Myles Turner (who is a hotshot hoops recruit, for all of you football-centric SEC guys
) had a big selection show on ESPNU this afternoon. While I would echo the sentiment of the brave knight from "Indiana Jones and the Lost Crusade" who used the phrase "He chose poorly...", it occurred to me while I was waiting for the announcement to be made that I have a new perspective.
Prior to visiting CSNBBS, while I'd have attributed some of the hype to the modern world of recruiting and endless ESPN self-promotion in general, it would not have crossed my mind about them using it to also build equity in a sub-brand. And yet, as the clock ticked by, I started thinking about how ESPN could benefit from the protracted announcement beyond selling ad time today - and I started thinking, "As invested in KU as ESPN may be, in whom do they have an ever larger investment via the Longhorn Network?"
Sure enough - the final decision was not much of a surprise. I say this not out of sour grapes (it'd be silly to complain, when we landed two very highly-rated players for next year as it is), but because my whole way of thinking about this has changed due to reading these boards, and it made me think of things differently than I had before.
For the record, I am NOT saying that ESPN paid Turner to go to Texas - but I suspect that if they knew his decision ahead of time, it could have influenced the amount of attendant hype for the announcement. And maybe it would all have played out the same no matter what he chose - but it does show how my thinking has changed.
(04-30-2014 03:49 PM)BewareThePhog Wrote: [ -> ]Myles Turner (who is a hotshot hoops recruit, for all of you football-centric SEC guys ) had a big selection show on ESPNU this afternoon. While I would echo the sentiment of the brave knight from "Indiana Jones and the Lost Crusade" who used the phrase "He chose poorly...", it occurred to me while I was waiting for the announcement to be made that I have a new perspective.
Prior to visiting CSNBBS, while I'd have attributed some of the hype to the modern world of recruiting and endless ESPN self-promotion in general, it would not have crossed my mind about them using it to also build equity in a sub-brand. And yet, as the clock ticked by, I started thinking about how ESPN could benefit from the protracted announcement beyond selling ad time today - and I started thinking, "As invested in KU as ESPN may be, in whom do they have an ever larger investment via the Longhorn Network?"
Sure enough - the final decision was not much of a surprise. I say this not out of sour grapes (it'd be silly to complain, when we landed two very highly-rated players for next year as it is), but because my whole way of thinking about this has changed due to reading these boards, and it made me think of things differently than I had before.
For the record, I am NOT saying that ESPN paid Turner to go to Texas - but I suspect that if they knew his decision ahead of time, it could have influenced the amount of attendant hype for the announcement. And maybe it would all have played out the same no matter what he chose - but it does show how my thinking has changed.
When I was in my early 30's I was a true believer, in spite of all of the recruiting violations I was noting while in the line of work. By the end of my thirties my eyes had been opened and not just by the rampant cheating going on among the various conferences recruiting the wide area where I worked, but by a friend who had a gambling problem and who, in his 12 step program, encountered a former bookmaker that made him aware of how professional football was controlled by the yellow hanky. They didn't have to alter the outcome of a game just the final spread. There are two lines every week. The betting line and the closing line. Only the bookies see the closing line. It is the one that shows where all the heavy money was bet. The house wins 70% of those each week. They lose enough to look reputable and win enough to be profitable and by not being greedy or having to throw games, they stay profitable.
My enthusiasm for professional sports died a quick death after that. Now I see the same dynamics lurching into the college game. It's popular, seems cleaner to the average fan, and gains lots of casual betters. The dynamic you offer is a whole new paradigm for interference in the outcomes. The whole danged BCS, and before it the polls, were just a way of corrupting the public opinion to garner more favorable advertising rates for bowl match ups and playoffs. Oklahoma State, Baylor, an undefeated Tulane, Boise State at its Zenith, and others didn't stand a chance of getting into the biggest games because the projected advertising rates would have tanked without the helmet programs. That's why we have to have a selection committee for the basketball tournament and for the newly proposed college football playoffs. Get the wrong schools in there and ESPN and FOX won't rake the optimum profits.
Someone would have to be extremely naive to think that the networks whose bottom line is directly impacted by the match ups would not do all in their power to boost their investments.
Your suspicion about the announcement may have been a bit of an epiphany for you, but welcome to the world of the fully aware. Your reward will now be the cat calls of all of those who refuse to believe in such intrigues because they are so tired of everything else in their lives being manipulated from their investments to their real estate values, to their politics that they just have to believe in something and sports is it. That crowd will stone you for spoiling their delusion.
I'll leave you with a quote from someone who is seldom read today, "Those who are able to see beyond the shadows and lies of their culture will never be understood, let alone believed, by the masses." Plato
(04-30-2014 04:08 PM)JRsec Wrote: [ -> ] (04-30-2014 03:49 PM)BewareThePhog Wrote: [ -> ]Myles Turner (who is a hotshot hoops recruit, for all of you football-centric SEC guys ) had a big selection show on ESPNU this afternoon. While I would echo the sentiment of the brave knight from "Indiana Jones and the Lost Crusade" who used the phrase "He chose poorly...", it occurred to me while I was waiting for the announcement to be made that I have a new perspective.
Prior to visiting CSNBBS, while I'd have attributed some of the hype to the modern world of recruiting and endless ESPN self-promotion in general, it would not have crossed my mind about them using it to also build equity in a sub-brand. And yet, as the clock ticked by, I started thinking about how ESPN could benefit from the protracted announcement beyond selling ad time today - and I started thinking, "As invested in KU as ESPN may be, in whom do they have an ever larger investment via the Longhorn Network?"
Sure enough - the final decision was not much of a surprise. I say this not out of sour grapes (it'd be silly to complain, when we landed two very highly-rated players for next year as it is), but because my whole way of thinking about this has changed due to reading these boards, and it made me think of things differently than I had before.
For the record, I am NOT saying that ESPN paid Turner to go to Texas - but I suspect that if they knew his decision ahead of time, it could have influenced the amount of attendant hype for the announcement. And maybe it would all have played out the same no matter what he chose - but it does show how my thinking has changed.
When I was in my early 30's I was a true believer, in spite of all of the recruiting violations I was noting while in the line of work. By the end of my thirties my eyes had been opened and not just by the rampant cheating going on among the various conferences recruiting the wide area where I worked, but by a friend who had a gambling problem and who, in his 12 step program, encountered a former bookmaker that made him aware of how professional football was controlled by the yellow hanky. They didn't have to alter the outcome of a game just the final spread. There are two lines every week. The betting line and the closing line. Only the bookies see the closing line. It is the one that shows where all the heavy money was bet. The house wins 70% of those each week. They lose enough to look reputable and win enough to be profitable and by not being greedy or having to throw games, they stay profitable.
My enthusiasm for professional sports died a quick death after that. Now I see the same dynamics lurching into the college game. It's popular, seems cleaner to the average fan, and gains lots of casual betters. The dynamic you offer is a whole new paradigm for interference in the outcomes. The whole danged BCS, and before it the polls, were just a way of corrupting the public opinion to garner more favorable advertising rates for bowl match ups and playoffs. Oklahoma State, Baylor, an undefeated Tulane, Boise State at its Zenith, and others didn't stand a chance of getting into the biggest games because the projected advertising rates would have tanked without the helmet programs. That's why we have to have a selection committee for the basketball tournament and for the newly proposed college football playoffs. Get the wrong schools in there and ESPN and FOX won't rake the optimum profits.
Someone would have to be extremely naive to think that the networks whose bottom line is directly impacted by the match ups would not do all in their power to boost their investments.
Your suspicion about the announcement may have been a bit of an epiphany for you, but welcome to the world of the fully aware. Your reward will now be the cat calls of all of those who refuse to believe in such intrigues because they are so tired of everything else in their lives being manipulated from their investments to their real estate values, to their politics that they just have to believe in something and sports is it. That crowd will stone you for spoiling their delusion.
I'll leave you with a quote from someone who is seldom read today, "Those who are able to see beyond the shadows and lies of their culture will never be understood, let alone believed, by the masses." Plato
Why didn't I choose the blue pill?
They knew. The questions is how? Did they influence his decision or did they get it out of him? I don't know what line of work y'all are in but there are some unbelievably deep rabbit holes in multiple industries. Sports is probably one of the better ones to investigate.
On another note...it's funny to watch some of our fans argue and grumble about reasons that ECU was never invited to the BE w/ UL, Cincy and USF. Some have some pretty wild ideas, some not so wild and the rest call them both crazy. The million dollar question is "which side is correct?" I like to think that UNC told the OBE to keep away from ECU or else the ACC would destroy the BE
. They did it anyway.....okay maybe that's not what I really believe but it's one of the more interesting theories.
UTs MO has always been to use their value to create artificial advantages for themselves so they are never above suspicion.
Just reading the Austin American Statesman today, UT now wants the "horns down" hand sign (mostly used by OU fans) to be considered taunting and result in a penalty.
And unfortunately, because the B12 depends on one school for the majority value of its TV contract, they HAVE to consider giving them what they want and placating them to keep them in the league for it to survive.Thats why I feel bad for good programs like KU and OU who ARE Big 12 hoops and pigskin and shouldn't have to put up with that. Hope y'all find a better home too one day!
(05-01-2014 01:54 AM)jhawkmvp Wrote: [ -> ] (04-30-2014 04:08 PM)JRsec Wrote: [ -> ] (04-30-2014 03:49 PM)BewareThePhog Wrote: [ -> ]Myles Turner (who is a hotshot hoops recruit, for all of you football-centric SEC guys ) had a big selection show on ESPNU this afternoon. While I would echo the sentiment of the brave knight from "Indiana Jones and the Lost Crusade" who used the phrase "He chose poorly...", it occurred to me while I was waiting for the announcement to be made that I have a new perspective.
Prior to visiting CSNBBS, while I'd have attributed some of the hype to the modern world of recruiting and endless ESPN self-promotion in general, it would not have crossed my mind about them using it to also build equity in a sub-brand. And yet, as the clock ticked by, I started thinking about how ESPN could benefit from the protracted announcement beyond selling ad time today - and I started thinking, "As invested in KU as ESPN may be, in whom do they have an ever larger investment via the Longhorn Network?"
Sure enough - the final decision was not much of a surprise. I say this not out of sour grapes (it'd be silly to complain, when we landed two very highly-rated players for next year as it is), but because my whole way of thinking about this has changed due to reading these boards, and it made me think of things differently than I had before.
For the record, I am NOT saying that ESPN paid Turner to go to Texas - but I suspect that if they knew his decision ahead of time, it could have influenced the amount of attendant hype for the announcement. And maybe it would all have played out the same no matter what he chose - but it does show how my thinking has changed.
When I was in my early 30's I was a true believer, in spite of all of the recruiting violations I was noting while in the line of work. By the end of my thirties my eyes had been opened and not just by the rampant cheating going on among the various conferences recruiting the wide area where I worked, but by a friend who had a gambling problem and who, in his 12 step program, encountered a former bookmaker that made him aware of how professional football was controlled by the yellow hanky. They didn't have to alter the outcome of a game just the final spread. There are two lines every week. The betting line and the closing line. Only the bookies see the closing line. It is the one that shows where all the heavy money was bet. The house wins 70% of those each week. They lose enough to look reputable and win enough to be profitable and by not being greedy or having to throw games, they stay profitable.
My enthusiasm for professional sports died a quick death after that. Now I see the same dynamics lurching into the college game. It's popular, seems cleaner to the average fan, and gains lots of casual betters. The dynamic you offer is a whole new paradigm for interference in the outcomes. The whole danged BCS, and before it the polls, were just a way of corrupting the public opinion to garner more favorable advertising rates for bowl match ups and playoffs. Oklahoma State, Baylor, an undefeated Tulane, Boise State at its Zenith, and others didn't stand a chance of getting into the biggest games because the projected advertising rates would have tanked without the helmet programs. That's why we have to have a selection committee for the basketball tournament and for the newly proposed college football playoffs. Get the wrong schools in there and ESPN and FOX won't rake the optimum profits.
Someone would have to be extremely naive to think that the networks whose bottom line is directly impacted by the match ups would not do all in their power to boost their investments.
Your suspicion about the announcement may have been a bit of an epiphany for you, but welcome to the world of the fully aware. Your reward will now be the cat calls of all of those who refuse to believe in such intrigues because they are so tired of everything else in their lives being manipulated from their investments to their real estate values, to their politics that they just have to believe in something and sports is it. That crowd will stone you for spoiling their delusion.
I'll leave you with a quote from someone who is seldom read today, "Those who are able to see beyond the shadows and lies of their culture will never be understood, let alone believed, by the masses." Plato
Why didn't I choose the blue pill?
The trick is not to need any pills. Think about it all for just a second. 99% of all talk rooms are filled with guys and gals who are enduring their tedious jobs in order to make a living and taking a break from their day, or at the end of it, to talk about things which they have no control over in order to connect with others facing the same issues of powerlessness, in order to find a point of commiseration that reaffirms that they are not alone and not the only ones feeling the same way about their world which oddly gives them a sense of empowerment, and it gives them a sense of reassurance to find that they are certainly not the only ones escaping into the banality of sports entertainment. The athletes they think they admire would likely not be people they would want their families to hang with. The ethics of their favorite coaches if witnessed often enough would make them recoil. And it is all controlled by the same kinds of corporate decisions that arbitrarily govern their daily lives. With their avatars they feel that unlike everywhere else in the world that they are free to express themselves and unveil the emotions that they must keep in check during real face time. They willingly believe in the anonymity of the internet even though they know that it is fiction.
When you sit in real rooms with real people who are freely talking about what approaches to take that will net the most on the bottom line and you personally experience the depth and thoroughness of the scenarios they lay out it tends to open your eyes and ears.
Has instant replay really changed the holding and interference calls that control games? Of course not. Those calls are not reviewable. So what if you reverse a fumble call or spot the placement based on where the foot was out of bounds. Replay sold the public on legitimacy. That's all it was designed to do.
The AP poll permitted those schools with the most media representatives which coincidentally also resided in the largest markets to garner the most votes. The higher ranked teams were more or less paired as their conference tie ins permitted and the Rose Bowl was the granddaddy of them all because it tied what at the time were the two schools representing the greatest population centers (outside of New York) together. Remember up until we became a media centric country the Rose Bowl was open to all. It's cache when negotiated into a Big 10 vs PAC champion only game assured those two conferences the domination and exclusion of the revenue and exposure of the game for 4 decades plus. Power business and media arrangements for college athletics were born. U.C.L.A. then did the same for Hoops with their great tourney run. Tie that energy into Kentucky, North Carolina, and New York - New England basketball and another media bonanza would find the legs to grow and grow all the way from a humble and limited start to 64 plus teams all still neatly seeded so that the largest demographics would likely remain in play until the final four.
From a marketing standpoint it is brilliant really. In the end the power schools always emerge only you have now, by including so many schools, lured in the interest of fans that otherwise may not have garnered an interest in the show. You play the underdog angle and the conference angle, but you make sure that if a ratings stinker like Wichita State looks strong that they must go up against last years' champ or a grossly under seeded Kentucky team that had already played them closely once that year.
The BCS was not just the #1 & 2 teams it was the #1 & 2 teams after a wild mixture of extraneous factors were weighed. The computer rankings are another artificial and extremely programmed biased angle that helps tilt the scales. People got sick of that too. So when one apparatus wears out the good will of the public it's time to get everyone to buy back in with a new trick. Enter the 4 team playoff where participants are decided by a committee of venerated personalities who are seemingly "unbiased" but all of whom are very vested in the maintaining strong ties with the media organizations that hype their selections. Please!
My faith in the game will be somewhat restored when we have 4 conferences who decide their champion on the field and whose champions then play each other to decide a title. Every other option is a scam. No polls, no computers, no coaches, no media voters, in other words nobody deciding for us who will play when each of them has a bias. Let the kids decide it on the field. Then if the officials shave points for the gambling industry I will choose the willing suspension of disbelief and enjoy the game while being annoyed by the convenient calls that cover the house. Why? Because in an imperfect world where those with power manipulate, that's as good as it gets. And because like everyone else if it gives me a 3 hour break from thinking about the rest of the disgusting mess it's worth it.
I remember Texas @ Iowa State this past football season. Texas received a favorable call to win by 1. If Texas loses that game, the wheels come off at 2-3 - and there is NO way they beat OU. It would have made the Red River Shootout a real disappointment from the "hype" perspective. I'm 50/50 on whether the officiating was sheer incompetence or corruption. Big XII officials are really fricking bad.
Let's not all pile on Texas, however. There are some other situations that aren't even close to being 50/50 - and they DON'T involve Texas. B1G officials - which are much better than Big XII ones IMO - have made some really fricking sketchy calls.
In general, I've noticed that G5 v G5 games tend to not have blatantly corrupt officiating as there is less MONEY on the line in each game. I would also say that a game like Illinois v Purdue will also be fairly officiated for the same reason - there is no mega-product for a network/league/official to protect.
I could sit here and rail on SEC as well. The truth of the matter is that EVERY league has a set of misbehaving programs that casually shatter the rules at every turn. (Most programs bend the rules, but I'm talking about the UGLY stuff.)
Nobody's innocent. The key here is hoping your school has a lower tolerance for disgusting activity - and that they don't elevate FB or BB above all else.
Tulane basketball were once embroiled in a point-shaving scandal (players were, not staff). The administration did the best thing possible - shut the basketball program down for a few years and let cooler heads prevail. It really prevented Tulane from becoming a pit of slime.
I'm thankful that they didn't kick it under the rug - and kind of proud that they acted like a University in that regard. I'm starting to see a number of other schools - VERY prestigious schools, mind you - that are unwilling to do the same.
(05-01-2014 08:17 AM)10thMountain Wrote: [ -> ]UTs MO has always been to use their value to create artificial advantages for themselves so they are never above suspicion.
Just reading the Austin American Statesman today, UT now wants the "horns down" hand sign (mostly used by OU fans) to be considered taunting and result in a penalty.
And unfortunately, because the B12 depends on one school for the majority value of its TV contract, they HAVE to consider giving them what they want and placating them to keep them in the league for it to survive.Thats why I feel bad for good programs like KU and OU who ARE Big 12 hoops and pigskin and shouldn't have to put up with that. Hope y'all find a better home too one day!
Be careful 10th! Displaying the horns down hand sign (hand signs are truly a Texas thing) might not just become a flagable offense, it could become a hate crime. Even PETA could get involved if it is believed that in any way it represents the slaughter of cows.
I think PETA did send a letter to A&M about our "saw em off" shirts because doing so to real Bevo it would probably kill him due the the highly vascularized tissue inside the horns and therefore represented "animal cruelty"
I believe our response was pointing out the scientific and anatomical fact of "so?"
As long as PETA enlists some of those Ole Miss coeds to participate in their usual sort of attention-getting campaign, it's all good.
(05-01-2014 01:17 PM)BewareThePhog Wrote: [ -> ]As long as PETA enlists some of those Ole Miss coeds to participate in their usual sort of attention-getting campaign, it's all good.
Where's Zombiewoof when you need him. He posted pics of the Ole Miss coeds and cheerleaders last year. We could use a booster shot!