National Championship

he National Championship Game
Now, I know that the International Bowl has already been decided, so really there is no other game of importance on, but in case you have nothing to do Thursday night there also happens to be the National Championship Game on. Two relative unknowns are battling for the BCS crown. Florida and Oklahoma (I know, I never heard of them either).
The story line for this game is less than compelling: Last year's Heisman winner (and current candidate for Sainthood) Tim Tebow versus current trophy winner, Sam Bradford.
I know, I know. I feel the same way: When Pitt lost 3 -0 to Oregon State, I knew the bowl season and reached its pinnacle. This shoot out was a start to finish adrenaline rush, starting with Oregon being penalized a time out for (get this) wearing the wrong uniforms. Apparently the referees felt that Orange was SOOOO last season.
But, I digress.
The national championship. Believe it or not this has actually already been played. Did I hop in my Delorean and fire up the Flux Capacitor? No (but I do have a sweet pair of acid-wash jeans if you're interested). So what do I mean by all this? Utah should have been crowned the BCS title winner. They went 13-0, not beating slap dicks like Hofstra and Temple (Sorry, UConn) but playing top (ranked) talent like Alabama and those crazy Mormons at BYU. They didn't back their way into playing in college football's ultimate showcase. They went 13-0. End of story. Check please. Be sure to tip your waitress.
The only thing Utah did wrong this year was not being a member of a BCS conference. Here's a news flash: being bestowed the "honor" of a BCS conference doesn't mean anything anymore. These so called "mid majors" are anything but. The influx of money and the limitations on scholarships has meant one thing for major college football: Parity. I don't care if you are BYU, USC, Alabama, or Buffalo. All these teams are competitive. Point in case: The 12th ranked and undefeated Ball State Cardinals fell to the University of Buffalo (bowl eligible for the first time in 50 years) in the MAC Championship game. Buffalo then lost to UConn in bowl play. Did UConn win because it's a member of the Big East? No. But getting ranked would have been easier because they are. Listen to me. I played. Beating Temple was just as hard as trying to take down West Virginia. In 2007 we beat South Florida (ranked as high as #2 that year), and that game was easier than dismantling Rutgers, who had NFL-bound Ray Rice at the helm. My point is this: Rankings and the BCS system are completely arbitrary. The best team is not in the National Championship game. The big money being thrown around means that a more marketable team like Florida finds its way playing this Thursday while Utah finds itself shit out of luck. It's no longer about the best team, its about the perceived best game. What viewers want. Apparently, that is two sub-par teams competing on college football grandest stage. The National Championship is supposed to be an all encompassing game, widdled down from all 119 teams to two who will slug it out on live TV. Instead, the BCS system makes has decided that only 66 schools are worthy of their blessing.
The system is dead. And flawed.
How do I solve it? a 16 team play off. The rest of the field can go play in bowl games. I like that reward system. All other bowl eligible teams should do so. Playing in a bowl is a privilege and an incredible experience, lets reward teams that are able to win 7+ games (no more of this 6 and 6 and Notre Dame playing Hawaii crap). Now how do we get those 16 teams? The obvious answer is the Top 16 ranked in the Coaches Poll. But honestly, 119 names in a bag an picking 16 would be better than what we have now. My suggestion? The best regular season records, after that best records determined by strength of schedule. A tie? Have a playoff. This is America people, let the best man win.
The current BCS system is about as smart as a bag of hammers. I don't advocate for a total play off system, but I do advocate for a system that gives us a true national champion. So show me one where Utah would have been playing on Thursday night. Until then, I simply don't care.

Remember What I Said About Marginal Good Looks...

Find the Halloween post to understand this one:
But a short recap, Halloween party, costumed women, dim light source = best possible situation for a bigger guy (read FWG), to find a female of his likeing. Like the majesty (and rarity) of a Solar eclipse (minus the retina searing UV Rays!) the fates have aligned to bestow a beautiful baby that might actually be interested in you.
I now offer up some empirical evidence:

(You're welcome, Scott)

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This Week in College Football

This Week in College Football: Exploring a Few of the Top 25

(3) The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). There are only two things in life that are guaranteed: taxes and JoePa's contract extension. Don't let the report of "Arrested Nittany Lions" scare you. The man who "is Penn State," according to Pennsylvania native Steve Brouse, has more job security than God. The Nittany Lions have been on a steady roll since 2005 (after having fallen short of bowl eligibility in 2003 and 2004). Safe to say that Butkus Award winner Paul Posluszny restored "linebacker U" to the prestige of teams past. 2008 is apparently the new 1994. This year's team (at mid-season) is looking to duplicate its most recent (undefeated) National Championship squad. Has there been controversy this year? Absolutely, but what's a few felonies between friends? Nothing in State College, Pennsylvania, apparently, but I am glad that coaches are not flinching in the face of national media scrutiny. Too often do we see these situations mishandled (cough, Al Groh, cough), and I am glad the coaching staff, administration, and players were able to evaluate the situation before uniformly dismissing the "accused." Having taken an unofficial recruiting trip to Penn State I can say two things: 1) JoePa's office is more sports museum than functional space. While he does have a personal computer (Hi, I'm Joe Paterno, and I'm a PC), it's large enough to hold the original computer. 2) Recruiting the top talent in Pennsylvania is paying off. Just look at last week's 47-17 dismantling of Michigan (Oh, Rich-Rod, country roads, take you home...). Homegrown Jordan Norwood is lighting up the stat board this season (405 yds, 5TDs). Kudos to JoePa in playing freshman and spicing up the offense (the wing T was sooo 1976). At the halfway mark of this National Championship marathon, Penn State looks to be a lock to finish in the Top 5 and is eyeing that #1 ranking every week. This coming week they face Jim Tressel (and Jim Tressel's sweater vest...all power is derived from the vest) at Ohio State. So best wishes to the Nittany Lions (unless they ever play UConn).

(5) The University of Florida Gators. Urban Meyer: thanks to you, I no longer believe that Florida is where people go to die (miss you, Grandma...). Besides Gator Farms and Gatorade, the actual "Gators" are perennial Top 25-ers. This year is no different, and the University of Florida is looking more like the NFL's version of the NBADL, thanks to Tim Tebow (I hear his tears cure AIDS). With targets like Aaron Hernandez, Riley Cooper, and Deonte Thompson (yes, Deonte), the offense is simply electric (boogy-woogie-woogie). Through superior coaching (oh, and a Heisman Trophy winner) the land of heat stroke is more like a swampy piece of heaven midway through the season. Can the gators finish out a tough SEC schedule? We'll see. Make sure this Saturday afternoon includes checking out the score of the Florida-Kentucky game. (My prediction for this fight? Pain.) One slip up by Texas or Penn State, and the national title may lay its weary head to rest in Gainesville, once again.

(1)University of Colt McCoy, ahem, Texas. Mack Brown. Sounds like he should be singing on Soul Train, not coaching University of Texas football. Colt McCoy? Named Colt, you were destined for only one thing: to be the starting QB for the Longhorns. While McCoy does slightly resemble a Furby,

…his numbers are anything but a passing fad (pun intended). He went 29 for 32, for 337 yards and two touchdowns, oh...and he legged in two as well. I don't want to say that Colt might be half man/half God, but when the blood tests come back, I will say I told you so. As for Mack Brown? I can see him being the Clark Kent of college football, winning games as an unassuming coach by day, saving orphaned children by night. Not to mention an offensive line with such depth and talent that they can rotate their starters with no drop-off (shout out to the Big-Uglies up front). The Longhorns are poised to make their stay at #1 a lengthy one. Though the rest of their schedule features Oklahoma State, Kansas, and Texas Tech, I wouldn't worry. Having already tackled defying gravity and mortality, Mack and McCoy should dismantle these teams with relative ease.

(17) University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). Every school has their traditions. Texas A&M has Yell Practice. Notre Dame has the Helmet Painting. Pitt has Dave Wannstedt's Moustache. Much like Giambi, this year Wannstedt has taken tacky upper lip fur to new heights with a #17 ranking. However, it is the prediction of the FWG that much like the Yankees, Pitt's post-season plans include an early off-season. Or a trip to Canada (International Bowl, here we come!). Big Dave and Big Dave's powerful caterpillar lip defy the odds year after disappointing year, and continually have a top 25 recruiting class. Well, it appears as though this year it's paid off, with “the little running back that could," Shady McCoy. How far will the Panthers go? The equation is simple: only as far as McCoy's wheels will take them.