Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[Jaxbuck]

Is that why they do it? Or are they doing it just as a cash grab method of extending the post season?
The committee/BCS/whatever bowls already provide a means to reward excellent teams that didn't make the cut.

If you couldn't win your own division - you're not a playoff contender. We already know you're not as good as another team. Especially with CCGs, it just means the head-to-head game and CCG was utterly and completely meaningless.
I don't buy "other sports do it, so we have to as well" -- I like CFB precisely b/c roughly a third (NFL) to a half (NBA & NCAAB) of the field doesn't get handed a free pass to enter a tournament that decides the champion. There is little point in watching any of those sports until playoffs.

No question they do it for the money. Why else does anyone do anything?

Best product wins and the pro sports figured out a long time ago they can make more money by widening the playoff pool.

 

[kujirakira]

No question they do it for the money. Why else does anyone do anything?

Best product wins and the pro sports figured out a long time ago they can make more money by widening the playoff pool.

Just so long as we're clear that this has nothing to do with actually figuring out who the best and most deserving team is.

 

[Jaxbuck]

Just so long as we're clear that this has nothing to do with actually figuring out who the best and most deserving team is.

There will never be a way to determine that to the satisfaction of all.

It gets down to the exercise of defining "best".

Best how? Consistently excellent for a whole season? Best at the end of the season? Best for the few weeks of a tournament?

The general consensus based on observing major U.S. sports seems to be that the majority of people prefer to see some type of playoff at the end of the season to crown the champion.

 

[kujirakira]

There will never be a way to determine that to the satisfaction of all.

If you have [x] Conferences, then having [x] number of Conference Champions puts that to rest quite clearly and definitively.
Wild Cards is where you reintroduce "never be a way" etc. just so you can pad a Playoff Series with more games.


Your original post even admitted you weren't interested in crowning the best team -- but "rewarding" teams. I notice you've ignored my reply pointing out that Bowls already provide rewards to teams that aren't the best in their conference.

 

[Jaxbuck]

If you have [x] Conferences, then having [x] number of Conference Champions puts that to rest quite clearly and definitively.
Wild Cards is where you reintroduce "never be a way" etc. just so you can pad a Playoff Series with more games.


Your original post even admitted you weren't interested in crowning the best team -- but "rewarding" teams. I notice you've ignored my reply pointing out that Bowls already provide rewards to teams that aren't the best in their conference.

I think your reading something into what I posted that isn't there.

I'm not a huge playoff proponent, just resigning myself to the fact it is upon us and pretty much par for the course.

If you are going to do it then I think 8 teams from the big 5 conferences is the best way.

seeding and home field reward the champions and punish the wild cards

 

[MaxBuck]

There is no system that can result in a guarantee that the best team is crowned national champion.

Once one accepts that fact, one can learn to just enjoy whatever the current system is. Personally, I like the current system better than the BCS. Not sure I'd prefer an 8-team playoff, but if it comes, I'll find a way to enjoy it a bunch. Probably involving draft craft beer, nachos or pizza, and plenty of Buckeye gear.

 

[Mike80]

There is no system that can result in a guarantee that the best team is crowned national champion.

Once one accepts that fact, one can learn to just enjoy whatever the current system is. Personally, I like the current system better than the BCS. Not sure I'd prefer an 8-team playoff, but if it comes, I'll find a way to enjoy it a bunch. Probably involving draft craft beer, nachos or pizza, and plenty of Buckeye gear.

You would....

 

[ScriptOhio]

There is no system that can result in a guarantee that the best team is crowned national champion.

Once one accepts that fact, one can learn to just enjoy whatever the current system is. Personally, I like the current system better than the BCS. Not sure I'd prefer an 8-team playoff, but if it comes, I'll find a way to enjoy it a bunch. Probably involving draft craft beer, nachos or pizza, and plenty of Buckeye gear.

Just sayin': The FBS coaches would prefer it:

Poll: Coaches want 8-team playoff

College football's inaugural four-team playoff is still weeks away, but the FBS head coaches already prefer an eight-team playoff.

Entire article: http://espn.go.com/college-football...hes-prefer-eight-team-playoff-espn-poll-shows

 

[Dryden]

Seems like there would be a high risk of the rich getting richer with all the extra practices and PT on TV with multiple playoff rounds. Just thinking about FCS/D1AA, you often see when one of those teams cracks the tourney, they're there for three or four or five consecutive seasons. Marshall and Boise St parlayed that into FBS membership. ND State has as many wins over Big Ten teams in the last couple of seasons as Indiana. I think there's a risk of this being even worse at the FBS level.

Alabama or Ohio State or Oregon can offer a kid 8-12 more games worth of experience and national exposure over Tennessee or Iowa or Cal. That's practically a whole season over the course of a four year career. If a kids' got an offer from a major power, it'd be an even harder sell for those middle-of-the-pack squads to reel him in.

 

[Mike80]

Seems like there would be a high risk of the rich getting richer with all the extra practices and PT on TV with multiple playoff rounds. Just thinking about FCS/D1AA, you often see when one of those teams cracks the tourney, they're there for three or four or five consecutive seasons. Marshall and Boise St parlayed that into FBS membership. ND State has as many wins over Big Ten teams in the last couple of seasons as Indiana. I think there's a risk of this being even worse at the FBS level.

Alabama or Ohio State or Oregon can offer a kid 8-12 more games worth of experience and national exposure over Tennessee or Iowa or Cal. That's practically a whole season over the course of a four year career. If a kids' got an offer from a major power, it'd be an even harder sell for those middle-of-the-pack squads to reel him in.

One way around that is to start the playoffs the week before Christmas - in the current state of things, the only teams that would end up with more practices would be the same ones that would end up with more due to the dates now.

 

[sigshoota]

Seems like there would be a high risk of the rich getting richer with all the extra practices and PT on TV with multiple playoff rounds. Just thinking about FCS/D1AA, you often see when one of those teams cracks the tourney, they're there for three or four or five consecutive seasons. Marshall and Boise St parlayed that into FBS membership. ND State has as many wins over Big Ten teams in the last couple of seasons as Indiana. I think there's a risk of this being even worse at the FBS level.

Alabama or Ohio State or Oregon can offer a kid 8-12 more games worth of experience and national exposure over Tennessee or Iowa or Cal. That's practically a whole season over the course of a four year career. If a kids' got an offer from a major power, it'd be an even harder sell for those middle-of-the-pack squads to reel him in.

Very interesting point...one I had not before considered

 

[BUCKYLE]

The rule needs to be scrapped. If one team is allowed to practice, everyone should be able to do so. I mean, fair play is the reason for the NCAA to exist, right?

Ju$t kidding.

 

[jlb1705]

Bump.

If the juggalos aren't on the phone to the Big XII right now, some people aren't doing their jobs.

 

[woofermazing]

So which little sisters of the poor do the Big 12 target?

 

[jlb1705]

So which little sisters of the poor do the Big 12 target?

Juggalos, BYU or UCF for (relative) quality.

Or, SMU and Houston for conveneience.