2008 BCS Rankings

[BUCKYLE]

Bill, I was not trying to make a reference to mileage/distance issues by my post.

South Florida generally, and Miami specifically is not "Gator Country."

True - we have alumni there, but it is not a Gator friendly town, nor is the press Gator friendly. Of course it is easier for UF fans to make the game. But that would be true if it was played in Tallahassee. If it was, it would be a stretch to say Tallahassee location would be a big Gator advantrage. Similarly, Miami is not our stomping grounds either. Not saying it is horrible, but it is not the same thing as LSU playing in New Orleans.

Haven't you and I had this discussion before? Seems like it...

Anyway, the bolded part is the main part of the equation imo. If a NC game were being held in AA, and it matched up tOSU V SEC, the fact that it's in our hated rivals stadium wouldn't be a factor at all. It seems to me that even tho Miami isn't "Gator Country" has very little to do with what I expect to be a HUGE gator crowd. I remember saying before that I don't believe Miami fans will be scooping up tickets to root against Florida. Hell, they don't even scoop up tickets to root for their own team.

I'd be willing to bet the ratio will be around 4:1 in favor of UF...and if not, I'll be shocked.

 

[3074326]

Agree with BUCKYLE.. the press aren't going to be in the stadium cheering for the Gators, but the Gator fans who have a cheaper/shorter trip to the stadium will be.

 

[Gatorubet]

I understand. tOSU going to a hypothetical bowl game in Ann Arbor versus Oklahoma would indeed be a huge Buckeye advantage because of the relatively closers mileage vis-a-vie what the Okies would have to travel. :p

(Just sayin' it is not a home game. Of course it is a numerical advantage. Never said it wasn't. Making a small point is all )

 

[Steve19]

I understand. tOSU going to a hypothetical bowl game in Ann Arbor versus Oklahoma would indeed be a huge Buckeye advantage because of the relatively closers mileage vis-a-vie what the Okies would have to travel. :p

(Just sayin' it is not a home game. Of course it is a numerical advantage. Never said it wasn't. Making a small point is all )

Well, having the game in your area has two advantages. First, you are fully acclimatized to the weather. The players are not overwhelmed by their good fortune to be out of the snow and cold. That is a small advantage compared to the game attendance advantage. Having a game within a few hours drive is an incredible advantage because it ensures that you will have a "home game feel" to the game.

Of course, the exception to this rule is the Fiesta Bowl, done in Scarlet and Gray for clear reasons.

 

[Gatorubet]

You can get to Miami from North Florida in two hours? Sweet!!

 

[JXC]

You can get to Miami from North Florida in two hours? Sweet!!

Sure...when you take traffic on 95 into account. Without it i'm sure 90 minutes tops

But in all seriousness it's not like it's THAT close, with traffic in the winter, i'd be happy making it in 6 hours, and plan for 7. Hell...probably as close to the same distance as Cincy and Atlanta. And unless you've lived in South Florida during the winter, you can't begin to understand how terrible traffic is down there. It makes me want to throw up thinking about it. But being in the same state should help with fans that are closer to the south, since there are UF fans all over Florida. And right now it's 32 in Gainesville, FWIW. But that's not too normal, the weather is pretty decent in December there for the most part.

There are MUCH BIGGER reasons why the BCS Championship Game (I refuse to call it the NCG anymore) is a fruad then it being in a warm weather area closer to some schools than others.

 

[Steve19]

You can get to Miami from North Florida in two hours? Sweet!!

From Merriam-Webster's dictionary, few does not mean two, couple does.

Few
Function:noun, plural in construction

Date:before 12th century

1 : a small number of units or individuals <a few of them>
2 : a special limited number <the discriminating few>


Given that your fan base extends throughout Florida, albeit in smaller numbers where Da U and Free Shoes fan bases are highest, many of your fans are just a few hours away from the venue. We used to drive about six hours to get from Johannesburg to the coast on weekends, for some time at the beach. No special occasion. We would have driven that far to see a Buckeye bowl game without any hesitation and I suspect a lrge number of your fans will feel the same.

It's an advantage that Southern and West Coast teams have over teams from the Midwest. NOT directed at you, Gatorubet, but it would be great if fans of those teams could just 'fess up about it once in a while. Oh, and leave the South to play one quality opponent a year in their OOC schedule.

 

[Gatorubet]

From Merriam-Webster's dictionary, few does not mean two, couple does.

Few
Function:noun, plural in construction

Date:before 12th century

1 : a small number of units or individuals <a few of them>
2 : a special limited number <the discriminating few>


Given that your fan base extends throughout Florida, albeit in smaller numbers where Da U and Free Shoes fan bases are highest, many of your fans are just a few hours away from the venue. We used to drive about six hours to get from Johannesburg to the coast on weekends, for some time at the beach. No special occasion. We would have driven that far to see a Buckeye bowl game without any hesitation and I suspect a large number of your fans will feel the same.

It's an advantage that Southern and West Coast teams have over teams from the Midwest. NOT directed at you, Gatorubet, but it would be great if fans of those teams could just 'fess up about it once in a while. Oh, and leave the South to play one quality opponent a year in their OOC schedule.

And if '06 would have been in the Orange Bowl, there would still have been more Buckeyes in it, as you knew since November you would be in it, and we knew only after the SECCG and the final BCS calculations, giving you several weeks jump on tickets.

Most SEC fans I know have continually acknowledged that having a game in your state can be an obvious logistical advantage for out of state opponents (see caveat for foes without a conference championship who get a jump on ticket sales), most of the push back comes from fans of other conferences who should fess up and admit that they lost to better teams instead of blaming the fact the bowl was in a southern state. Also NOT directed at you Steve.

Having to end the year playing the west champion, I agree to disagree regarding the need to play OOC to justify - well - anything really. If we win it will be three straight BCS NCs for the SEC. That hardly impresses me that our schedule is lacking in any way other than the obvious enjoyment of playing OOC. I enjoyed the USC home and home back in the day, but with FSU and sometimes Miami on the schedule, it does not bother me so much. Our Georgia game takes money our of the pocket every year that the home game would provide, and we try to make it up. maybe the extra $$ we are about to get with the new ESPN contract will remedy that, but the money has to go to all sports, so we will see.

Steve, your point about Miami being closer for some fans is obviously true, but it is also true that Columbus is closer to Buffalo, New York, Chicago Illinois, Washington D.C., Knoxville Tennessee and Charlotte, South Carolina than Gainesville is to Miami. Which was my only point.

The fact that I make one does not mean that I am trying to totally refuting yours.

 

[BB73]

Miami is to Gainesville as pick as pick-a-town-in-Michigan is to Columbus.

OK, so the next time that tOSU has to play a team from the top half of Florida in the BCS Title Game, we'll play that in Detroit, and I'm sure you wouldn't complain.

Even it was in a nice comfy dome, so the guys didn't freeze their Southern asses off.

 

[Gatorubet]

OK, so the next time that tOSU has to play a team from the top half of Florida in the BCS Title Game, we'll play that in Detroit, and I'm sure you wouldn't complain.

Even it was in a nice comfy dome, so the guys didn't freeze their Southern asses off.

I'd complain because I had to spend two days in Detroit, but for entirely different reasons.

 

[billmac91]

my only point was you will outnumber a great fanbase by about 3 or 4 to 1.

If the game is an equal distance from both universities it's a 50/50 stadium. I'll never forget the home field adavtage vs. Miami in 2002. If that game is in the the Orange Bowl, I'm not sure Ohio State makes an early comeback and/or wins in OT. The crowd was amazing. Thankfully, Miami's fanbase is a joke. It never should have been a 9 to 1 ratio.

It must be nice for LSU to play a championship game in Louisiana, and for UF to play in Miami. A family loads in there automobile and spends 60 bucks on gas. A family from Oklahoma will spend how much in airline fare? It's a huge advantage. And while those families in Okalahoma are deciding whether they are about to spend thousands of dollars on a vaca to Miami, Florida fans are already getting their grubby little paws all over those tix.

 

[jwinslow]

A family from Oklahoma will spend how much in airline fare?

Airline fare, overnight lodging, transportation, meals... the first two at a premium due to high demand.

A far cry from piling into the van/suv, tailgating and eating brought food, and driving home afterwards.

 

[billmac91]

Airline fare, overnight lodging, transportation, meals... the first two at a premium due to high demand.

A far cry from piling into the van/suv, tailgating and eating brought food, and driving home afterwards.

in fairness Jwins, a lot of Gator fans, even if they live in Florida will have to stay overnight, at least 1 night. But there are lot sof Gator fans in the Lauderdale and Miami area, so yes lots will have that opportunity.

The geographical advantage will make it close to a home field advantage for the Gators.

 

[jwinslow]

Perhaps, I guess I'm looking at this with regard to the recession. Those who can afford to spend will go wherever the game is located, but for many who are struggling, it's a lot easier to spend hundreds on tickets and transportation and make the difficult drive home that night. Those folks won't make the trip if they live outside of the region.

 

[Gatorubet]

Perhaps, I guess I'm looking at this with regard to the recession. Those who can afford to spend will go wherever the game is located, but for many who are struggling, it's a lot easier to spend hundreds on tickets and transportation and make the difficult drive home that night. Those folks won't make the trip if they live outside of the region.

Bah!!!! Let them eat cake!!