Time for the hump day look around the world of college sports, with a soundtrack from a reunited legend. We look at playoffs, SEC controversy, NCAA hypocrisy, and other items this week.

There's Your Problem

Buckeye 411

• Props- No, not the side bets before the Super Bowl, the recognition of two Buckeyes who are now World (excluding everyone outside of the USA) champions as the NY Giants defeated the Evil Tom Bradys.  Great photos abound, but check out Jake Ballard at the parade, Jim Cordle with the key to the city, and the Jake holding the trophy. Ohio State, where tight ends go to catch as many passes in their career as the NFL will have them catch in a season… we help them build slowly.
• Crutches- Speaking of Ballard, the unfortunate word is that his exit from the game was not so he could get Madonna’s number (thank God), but due to a torn ACL. Thoughts and prayers, big man.

Playoffs?

• Seeing Reason-  The news this week was about the B1G looking at options for a four team playoff at the end of the NCAA season, with the possibility of higher ranked teams hosting home games in the first round.  This would be a huge win across the board, since it means that a) We’d finally get to have a playoff, b) Northern schools might actually have a home game, c) It may also keep the Rose Bowl tie in (unless a B1G or PAC team is in the MNCG, they could play in Pasadena). While some were quick to point out that this might not be an automatic “come play in the cold!!!” win for the B1G, it should be noted that it’s better than the possibility that the conference has had over the past 14 years. Things to be worked out- if there are 5/6 power conferences, who gets the 4 spots?  It’s got to be “conference champions only”, right? Anyone really excited about a four team playoff with four teams from the ACC or another conference?
• Not So Fast- Lots of folks pointed at the Giants win over the Patriots as being an argument against playoffs, since the GMen worked hard and got hot at the right time rather than being the best all season long. Team Speed Kills shot holes in this argument, and gave us our SBP discussion question of the day:
• In the comments, give us your thoughts: Is “champion” a team who is the “best” over a season, or the team who wins a prescribed end of season event?  You probably know my thoughts on this- “champion” is an arbitrary designation, and as such should be acknowledged that delineation as such is valid no matter the circumstances or criterion.

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Tags: Alabama, Big East, ESPN, Gene Smith, Jake Ballard, Jerry Sandusky, Jim Cordle, Lane Kiffin, Memphis, NCAA Investigations, ParagonSC, Playoffs, SBP, South Carolina, Super Bowl, Trent Richardson, UConn
Categories: College Football, Conference Expansion, Humor, NCAA Investigations

Shiny

UPDATE: Whooooo!!!!!!

The chili is simmering, my daughters have already made the only dessert appropriate, and the tasty beverages are chilling awaiting consumption. I’ve got my spot staked out in front of the plasma, and the guy that’s been at my Super Bowl party for eleven of the last twelve years has flown down from Seattle.

But, you know what? I have no idea who I want to win.  Seriously, and I know that there’s a lot of folks who are like this, but this is the most apathetic I’ve ever been about a “Super Bowl”… heck, at this point, I wouldn’t care how it was spelled.

I haven’t watched the fifteen months of coverage, so I’m not all that informed about this year’s game. I know Roethlisberger did something creepy and this is a chance at redemption and everyone got freaked out because he liked Billy Joel.  Although, I don’t hear a lot about other quarterbacks who did something creepy in the past and might have repeated that behavior… so maybe it’s not an issue.

I know it’s cold, and everyone’s griping about that (Great idea, NFL- and next year you’re in Indy? With NYC to come? Good thinking.); although as a B1G fan my response is to suck it up and play the game as it was invented. Although, since the Super Bowl has become more for the bandwagon folks and celebrities, I’m not surprised at the complaining- in fact, it reinforces my belief that a playoff for college football isn’t a great idea (but that’s another post).

But, with all that “research” and the copious coverage, I still have no preference for a victorious squadron. Read More

Tags: A.J. Hawk, Green Bay Packers, Matt Wilhelm, NFL, Pittsburgh, Ryan Pickett, Super Bowl, Will Allen
Categories: Michigan Football, Ohio State Football