The Bowl Season

I have not posted on my blog in a while. As in, this is my first post of the year. This is because I took a break from all school work. Over Christmas break I did absolutely no homework. I’m not saying that I did absolutely nothing; I just didn’t do any school work. I was busy every day with basketball practices and scrimmages, and a full schedule of naps.

So now to what I’m to write about. I haven’t really thought much about it, but the first thing that comes to mind is football. Specifically, the bowl games. This is the silliest thing that I know of. The bowl system could be one of the most over rated and over talked about things in all of sports. Anytime during the Christmas break when I actually had my eyes open to watch TV, all that was on was bowl game analysis and predictions. The bowl games weren’t actually on; they were just talking about them. They are so hyped up that they actually are a let down when it comes to the game itself. In part because people are expecting so much from the games, and because the players have so much practice time, it’s hard for them to get back into the game mode.

This brings up the question of why the games are held at the end of December and into January, when the regular season ends at the beginning of December. Once again, the only halfway logical explanation in money. More time to advertise, so more people know about it, so apparently, more people watch. Money is the only reason that bowl games still exist. Money is the only reason the BCS standings still exist. Money is the only reason an undefeated team in a “lesser” conference doesn’t get to play for the national championship.

In my opinion, the BCS system should be thrown out and never thought of again. It is to make money, not to see who the best team in is. The only way to find out who the best team is, is to have a playoff. Every other NCAA sport and division has one. Basketball, baseball, even division II football has a playoff. So why not division I (I’m sorry FBS)? Money. The easiest and most successful way to determine who the best is, never takes place in DI because the people who run the show are too greedy and always want more money.

Hawkeyes Upset Penn St.

I am a huge football fan. But, even though I live in the heart of Hawkeye country, I am not a big Iowa fan. I don’t really have a reason for this; it’s just that I never got around to liking them. I wasn’t born here, I moved here when I was in kindergarten, and I don’t have a favorite college football team. If I did, it probably would not be the Hawkeyes. I don’t have anything against them, they didn’t do anything wrong, I just don’t have a fondness for them like most of the other people that walk through the halls of my school do.

But I must admit that their win over Penn St. was miraculous. Penn St. is a good football team. I was looking for them to get into the national championship to give the Big Ten some representation, but that is out of the question now. I thought that they were just going to overwhelm the Hawks and beat them just on pure talent alone. But this was not the case. The talented Penn St. team did not shine verse the Hawks. But Penn St. has nobody to blame but themselves. They threw the game away. Iowa played like they usually do: turning the ball over on key possessions, making penalty’s that give the other team first downs when they were going to punt the ball away and give the Hawks decent field position. Penn St. just didn’t convert when they had the opportunity. They did get the Hawks down and keep them down like they (and everybody else in the nation) know they are capable of doing.

Now on to more college football.  Texas vs. Texas Tech. I was convinced that Texas was going to win this game. They had gone through a grueling schedule up to that point, and they had succeeded. They had overcome ever obstacle in their way and, I thought, were going to make a run to the national championship undefeated. This was not the case. It was close, as everybody expected, but Texas Tech found the way to pull this one out. Maybe it was the Harrell-Crabtree combination, or maybe it was just Graham Harrell. I think he is the best quarterback in this country. No doubt. If you just look at his staggering numbers, he blows everybody else away. But it’s not just the numbers. As you can see from that game, he also has the leadership to lead his team and come out victorious. But don’t doubt Colt McCoy, I think he is the second best. Just watch him play a game, its pretty impressive. He would have won the Heisman if Harrell didn’t beat him.