11-05-2002, 09:55 AM
<a href='http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20021105&Category=SPORTS03&ArtNo=111050052&Ref=AR' target='_blank'>Yo, Pruett: We've got BCS players, too.</a>
11-05-2002, 09:55 AM
11-05-2002, 10:07 AM
As much as I hate the Blah , that was a good article. Coach Meyer's comments are dead on.
11-05-2002, 10:08 AM
Yea, Marshall just needs to face the facts that there are other MAC schools now that have BCS caliber players. I know that pains the Marshall fans greatly to see other MAC teams work hard and have great seasons and possibly take their MAC Championship away from them but sometimes you just have to admit that there is a better team out there.
11-05-2002, 10:11 AM
I still hate it.
There's a huge difference between saying "realistically we might not get there" and "we don't deserve it".
Plenty of BCS teams hadn't deserved it, but they took the $8 million+ payout. That's what BG should be arguing for. Get it in the press right now, and there's a better chance of something good happening.
There's a huge difference between saying "realistically we might not get there" and "we don't deserve it".
Plenty of BCS teams hadn't deserved it, but they took the $8 million+ payout. That's what BG should be arguing for. Get it in the press right now, and there's a better chance of something good happening.
Guest
11-05-2002, 10:27 AM
Markey is a BG shill at a newspaper that supports BG over it's own University. This article was nothing but spin control. Sorry, Urban...you're already on the record. And, of course, now on everyone's short list as openings appear. Congrats!
11-05-2002, 10:32 AM
Oddball Wrote:Markey is a BG shill at a newspaper that supports BG over it's own University.I got a terse note from the Lima Noise saying they would no longer read my emails. I said nothing critical in my last 4, just sent links to newspapers that are covering BG's season.
The Blah prints UT stories. You can't say that about the Lima Noise.
11-05-2002, 10:33 AM
As flaming mad as I was at the original USA Today piece, I am completely satisfied with this.
Detroit is the perfect place for our team, a collection of working class schmoes who have to work twice as hard to get what some football teams have handed to them for just showing up.
How great would it be for the MAC and the Motor City Bowl to have a highly ranked team in Detroit? * It would be fantastic.
The financial inequities of college football are heartbreaking. But that doesn't mean I think a trip to a domed stadium in, say, New Orleans is intrinsically better than a trip to a domed stadium in Detroit. The hell with tradition. Let's build something great in Detroit.
If Bowling Green beats Ohio State next year, maybe we can start talking about whether the Falcons deserve consideration for a mythical national title. For now, we just have to accept that Bowling Green's schedule doesn't justify such talk. It's not justified now and it it wouldn't have justified such talk in the pre-BCS days, either. Just ask Miami or Toledo.
-----------
* Note that I am not assuming Bowling Green will run the table this year. Far from it. Dekalb State, Tampa State and Toledo all have good football teams. But it should be obvious what I am *hoping* to see happen.
Detroit is the perfect place for our team, a collection of working class schmoes who have to work twice as hard to get what some football teams have handed to them for just showing up.
How great would it be for the MAC and the Motor City Bowl to have a highly ranked team in Detroit? * It would be fantastic.
The financial inequities of college football are heartbreaking. But that doesn't mean I think a trip to a domed stadium in, say, New Orleans is intrinsically better than a trip to a domed stadium in Detroit. The hell with tradition. Let's build something great in Detroit.
If Bowling Green beats Ohio State next year, maybe we can start talking about whether the Falcons deserve consideration for a mythical national title. For now, we just have to accept that Bowling Green's schedule doesn't justify such talk. It's not justified now and it it wouldn't have justified such talk in the pre-BCS days, either. Just ask Miami or Toledo.
-----------
* Note that I am not assuming Bowling Green will run the table this year. Far from it. Dekalb State, Tampa State and Toledo all have good football teams. But it should be obvious what I am *hoping* to see happen.
Guest
11-05-2002, 10:40 AM
DrTorch Wrote:Whether they toss Toledo a bone here and there in their coverage isn't the issue, though.Oddball Wrote:Markey is a BG shill at a newspaper that supports BG over it's own University.I got a terse note from the Lima Noise saying they would no longer read my emails. I said nothing critical in my last 4, just sent links to newspapers that are covering BG's season.
The Blah prints UT stories. You can't say that about the Lima Noise.
11-05-2002, 11:02 AM
Personally, I feel that he said it because something is brewing on the horizon??? For instance, if I knew that I had a potential contract with a BCS school, I wouldn't want to tick them off, either...But I don't think that I would sit on the fence as UM did...Even if it is true that no team from the MAC deserves to be in a BCS bowl, it is still bad form and poor PR...IMO
11-05-2002, 11:04 AM
RochesterFalcon Wrote:The financial inequities of college football are heartbreaking. But that doesn't mean I think a trip to a domed stadium in, say, New Orleans is intrinsically better than a trip to a domed stadium in Detroit. The hell with tradition. Let's build something great in Detroit.Hey I'm happiest w/ a game in Detroit too. Just up the payout to $8 million. And give it prime time viewing.
.
I'm not sure what the Miami and Toledo references mean. I do believe this though: when a MAC team does well and gets slighted, it's just that much harder to recruit. No kid doubts the ability of that coach or team, but it's a justifiable question to ask, "Why bother? I might as well be a 3rd stringer at BCS U. or go to Mt Union."
I won't dignify the strength of schedule argument because the MAC gets slighted in so many ways that when a MAC team excels it's as deserving of rewards as any team in the country, from UCLA to BC, UCG to Ore St.
11-05-2002, 11:09 AM
Once again, it sounds to me like he's interviewing for a BCS job. "Hey guys, just because I came from a non-BCS conference doesn't mean I'll rock the boat once I get there. I fully support your illegal monopoly and you can call on me to testify in court that the non-BCS programs don't deserve a shot at the big bucks." (Not that the non-BCS conferences will ever get the balls to do something about it).
11-05-2002, 11:35 AM
I was probably the most critical of Meyer's USA Today interview - and I totally agree with Torch.
Putting the MAC's position aside for the moment, I find it hard that any competitive coach, player or fan would prefer the current BCS system to a bona fide playoff. You hear coaches within BCS conferences stating they would prefer a playoff, and it's a pretty common theme in the press as well. When you add to the discussion how the BCS automatically omits the smaller conferences, it makes the preference of the BCS system by one of our coaches more ridiculous:
Per the Blah:
"'The BCS system is the fairest way to crown your national champion,' Meyer said. 'Unless you go to a playoff, which I am not in favor of, the BCS is the fairest method we have. I
Putting the MAC's position aside for the moment, I find it hard that any competitive coach, player or fan would prefer the current BCS system to a bona fide playoff. You hear coaches within BCS conferences stating they would prefer a playoff, and it's a pretty common theme in the press as well. When you add to the discussion how the BCS automatically omits the smaller conferences, it makes the preference of the BCS system by one of our coaches more ridiculous:
Per the Blah:
"'The BCS system is the fairest way to crown your national champion,' Meyer said. 'Unless you go to a playoff, which I am not in favor of, the BCS is the fairest method we have. I
11-05-2002, 11:40 AM
Quote:I'm not sure what the Miami and Toledo references mean.
The 1969-71 Toledo run and the 1973-75 Miami run.
Quote:I do believe this though: when a MAC team does well and gets slighted, it's just that much harder to recruit. No kid doubts the ability of that coach or team, but it's a justifiable question to ask, "Why bother? I might as well be a 3rd stringer at BCS U. or go to Mt Union."
This really isn't the recruiting situation facing Bowling Green.
Essentially, what Bowling Green is trying to do is grab kids who could also play at Marshall, Toledo, Purdue, Northwestern, Indiana, etc.
Bowling Green actually has a selling point over those Big Ten schools. "Come to Bowling Green," Meyer can say, "and play for a winner."
As for Mount Union -- I don't know who they recruit against, but it certainly isn't us.
11-05-2002, 12:22 PM
I've got a question for any BCS experts that are out there.
What would happen in this very unlikely case? What if two teams from non-BCS conferences are in the top six AND Notre Dame was in the top ten?
You would have six BCS conference champions guaranteed a spot. You would have two non-BCS teams guaranteed a spot. Notre Dame would be guaranteed a spot. That's nine teams that would be guaranteed bids when only eight bids are available.
Quote:The BCS was set up to virtually exclude more than half of the Division I-A teams from the start, concentrating the eight bids to the highest-profile bowls in the six BCS conferences, and with independent Notre Dame. The Irish get in if they are ranked in the top 10 in the BCS and have at least nine wins, while the champions of those six major conferences are guaranteed slots. If a team from a non-BCS conference should slip into positions 3-6 in the BCS rankings, which is highly unlikely, they would qualify for a guaranteed spot.
What would happen in this very unlikely case? What if two teams from non-BCS conferences are in the top six AND Notre Dame was in the top ten?
You would have six BCS conference champions guaranteed a spot. You would have two non-BCS teams guaranteed a spot. Notre Dame would be guaranteed a spot. That's nine teams that would be guaranteed bids when only eight bids are available.
11-05-2002, 05:51 PM
BGSU96 Wrote:Yea, Marshall just needs to face the facts that there are other MAC schools now that have BCS caliber players. I know that pains the Marshall fans greatly to see other MAC teams work hard and have great seasons and possibly take their MAC Championship away from them but sometimes you just have to admit that there is a better team out there.Are you kidding? I wish all MAC teams could rise to the levels of BUGS, Toledo, Miami, Marshall, and Western (down but not out once they clicking prolly next year). It can't happen cause when we beat up on each other it hurts national rankings. That is ok and it happens in every conference but losses to bottom tier MAC teams is more devastating to national perception than say tOSU losing to Indiana (just an example I know it didn't happen). BUT if 4 or 5 teams in the MAC consistently start cracking the top 25 and it is happening then that perception has to change. The best way for this to happen is beating BCS OOC. Many MAC teams take care of this now. Marshall not included. We have only been fortunate to beat MAC teams who have beaten larger foes. So we have coasted in on the shoulders of the conference mates. Anyway the point I was trying to make is that it seems to be happening and I would love to have people say "yeah they lost to Akron but they did in front of a hostile crowd of 30,000 and afterall Akron is #19 after knocking off tOSU and Pitt. " Instead of losing to a team that people are wondering why are even in 1-A. It can only help us to have all MAC teams be better. We can't win every game every time in the MAC. That is unrealistic. I would like losing to be less, well, embarrassing to lower tier MAC teams. I know they're good but nationally that was a major f-up.
11-06-2002, 08:03 AM
Excellent point, (and we should all learn here to always listen to your muther 
) though I think the problem remains for the MAC, top to bottom in most sports--how do you recruit against the BCS schools? How do you pay coaches, provide facilities, etc. when your teams draw anywhere from 5% to 50% of the fans that the BCS schools do and subsequently are not competitive with them. (Look at the MAC record this year against BCS schools. Awful.) So they get all the bowl and NCAA tourney money and the cycle continues. The question is how to break the cycle? How do you get more than a handful of teams even marginally competitive in a given year? Has anyone beaten a potentially bowl bound team? Maybe Wake? Anyone else? It's hard to make progress when you lose every game against the top competition.
I don't belive the MAC is going anywhere but where it is for a while--especially when we lose more games to Div II teams than we win games against winning BCS teams. Nobody is going to level the playing field just because we think it's unfair to us. It's very fair to THEM. And why should they give up their share of the pie? How has the MAC shown it is at that level.
If the argument gets turned around, (could the MAC--all the MAC-- consistently beat the best Div. II teams?) we see the dilemma we are in.
:(
<!--EDIT|axeme|Nov 6 2002, 08:10 AM-->
) though I think the problem remains for the MAC, top to bottom in most sports--how do you recruit against the BCS schools? How do you pay coaches, provide facilities, etc. when your teams draw anywhere from 5% to 50% of the fans that the BCS schools do and subsequently are not competitive with them. (Look at the MAC record this year against BCS schools. Awful.) So they get all the bowl and NCAA tourney money and the cycle continues. The question is how to break the cycle? How do you get more than a handful of teams even marginally competitive in a given year? Has anyone beaten a potentially bowl bound team? Maybe Wake? Anyone else? It's hard to make progress when you lose every game against the top competition.I don't belive the MAC is going anywhere but where it is for a while--especially when we lose more games to Div II teams than we win games against winning BCS teams. Nobody is going to level the playing field just because we think it's unfair to us. It's very fair to THEM. And why should they give up their share of the pie? How has the MAC shown it is at that level.
If the argument gets turned around, (could the MAC--all the MAC-- consistently beat the best Div. II teams?) we see the dilemma we are in.
:(
<!--EDIT|axeme|Nov 6 2002, 08:10 AM-->
11-06-2002, 08:24 AM
How do you break the cycle? Well, you gotta have a plan.
1. You push like crazy to get money and recognition any time you can. Right now that horse is BG, and Leftwich for Heisman. You don't bow your head and say, "we're moving up, see you in a few years". One Major bowl bid, would tell every recruit that they can choose the right school for them, even if it's Ball St instead of Purdue or Kent instead of PSU, and winning will be rewarded.
This is the next logical step after the MAC has already put out very good MACC and MCB games. People want to see progress!
2. You gotta get the media on your side. The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. You gotta push for newspaper coverage, large and small. That may mean buying ad space too, but someone has to keep after all the sources and make sure they're giving you air time and column inches. THAT serves to put fans in the seats and make new fans. No team is going to get loyal fans if a.) potential fans have never heard of the school*, and b.) they can't find the results.
I personally lean toward AM radio as a cheap way of broadcasting games. More teams need a radio network to get their product to alumni.
3. I like much of what UM is doing at BG. Ownership to the students. That will provide loyalty among future alumni, and means new students quickly embrace the team and become a part. I've seen students who couldn't care less about sports buy season tix to tOAMU games b/c "it's the thing to do". I don't imagine too many UNC students don't have some interest in bball. It's contagious.
* Laugh at this all you want, but it's true. I remember wondering who "Miami (OH)" was when I was visiting an uncle in Fla and I read that they won the Tangerine Bowl. My parents never went to college and we lived in Columbus, so all I knew was "Ohio State". Now it could be that I was just some rube from Ohio; but folks here were lamenting that Ohio is way behind the nat'l avg in college graduates, so that means plenty of kids are growing up w/ no idea of how many universities Ohio has, nor what they do.
1. You push like crazy to get money and recognition any time you can. Right now that horse is BG, and Leftwich for Heisman. You don't bow your head and say, "we're moving up, see you in a few years". One Major bowl bid, would tell every recruit that they can choose the right school for them, even if it's Ball St instead of Purdue or Kent instead of PSU, and winning will be rewarded.
This is the next logical step after the MAC has already put out very good MACC and MCB games. People want to see progress!
2. You gotta get the media on your side. The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. You gotta push for newspaper coverage, large and small. That may mean buying ad space too, but someone has to keep after all the sources and make sure they're giving you air time and column inches. THAT serves to put fans in the seats and make new fans. No team is going to get loyal fans if a.) potential fans have never heard of the school*, and b.) they can't find the results.
I personally lean toward AM radio as a cheap way of broadcasting games. More teams need a radio network to get their product to alumni.
3. I like much of what UM is doing at BG. Ownership to the students. That will provide loyalty among future alumni, and means new students quickly embrace the team and become a part. I've seen students who couldn't care less about sports buy season tix to tOAMU games b/c "it's the thing to do". I don't imagine too many UNC students don't have some interest in bball. It's contagious.
* Laugh at this all you want, but it's true. I remember wondering who "Miami (OH)" was when I was visiting an uncle in Fla and I read that they won the Tangerine Bowl. My parents never went to college and we lived in Columbus, so all I knew was "Ohio State". Now it could be that I was just some rube from Ohio; but folks here were lamenting that Ohio is way behind the nat'l avg in college graduates, so that means plenty of kids are growing up w/ no idea of how many universities Ohio has, nor what they do.
11-06-2002, 08:40 AM
Preach it Torch!! Agree 1000%