Bowl Observations - Things Need to Change

[Bluegras Buck-i]

1. What is the deal with the constant trash talking and chest thumping on every play? Did you see Florida yesterday? They looked like thugs out there with the constant trash talking, jumping on the logo,etc. Seems like more of a state of florida thing to me.

2. QB's need better protection from all the late hits, head shots, etc. Wisconsin's QB took quite a few cheap shots yesterday.

3. We need better bowl match-ups. Why not USC vs UGA and Ill vs Haw?

 

[DCBuckeye07]

1. What is the deal with the constant trash talking and chest thumping on every play? Did you see Florida yesterday? They looked like thugs out there with the constant trash talking, jumping on the logo,etc. Seems like more of a state of florida thing to me.

2. QB's need better protection from all the late hits, head shots, etc. Wisconsin's QB took quite a few cheap shots yesterday.

3. We need better bowl match-ups. Why not USC vs UGA and Ill vs Haw?

1. Florida is like that bar skank at 2am...looks ok, especially after a couple, but she just exudes sloppiness.

2. Agreed, Illinois had no business being in that game, and made the big 10 look bad.

3. Not sure about an overall change for this point, but, Donovan did take some questionable shots...esp that one in the endzone, how they didnt flag that is beyond me.

 

[DCBuckeye07]

woah, flip 2 and 3...dyslectic much?

 

[Evan]

Can't agree more about the match-up issues. Sans the Michigan/Florida game and Tennecheat/Wisky game what a crappy set of games.

People want to "protect" the history of the bowls, but they are the problem. If the bowls selected teams with the interests of College Football and it's fans in mind it would be one thing, but selections are based on cash money. Why have a running poll all year and throw it out the window at the end of the year when picking bowl matchups?

 

[1926Buckeyes]

1. What is the deal with the constant trash talking and chest thumping on every play? Did you see Florida yesterday? They looked like thugs out there with the constant trash talking, jumping on the logo,etc. Seems like more of a state of florida thing to me.

USC was also pretty bad, although I didn't see as much trash talking as I did celebrations and a bunch of showoffs. USC is the most successful team that I can think of that still seems to need a constant reminder that they are the best...even though the media consistently give it to them.

3. We need better bowl match-ups. Why not USC vs UGA and Ill vs Haw?

I agree with this. I thought USC vs Illini was actually going to be agood game, but it sucked and Hawaii just didn't show up or were totally out classed. After I turned on the game and saw that it was 24-3, I stopped watching.

I also have a problem with the Rose Bowl announcers. I never thought I'd say this in a million years, but I think I might actually want...Dan Fouts *cringe* and Keith Jackson (not too bad) to replace Herbie and Burnt Cheeseburger. Burnt and Herb were just unberable during the game. It was unbelievable how they pumped up USC during the game. It was one of the most one sidded jobs I've seen all year.

While I don't like the way Fox does the BCS games, I'm very happy with the annoucers, especailly Tom Brennamen

 

[Zurp]

3. We need better bowl match-ups. Why not USC vs UGA and Ill vs Haw?

I agree. But "tradition" is the answer to your question.
The Rose Bowl is all about tradition. Georgia has no place in the Rose Bowl's tradition.

 

[Mike80]

1. What is the deal with the constant trash talking and chest thumping on every play? Did you see Florida yesterday? They looked like thugs out there with the constant trash talking, jumping on the logo,etc. Seems like more of a state of florida thing to me.

2. QB's need better protection from all the late hits, head shots, etc. Wisconsin's QB took quite a few cheap shots yesterday.

3. We need better bowl match-ups. Why not USC vs UGA and Ill vs Haw?

a

1. That is a trend that has been going on for nearly a decade now. Glad ya finally noticed.....

2. Well if the NCAA ever got serious about their officiating on all levels in all sports, we wouldn't have well-connected used car salesmen and insurance salesmen doing our officiating on a part-time basis.

3. The bowl matchups are determined by the bowl committees. Until there are about 100 first class funerals at every single one of them, nothing is going to change.

 

[berrienbuck]

I agree. But "tradition" is the answer to your question.
The Rose Bowl is all about tradition. Georgia has no place in the Rose Bowl's tradition.

If they want to keep tradition, then the Big 10 Champ needs to play the PAC 10 Champ. Since that is not the case, they need to give it to a team that deserves it. It is my opinion that Missouri should have been selected to play in the Rose Bowl and Arizona St. should have played UGA in the Sugar Bowl.

 

[LitlBuck]

I agree. But "tradition" is the answer to your question.
The Rose Bowl is all about tradition. Georgia has no place in the Rose Bowl's tradition.

I respect your thought regarding "tradition" but I do think it is time for a change. I would hate for the Big 10 to lose its tie in to the Rose Bowl but I think if one of the Big 10 teams is playing in the mythical NC game I could live with not sending a Big 10 team to the Rose Bowl. That game wasn't even competitive yesterday. I would have much rather seen Georgia play USC rather than the Illinois. I know that breaks "tradition" again by not sending an SEC school to the Sugar Bowl but the matchup yesterday were just terrible.

I know this will continue until the BCS undergoes some serious changes but maybe if these bad matchups continue ratings will suffer and eventually the networks and the BCS boys will wise up and do something.

 

[bkochmc]

If they want to keep tradition, then the Big 10 Champ needs to play the PAC 10 Champ. Since that is not the case, they need to give it to a team that deserves it. It is my opinion that Missouri should have been selected to play in the Rose Bowl and Arizona St. should have played UGA in the Sugar Bowl.

While your opinion is valid it doesn't mean anything in the current system since a conference can only have two teams in the BCS... Oklahoma and Kansas are already there which is why Missouri was left out in the dark. Take that rule away and I agree with you.

As for Arizona State... they were rightfully left out. I have no issues with Hawaii going to and subsequently being blasted in the Sugar Bowl. They went undefeated and earned the right to be humiliated on national television by a hungry Georgia team. The reason I don't have an issue with it is once in a while the little guy will make it a good game and even come out on top... see Boise State last year.

 

[Zurp]

If they want to keep tradition, then the Big 10 Champ needs to play the PAC 10 Champ. Since that is not the case, they need to give it to a team that deserves it. It is my opinion that Missouri should have been selected to play in the Rose Bowl and Arizona St. should have played UGA in the Sugar Bowl.

I respect your thought regarding "tradition" but I do think it is time for a change. I would hate for the Big 10 to lose its tie in to the Rose Bowl but I think if one of the Big 10 teams is playing in the mythical NC game I could live with not sending a Big 10 team to the Rose Bowl. That game wasn't even competitive yesterday. I would have much rather seen Georgia play USC rather than the Illinois. I know that breaks "tradition" again by not sending an SEC school to the Sugar Bowl but the matchup yesterday were just terrible.

I know this will continue until the BCS undergoes some serious changes but maybe if these bad matchups continue ratings will suffer and eventually the networks and the BCS boys will wise up and do something.

I'm not saying that I think Illinois should have been in the Rose Bowl. I'm just stating that that's my guess as to why they were in the Rose Bowl. We can all discuss the situations about "football would be better if" all we want. But, as you mentioned, it's about the ratings. I don't think that the ratings will suffer anytime soon.

 

[Jaxbuck]

One theme I've seen throught the Bowls so far is some seriously questionable play calling/game management. I don't usually get into the Monday AM QB thing but as an example MSU and Wisky lost their games in large part because it seemed the coaches were going with the "they expect me to run so I'll pass even though we aren't very good at passing" school of play calling.

It just seemed to jump out more at me this year but I swear every game I watched I was siting there saying "what the hell are they doing?" at least once or twice. Terrible play calling, going for it on 4th down needlessly, taking points off the board...all the stuff JT gets labled "conservative" for not doing.

The whole Bowl season has made me appreciate JT even more(if thats possible) and made me wonder why more coaches don't take the time to study a guy as successful as he is and emulate it.

Put the pressure on the other guy, make him beat you, don't help him. When you are in trouble go to your strength, don't out think yourself. Boring, simple stuff that leads to a lot of W's.

 

[Zurp]

One theme I've seen throught the Bowls so far is some seriously questionable play calling/game management. I don't usually get into the Monday AM QB thing but as an example MSU and Wisky lost their games in large part because it seemed the coaches were going with the "they expect me to run so I'll pass even though we aren't very good at passing" school of play calling.

It just seemed to jump out more at me this year but I swear every game I watched I was siting there saying "what the hell are they doing?" at least once or twice. Terrible play calling, going for it on 4th down needlessly, taking points off the board...all the stuff JT gets labled "conservative" for not doing.

The whole Bowl season has made me appreciate JT even more(if thats possible) and made me wonder why more coaches don't take the time to study a guy as successful as he is and emulate it.

Put the pressure on the other guy, make him beat you, don't help him. When you are in trouble go to your strength, don't out think yourself. Boring, simple stuff that leads to a lot of W's.

I agree. And a couple of examples are Tennessee's weird hand-the-ball-off-between-his-legs play and Wisconsin's roll-out on fourth down. It's like the announcers said: if you're moving the ball on offense, why go for the trick plays? Tennessee was moving the ball down the field pretty easily, and their fumble cost them possibly 7 points. And Wisconsin could have gotten that first down by falling forward. Tennessee wasn't stopping Wisconsin all drive. But they went away from what was working, and lost the ball.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

I like and respect the fact that the Rose Bowl is willing to go out of their way to protect the B10-P10 tradition. I'm much happier watching an overmatched Illinois play usc than any sec team. What does suck about the blowout is that trojan fan and their media entourage will be arguing for a split title should we win tight against lsu.

 

[pokey]

1. What is the deal with the constant trash talking and chest thumping on every play? Did you see Florida yesterday? They looked like thugs out there with the constant trash talking, jumping on the logo,etc. Seems like more of a state of florida thing to me.

Florida looked a team full of Mike Harts.