Is CFB the only sport...

That people believe undefeated means they are the best? I guess what I'm trying to say is, how does CFB truly know what the best team is? This seems to be the only spot in sports in which, for the most part, the heavyweights shy away from playing each other, if they don't need to. So everything appears to be based on...just reputation and smoke and mirrors. In the NFL there is parity, 1 or 2 losses doesn't mean that the season is over and only having a couple of losses, means you can still be named the champion at the end. CBB encourages heavyweights to play each other and doesn't punish a team for losing. CFB is the only sport in which you can play 10 patsies, 2 decent teams and 1 very good team and then be named champion. Hell, even in the conferences, the supposed 'top tier' teams don't always play each other, and seem to not want to play each other. Will this ever be fixed in our lifetime, or is it that there are just too many teams, and no real way to crown a champion?

Maybe we can have a four team playoff. That might help sort through some of the subjectivity.

getting to the 4 team playoff, though still inadequate, is a huge first step. I wasn't sure I'd even see that in my lifetime - I think it opens the door for tweaks and adjustments in the future.

Maybe we can have a four team playoff. That might help sort through some of the subjectivity.

Except there are 5 major conferences trying to get into 4 spots and the SEC that is trying to take 2 of the 4 spots. Who gets left out last year? MSU, Stanford, someone else? B1G schedules in November can be pretty brutal, while the SEC schedules a bye, then an FCS school and then they play their arch rival. 

If the Playoff's are extended to include more schools, will that in turn make the regular season kind of pointless? I don't know what the answer is, but just because you beat on a bunch of creampuffs doesn't make you the best in the nation. Even great teams have losses.

InTenSity wrote:That people believe undefeated means they are the best? I guess what I'm trying to say is, how does CFB truly know what the best team is? This seems to be the only spot in sports in which, for the most part, the heavyweights shy away from playing each other, if they don't need to. So everything appears to be based on...just reputation and smoke and mirrors. In the NFL there is parity, 1 or 2 losses doesn't mean that the season is over and only having a couple of losses, means you can still be named the champion at the end. CBB encourages heavyweights to play each other and doesn't punish a team for losing. CFB is the only sport in which you can play 10 patsies, 2 decent teams and 1 very good team and then be named champion. Hell, even in the conferences, the supposed 'top tier' teams don't always play each other, and seem to not want to play each other. Will this ever be fixed in our lifetime, or is it that there are just too many teams, and no real way to crown a champion?

I've maintained for a long time that the conclusion to the CFB season is very unsatisfying. There is not a good system to pick out the best of the field and I'm not even sure a playoff system will be free of corruption and BS.

Problem is there's way too many teams, and not enough games to figure out who is the best team so it is always going to require some kind of poll or selection process to bring it to a close.

I'm thrilled with the 4 team playoff, but I'm not sure that they should ever expand it to more teams. Right now, the regular season is very important. The playoffs start in week 1 for national title contenders.

Sure, a team with a loss could make it into the 4 team playoff, but the only way to do so without help is to go undefeated. Attendance is already a problem across the country. If the games become less important by allowing 2 or 3 loss teams into the playoff, a lot of casual fans might not even get interested until the playoffs start.

Everyone is already under the impression that a team needs to go undefeated in order to make the Playoffs. That isn't going to be the case, I think throughout the BCS era, there was only 1 or 2 years in which more than 2 teams were undefeated and most years probably had a 1 loss team Vs an undefeated team. What if there are 6, 1 loss teams?

maybe they should play 35 games. that would help.

In answer to your question, yes, it's the only sport in the universe where a team is eliminated with a loss in the first game and it is absolutely stupid. The regular season wouldn't be meaningless if they had a 16 team playoff,  not by a long shot. Is it meaningless in the NFL or MLB?

What if the 5 conferences followed the European soccer model? Don't hte teams have to qualify to stay in their respective leagues over there? What if the top 4 teams from the 5 power conferences all played in their own conference, or whatever you want to call it. That would be 20 teams, split that into 2 divisions, based on geography. This would be impossible to pull off because of scheduling, but it would be great to do something like that. Every week would be a great game, but it would hurt the conferences. Every other year the bottom 5 or 6 teams would be kicked out and winners of the old conferences would join and replace those teams.

InTenSity wrote:What if the 5 conferences followed the European soccer model? Don't hte teams have to qualify to stay in their respective leagues over there? What if the top 4 teams from the 5 power conferences all played in their own conference, or whatever you want to call it. That would be 20 teams, split that into 2 divisions, based on geography. This would be impossible to pull off because of scheduling, but it would be great to do something like that. Every week would be a great game, but it would hurt the conferences. Every other year the bottom 5 or 6 teams would be kicked out and winners of the old conferences would join and replace those teams.

It doesn't need to be that complicated.

4 16 team conferences split into two divisions. Conference championship is essentially the first round of the playoffs. Win the conference and your in. No polls, no debates, no mess.

Who wouldn't like it? Small schools. Whatever. Notre Dame... Grow up and join a conference or die. Deal with it.

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:In answer to your question, yes, it's the only sport in the universe where a team is eliminated with a loss in the first game and it is absolutely stupid. The regular season wouldn't be meaningless if they had a 16 team playoff,  not by a long shot. Is it meaningless in the NFL or MLB?

The MLB regular season blows. The NFL season is getting watered down.

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:
It doesn't need to be that complicated.

4 16 team conferences split into two divisions. Conference championship is essentially the first round of the playoffs. Win the conference and your in. No polls, no debates, no mess.

Who wouldn't like it? Small schools. Whatever. Notre Dame... Grow up and join a conference or die. Deal with it.

The only thing that worries me is the following scenario. Team A is 10-2 and wins their division. Team B is 8-4 winning their division because team C is banned from postseason and they were 11-1. Team B beats Team A in the conference championship game, Team A beat Team B in the regular season. What team gets in?

I think it would be a rare occurrence, but a feasible one. I suppose it may not matter, and is extremely unlikely to happen, but a possibility. Do the conferences go to 10 game schedules, in that case, one patsy and one named OOC opponent?

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:

The MLB regular season blows. The NFL season is getting watered down.

The MLB regular season blows away the CFB regular season.

steveschneider wrote:

The MLB regular season blows away the CFB regular season.

I would love to hear your reasoning behind that.

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:

I would love to hear your reasoning behind that.

None needed. CFB is a joke compared to baseball.

I thought NBA and NHL needed to shorten their seasons. Why are the NHL playoffs finishing in June?

steveschneider wrote:

None needed. CFB is a joke compared to baseball.

162 games of near .500 play isn't the joke?

InTenSity wrote:
The only thing that worries me is the following scenario. Team A is 10-2 and wins their division. Team B is 8-4 winning their division because team C is banned from postseason and they were 11-1. Team B beats Team A in the conference championship game, Team A beat Team B in the regular season. What team gets in?

I think it would be a rare occurrence, but a feasible one. I suppose it may not matter, and is extremely unlikely to happen, but a possibility. Do the conferences go to 10 game schedules, in that case, one patsy and one named OOC opponent?

Team B. It's not even really a matter of getting in or not because conference championship week is the first round of the playoffs. You can even call it that if you want, whatever.

Definitely have a 10 game conference schedule... That's actually the only problem with it. Sure teams could schedule more difficult OOC games, but they would pretty much just be preseason as they would be ultimately meaningless.

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:

162 games of near .500 play isn't the joke?

Did you know that when you add up every MLB team's record last season the total was exactly .500??? Hello boring.

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:
Team B. It's not even really a matter of getting in or not because conference championship week is the first round of the playoffs. You can even call it that if you want, whatever.

Definitely have a 10 game conference schedule... That's actually the only problem with it. Sure teams could schedule more difficult OOC games, but they would pretty much just be preseason as they would be ultimately meaningless.

If the OOC games are 'meaningless' then wouldn't teams want to schedule better teams, in order to get ready for the conference play? Then we might have Home and Home with FSU, Bama, USC or other top tier teams, because it used to be, in order to be the best you had to beat the best. Then the BCS era came out, and it became, in order to be the best, you can't lose, so shy away from playing the best, unless you are cornered.

InTenSity wrote:
If the OOC games are 'meaningless' then wouldn't teams want to schedule better teams, in order to get ready for the conference play? Then we might have Home and Home with FSU, Bama, USC or other top tier teams, because it used to be, in order to be the best you had to beat the best. Then the BCS era came out, and it became, in order to be the best, you can't lose, so shy away from playing the best, unless you are cornered.

For sure... But why have Connor Cook line up for 4 quarters against Alabama when it doesn't matter if we win or lose? Preseason.

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:
For sure... But why have Connor Cook line up for 4 quarters against Alabama when it doesn't matter if we win or lose? Preseason.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10354114/harris-poll-nfl-most-popular-mlb-2nd

The numbers are in, baseball is #2 behind pro football. Experiencing a drop off, but still above CFB.

What's wrong with .500 ball? That means there's a lot of good competition. You guys are complaining about how you have to have a perfect season, and CFB is all smoke and mirrors.

I'll tell you what is boring, is watching a power house play a cup cake in CFB. Can someone tell me what is fun about watching the University of Miami run up the score on a service academy? About the 95% of the CFB games played every weekend are dreadful sporting events. Sure you have a few big games on TV that can be exciting, but taking into account every CFB game played on a Saturday a large percentage of the games are so lopsided and boring.

steveschneider wrote:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10354114/harris-poll-nfl-most-popular-mlb-2nd

The numbers are in, baseball is #2 behind pro football. Experiencing a drop off, but still above CFB.

What's wrong with .500 ball? That means there's a lot of good competition. You guys are complaining about how you have to have a perfect season, and CFB is all smoke and mirrors.

I'll tell you what is boring, is watching a power house play a cup cake in CFB. Can someone tell me what is fun about watching the University of Miami run up the score on a service academy? About the 95% of the CFB games played every weekend are dreadful sporting events. Sure you have a few big games on TV that can be exciting, but taking into account every CFB game played on a Saturday a large percentage of the games are so lopsided and boring.

Cough. 

Every season of every sport ever adds up to exactly .500 if there are no ties involved when you're adding up all of the records. I was hoping to catch someone with that post, figured it would be the kid that couldn't pass calculus.

But yeah, as is college football's regular season is pretty dumb in that there really isn't a regular season- it's just one massive single elimination tournament (unless you're in the SEC)

steveschneider wrote:

The MLB regular season blows away the CFB regular season.

This is the dumbest thing anyone has ever said about anything, ever.

RBW Spartan wrote:

This is the dumbest thing anyone has ever said about anything, ever.

What does the regular CFB season even mean - is it for playing for the right to play in one of 34 bowl games that don't mean shit? Even if you go undefeated (Boise St or TCU) doesn't even mean you get the chance to be in the championship game. How come there's never a 'cinderella' story in CFB? It's because the sport isn't set up to allow it.

Look at MSU last year for a great example, one loss team has the strongest finish from Nov up to January and finishes #5 in the country? How the **** does that work?

If you want proof how dumb the cfb regular season can be, just look at the fact that a moron like Drew Sharp can vote on your teams rankings. There's just way too much nonsense involved in the sport, there's nothing fair about it and there's much more that matters to the game besides what your team does on the field (see TCU and Boise St. again).

I love MSU, go Green and all that but **** all of the politics and **** all of the bull shit in CFB.

steveschneider wrote:

What does the regular CFB season even mean - is it for playing for the right to play in one of 34 bowl games that don't mean shit? Even if you go undefeated (Boise St or TCU) doesn't even mean you get the chance to be in the championship game. How come there's never a 'cinderella' story in CFB? It's because the sport isn't set up to allow it.

Look at MSU last year for a great example, one loss team has the strongest finish from Nov up to January and finishes #5 in the country? How the **** does that work?

If you want proof how dumb the cfb regular season can be, just look at the fact that a moron like Drew Sharp can vote on your teams rankings. There's just way too much nonsense involved in the sport, there's nothing fair about it and there's much more that matters to the game besides what your team does on the field (see TCU and Boise St. again).

I love MSU, go Green and all that but **** all of the politics and **** all of the bull shit in CFB.

Did Boise State or TCU play anyone worth a damn? Look how they are doing now, aren't they in conferences? Also, Drew Sharp's AP vote means nothing. Right? They used the coach's poll in the BCS.

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:


Did Boise State or TCU play anyone worth a damn? Look how they are doing now, aren't they in conferences? Also, Drew Sharp's AP vote means nothing. Right? They used the coach's poll in the BCS.

Your first sentence is making my case for me. What's the point of TCU or Boise even having seasons? The majority of teams aren't going to be able to schedule a team 'worth a damn' so that right there makes the majority of cfb irrelevant.

You are correct about the AP Poll. They stopped using it in 2004. So what's even the point of the poll? And why do people get so upset about it if it doesn't mean anything.

Expanding the playoff to 8 teams would give a Boise or TCU a legitimate shot. 4 is a start though.

steveschneider wrote:

What does the regular CFB season even mean - is it for playing for the right to play in one of 34 bowl games that don't mean shit? Even if you go undefeated (Boise St or TCU) doesn't even mean you get the chance to be in the championship game. How come there's never a 'cinderella' story in CFB? It's because the sport isn't set up to allow it.

Look at MSU last year for a great example, one loss team has the strongest finish from Nov up to January and finishes #5 in the country? How the **** does that work?

If you want proof how dumb the cfb regular season can be, just look at the fact that a moron like Drew Sharp can vote on your teams rankings. There's just way too much nonsense involved in the sport, there's nothing fair about it and there's much more that matters to the game besides what your team does on the field (see TCU and Boise St. again).

I love MSU, go Green and all that but **** all of the politics and **** all of the bull shit in CFB.

Unlike pro sports, winning the championship isn't the only metric of a successful season. MSU going 13-1 this year is a hugely successful season.

The politics of CFB are awful - I'll give you that. However, every game means something. A Cubs-Marlins game means nothing. Hell, most tigers games don't mean anything because they're going to run away with the division.

RBW Spartan wrote:

Unlike pro sports, winning the championship isn't the only metric of a successful season. MSU going 13-1 this year is a hugely successful season.

The politics of CFB are awful - I'll give you that. However, every game means something. A Cubs-Marlins game means nothing. Hell, most tigers games don't mean anything because they're going to run away with the division.

Not so fast the Tigers have only a .5 game lead and KC is the hottest team in baseball since the All Star Break. They are in a major batting slump and if they don't correct it fast they are going to be in second place. They just played a 19 inning game and you better believe they wanted to win it. The Tigers winning the central is not looking like such a sure bet these days.

steveschneider wrote:

The MLB regular season blows away the CFB regular season.

  

steveschneider wrote:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10354114/harris-poll-nfl-most-popular-mlb-2nd

The numbers are in, baseball is #2 behind pro football. Experiencing a drop off, but still above CFB.

What's wrong with .500 ball? That means there's a lot of good competition. You guys are complaining about how you have to have a perfect season, and CFB is all smoke and mirrors.

I'll tell you what is boring, is watching a power house play a cup cake in CFB. Can someone tell me what is fun about watching the University of Miami run up the score on a service academy? About the 95% of the CFB games played every weekend are dreadful sporting events. Sure you have a few big games on TV that can be exciting, but taking into account every CFB game played on a Saturday a large percentage of the games are so lopsided and boring.

You seriously think the MLB regular season is more exciting than college football? I thought you were joking. You still might be, of course, but this is impressive dedication to a troll job.

RBW Spartan wrote:

This is the dumbest thing anyone has ever said about anything, ever.

I would agree with the astute assessment.

Three_Putt_Par wrote:Expanding the playoff to 8 teams would give a Boise or TCU a legitimate shot. 4 is a start though.

Hopefully this happens in a few years. I think 16 teams would be ideal, but that's a long way off, like realigning traditional conferences into some semblance of a true college football 'league'. too many entrenched people with too much money on the line.

RubberbandMan wrote:

You seriously think the MLB regular season is more exciting than college football? I thought you were joking. You still might be, of course, but this is impressive dedication to a troll job.

Until someone can prove me wrong, I'm right. So many in this thread have already helped me make my case. Just the fact that Boise and TCU can go undefeated and be held out of a championship proves that a large chunk of the sport is already meaningless.

Just like a Spike Lee movie, college football's ending will make you shake your head and think "Wait, that's how it ends?". 34 of the 35 bowl games are completely meaningless, and lets face it there's maybe 4 or 5 of those 35 that are even worth watching.

One game playoff knockouts NFL, NCAA Basketball, aren't exactly the best way to determine the "best" team either. You could likely replay the playoffs or the tourney a dozen times and get a half dozen different winners. But it what makes money, fits the TV format and adds suspense to determining the title holder.

The NFL makes sense, and I don't ever see football using a best of 3 or 5 format to determine the winner, just makes everything too long. It does determine who is playing best at the end of the year though. NCAA, you are correct, a one and done isn't necessarily the best way to determine the best team, but at this point, it is what it is, at least there is some type of competition between the teams to determine who has the best team. 

Is there any feasible way to have 6 teams? All 5 power conference champions and 1 at large from the lower conferences (how they determine their winner is up to them)?

RubberbandMan wrote:

You seriously think the MLB regular season is more exciting than college football? I thought you were joking. You still might be, of course, but this is impressive dedication to a troll job.

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014308190038&nclick_check=1

The fact that a QB getting injured can kill or hurt an entire conferences chances at getting to a championship is a game is a joke.

I got ripped for saying there's no way the CFB season can rival the MLB season and this just prove it. Troy Tulowitzki is out for the season but guess what? The winner of the NL West will still make it to the playoffs.

steveschneider wrote:

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014308190038&nclick_check=1

The fact that a QB getting injured can kill or hurt an entire conferences chances at getting to a championship is a game is a joke.

I got ripped for saying there's no way the CFB season can rival the MLB season and this just prove it.  Troy Tulowitzki is out for the season but guess what? The winner of the NL West will still make it to the playoffs.

The local media, continuing to parrot the national media isn't doing any good. 

I know that everyone is afraid of looking like an SB in the news, but **** that, every other conference does it, and guess what, they seem to have depth. The fact that all the MI papers can't wait to take their shots at the local teams is disrespectful of what Coach D has built. 

This is horrible marketing by the B1G and Delaney should be out in front promoting the whole conference.