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Reactions: BCS poll To BCS or not to BCS, that is the questionPosted: Wednesday November 01, 2000 6:03 PMUpdated: Wednesday November 01, 2000 6:03 PM
We're nearing the home stretch for college football. So it's that time of year ... to argue about the BCS poll. Most recently, CNNSI.com's Stewart Mandel and Trev Alberts went head to head and debated the computer-generated poll's worth. Trev is ready for a playoff, while Stewart defended the BCS poll, citing the fact that it will be used until at least the 2006. We also asked for your thoughts. Here's a sample: Both Trev and Stewart unfairly criticize the computer rankings. The reason they differ in the rankings is that each ranking system is based on some different assumptions about how to calculate the quality of a college football team, so you shouldn't expect them to all give you exactly the same answer. Besides, these different ranking systems usually end up converging on the same No. 1 and No. 2 by the end of the season. At least the assumptions and biases of the computer rankings are out in the open for our examination, discussion and adjustment. The huge biases in the opinions in the coaches' and sportswriters' polls (for example, against Western teams) are much harder to surface, let alone change. As long as we don't have a real playoff, why not use a computer algorithm rather than someone's subjective opinion?
I have to agree 100 percent with Trev. The only way to have a true national champion is to play it out with an eight-team playoff system. It also adds excitement to the season!
Every year it is the same thing. Everyone whines about the BCS from the first edition to the last, but we have to face the facts. The last two national championships have been decided by the top two teams in games that were very close throughout. So, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
I agree with Stewart. I bleed orange and maroon, and I have for more than 10 years. I hope my children go to Virginia Tech. But I know that we are not a No. 1 or No. 2 team until we have beaten Miami, UCF, and Hooville. All teams have their good and bad points of a season. Look at 1999 WVU and 2000 Pittsburgh. How were these games any different from Miami's early loss to Washington or FSU's fairly early loss to Miami? Those teams were not as good then as they are now. How do you account for all of the fluctuations across the season? A system like the BCS is how. Hell, this isn't communism -- it's just college football. Enjoy it while you can!
The BCS rankings are the worst form of calculations ever implemented. As you know, there are numerous polls that are calculated to rank teams. The Associated Press and coaches poll should be the only ones to determine who is No. 1 or No. 2. Forget the other polls and the strength of schedules, win margins and whatever else is included. How are the other polls calculated anyway? It seems like one person and their opinion is figured into the polls and not a group of people. Last time I checked, a poll was a supposed to be a group of data gathered together. No one in their right mind would vote TCU No. 2 unless they were a TCU fan. And how does FSU get in front of Miami when Miami beat them? It seems like we have a lot of FSU fans in charge of the polls. Well, the BCS stinks!
I'm with Trev. Most important is the neutral field. Teams from all over the country are sick of going to Miami to play schools from Florida. It sucks.
Trev, Stew: you're both wrong. First, Trev is saying Miami should be ranked ahead of Florida State because they beat them. Hello? Didn't Washington beat Miami? Didn't Oregon beat Washington? Hello? And for Stew, predicting that the Nos. 1-2 from the polls will be Nos. 1-2 in the BCS is outstanding. You get my award for Master of the Obvious. That's how the system is weighted. The AP and coaches polls cast more points (negatively) on the up-and-coming teams, making it more difficult for them to reach the top two. Add that to the SEC/Big 12/ACC alliance among coaches and "objective journalists" to keep the Pac-10 out of the national championship picture and "ta-da!" Surprise, surprise: the BCS is a joke.
I hope Trev's right. This current system is a joke and an outrage.
It's too bad that money seems to be talking, and as a result, the entire notion of a national championship isn't exactly on the "up and up."
I, like Trev and every fan except those money-hungry NCAA and conference commisioners, believe that the one and only be-all, end-all cure is an eight-team playoff. But I do think those eight teams should be determined by the top eight in a BCS type poll. And also, the title game should rotate like it does now. With each game being one of the minor bowls and advancing up to the next bowl against the winner of this bowl and culminating in the national championship game on Jan. 3. That is the only way for everyone to be happy. Make that suggestion at the next meeting.
A playoff is simply ridiculous because then you have even more people fuming that their team didn't make the playoff spot. Let the BCS go. There's a lot more football this season. When the BCS fails, let me know. And Trev, stop whining.
I agree with Trev! We Penn State fans have been screaming for a playoff system since the late 1960s. Don't get me wrong, the BCS is way better than the polls. It's really hard to see your team lose a national championship when they don't even get to compete against the other team but instead are up against a bunch of coaches assistants and sportswriters (and I use the term loosely)! But why not play it out right on the field? Sure, a lot of the big teams play each other during the year, so what. Same thing happens in basketball but no one complains. Use the BCS rankings to seed eight or 16 teams for a playoff and watch interest in college football soar even higher!
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