NCAA Playoffs.

[MakeItRain]

I want a +1 Championship game, or a tournament involving the top BCS ranked teams. No at large bull crap.

The top BCS ranked teams is at large bull crap. I think you are saying you don't want to reward the conference champions (basically what the whole season sets out to determine) with automatic bids.

How hard is it to take the top 16 teams instead of having UCONN, UCF, FIU, etc. The OP is Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!) if he wants to see that nonsensical bullshit.

Exactly why we need to stick with the bowls.  The auto bids in the NCAA basketball tournament make that thing pretty much unwatchable. 

Yeah the whole 6-10 games over the first 2 days where an AQ gets blown out really ruins a three week 64 game tournament.  Good call.

[MakeItRain]

The fan entertainment playoff talking point holds much more water than the best teams talking point.  

This is an argument that I can live with.

Well, since the BCS completely nails it every single season I'm pretty much fine with the perfect BCS the way we have it.

True.  But since in the worst year they might get 2 of the top 3 instead of the top 2 (at worst), I could see letting 4 in to make sure.  Could be fun; but the top 2 every year is good for college football.

Uh in the worst years they get a team who isn't even the best team in their own conference or worst, their own division.

I see where you're going, NU in the title game was really dumb. Its gotten better though. JMHO.

It can happen again, its not like the system has changed since then. A team that didn't win it's conference or who are co-champs will party for the BCS title at least once every five years.

[kso_FAN]

It can happen again, its not like the system has changed since then. A team that didn't win it's conference or who are co-champs will party for the BCS title at least once every five years.

Fair enough.

I'm not against a playoff, but I don't think the BCS is as terrible as most.

I'd go for a 4 or 8 team playoff.

[EllToPay]

The fan entertainment playoff talking point holds much more water than the best teams talking point.  

This is an argument that I can live with.

Well, since the BCS completely nails it every single season I'm pretty much fine with the perfect BCS the way we have it.

True.  But since in the worst year they might get 2 of the top 3 instead of the top 2 (at worst), I could see letting 4 in to make sure.  Could be fun; but the top 2 every year is good for college football.

Uh in the worst years they get a team who isn't even the best team in their own conference or worst, their own division.

I see where you're going, NU in the title game was really dumb. Its gotten better though. JMHO.

It can happen again, its not like the system has changed since then. A team that didn't win it's conference or who are co-champs will party for the BCS title at least once every five years.

Are you against a top 4 BCS team playoff?

[Trim]

Just accept that a sport with 120 teams, 12 regular season games, no regular season standards and no overseeing body isn't going to end up with a fair "national champion", regardless of the system.  

The tournament in basketball is as silly a method of determining a national champion as the BCS but it's given a pass because bracket pools are fun.

NFL is the standard-bearer for determining a champ.  32 teams whittled down to 12 by way of a standardized 16 game regular season where regular season success earns teams significant advantages in the playoff/tournament.  And there's probably going to be even more regular season games soon.

If KSU had won out in 1998, I wouldn't have given a crap if we were the 3rd undefeated team and left out of the "national championship" game.  We'd have gotten whatever 'ship is given out by the media or whatever isn't bound by the BCS, and we'd all know we'd won a national championship.  I think most people who demand a big playoff aren't really vested in a team of their own and just want a basketball tournament fan experience.

[kso_FAN]

I think most people who demand a big playoff aren't really vested in a team of their own and just want a basketball tournament fan experience.

This.  I think people will be expecting another basketball tournament and it won't be anything like that.  Not to say that it wouldn't be fun to watch, but IMO it wouldn't be a lot better than good BCS bowl match-ups (admittedly, they aren't great this year).  Part of what makes the NCAA tournament great is the first weekend, and football simply won't provide that type of drama ever b/c its simply a different sport AND you won't have 16 games going on all on one day with Cinderellas, etc..

[Rage Against the McKee]

I think most people who demand a big playoff aren't really vested in a team of their own and just want a basketball tournament fan experience.

This.  I think people will be expecting another basketball tournament and it won't be anything like that.  Not to say that it wouldn't be fun to watch, but IMO it wouldn't be a lot better than good BCS bowl match-ups (admittedly, they aren't great this year).  Part of what makes the NCAA tournament great is the first weekend, and football simply won't provide that type of drama ever b/c its simply a different sport AND you won't have 16 games going on all on one day with Cinderellas, etc..

I think they would be expecting something along the lines of the NFL playoffs. It would be similar to watching the BCS bowls three weekends in a row, only the teams would actually have something on the line. From a fan entertainment perspective, I can't think of a single way the current system would be better.

[kso_FAN]

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/22987/beebe-delany-talk-expansion-playoff

[Skipper44]

When it looked like there might be a lockout/strike next year in the NFL,  I could see a scenario where the money for a CFB would have been so damn big nobody could turn it down.  

It will take something enormous like a NFL stoppage for a playoff to happen.

[mcmwcat]

Part of what makes the NCAA tournament great is the first weekend, and football simply won't provide that type of drama ever b/c its simply a different sport AND you won't have 16 games going on all on one day with Cinderellas, etc..

the thing that makes the NCAA tournament great is that every game means something.  the winner moves on the loser goes home.  and it's what would make a football playoff great.

bowls are boring as eff because half the teams don't give a crap about what happens

BCS is nice because most of the time you get 1 vs 2.  but the rest of it is worthless.  UCONN vs TCU matchup on day 1 of the tournament is infinitely more interesting and meaningful than UCONN vs OU in the Fiesta Bowl.

[MakeItRain]

The fan entertainment playoff talking point holds much more water than the best teams talking point.  

This is an argument that I can live with.

Well, since the BCS completely nails it every single season I'm pretty much fine with the perfect BCS the way we have it.

True.  But since in the worst year they might get 2 of the top 3 instead of the top 2 (at worst), I could see letting 4 in to make sure.  Could be fun; but the top 2 every year is good for college football.

Uh in the worst years they get a team who isn't even the best team in their own conference or worst, their own division.

I see where you're going, NU in the title game was really dumb. Its gotten better though. JMHO.

It can happen again, its not like the system has changed since then. A team that didn't win it's conference or who are co-champs will party for the BCS title at least once every five years.

Are you against a top 4 BCS team playoff?

Yes. I am in favor of the bcs being used to determine potential at-large teams for a playoff though.  Right now the bcs champion is too dependant on pre-season polls & voter bias.

8 team playoff, the 6 best conference champs as determined by the bcs and two at-large teams also determined by the bcs.  With the system I'm proposing TCU would get a conference champ spot over UCONN & then the two best at large squads, Stanford & Ohio State.  You have the best of the best.  The talking point about an invalidated regular season is triple dumb.  Oregon & Auburn are the best in their conferences we have no idea howe well they stack up against the country. College football is too regional to determine a national champion the way we do right now.

[kso_FAN]

the thing that makes the NCAA tournament great is that every game means something.  the winner moves on the loser goes home.  and it's what would make a football playoff great.

bowls are boring as eff because half the teams don't give a cac about what happens

BCS is nice because most of the time you get 1 vs 2.  but the rest of it is worthless.  UCONN vs TCU matchup on day 1 of the tournament is infinitely more interesting and meaningful than UCONN vs OU in the Fiesta Bowl.

Agree in part to the every game means something, but it won't be close to the drama of basketball unless your team is playing.  

I mean, I like to watch the NFL playoffs, but its not near like the NCAA tournament.  I don't go out of my way to watch NFL playoff games unless a team I like is playing.  NCAA football playoffs may be a little better, but not much. Its only when it gets to the AFC/NFC Champ games/Super Bowl that I'm going to make sure I watch.  But for basketball, I won't miss the opening two days of games for anything.  The opening day of 4 or 8 games for football (and they'd never put more than 4 games on anyway for TV purposes) would never be like that.  JMHO.

[Trim]

From a fan entertainment perspective, I can't think of a single way the current system would be better.

If the goal is to determine a national champion, then the current system is better in that the championship game is Oregon vs. Auburn and there's no chance that their perfect regular seasons will be rendered worthless by some fluke in a playoff or having to beat a team again that they've already beaten.  Yeah, there's flaws like TCU being excluded and there still being subjectivity involved, but about as good as can be done given how many teams there are and a lack of any objective way of getting them down to 4, 8, etc.

If the goal is entertainment for fans, why not have a playoff within a reality show or something?  

College football is too regional to determine a national champion the way we do right now.

Always will be, unless 64-team, 4-superconference thing goes down.

[Rage Against the McKee]

the thing that makes the NCAA tournament great is that every game means something.  the winner moves on the loser goes home.  and it's what would make a football playoff great.

bowls are boring as eff because half the teams don't give a cac about what happens

BCS is nice because most of the time you get 1 vs 2.  but the rest of it is worthless.  UCONN vs TCU matchup on day 1 of the tournament is infinitely more interesting and meaningful than UCONN vs OU in the Fiesta Bowl.

Agree in part to the every game means something, but it won't be close to the drama of basketball unless your team is playing.  

I mean, I like to watch the NFL playoffs, but its not near like the NCAA tournament.  I don't go out of my way to watch NFL playoff games unless a team I like is playing.  NCAA football playoffs may be a little better, but not much. Its only when it gets to the AFC/NFC Champ games/Super Bowl that I'm going to make sure I watch.  But for basketball, I won't miss the opening two days of games for anything.  The opening day of 4 or 8 games for football (and they'd never put more than 4 games on anyway for TV purposes) would never be like that.  JMHO.

Do you watch the bowl games regardless of whether or not a team you like is playing? I know I don't.

[kso_FAN]

the thing that makes the NCAA tournament great is that every game means something.  the winner moves on the loser goes home.  and it's what would make a football playoff great.

bowls are boring as eff because half the teams don't give a cac about what happens

BCS is nice because most of the time you get 1 vs 2.  but the rest of it is worthless.  UCONN vs TCU matchup on day 1 of the tournament is infinitely more interesting and meaningful than UCONN vs OU in the Fiesta Bowl.

Agree in part to the every game means something, but it won't be close to the drama of basketball unless your team is playing.  

I mean, I like to watch the NFL playoffs, but its not near like the NCAA tournament.  I don't go out of my way to watch NFL playoff games unless a team I like is playing.  NCAA football playoffs may be a little better, but not much. Its only when it gets to the AFC/NFC Champ games/Super Bowl that I'm going to make sure I watch.  But for basketball, I won't miss the opening two days of games for anything.  The opening day of 4 or 8 games for football (and they'd never put more than 4 games on anyway for TV purposes) would never be like that.  JMHO.

Do you watch the bowl games regardless of whether or not a team you like is playing? I know I don't.

Honestly, I used to more than I do now.  When Jan 1 used to have most of the good bowl games it was an event and it was a fun day to watch football.  Now that the bowls are all spread out, no I don't watch them all at all.

If they did 8 teams with the opening 4 games on one day (on college campuses IMO), it would make for a feel more like when Jan 1 was THE day to watch good bowl games, so they would have that going for them.  I would be for that.

[Rage Against the McKee]

the thing that makes the NCAA tournament great is that every game means something.  the winner moves on the loser goes home.  and it's what would make a football playoff great.

bowls are boring as eff because half the teams don't give a cac about what happens

BCS is nice because most of the time you get 1 vs 2.  but the rest of it is worthless.  UCONN vs TCU matchup on day 1 of the tournament is infinitely more interesting and meaningful than UCONN vs OU in the Fiesta Bowl.

Agree in part to the every game means something, but it won't be close to the drama of basketball unless your team is playing.  

I mean, I like to watch the NFL playoffs, but its not near like the NCAA tournament.  I don't go out of my way to watch NFL playoff games unless a team I like is playing.  NCAA football playoffs may be a little better, but not much. Its only when it gets to the AFC/NFC Champ games/Super Bowl that I'm going to make sure I watch.  But for basketball, I won't miss the opening two days of games for anything.  The opening day of 4 or 8 games for football (and they'd never put more than 4 games on anyway for TV purposes) would never be like that.  JMHO.

Do you watch the bowl games regardless of whether or not a team you like is playing? I know I don't.

Honestly, I used to more than I do now.  When Jan 1 used to have most of the good bowl games it was an event and it was a fun day to watch football.  Now that the bowls are all spread out, no I don't watch them all at all.

If they did 8 teams with the opening 4 games on one day (on college campuses IMO), it would make for a feel more like when Jan 1 was THE day to watch good bowl games, so they would have that going for them.  I would be for that.

Exactly. I would eat that up as well. The next weekend wouldn't be quite as amazing, but it would still be awesome.

[kso_FAN]

I just think you have to be careful adding too many teams, and I don't think the conferences would agree to too many anyway.  I really believe you've got to keep a bowl system of some sort.  To me K-State is living proof that moving up through minor/medium bowl games can build a program, granted I think there are too many bowl games now.

I could see a system where the Sat. before January 1st (a week out, more when Jan 1 is in the middle of the week) you have the 4 opening games on college campuses as sort of the opening of medium or better bowl week.  You would have some minor bowls like for the Sun Belt, MAC level teams before that.  Then in between, ESPN still has their bowl week with decent games (Holiday Level) for teams that didn't make the 8 team playoff.  Then January 1st would be for a couple top level bowl games (teams that finished 9-12ish could match-up) at former BCS sites, and then the semi finals later that day at the other 2 former BCS sites.  Then a week later you have the Championship game at one of those sites.  The current 4 big bowls rotate the two "big/leftover" bowl games and semis with one of those 4 getting the Champ game a week later, similar to what they do now.  This keeps a bit of the flavor of the bowl system, but adds a legitimate playoff system. 

:2cents:

[NXL]

Actually, I wouldn't mind the idea of an 8- or 16-team playoff in January utilizing the BCS and other major bowls, but we could also keep the December bowls by making them "reward" games for teams that had good seasons but did not make the playoffs.  It would be kind of like the NIT for underachieving but nonetheless solid teams.

[kso_FAN]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-12-09-column09_ST2_N.htm

[Rage Against the McKee]

I guess what I don't get is why people care if #1 plays #2 in the championship game. Nobody bitches about this in other sports, and as long as #1 and #2 are given a chance to get there, what's the problem?

[Rage Against the McKee]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-12-09-column09_ST2_N.htm

Well, if the executive director of the BCS thinks they got it right yet again, the system must be flawless!

[pc5k]

Let the government remove  tax exempt status from the bowls and we'll see what happens.  I think an 8 team playoff would be perfect-

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=11701069&page=3

[kso_FAN]

I guess what I don't get is why people care if #1 plays #2 in the championship game. Nobody bitches about this in other sports, and as long as #1 and #2 are given a chance to get there, what's the problem?

#1 and #2 gets the entire season to prove they belong there.  While I don't always agree with how they decide their #1 and #2 teams, I think claiming that you actually have the two best teams in your sport play for the national title as a reward for having the best seasons is a valid talking point.  This doesn't mean that sports where underdogs can make it to and win a championship are bad, its just different and what the BCS is attempting to do and makes it unique.

BTW, if I had to choose I'd choose an 8 team play-off as well, but I do like trying to see this argument from both sides.   

[Bookcat]

The only people that really want a  playoff are fans of cacty teams.  If you are good every game is a playoff game.

The 16th team on this list will/would get absolutely pouned by Auburn...and you know it.

[kso_FAN]

http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/12/09/jim-delany-warns-non-aq-leagues-dont-expect-more-than-youre/