Case in point, Boise State. Remember when that little school from Idaho that took on the vaunted Oklahoma Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl back in 2007? The 43-42 overtime win that was capped off with a hook and ladder play, tying the game w/ seven seconds left. In OT, a fourth-and-2 TD pass from a reciever, then the Statue of Liberty two-point conversion where the light-skinned kid ran into the crowd and propsed to his cheerleader girlfriend. Great game, great story, the end...not really.
See, in the movies, the credits roll, the Celine Dion music plays, and the paying audience walks out of the theater satisfied. But in real life, Cinderella, doesn't just marry Prince Charming. She moves into the castle, orders servants around, nags the Prince about having babies and why he's always away, and only dresses in the rarest of fine silk.
She doesn't move back into the evil step-mother's house, and start the process over again.
But in college football, that's exactly what Cinderella has to do. The Boise State's of the world go back to zero, only this time, newer obstacles are placed in their way to prevent them from making it to the Royal Ball. Powerful teams with a Natl Champ shot won't schedule them. Pollsters make it more of a point to accentuate just how weak of a conference they actually come from. Any stumble they have along the way is treated as a nail in the coffin to any idea of considering them as best in the country.
Call it the consequence of raising people's expectations. Fast-forwad from 2007 to last night, and we have a pre-season No. 5 ranked Boise State defeating No. 10 Virginia Tech in a nail-biter, yet possibly losing at the same time. Boise State is no longer sneaking up on anybody, and for that, they must pay! Va Tech is the toughest school on Boise State's schedule, from a BCS conference (Big East), and the Bulldogs traveled to a Hokie-friendly environment to play, yet because of the final score, and remaining schedule, there is a real likelihood that another undefeated season will result in no National Championship for Boise.
Cinderella will return to her evil step-mother's house after a one night stand with Prince Charming, and she will have to complete her chores, again.
Is there a solution to this problem? Aside from a playoff, no. (And don't worry, I'm not campaigning for a playoff system in college football for the same reason I won't campaign for more money to be spent on education: it makes too much sense, and will solve too many issues to actually happen.)
Oh well, NFL starts Thursday night.
Los That Links
- Reggie Bush will have to give up his Heisman. And with that, college athletes will never be offered money under the table again.
- Would you rather watch an NFL game at the stadium, or at home. (Either way, prepare to pay up.)
- Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco will have a TV show together. Oh, you'll watch.
- Jay Mariotti can breathe a tad bit easier.
- In college football, there are "pimps", and there are "get pimped". If you aren't sure which one you are, you're "get pimped. Exhibit A: Georgia wideout A.J. Green.
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