Interesting commentary by Gary Danielson: http://www.gatorsportsforum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=165243
Wouldn't that be fun......I can smell the money now! :twisted: 8) btw, re: Danielson....it obvious he has no agenda?! :roll:
They are pretty interesting comments... Seems like he ticked a bunch of Michigan folks off, but you know what?...if you express you opinion on a topic like this half the world is gonna think you're brilliant and honest and the other half is going to think you to be a moron and a shill. I agree with what he has to say, FWIW. I think nobody can KNOW who the best team is...you can only have an opinion on it based on all the stuff we argue about. Michigan is the only one of those top teams (except Texas, who then fell out) who had a shot at OSU without having to lobby or impress anybody. Wisconsin and ND did not get a shot at OSU, but they did get a shot at Michigan. Those who disagree with the anointing of Michigan and OSU as the two best teams should have a shot at getting to them...and having them play each other again doesn't get that done...it only crowns them the best two teams by vote and leaves everybody else fuming. That isn't to take anything away from Michigan...I believe that they are as good as anybody...I just agree with the philosophy of playing as much of it out on the field as you can. The Breaston comments he is referring to were remarks made by Kirk Herbstreit a couple weeks before the OSU game that Breaston had been MIA this year except for punt returns...it really was kind of true at that time, for whatever reason, but Breaston is a fantastic player and Herbstreit got blasted by a lot of folks and I'm sure wished he hadn't made the comments. BTW I lived in a dorm for a year with Gary Danielson, not that that means anything or that he would remember me...I think he's a pretty good analyst.
Dammit...I tried to post that and the Skybox said I couldn't...something about too soon since my last post...so I sent it again and there it is twice.... :x :x :x Oh, well...just gets me closer to TOK's count.
Hmmmmmm ...... had the Big-10/11 a conference championship game ..... Mr Carr and all those wanting "the rematch" ...... would have had it!!!!!! :lol:
How do you know we'd be in different divisions???...Maybe it would be OSU-Wisconsin in the title game.
Stu Don't need different divisions .... just take the two "best" teams and have them play for the conference title. If teams are tied at #1, it works great. If teams are tied at #2, then use a series of tie breakers which is what is done in "split" conferences when there are ties for a divisional champ. I seem to recall there was a 3-way tie for the SEC east a few years back .... between UT, UGa, and UF ..... and UGa got the bid to the SECCG via the tie breaker. Also, I think there was a tie in the West that same season. Anyway .... there's no need for conference divisions to have a conference championship. Just like the BCS .... take the top two teams. :wink:
And I think UMich and OSU should play again ...... in a Big-10/11 "Championship game". UMich thinks they deserve but do OSU fans think it's warranted since OSU defeated UMich in the regular conference schedule?
Did you think the Gators deserved another shot at FSU in 96 after having been defeated by them earlier? What's the diff? If you're asking me if I think they are deserving and worthy, the answer is yes. If you're asking me if that would be my preference, the answer is no. I would have preferred that FSU had a different opponent in 96 also...
Nebraska is the team that really should have played FSU that year. But the problem was that was not the last game of the year for Fla, they played and won the SEC Champ game on the same weekend that Texas upset Nebraska in the B12 championship game. Same thing happened in 93, after FSU lost to ND, on the next to last weekend of the year they went on and beat Fla on the final weekend and ND lost to BC. Result was undefeated Neb played FSU and not Notre Dame...even though ND won the head to head. He who loses last, loses!
T As the #3 team after their SECCG I believe UF should have been matched up with the #1 or #2 team in their bowl. Thanks to the Rose Bowl, the Big 10 and the Pac-10, they got #1!! I think the Big-10/11 should have a +1 title game and in 2006 the winner of that game - OSU or UMich - would have been in great position for the +1 BCS game. An OSU winner would have been a "shoe in" .... and a winning UMich would have had an absolutely tremendous resume therefor. Terry As I recall ... there was no Bowl Alliance +1 game for the MNC after the 1996 season and as a result the MNC was to some degree "there for the taking" by Az State. But, as a member of a non participating (Pac-10 and Big-10) conference, they were kept from playing #1 FSU and instead "told" to play OSU in the Rose. Fortunately for UF .... OSU took out the Devils and the UF was voted #1 in the Coaches' and AP polls. I guess Nebraska would have played FSU .... had they gotten by Texas in the B12CCG.
No doubt Fla backed into to the game due to the Neb loss, but that wasn't the Gators fault, they just played the game they were invited to and won.
In Michigan you can well imagine the firestorm continues so this topic is still very relevant to me. This from CNNSI on the subject is a good explanation: "Stewart, do you feel Michigan got the shaft? --Lalo Gonzalez, San Benito, Texas I really don't. Of all the teams over the years that felt they were unfairly excluded from the title game -- Miami in 2000, Oregon in '01, USC in '03, Auburn in '04 and Michigan in '06 -- the Wolverines had the least compelling argument. In the '00, '01 and '03 cases, the affected teams were clearly wronged. The 'Canes had beaten the team that went ahead of them (Florida State). The Ducks were left out at the expense of a team that lost its last game 62-36 (Nebraska) and the Trojans were the No. 1 team in both major polls. In '04, Auburn wasn't necessarily "wronged" any more or less than USC or Oklahoma would have been had it finished No. 3, but it's still hard not to sympathize with an undefeated, major-conference champion that didn't get to play for the national title. The crux of Michigan's argument was "We played No. 1 close the first time." Not exactly a cause for empathy. The only thing I feel bad about regarding the Wolverines is that they were treated differently in the polls than nearly any other team before them and therefore have reason to be puzzled. But like I said on Sunday night, I happen to think the voters' change in philosophy this year was a good thing. Whether or not you agree with their choice of Florida, at least it was based on something substantive (an SEC championship, tougher schedule, etc.) rather than the age-old tradition of only moving a team up when someone above them loses. As an AP pollster, I can tell you that when you're voting from week to week during the regular season, you're not thinking too much about the bigger picture, you're primarily reacting to what happened that weekend. As long as we have this championship game, I don't see how it's a bad thing for voters to actually stop and think about each team's overall season before casting that final regular-season ballot."
I agree...but I prefer the arguments about as many teams getting a shot as possible, and those arguments building Fla. up... Many of the articles and arguments I'm reading are unnecessarily degrading to UM...clearly one of the top 3 or 4 teams this year... You're there...you don't have to rip down UM anymore. (not you personally, Dave).
Man....I think Michigan is a great team and if they had not already played #1 and lost and had won their conference title I would be all for Michigan as at least deserving as Florida. I look for Michigan to beat USC in the Rose Bowl and possibly pick up some #1 votes if Fla defeats OSU.
Changing this discussion a little... Like you, I am a big fan of my conference. I am hoping the UM, OSU, and perhaps Wiscy can win (that'll be tough against Ark. but nobody really knows if this Badger team is any good or not...I saw them play a gutsy game against Michigan), 'cause it gets pretty sparse after that. Penn State's defense might surprise some folks but Tenn should win easily, and Maybe Purdue could pull it off if Maryland plays sloppy enough ('cause the Boilers are bound too play sloppy). Minnie might hang in there with A&M, or even win if Scott's boys don't bring their best. Iowa is CANNON FODDER...TOK should be ashamed of the humiliation that his boys are going to be a part of.
Cannon Fodder is what the Longhorns need...it'll help get them ready or Arkansas State to open the season next year.