Ding dong, the witch is dead. The Berlin Wall has fallen. Voldemort's reign of terror is over. The Bowl Championship Series' days of making college football fans weep and curse its name have finally come to an end.
Comparing the BCS to a wicked witch, communism and the darkest, most soulless creature any real or fictional world has ever known is no extreme. Because, not only did it (the BCS) oppress, marginalize and even kill sports fans souls around this great land, but now...it is over. Like all the other great horrors mentioned above, its number is up. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel containing our dismay.
It's stunning to me that this has happened; that the conference commissioners grew a pair of plums, that their respective universities' presidents finally got their PhD's in 6th grade logic, and that the Big 10 stopped defending a system that makes them look like the SEC's own personal french maid every January. I can honestly say that I was never sure this day would come--that the power's that be in my favorite game at my favorite level would understand that better competition and more money equals a win-win for everyone involved. That the fans, the players, the universities (many of whom operate their athletic department at a deficit and still acted like increasing the sport's TV revenue by roughly 450% was blasphemous) would all get the chance to be better off in 2014 than they have been for the past 12 years.
Now, I know what many of you may be thinking: not enough has changed. I am inclined to agree. In my opinion a 4 team playoff is not as exciting or entertaining as a 8 team model would have been, and to be honest I am still head-over-heels gaga over the possibility of the Sun Belt Champion upsetting Alabama or USC in the 1st round of a 16-team, winner take all battle royal. And let's be realistic here as well. This new system may not clean up the much, or even any, of the BCS' mess; it could still lead to the exclusion of teams from smaller conferences, or an outcry the first time (and I promise this will happen) a 2 or 3 loss Big 10 champion gets in over the second best (and far superior) team from the SEC or Big 12, or even a ridiculous amount of corruption and blind power in the still existing bowl system. In fact it probably will.
But I choose not to look at the glass as half empty tonight, and with good reason. College Football has a legitimate playoff. On or around January 1, 2015 something like LSU taking on Oregon and Oklahoma State battling Alabama (last years likely participants) will happen right before our eyes. We'll see two teams win, and two teams lose and we'll sit around for a week or so and talk about what's going to happen next. Talk about the most historic night in the annals of the greatest game on Earth.
The night when the winners of those semifinal games will meet in a Stadium in front of their fans, God, and TV cameras streaming their efforts to an entire nation watching with bated breathe. For the first time ever, College Football's most deserving team will be unequivocally declared in front of our eyes. For the first time ever, College Football's National Champion will earn their crown on the field.
It may not be everything, but it is something. Something long overdue. Something that certainly can (and hopefully will) be improved upon. But also, something that's finally within eyesight.
Something that makes college football more true and honest. Something that makes the sport more worthy of the love and admiration that we all already shower upon it unconditionally.
A victory won is sweeter than a victory awarded. In 2014 one college football team will finally be allowed to learn the truth behind that statement. In 2014 one college football team will finally be a true champion, one that earns the title bestowed on them in every sense of the word.
Today is a momentous day for the sport. That's something we can all agree on. Here's another: after a 143 years of college--it's about God Damn time.
Comparing the BCS to a wicked witch, communism and the darkest, most soulless creature any real or fictional world has ever known is no extreme. Because, not only did it (the BCS) oppress, marginalize and even kill sports fans souls around this great land, but now...it is over. Like all the other great horrors mentioned above, its number is up. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel containing our dismay.
It's stunning to me that this has happened; that the conference commissioners grew a pair of plums, that their respective universities' presidents finally got their PhD's in 6th grade logic, and that the Big 10 stopped defending a system that makes them look like the SEC's own personal french maid every January. I can honestly say that I was never sure this day would come--that the power's that be in my favorite game at my favorite level would understand that better competition and more money equals a win-win for everyone involved. That the fans, the players, the universities (many of whom operate their athletic department at a deficit and still acted like increasing the sport's TV revenue by roughly 450% was blasphemous) would all get the chance to be better off in 2014 than they have been for the past 12 years.
Now, I know what many of you may be thinking: not enough has changed. I am inclined to agree. In my opinion a 4 team playoff is not as exciting or entertaining as a 8 team model would have been, and to be honest I am still head-over-heels gaga over the possibility of the Sun Belt Champion upsetting Alabama or USC in the 1st round of a 16-team, winner take all battle royal. And let's be realistic here as well. This new system may not clean up the much, or even any, of the BCS' mess; it could still lead to the exclusion of teams from smaller conferences, or an outcry the first time (and I promise this will happen) a 2 or 3 loss Big 10 champion gets in over the second best (and far superior) team from the SEC or Big 12, or even a ridiculous amount of corruption and blind power in the still existing bowl system. In fact it probably will.
But I choose not to look at the glass as half empty tonight, and with good reason. College Football has a legitimate playoff. On or around January 1, 2015 something like LSU taking on Oregon and Oklahoma State battling Alabama (last years likely participants) will happen right before our eyes. We'll see two teams win, and two teams lose and we'll sit around for a week or so and talk about what's going to happen next. Talk about the most historic night in the annals of the greatest game on Earth.
The night when the winners of those semifinal games will meet in a Stadium in front of their fans, God, and TV cameras streaming their efforts to an entire nation watching with bated breathe. For the first time ever, College Football's most deserving team will be unequivocally declared in front of our eyes. For the first time ever, College Football's National Champion will earn their crown on the field.
It may not be everything, but it is something. Something long overdue. Something that certainly can (and hopefully will) be improved upon. But also, something that's finally within eyesight.
Something that makes college football more true and honest. Something that makes the sport more worthy of the love and admiration that we all already shower upon it unconditionally.
A victory won is sweeter than a victory awarded. In 2014 one college football team will finally be allowed to learn the truth behind that statement. In 2014 one college football team will finally be a true champion, one that earns the title bestowed on them in every sense of the word.
Today is a momentous day for the sport. That's something we can all agree on. Here's another: after a 143 years of college--it's about God Damn time.
