Bama or Buckeyes?

[FearlessF]

and unless you cornsider Washington a helmet last season, the committee looks no further than the loss column

hell no, Gump's don't need to apologize

the Buckeyes could have gone into Kinnick and scrapped out a "W", Purdue did it.

[utee94]

Well, this year Wisconsin was another 1-loss non-champion.  I'm not sure their schedule was really any worse than Alabama's.  Both teams lost the final game they played in, but Wisconsin played one more game.  But the Badgers don't have Alabama's helmetosity, so their only chance was to remain undefeated.

[CWSooner]

^^^  

And I'll give that much credit to the Gumps for sure.  I don't blame them for their schedule, only their performance against it.  It's not their fault their division decided to suck out loud this year, and as far as ooc, FSU is about as good as you can do, forecasting-wise.  How were they to know FSU would limp to their worst season in decades?

I don't think Alabama was the wrong choice.  I think there were no right answers once Wisconsin lost, and I question the way the committee makes their decisions, but if I were a Gump, I wouldn't be apologizing for getting in.

When did the Bammers become the Gumps?  I didn't see that nickname/epithet back on the CFN board in the good ole pre-realignment days.

[CousinFreddie]

If one looks purely at strength of schedule, it wasn't Wisky or SCal, but rather Ohio State that should have a beef with Bama:

SoS rankings

For me the main factor was that one of the Buckeyes' two losses was a total butt kicking.  The four teams that made the playoffs each had only one loss, and each loss was relatively close.  Any of those teams could have come back to win in those games, even as late as the 4th quarter.  But when Ohio State visited Iowa, they must have gotten lost and ended up passing through Lawrence and gotten a dose of Kansas water or something.  It was a rout.  

Had that loss been close, I think the committee might have given the nod to Ohio State due to the conference championship, even if they had two (close) losses vs Bama's one.

[CWSooner]

It came down to 1-loss helmet Alabama versus 2-loss helmets OSU and USC.  As long as it's all helmets, the committee looks no further than the number in the L column.

It's not as important as choosing and seeding the top four, but why is 3-loss non-champ, semi-at-best-helmet Auburn ranked ahead of 2-loss, champ, helmet USC?
In all the rankings, that's the one I understand the least.  Unless it's just to boost Bama.

[CharleyHorse46]

That's probably true.  No one here remembers that I observed back in the CNN days that our gathering of armchair philosophers and flagrant but congenial smack artists was like being on the back porch, shooting the breeze, etc, about essentially nothing of importance.  A nice getaway from our otherwise responsibility filled lives.  And the name stuck, but no one remembers who first made the observation, and that's okay.  It's just cool that it stuck, because it fits pretty well.

It's kind of like the Nike swoosh, which was created by a Portland State University art student back whenever as she was being paid minimal wages by the shoe empire in their castle in nearby Beaverton, and so for $35 or whatever it was they parlayed her creative brilliance.  Even though her name remains relatively unknown to this day, she has the satisfaction of knowing that her idea made it all over the world, and is an enduring symbol in athletics.

So, Hooky my man, when your idea eventually takes hold, even when no explicit credit comes your way, you'll be able to sit back in your rocking chair, maybe on a back porch somewhere, and bask in the glow of your idea becoming reality.

I remember a guy who got hit in the nose with pool ball.  Was that you or Big Matt?
Big Matt.   Hmm.
I wonder if Jesus is getting tired of hearing about the damned Cowboys... and Red Sox... and why an Okie is a Boston fan.
I’d give $300 and my right nut to hear all that again.
Not my left one.  It’s always been my favorite.

[CousinFreddie]

Yep, Bedlam has never been the same hereabouts.  

Sometimes I've thought about inventing an poke pseud to pretend to be LBM for that week, but there's no way to live up to the real mccoy.  

Remember those endless threads he started that went on for 60, 70, 80, etc pages, like ... what was it ... oh yeah ... just pick one?

And there was another one he engineered too, but I can't remember it at the moment.  But both were endless.  Right up there with the beer thread.

[CWSooner]

Here's an interesting analysis of Kirby Hocutt's explanations after yesterday's "reveal" by The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel.

[BrownCounty]

Wasn't it cute that Bama or Ohio St was a debate?

Saban has got to be the greatest ever.  I should spend more time soaking that in and revering the guy, but basically his success only disgusts me.

I turned off the tele and went to bed at 20-13.  Georgia had it 20-7, yet I still wasn't a believer.  Georgia offense suddenly went lifeless and Bama found its a pulse with a southpaw fish QB who has never played a game.  Unbelievable.

I couldn't bear to stay up and watch Bama win another one.  So I didn't.  Every time Bama closes in on another NC, I have nightmarish visions of Colt McCoy and 2008.

We all knew it would be Bama as soon as they snuck in at the #4 spot.

Oh, and their team is young...

[CousinFreddie]

Have to give them their due.  They’re the best program of the current era, by far.  No one else is even close.

Hats off to the Tide.

[UT-Erin03]

Gah, it sucks to say "congrats, bama", but it's due. 


What a fun game to watch (well, the 2nd half anyway), and truly they should have won it in regulation if that kicker had made his points.  Damn good showing for a pair of freshman QB's, too.  Much to be proud of for both teams.