCH MADNESS

By morono

November 29, 2007 9:48 PM | Link to this

Fred Thompson has adhd/paying for the NFl is b******/Ga Tech is irrelevant/Notre Dame made my year/Tatoos are for pussies/I like the new ref jerseys/Joey Harrington deserves better fans/The Hawks should move to New Orleans/Wrestling ain’t fake/Golf is gay

By GT Athletic Supporter

November 29, 2007 10:02 PM | Link to this

Most playoff games would be in December and perhaps extending into the first week of January. Most schools are on the semester system with classes ending in early December. I don’t see much of the conflict which Joe references. It’s similar to college baseball. Tournaments usually begin as the spring semester ends and that works out nicely. If ever there was a scenario inviting a playoff system it’s this year with no clear top two contenders; some two loss teams with much tougher schedules behind weaker-schedule one loss teams in the polls; and some teams with a loss at the end of the season behind (in my opinion) weaker teams who lost earlier in the year. A real mess!

By morono

November 29, 2007 10:03 PM | Link to this

Yo tiny tech,

How bout three words…Ultimate Final Champion

By adawgfan

November 29, 2007 10:13 PM | Link to this

Only a homer for a team (GT) that will never make it into the brackets would oppose a playoff!
I also don’t want to hear the argument that the regular season will be diminished more than it is by using a poll to determine 1 & 2. I say let the six conference champions play it off, you don’t win your conference you don’t have a shot. That way the regular season is a playoff. IMHO the Mountaineers are the team to beat this year but I’ll bet they’d rather play a 4-8 team playoff to win it all than listen to “you couldn’t have beaten …”
I’m so sick of the if’s following every NCAA football season. GO DAWGS!

By reality check

November 29, 2007 10:20 PM | Link to this

So, who thinks Spurrier is going back to Duke? He’s no dummy. By now he has probably figured out South Carolina has done in more than one coach who had won a National Championship somewhere else.

By Max Sizemore

November 29, 2007 10:23 PM | Link to this

College football has the best — and most meaningful — regular season in sports. From this fan’s perspective, a playoff would detract from that in a major way.

By Don Miller

November 29, 2007 10:36 PM | Link to this

Montana State

Podunk (that’s what we’re forced to play in Bozeman, Montana) football with all the hype and glory of our playoff system is fatally flawed.

We seed four teams which means, they are home for the duration of the playoffs while an “at large” selectee from a mid-major conference (the A-10 had FIVE at large berths this year!) travels from one end of the country to the other with one week to prepare? Give me a break!

Those teams that frequent the playoffs have the unfair advantage of playing at least one extra game and as many as four year in and year out while the “programs of podunk’s” opponents lose not only the extra games but those four weeks of practice!

And let’s not discuss the bid process involved in being an “at large” selectee. Given the choice, I’ll take the bowls.

The small school playoff system unfairly rewards teams for making the playoffs, and it is by design. We’re the Division I schools to make the transition to a playoff, you’d see dynasties such as the directional Michigan school now enjoys at the BCS level.

By TDone

November 29, 2007 10:46 PM | Link to this

Folks, right now every game is a playoff game. So what would a playoff provide you? Nothing.

And to Mr. Adawgfan, Tech has an equal chance of making it to the championship game next season as you folks do. I mean, no one would have put Mizzou in the mix this season. Let’s just play the game and stop talking about your suppositories (sic).

By adawgfan

November 29, 2007 10:47 PM | Link to this

How’s that Max? In a scenario like I described above where the conference champions play it off for the NC. I believe it puts MORE imphasis on winning during the season.

How can anyone say the sports writers should have the final say on who’s the best. They’ve been wrong thrice this season alone. If I remember correctly they were also wrong last year as well. Seems to me Ohio St. and LSU have had their butts handed to them four times since the final poll 2006. Which journalism class gives a sportswriter permission to decide who is the best in the nation. Why tee it up at all? Let’s just vote, oh wait there’s no money in that is there?

By RxDawg

November 29, 2007 10:54 PM | Link to this

And, yes, we know about the loudest of the knee-jerk comments from those wanting a playoff system at the highest level of college football: They’ve had a playoff system at those other levels for decades.

“Hamilton laughed, saying, “How many times do you see a Division II or Division III team mentioned on SportsCenter? The revenue is just not the same. The pressure is not the same. The fan-base scrutiny is not the same. You really can’t compare those two things at all.” “

That is a total copout. I have attended both GSU and UGA. I was there when GSU won the NC (a real on the field NC) in 99 and 00. You dont think the pressure was there? You dont think we wanted to win any less then any other team in America at any level? Puhhlease. You know what else, it worked JUST FINE. Sigh, I’m so tired of trying to convince people of why this system would work. It would. A small team (im thinking 8) playoff would still leave the regular season meaning all that it does now. Make it happen!

By morono

November 29, 2007 10:55 PM | Link to this

yo adawgfan say hey to your mommy when she tucks you in

By Gator Hater

November 29, 2007 10:58 PM | Link to this

If we can’t have a playoff, then we at least need to get all teams in a conference. Abolish the ranking system during the regular season. Only rank teams after all confernce championships. Use the average of three computer ranking systems to do the ranking and then slot bowls from that ranking. Let the top two bowls be a 4 team playoff with a national championship game to follow.

By adawgfan

November 29, 2007 10:59 PM | Link to this

TDone, My comment was just a jab at Terrence Moore. I do acutally believe Tech has as much a chance as any team in D1. In fact, a good hire in the next few days/weeks could give the Jackets a leg up in their bid for future ACC titles. Heck if they can play for it with Chan and Ball, they could actually be good with a real coach and QB.

By Jill

November 29, 2007 11:15 PM | Link to this

JD, I’m in agreement with you on this one: With 119 teams, you can’t have a playoff. Basketball is different. It’s a sport where you can play every 2 days. You can’t in football. My way to tweak the BCS is to eliminate preseason polls, and don’t release polls until the first BCS standings are released during the season.

By morono

November 29, 2007 11:36 PM | Link to this

Sweat tweak Jill, how many of you dorks play fantasy football

By NASCARfan

November 29, 2007 11:48 PM | Link to this

So, Terence, not only do you refuse to champion the white man in the NFL and the NBA like you do the black man for MLB, thereby proving your complete and total hypocrisy, you refuse to back an 8 team playoff, which could be taken care of within the same amount of time the current system plays itself out in when you have NO problem with college basketballers, both male and female playing 3 times the amount of games their football bretheren play, they also have a playoff system that lasts over an effing month!

Terence Moore = HYPOCRITE

By Potato Dawg

November 30, 2007 12:09 AM | Link to this

Oh please, does anyone think that the winner of the ncaa basketball play off is not the winner, or the last victorious team in the super bowl is not the best team. College football is the only major sport that does not have a play off system. Look at last year, Ohio State was supposed to be far superior to Florida. Why even play the game. Look at this years pre season standing, they show that the game prophets really have little clue about where to start teams in the standings and how to evaluate ratings after a lost.

A plus one system would be a good start to righting a system run by those who are not on the field.

By Potato Dawg

November 30, 2007 12:09 AM | Link to this

Oh please, does anyone think that the winner of the ncaa basketball play off is not the winner, or the last victorious team in the super bowl is not the best team. College football is the only major sport that does not have a play off system. Look at last year, Ohio State was supposed to be far superior to Florida. Why even play the game. Look at this years pre season standing, they show that the game prophets really have little clue about where to start teams in the standings and how to evaluate ratings after a lost.

A plus one system would be a good start to righting a system run by those who are not on the field.

By Jack Doane

November 30, 2007 12:15 AM | Link to this

You’re so right, Terence. Look at what a disaster the basketball playoff is. Sixty four teams. And the basketball players miss a lot more class time than football players would.

As usual, you’re so far off base that I don’t know why anyone responds to you. In fact, I’ve wondered for quite awhile how you keep your job.

By Potato Dawg

November 30, 2007 12:15 AM | Link to this

Baloney, College Football is the only major sport without a playoff. Does anyone ever feel that the winner of the ncaa basketball play off is not the best team!

By pdiddy

November 30, 2007 12:29 AM | Link to this

A playoff solves nothing. Part of the beauty of college football is the level of onterest and discussion about who is best. Two prime examples are the NFL and College basketball. Do you really think the wildcard Raider were the best the year they won the superbowl or the NC State Wolfpack were the best when they won? No way…both were interesting stories but neither were the best teams that year. The system is not perfect but it produces a champion as good as any playoff would…playoff supports do kids yourself with the moronic belief that winner of the tourney or superbowl is always the best team. Sometimes it is but when the field get watered down and teams are not rewarded for their entire seasons effort you will eventually get teams that win that are not the best…in the current system you have a 12 game playoff it is called the regular season…and it is much better than the NFL or NCAA basketball tourney.

By BCS Stinks

November 30, 2007 1:33 AM | Link to this

The BCS is flawed for many reasons. Some of these include the reason Auburn was denied a shot at the title when they went undefeated because of where they were ranked at the start of the season. Another is the current way that good teams are denied good bowls because their fans don’t travel ($$$$$$$). Yet another is the way that teams are chosen for bowl games in the BCS. Why doesn’t number 3 and 4 play, 5 and 6, etc.? I don’t want to see USC playing Illinois in the Rose bowl (hopefully it won’t happen). Yet another is what sport ends the regular season and takes 4-5 weeks off before playing again? It kills chemistry and momentum that teams have built during the season. For those that think that a playoff system is flawed, are you arguing that all other sports should go to a system similar to college football? Maybe it would be exciting to use polls to pick the top two teams in college basketball and let them play in a championship game and then let the rest of the teams play in a bowl game. That would be really exciting. Same with the NFL. To heck with playoffs, the BCS system is a model for them as well. Sorry Terrance you are wrong on this one. Bring on a playoff system and lets do it now! A few teams could play in a playoff and the rest could play in bowl games just like they do now. It really isn’t that difficult!

By A-ville Ranger

November 30, 2007 2:36 AM | Link to this

I really can’t tell if Moore was being sarcastic or just addle brained.If it was sarcasm it should be a bit more clear and pointed,if not, it’s about the dumbest damn thing I’ve read lately.

By Bud Wiser

November 30, 2007 6:00 AM | Link to this

Since when has college athletics been concerned about students? It’s all about the money, and the money thrown at schools by the BCS bowls would be considerably diminished by a playoff system structure. No more parties for school officials visiting towns, no more expensive booze, meals or women. And who would attend those games??? A handful of tickets for 400 or 500 students per school, the rest going to fat-cat corporate hogs, and the dough going to the NCAA. Any of you morons out there ever check the financial status of the NCAA itself as a fiscal organization? It’s like the taxpayers all gathering together to donate free money, unasked or untaxed, to a Washington politician, you know, like a lobbyist. Anyway, atmosphere is what separates colleges from the pros, and makes the games more fun to watch. Leave it alone.

By Villa Rica DAWG

November 30, 2007 6:32 AM | Link to this

Another stellar example of TM’s wisdom…

Terence, you are such a douche bag. You’re half baked end-of-the-world scenario is ridiculous. Even Slive supports a plus-one format! The BCS system is good in many ways, I’ll agree with you there. However, there IS room for improvement and it doesn’t have to be the end of the student-athelete.

Also, you, Bestwick, and the Ex-NERD QB are not the only people in the world who are not in favor of your “dooms day” version of a play-off system. Get over yourself.

By Big Ed

November 30, 2007 7:09 AM | Link to this

Terrance

This article is almost as bad as your last stint on the Jim Rome show. Good thing I TIVO it so I can fast forward through your segment. College basketball does it right. Nobody is asking how the final four teams are doing in their classes because they all have tudors. The “student athlete” is getting a FREE education and should take advantage of his or her situation. I watched N.C. State and MSU play basketball a few nights ago. There’s a five year player on Michigan State’s basketball team that is working on his Doctoral degree in finance. If they want an education just as bad as wanting to play football they will set their priorities right. A playoff system is the way to go. Every game will mean something because it will affect your playoff status. The good programs will rise to the top as they usually do. It doesn’t take a Doctoral degree to figure this one out.

By Ted Karoglou

November 30, 2007 7:24 AM | Link to this

To correct a comment in your editorial - Dick Bestwick was a Georgia Tech Assistant Coach while I was working in the Georgia Tech football program 1968-1972 era. Coach Bestwick was not a University of Georgia official.

By jack

November 30, 2007 7:40 AM | Link to this

UGA fans are the ONLY fans in the country that would whine and b*** and moan for not making it to the naitonal championship with 2 losses. MOST pathetic fans in the country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 You idiots are right I guess yall have a lot stronger argument than Auburn did a couple years ago. After Ut loses this weekend your two defeats will have 10 I repat 10 losses and the pups do not have a GREAT win like the other teams. It is just amazingly comical that the pups are even ahead of a one loss kansas whose only loss was to the number one team in the country and an undefeated Hawaii. UNDEFEATED something the pups have not done in almost 30 years. Give me a break.

By Villa Rica DAWG

November 30, 2007 7:41 AM | Link to this

He actually served as a Assistant Atheletic Director, Associate Atheletic Director, & Senior Associate Atheletic Director at UGA. I looked it up on wikipedia.

By ron

November 30, 2007 7:57 AM | Link to this

Moore is a good man and a very intelligent one who is dead wrong on this one. There should be a playoff, now. 16 teams, first round to be played on the first Saturday in December. Each week will have the next round and the number of teams will be cut in half. Finally, on or about New Years Day, the final. It will be bigger than the Super Bowl. That is a total of 15 playoff games. Only a few schools would be affected anyway. You can make the venues out of existing Bowls, making them bigger and more profitable than ever. As for the other teams that don’t make the top 16, they can play in other, smaller Bowls that are exhibition only, just as they do now. There will be no change for them. So, the effects will be zero for most teams. For the top 16 there will be some changes, but it will be well worth any inconvenience. The public will have what it wants (and is so ready to pay for). The NCAA will have twice the money they had before. Think of the new funds available for no revenue sports! For those who are against this, i really dont know how they can square their position with the NCAA Basketball tourney and the fact that there are playoffs at every other level of College Football except Division One. It beats me. It is silly. The only real reason that we are not having a playoff right now is the Old Boys Network. “We’ve always done it this way.” Nonsense.

By mart

November 30, 2007 8:15 AM | Link to this

Playoffs are for the simpleminded. T. Moore rocks again!

By decatur dawg

November 30, 2007 8:16 AM | Link to this

Randy, once again, the pure stupidity of a tech fans is exposed! You are a complete idiot. Let’s see, whose team was it that got games from the ‘98-‘00 removed from the record books? Oh, Ga Tech. And why was that? Oh, Academic ineligability. Yep, that is right. Who has the worst percentage of graduating players? Oh, Ga Tech.

So, at UGA, we kick players off the team for missing tutorial sessions, and at Tech, you get to play!

Randy, go to the nerd blog and talk about how you made it to the 30th level of Doom, or whatever. Maybe you can also talk about how you have never been out with a girl, but you have mastered every video game out there.

Freakin’ nerd!!

And yes, it won’t matter who you guys get as coach, we will kick your bumble-bee a*******es next year, and the next, and the next……….

By Byrab

November 30, 2007 8:21 AM | Link to this

Moore’s logic doesn’t add up. Why is OK for a basketball playoff but stupid for a football playoff??? BCS SUX, go to a playoff.

By uga grad

November 30, 2007 8:22 AM | Link to this

I have a question…..what does Joe Hamilton think bowl-eligible teams are doing right now?? They are ATTENDING MEETINGS AND PRACTICING…..that means almost 30 days more of football….think MAYBE we could squeeze in a few playoff games during this idle time?? Geez, I thought you Tech nerds were good with numbers…. Plus….I am a huge Dawg, but even I think if they go to the NC (unlikely) they don’t deserve a shot at #1 with 2 losses…but the way this stupid system is set up, I’ll take it….

By Factoid

November 30, 2007 8:29 AM | Link to this

Two things, Did Terrence Moore just include himself among the enlightened? and I guess Tech really is a trade school. I just read that Joe Hamilton got his diploma from the NATS. Congratulations Joe! You will make one heck of a technician!

By Dave

November 30, 2007 8:45 AM | Link to this

I agree. A playoff system would only work if it were restricted to conference champions only. Take the computers and the voters out of the equation and the system would be fair. This year, there are some who think a third place team in a conference should play for the championship. Rediculous!

By DAWGFAN

November 30, 2007 8:55 AM | Link to this

How did we let Terence get back into a conversation about college football? He really shouldn’t be writing for the sports section at AJC.

By David

November 30, 2007 9:07 AM | Link to this

Follow the money: who wins if there’s a college football playoff? The TV networks and the gambling industry. Oh, and sports talk radio hosts who won’t have to come up with ideas for their shows during the normally slow December period. Do you think any of these really care about the already tarnished idea of the student athlete?

A playoff system takes us further from that ideal. Let’s just be upfront about that. And if we really don’t care about what was supposed to be special about college sports, please let’s just remove the “student” from student athlete and get on with turning the players into semi-pros. You could start by no longer requiring they go to class, fire the tutors, and use the money to pay the (non-student) athletes. Also, the (non-student) athletes could do endorsement deals, etc. to supplement their income. In the end, we’ll end up with a semi-NFL league, and college football will be devoid of everything that makes it unique, special, and fun.

Of course, this includes blowing up the bowl system. Because it no longer matters to have a reward for having a decent season. Why would we want that when instead we can blow the whole thing up just to determine the “real” #1.

I mean, look at what a boon March Madness has been for basketball. Conference championships are no longer important, the season lasts another month, and the money flows, flows, flows. The pretense of “student athlete” is long gone from basketball (when was the last time a star went to college for 3 years, let alone 4)? The NCAA has allowed college basketball to become the bona fide minor league of the NBA, and the NBA doesn’t have to pay a penny to have potential players developed. Who cares of it’s at the expense of academic integrity, let alone the future of the student athletes that don’t make it to the pros, only to discover too late the consequences of ignoring the “student” side of their role?

I don’t begrudge any athlete for going early to the pros — why would I stand in the way of anyone with a multi-million dollar offer waiting for them? But let’s stop compromising the integrity of our universities just so we can associate with a damn good athlete for a couple of years.

…ok, I’m done ranting.

By Loel

November 30, 2007 9:10 AM | Link to this

The real poll in not the next one but the last one. So what if LSU jumps GA, they win the championship, the team they beat drops out, the next team loses their bowl, GA wins their bowl,jumps to #2 and the SEC finishes with the #1 and #2 teams in the country.

By jc smith

November 30, 2007 9:12 AM | Link to this

The assumptions Joe Hamilton makes are exaggerations. A playoff system like 1-AA would add more interest than ever by ending the “exhibition” nature of the bowl system. Plus, as teams are eliminated, fewer and fewer jocks would be academically stressed whereas now all the football players are stressed for the entire month of December. In fact, only two teams would endure the academic stress in a playoff format. Fan interest would soar as the best teams prevail leading to a Nike Bowl. Since Nike is making billions, I suggest they sponsor this playoff system by giving every team a million dollars per game with the final game being $10 million. I also suggest a playoff system for bands since they put in as much work as the jocks. Let the fans vote online after each game to see which band moves on until they have a final band contest at the final game. Just a thot from a long-time college football fan and one-time player.

By AL

November 30, 2007 9:16 AM | Link to this

I don’t think Hamilton or Tech will ever have to worry about the added anxiety of making the playoffs because there school would never qualify. So, if you cannot handle the pressure of the playoffs and being a student at the same time, you always have a viable option in Tech. See how this problem solves itself.

By dawgfacedboy

November 30, 2007 9:16 AM | Link to this

I fail to see how every other athletic team in every level of sports can handle their academics and have a playoff but D-1 football players can’t!!!! Other sports play 2-3 times the number of games than D-1 football players. You see Terence, people like you think that making money is the most important thing in D-1 football. Have you ever seen the facilities of major college baseball teams?!?!?! I wouldn’t call that sluming it!!! What makes more sense; having the actual teams decide who is the champion on the field or a bunch of egomaniac money driven big wigs deciding who plays??

Look, Don’t come out with rankings until the midway point of the year. Every conference has to play a championship game. Win that, you get a bye. Take the next best team in each conference based on conference record or ranking or whatever and they play the first round. Go from there. Play the championship. I’ll say it again. EVERY OTHER SPORT IN EVERY LEVEL OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS HAS A PLAYOFF SYSTEM!! Obviously, it works!!!

By beachdog

November 30, 2007 9:24 AM | Link to this

As a Georgia Bulldog I am loathe to praise anyone from the North Avenue Trade School, but Joe Hamilton hit the nail square on the head.

Great column, Mr. Moore!

Neither GA or LSU is going to the national championship game because West VA will not lose.

By JS

November 30, 2007 9:29 AM | Link to this

All you need is 2 extra games. After the BCS Bowls are over #1 plays #4 & #2 plays #3. Then the two winners get a chance to play for the National Championship. This way BCS 1-4 get a chance.

By TSteaks

November 30, 2007 9:39 AM | Link to this

I suppose playoffs don’t work for Div AA or basketball, baseball or all the other sports already using them either. I suppose coaches don’t get fired now and the current student athletes all focus on classes and get their degress. Oh wait, Joe H. didn’t get his while at Tech. He left to got to the NFL and there was no playoff back then. Your wrong Terence, as usuall. It would be much better than the BCS and the only whining would be in your columns.

By FLA DAWG

November 30, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this

Well Terrence, you open your mouth and we see your foot inside it once again. I guess the real reason you are against a playoff is that you are a GT Fan and realize they will NEVER play for the National Championship. Such a playoff system would only add further embarrassment to their already beleagured program.

There are no good reasons against having a NCAAF Playoff and many reasons for having one.

By North Atl guy

November 30, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this

T TECH said it!! very easy rebuttle. MARCH MADNESS

Those kids do have the same classes and manage to get it done.

By NC dawg

November 30, 2007 9:57 AM | Link to this

Terence,

You are wrong. No one makes this argument with any other sport or division. EVERY other sport in the NCAA has playoffs, football should be on different. I don’t hear you complaining that the gymnastics team members aren’t students because there is a playoff, or soccer, or field hockey, or basketball or baseball or swimming or tennis or track and field. If you truly believe this dribble you produced, then why aren’t you fighting to take away the playoffs in every other sport that exists. Your argument is quite frankly, just stupid. Having Joe Hamilton agree with you is not something to be proud of.

By timmythebrave

November 30, 2007 9:57 AM | Link to this

How come high school students are able to go through a playoff schedule but as they get older it becomes impossible? The assumption that high school students can handle a playoff but once they get to college they can’t handle it doesn’t hold water. It makes no sense not to have at least a final 4.

By Doug

November 30, 2007 10:10 AM | Link to this

Someone should poll all the division one or “Bowl Championship Division” players and ask them whether they want a play-off. I bet it would be >90%.

By Doug

November 30, 2007 10:10 AM | Link to this

Someone should poll all the division one or “Bowl Championship Division” players and ask them whether they want a play-off. I bet it would be >90% for it.

By Dawg'nTN

November 30, 2007 10:14 AM | Link to this

Randy, how’s this for academic success? 2007 Rhodes Scholars: UGA 2 Ga Tech 0

By realyellowblood

November 30, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this

The big issue here can be fixed. Simply pay no bowl revenue share to any school(or conference)that fails to graduate a minimum % of its players. Real simple. Let the top 8 teams have a playoff. Joe Hamilton brings up the key point for a college player who has his head in the right place and that is why would he want to practice for the Emerald Bowl when he is trying to pass exams and would like to see his family during the holidays ?

By duh

November 30, 2007 10:32 AM | Link to this

college basketball.

By GA Dawg

November 30, 2007 10:36 AM | Link to this

How do you still have a job, Terence? You make me want to kill myself.

By Submariner683

November 30, 2007 10:37 AM | Link to this

I find it moronic that there are sports writers and fans that feel the current college football BCS system as a great way to crown a national champion.

Why don’t we just use that expample to all other sports then? How about no more March Madness? Just #1 vs #2 play each other. Not only that, have them play each other 6-7 weeks after their last regular season game just like football does. Make sense?

How about pro football just vote with power rankings who is #1 and #2 and have the Super Bowl 6 weeks after the regular season. Make sense?

I don’t want to hear about acamdemics and college football. There is about 4-5 weeks for all teams after their last games before their bowls. You could easily put the play offs in there to fill that time. Plus, students are not going to school during that time anyway. And eveybody knows that college basketball puts much, much more time away from class than football does.

The people that don’t really want to go away from the BCS are the people that are getting money from it. Schools and conferences are guaranteed money for these games. Who ever runs the BCS gets loads of money. If there were a playoff system, who is going to get the money and where is it coming from? Somebody will pay and somebody will benefit, and in the end the money will be the same. It’s unknown if the current people in power would be involved with it, and it scares them.

A playoff system would improve college football immensely. But I guess reporters would lose control of their votes and it would take away much of their blogs and conversations when the rankings didn’t matter as much. Football rankings are discussed much more intensely and in depth than college basketball. Can anybody really remember who was #1 in basketball before the tournament? Does anybody ever care who is?

College football would improve I believe, because there would be no more discussion about who #1 is at the end of the year. The teams settled it on the field. I think you’d see more good match ups in the regular season in out of conference games because teams would not be almost automatically out of the running with a loss. Also, strength of schedule would be a deciding factor in tournament selection. Also, the conference title games would have some meaning, vice just a chance to knock a title game contender out. The conference winners would get an automatic bid to the tournament. Tell me that wouldn’t bring more buzz to the LSU - Tennessee matchup this weekend.

There are tonns of good reasons to switch to a tournament for Div 1A football. The fact that every other college sport and every other division of football has a playoff tells you that it is possible. I’ve yet to hear a valid or good arguement to keep the current system.

They say the bowl games would be meaningless for the teams that dont’ get into the tournament. Do they have meaning now? Absolutely not. It’s the national championship game and 28 other bowl games. That’s it.

Anyway. This is the biggest joke in all sports. It needs to be fixed.

By Dawgs

November 30, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this

Lol…Joe “played in the NFL and the Arena Football League…and has a better perspective than most on the rigors of an extended season”.

I checked Joe’s NFL stats, and it is safe to say he has no idea what an extended season feels like.

By timmythebrave

November 30, 2007 10:49 AM | Link to this

They should do a BCS for pro football and have NE play against Indianapolis every year. That would be awesome. Then we could have the Yankees play the Red Sox every year because according to the media they are the best 2 teams. I like your thinking Terrance Moore. We could take it even farther and have Duke and NC play for the NC in basketball every year. Why even play a championship game. That’s even too much work. Let’s go ahead and crown whoever Terrance thinks is the best team as national champs in every sport

By LarDawg

November 30, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this

If the current system is so great, T-Moore, why don’t you enlighten us on what other sports we should use it in? Surely, a system this magnificent should not be limited to D-1 football? How about if we use it in high school football to take the pressue off of the young kids? Or is D-I football so unique, that it is the only sport in the whole country that benefits from the BSC system?

By timmythebrave

November 30, 2007 10:55 AM | Link to this

If baseball were played like college football than the bad teams would never have a chance. I could see it now. Tampa Bay wins 105 games in the regular season but the Yankees get the world series shot with 90 wins because they started the season ranked 1 as opposed to the rays ranked 30th. Idiotic system.

By PLAYOFFS

November 30, 2007 11:04 AM | Link to this

To RxDawg. The reason the playoffs in division I-AA and II don’t bring in the revenues is because the schools are a lot smaller than the big name powerhouse football teams that you see on College Gameday every weekend. Their fan base is microscopic compared to schools from conferences such as the SEC and Big 12. You say you went to UGA. You of all people should know that.

If UGA were to enter the playoff bracket of 16, that gives them the possibility of playing 4 extra games a season…thats 80,000+ devoted fans trying to get tickets for each of those games. TV Contracts to televise the playoffs would be outrageous. People would watch other playoffs games that they normally wouldn’t care about because they want to see what team they are playing next. The list goes on.

If Division I-AA and II can make the playoffs work I’m sure the almighty Division I-A or now known as FBS can make it work.

By gtNC

November 30, 2007 11:13 AM | Link to this

I’m surprised at the number of posts here that don’t want a playoff system. I thought it was just me. I could see a 4-team or plus-one system. Problem is, the same money-hungry folks that like the BCS wouldn’t let it stay small like that. And anything bigger would have more problems than what we have now.

To Dawg’nTN: Look, I’m not a “UGA fans are a bunch of slack-jawed rednecks” kind of GT fan. But posting that “statistic” as an argument makes you sound like a moron, and pretty much reinforces the stereotype of ignorant UGA fans. Quit using it. Just trying to help.

By kevin

November 30, 2007 11:16 AM | Link to this

How about just a final four? 1 extra week with 4 @ 1 and 3 @ 2.
UGA at Missouri and Ohio State at West Virginia this year.

The game would ONLY determine who played in the BCS championship. The losers would go back to whatever bowl they would have had previously (i.e. the loss in the final four wouldn’t count against them).

This year the game would be played December 8. One game at 3:30 and the other at 8PM. Television is happy, sponsors are happy. The home team gets the ticket revenue. The visiting team splits the TV revenue.

Now, LSU and Hawaii might still be upset, but so is the 66th bubble team from big conferences in the basketball tournament.

At least it would mean you HAVE to win 2 games in a row against highly ranked teams.

Imagine the attention those two semi-final games would get!

Then, the rest of the bowls play out as normal.

It is the BCS, but plus 1 semi-final before the bowl season gets going.

Best of both worlds?

By JustMe

November 30, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this

To really clean up this mess, I would propose a complete revamping of all of college football (yeah right - like that’s gonna happen). By that, I mean a change in conference alignment and even a change at what schools would qualify (how can you really have over 100 teams think that they are #1?).

First, get rid of schools like Duke. They don’t bother to put real effort into their football program and realistically have no shot at #1 any way. True, there are teams like Kansas that pop up from time to time. But, even Kansas puts more into their program that the Dukes I’m referring to here.

Second, realign the conferences. Everyone would agree that some conferences are much stronger than others. The conferences should be more balanced.

Third, require each conference to have their own play off.

Finally, take the top one or two from each conference to have a national play off.

Doing these 4 things is impossible, I know. But, it would more closely approach a true national champion than the BCS or a small 4 team play off using the current conferences.

By Justin Horton

November 30, 2007 11:28 AM | Link to this

Shouldn’t a pre-requisite for being a sportswriter be an affection for sports?

By hey jack!

November 30, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this

to jack, the retard..”UGA doesnt have a big win like the rest of the teams”…thats right jack you are smarter than all the coaches, etc in the country..idiot..UGA 42 UF 30.. UGA 45 AU 20.. UGA 31 GT 17..UGA 24 UK 13..UGA 35 OKst 14..I’d say there are pretty big wins moron…lets see who has Ohio st beat..Michigan? ha ha ha..who has West Virginia beaten? hmmmmmm…still thinking…wow..and who has Kansas beaten..exactly..

By JCubby

November 30, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this

Okay, once and for all. A playoff does not mean the best team gets the crown. Can you really tell me you believe in basketball Villanova was a better team than Georgetown? Georgetown lost ONE game that year, the last one. So playoff if you want to, but if your goal is to say who is the best, it’s not going to happen. Upsets, injuries, luck, It taints the playoffs just like the current system. Why bother.

By Adrian

November 30, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this

Seriously, Terence—who in the AJC hierarchy are you blackmailing? There is no way you are earning a legitimate paycheck by writing this drivel.

By Lee

November 30, 2007 11:40 AM | Link to this

The D1 national championship is “Mythical” as long as it is determined by computers and writers. It is no different from a high school team that is crowned national champion. The NCAA should be forced to preface the D1 “National Champion” with Mythical. There has never been a national champion at D1. You have Bowl Champions and that’s about it.

By Randy

November 30, 2007 12:06 PM | Link to this

decatur dawg –

First of all I said nothing of being a Tech fan although I did come to this blog from the Tech page.

I see you are posting at 8:16 AM but I would have thought you and your UGA diploma would have been out of that trash truck route earning that $35,000 a year as sanitation engineer by that time of the morning. Did your Mommy forget to get you up and out the door on time this morning?

Also, I happened to look at the NCAA website to see what you were rambling on about and found that GT does in fact have results from the years you mentioned. So once again, you have stood up and said - Hey, I am decatur dog and I am stupid and post whatever I want with no facts to back them up. Here ya go, use this and check your facts next time you want to bash another team be it an SEC, ACC, Big East, Pac 10, Big Ten or what ever. [http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/footballrecordsbook/2007/2007d1footballrecordsbook.pdf]

Further more, my wife and two kids (the kids might know something about the game you mentioned but I don’t) are doing just fine so that and all the other trash you put on your post further exposed your pure stupidity.

Get along back to the truck now and stop dribbling your trash all over the web.

Dawg’nTN –

Please tell us which team the Rhodes scholars are on. I looked for that information in the announcement and didn’t see that either of them were listed as student / athletes.

So you point is - well, I am not sure what point you were trying to make since there is obviously no connection between the two.

My point is that the UGA fans are whining about the strict rules put in place to address the low graduation rates and are living in fear that their athletic successes will be diminished.

By The Big Bug

November 30, 2007 12:15 PM | Link to this

DawgN’TN: I believe you will find Tech has had more Rhodes Scholars than UGA.They also give preference to schools who have never had Rhodes Scholars. Look it up,moron.

By JustMe

November 30, 2007 12:20 PM | Link to this

JCubby - Duh. But, a play off would stop the arguing. No one argues about who the national champion was in basketball BECAUSE of the play off. We do need this in football, also.

By dean

November 30, 2007 12:21 PM | Link to this

Leave it to Terrence to hit one roadblock and throw up his hands. Why are the big school not able to do this when the smaller ones all have playoffs. I think you shorten the regular season schedule. Get rid of games no one cares about such as UGA vs. Western Carolina. Then you take the top 16 teams. The championship game would pit two teams who played 14 games. Two teams who play one more game than the usual 13 gmaes that most bow. eligible teams play! And yes, I can compare lower level teams to the big schools. Why can’t they play one more game? By this logic then there shold never be a 64 team pool for March madness. It kind of reminds me of socialism with Moore and Hamilton’s thinking. Let’s never now fur sure whose better for the sake of all. When in fact all would be better off by knowing who the champions truly are.

By tjs

November 30, 2007 12:34 PM | Link to this

Bowl games are a joke, based on how many people you can bring to a certain venue. The BCS format could be worked into the bowl format with a “final four”, but it still would not be fair…With all brainpower of the college presidents, and corporate moguls I’m sure a relevant playoff could be devised. Terence as usual is behind the curve.

By robodog

November 30, 2007 12:40 PM | Link to this

The current system has the best chance - imperfect as it is - of creating the best matchup we all want to see. Having a plus-one national championship matchup to be determined after the BCS bowl games would be even better.

A playoff wouldn’t necessarily produce the results any of us want. Teams that under the current system would have no business playing in the title game would in a playoff system potentially win it all if they get hot at the right time and get helped out by upsets and injuries in other brackets.

And, a playoff system would shift the historic focus of the college game away from the regular season and winning your conference. You couldn’t even compare national championships earned in the 30’s or 60’s or 90’s on the strength of an undefeated or one-loss season with a playoff champion. It destroys all continuity with the historic rhythm and goals of college football. Most programs with strong traditions recognize that - that’s why the ADs keep rejecting a playoff.

By robodog

November 30, 2007 1:00 PM | Link to this

A plus-one game is all the BCS needs to ensure we get the game everyone wants to see when there are more than two deserving teams. It would have given us Auburn-USC in ‘04, and LSU-USC in ‘03. Nobody who watched college football in those seasons would’ve needed an 8 team playoff to have known that.

An 8 (or more) team playoff only gives teams a shot that everyone who watches college football knows shouldn’t really have one: the Kansases and Hawaiis and Boise States and all the two loss teams that already had their shot.

I speak as a Dawg fan, and this year I’d like our chances in a playoff. But to be honest, it’s not our year. If we had beat South Carolina it might have been. That’s the difference in how much the regular season matters between college football as we’ve always known it, and college football with a playoff system. Everything rides on a game played even in September, and it makes those games great. The history and tradition makes the game great. Don’t throw it away.

By robodogisamoron

November 30, 2007 1:10 PM | Link to this

The regular season would be just as important. By winning the conference you are either given a bye week in the playoffs or at least guarenteed a spot in the playoffs. You still have to win your conference to be guarenteed a spot moron!!! For everybody that doesn’t make the playoffs you can keep your army.com bowls that nobody watches anyway!!!!!

By mark

November 30, 2007 1:21 PM | Link to this

Isn’t it great how TM comes back on to interact with the bloggers like some of the other “journalists” do? Do you ever defend your ridiculous opinions or do you just sit back and smile over how many people you p** off? Wait….I think I know the answer!

By Wrecker1

November 30, 2007 1:27 PM | Link to this

Dean I agree with you. Take 16 teams which would entail playing 15 games using 15 different playing sites. So you take 15 bowls sites and use 8 of those the first week, 4 the next, 2 on the third week, and then your championship game in week 4. The other 15-17 bowls, however many there are, would still be played and wouldn’t lose any of their luster b/c for the most part only the fans of the teams playing in those games really has a keen interest anyway. Eliminate the conference championship games and use the BCS poll or something similar to determine the top 16 teams. Now you have 15 bowl sites being used with something riding on every game. A bowl right now that is considered a middle tier bowl and gets say 75% capacity will sale out b/c you have #1 and #16 playing or maybe #8 and 9. Take for instance the Peach/Chick Fil A Bowl - in a typical year it might have 2 top 25 teams but now it might have say #3 and #14. Those who say the regular season would be waisted are wrong. The regular season determines seeding for b-ball and it would for football. The teams that keep winning keep making money which of course they share with their conference. The teams that might be hurt by this system would be the 8-10 schools that fill the bottom tier bowls b/c under this system you would eliminate about 10 teams from post season. Of course many times those schools spend more to go to a bowl than what they get paid.

By big bug = troll

November 30, 2007 1:35 PM | Link to this

nice try “big bug.” are you going to respond to your own post under a different name so you can “prove” that statement is wrong?

give up on the Rhodes Scholars.

if it only takes 1 ranking comparison to be better, then GT has a better football team than UGA because they have the beter “tackles for loss stat.”

of course, it doesn’t work that way.

but, i’m sure in a minute, you’ll post the reall Rhodes Scholar stat (UGA has about 20 and Tech 3) and declare victory.

congratulate yourself for that.

By Truth to Power

November 30, 2007 2:50 PM | Link to this

Beautiful article Terence!! We need more sportswriters asking all the questions you are. A playoff would destroy College Football, by far the most exciting American sport, as we know it. Thanks T!

By Ted Bargewell

November 30, 2007 2:58 PM | Link to this

How come we never hear about really exciting and unbelievable College bball games before March Madness? Because March Madness destroys the College BBall regular season. College football is special because EVERY SINGLE GAME IS HUGE! This makes it by far the most entertaining american spectator sport.

By I Hate uga

November 30, 2007 3:08 PM | Link to this

What about every team with one loss or better?

To hell with ga

By Braves Fan 79

November 30, 2007 3:32 PM | Link to this

Terrance are you KIDDING ME!?? College football is a JOKE! Last year the real champs were Boise State! College Football IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE A JOKE until a real system is in place to establish a REAL champion!! Ive argued this for years, and i think college football has about as much relevance as the WNBA right now. Does anyone really care who wins all the whogivesashit.com bowls!??

Will you next argue that we should “vote” on who goes to the World Series and SuperBowl!?? This artice is a JOKE!

Please tell me its april fools because if you really mean this your a idiot. So every other sport can have a playoff but football cant??

Football players generally have easy classes anyways and therefore have to study less anyways than most kids with hard majors.
Owell…time for a REAL SPORT…COllege Basketball! Go GT!!

By Braves Fan 79

November 30, 2007 3:44 PM | Link to this

Max Sizemore: Yea man, college football really has the best regular season dont they…i mean just schedule a bunch of cupcakes, and play in a weak conference, and your in the title game!
Meanwhile teams in the SEC play tough games week in and week out…and come out with a loss or 2…and they dont have a shot! yea REAL GOOD POINT MAN!! Why do these morons think just because of a playoff system it means the regular season is irrelevant!?? You would still have to be a top 8 or so team to get in! And of course there would be pairings based on rankings!

By Ty

November 30, 2007 3:55 PM | Link to this

My question is simple (and innocent enough) …. can someone name any other inter-collegiate or professional sport where there is NOT a playoff system in place? Heck, even PGA GOLF is moving to a playoff format (and if it somehow makes sense in golf, does D-1 football have any leg left to stand on?).

If the playoff approach makes no sense, let’s start the campaign to push the NFL to the BCS format . . forget standings, divisions, conferences…let’s just have some computers and writers tell us the two best teams in January and they play the Super Bowl…(stupid, huh?…exactly my point!)

By Mark

November 30, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this

The playoffs would presumably start next week. The semester ends next week. The last BCS game is played a week into January. The playoffs would presumably end at that same time. See what I’m saying. There is no school to consider. Academics don’t matter during Christmas break, Terrance.

By Braves Fan 79

November 30, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this

Yea the regular season has so much merit dosent it…just look at this artice i found on the AJC aboutthe Oklohoma State coach: “He led the Cowboys to a 4-7 record in 2005 and to the Independence Bowl last season. The Cowboys are awaiting their bowl destination after going 6-6 this season.”

Wow…nothing is quite as special as seeing a bunch of .500 and sub .500 teams in some meaningless bowls is there!
And Terrance your so right man, the football players gotta have time to study for those home ec and basketball classes huh. Get real man, were not talking about future NASA employees here, were talking about guys that arent the sharpest crayons in the box, that take cupcake schedules!! And we all know thats the case with 90% of the players!! You musta played football yourself Terrance, because from this article your not appearing to bright.

By 2N4YEARS

November 30, 2007 4:46 PM | Link to this

DIV-II does it, so what’s the problem? Cut the regular season back to the old 11 reg. season games, then your only adding 1 game for only eight teams!! I know you’re not smart enough to add, so get someone to do it for you (and we ALL know a QB from GaTECH can’t add either; the last time they tried they got 3 instead of 4).

By trailerdude

November 30, 2007 8:50 PM | Link to this

I would sale mi trailer for a playoff that let us DAWGS!!! pla in a plaoff for the nation. GO DAWGS and woof woof woof!!!! Trailers for eva!!

By A-ville Ranger

November 30, 2007 9:46 PM | Link to this

So many addled minds,so little time.It’s beyond reason that some people think the way virtually all sports titles on all levels are decided is somehow problematic for this one sport on this one level…it’s amazing how muddled some people think.

By GetSome

November 30, 2007 10:00 PM | Link to this

Anyone who opposes a playoff system is either a moron or likes to french kiss his sister (so I would expect the UT contingent to be in that camp).

I love college football today - but no one can convince me that the excitement of deciding it all on the field wouldn’t take it to a whole new level!

As for Rhodes Scholars - who the heck cares, this is FOOTBALL BABY!!!

By DirtyDawg

November 30, 2007 11:07 PM | Link to this

The current bowl system has been good for college football, good for the communities that put them on and good for more teams and their fans. The money’s been great for the schools and communities - after all, you won’t be able to keep anything close to the current system with a playoff one. You say there are too many bowl games - what are there, 25? Then there’s 25 teams that have a chance to go home after their last game happy - with the playoffs there’s only one. Fans, players, families, recruits, all with a smile on their face and something to look forward to the next season - and coaches keep their jobs.

The ‘plus one’ game might be an option to try, but regardless every year somebody’s gonna get ‘jobbed’ and complain…so be it.