Wednesday, November 05, 2008

InClement Weather

I can't take credit for the title; however, I can get right to my two points for today.


Something tells me he's gonna win a "few more" of these...
Credit: DoubleNation


Point #1: It's OKAY that Texas Tech leapfrogged Penn State in the AP Poll.


Texas Tech is undefeated. They play in a tougher conference. They have a more impressive win(@home vs. Texas beats out @Columbus against the Buckeyes). Penn State might end up being this year's "Auburn" if Texas Tech defies the odds and goes undefeated throughout Big 12 play (ditto for Bama in the SEC). We'll worry about that later. You can blame the system, not the polls, for that "issue". The BCS is likely to work out for an undefeated Penn State still, but then again...who knows with computers being involved.


In the end, it's cut and dry for me. Texas Tech has more checks next to it when compared directly to Penn State.


Mark these words: if anyone goes undefeated in a BCS-conference (i.e. the MAJORS), they're playing in the BCS Title Game. I said it. I meant it.


Point #2: It's NOT OKAY that Oklahoma is ranked higher than Texas in the USA Today/Coaches Poll.

If you think that there is honestly any logic behind ranking Oklahoma in front of Texas: shut up. Yeah, I said shut up. Honestly, college football polls are beyond ludicrous. (Yet, I’m here complaining about something I find irrelevant. Brilliant!) They are designed to do nothing more than sell games on national television and tick off blog writers (hello!). Like I give a damn what Georgia and Florida's rankings are. Sadly - as evident in my first point - we have to react to them and we have to worry about their seemingly countless flaws.


As for the former "World Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party", when both teams have one loss and the SEC East is for the taking, I don't need single-digits next to each team's name to get excited. To top it all off, we have these ridiculous pre-season polls which overinflate big-name programs and - even worse - prop up that year's trendy pick (i.e. Clemson). Stupid and lame are my responses to that mess.


As for the heart of this gripe, this past weekend #1 Texas traveled to #6 Texas Tech for the Longhorns' fourth top-12 showdown in four weeks. While computers may not take it into account, Texas went into hostile Lubbock - fell down 19-0 - and scored the potential game-winning touchdown with the now-infamous 1:29 left. We know the rest. We saw the drive, the dropped tipped ball, the catch, the broken tackle, and the bedlam that ensued. What the coaches (i.e. pollsters) should've seen whenever they were given their ranking's sheet is one glaring result: Saturday, October 11th in Dallas, Texas defeats Oklahoma 45-35. By 10 points on a neutral field, people. I don't care what they were ranked at the time, Texas won. By 10!


Meanwhile, one idiotic coach gives a 1-loss Oklahoma team a first-place vote? Based on what? I don't care if you think they're "better" than the teams above them. Look at their records and look at their wins and losses. If your idiotic logic reigned supreme, Georgia would've played USC for the National Championship last year. We wouldn't have witnessed the turd that was LSU/Ohio State. Despite that logic not working against me, logic damn well better win out. The Coaches poll is fraudulent for this very example.


The AP poll shouldn't take solace either. They've proven countless times how trivial they are as well. (Florida with a first-place vote is a relevant response TODAY!) Oklahoma has NO business - at least this week - being ranked before Texas. Blaming it on "when they lost" is beyond inexcusable. Not to mention, my last point, is look at their losses. Oklahoma lost to Texas, ranked below them, on a neutral field.


Is that worse than Texas losing to Texas Tech (ranked higher than BOTH Oklahoma and Texas by EVERYONE involved) on the road! No no no no no NO!


Now fix it!

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