With all the craziness going on in the sports world right now, I definitely had my options over what to write my first post about: the Plaxico Burress incident, the drug violations and suspensions of several NFL players, the disgustingly sexist and inappropriate comments made by Sean Avery (I'll get to him later), and the unfortunate circumstances involving the BCS and the Big 12 South title. Instead, I decided to write my first post about a topic very near and dear to my heart.
After an excellent regular season, my Northwestern Wildcats sit at an impressive 9-3, ranked #22, 24, and 22 in the BCS, AP, and USA Today polls, respectively. Yet with several days to go before Bowl invitations are sent out, there is a great deal of speculation (almost to a point that it seems like a lock), that the unranked 8-4 Iowa Hawkeyes will be going to a more prestigious bowl than the Cats.
Now, aside from NU being my Alma Mater, as a sports fan I have a some problems with this potential decision:
1) First is the obvious....Northwestern went into Iowa City and beat the Hawks on their home turf 22-17. In my opinion this fact should end the discussion right now. How can their be a better tie breaker -- since, in fairness to the discussion, both teams were 5-3 in the Big Ten -- than head-to head competition?
I have read arguments that we have to discount that game because it was the first Big Ten Conference game of the season. So let me get this straight....we are supposed to penalize NU and give Iowa a pass because of the date that the game was played on? Do the Washington Redskins say to the NFL, "Well you can't really count that first game of the year against the Giants because it was early in the season and we hadn't really hit our stride yet?" NO! Of course not!
And shouldn't this early season excuse apply to both teams? If Iowa hasn't hit its stride yet because it's early in the season, then by that logic, Northwestern hasn't hit its stride yet either. The point is, is that you have to play your games when you are scheduled to play your games, and you have to respect the result.
2) Iowa is reportedly slated to go to the Outback bowl over Northwestern because of the "relative prestige of the programs." So the argument here is that Iowa has a better (football) pedigree than NU, and therefore, because NU is not a well respected program, it will get pushed down in the pecking order, despite the team's on field accomplishments. This creates a vicious cycle -- NU lacks prestige and therefore won't be selected for this bowl, and by not being selected for this bowl NU is denied the opportunity to gain a measure of prestige, and this lack of prestige will prevent them from being selected into a better bowl, which will prevent them from gaining prestige, which will...well you see what I'm getting at.
If teams' on field accomplishments are pushed aside for this euphemism "prestige," it becomes very difficult for teams to change the public's perception of them....which brings me to my final point --
3) It's all about the MONEY!!! According to just about everyone, Iowa has a bigger fan base, Iowa will be a better draw on TV, and Iowa will put more butts in the seats. Plain and simple, it's about money. The bowl selection committee will choose the team that will bring in the dough.
As a sports fan of any kind, this should anger you. This is the worst reason of all to choose one team over another. This reason completely ignores ALL of this year's on field accomplishments and defers to the power of the one thing that college sports should not be about...the Almighty Dollar. Shame on the selection committee if this is ultimately the reason that they choose Iowa over NU.
This post is certainly not to discredit the accomplishments of the Iowa Hawkeyes. They had a great season as well, and knocked off Penn St., which is no small accomplishment. When you get right down to it though, I think NU has earned the right to the better bowl game.
I hope the predictions are wrong. I hope my Cats will get the respect they deserve this year. I hope the committee will make the right choice. And I hope to be watching my Cats on January 1st in Tampa, FL at the Outback Bowl.
And if you disagree....go ahead and tell me I'm wrong.
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11 comments:
Amen Rosey...I really hope they get their act together, look into their hearts, and give us the recognition that we deserve.
No disrespect meant to your 'Skins buddy. In fact, I was paying a compliment, because they sure haven't been complaining about that game. They went out and won a bunch of games in a row.
I suggest you tie this blog around a brick and throw it through the BCS office windows.
My buddy Matt Repchak works for the organization that puts on the Capital One Bowl (and I think the Outback Bowl, as well) and told me in no uncertain terms that Iowa and Wisconsin are always going to be the teams favored for these Big Ten runner up teams because their fan bases shatter -- no, rather DESTROY -- any and all figures not just for attendance but for sales of alcohol at these bowl games.
Fair? No. A sound business decision for an industry completely driven by money? In the words of Sarah Palin: "You betcha" (wink).
Mike, reason #3 is all that matters. The bowl system is corrupt. That is why, at least for the national title, there needs to be a playoff. That won't fix this problem w/ the Big 10 though. They really need to make a rule that in the case of tied records that head-to-head matchups decide the bowls (talk to Texas and the BIg 12). Until NU consistently sells out Ryan Field and drinks copious amounts of alchol, you will always lose out to those drunken Hawkeyes and Badgers. I must divulge that I am a Hawkeye but I will be bemoaning the bowl system just as loud when we lose out to Ohio St or Michigan when we get screwed by their prestige in bowl selection. Maybe this will make you feel better: the Alamo Bowl will be the better bowl this year. Whoever plays in the Outback will be playing a team from an over-rated SEC: the cockless Gamecocks or a down LSU. The real opponant will be playing OSU in San Antonio. Beating them means you have a really good team and more juice for next year. Shouldn't you guys just be happy to make it to a bowl, though?
Josh, you make a couple of great points. Playing OSU in the Alamo will be an incredible challenge for the team that goes there, and yes, we are excited to just go to a good bowl game.
I think those of us who went to NU feel that are team is constantly climbing an uphill battle for respect, and this is just one more example of the Cats not getting their due, strictly in terms of bowl pecking order.
Hey Mike, good luck with the blog.
You’re in a tough spot with this one. A BCS school is complaining about what bowl they may go to compared to another BCS school. Both schools will be pulling in big bucks for their conference and sharing in the booty. This is a bowl system that they are intent on perpetuating. NU as a Big Ten school and part of the BCS is part of the problem, not a victim of it. Why not ask the animals in the jungle for sympathy because one lion killed another?
Someone suggested that to me Bob, that NU leave the BCS/Big Ten if it continues to get such little respect.
That kind of move though would be a detriment to the school I think, as one of the major draws of the university is that it's such a fantastic academic school that also has that amazing Big 10 atmosphere.
I think your friend is a little crazy Rosey. NU does very well by being in the Big Ten where it is consistently ranked as the "best" (academic) school in a conference where it is also able to be at least moderately competitive in athletics.
So, what, we should leave the Big 10 and compete as an independent for "more respect"? NU would immediately lose any respect it gains by playing (and sometimes beating) opponents such as Iowa and Ohio State on a yearly basis. Navy won the "Independents" this year, compiled a record only one loss worse than us, and they're playing on Dec. 20th against Wake Forest (like the 9th place team in the full ACC) in a game I'm about as likely to watch as I am to piss into the Minnesota wind.
Meanwhile NU will line up against the winner of the Big 12.
The truth is that while NU plays on an earlier day, they got the better (if not "higher profile") game. And were they to win that game they'd do a lot more for their respect from people that know the game than they would by beating South Carolina (who are, what? like 5th in the SEC...)
Apparently the point of my earlier comments weren’t clear. I’m not suggesting that NU drop out of the Big Ten. I find it hard to listen to complaints about what bowl game a BCS programs gets when the BCS programs in their greed for money have created the problem.
It’s time to stop perpetuating the bowl system and go to a tournament system and determine a national champion. Until that time you’ll get no sympathy from me. When you are party to a corrupt system, don't complain when you get screwed.
Bob
Ah, thank you for clarifying Bob. I'm already in agreement that there should be some sort of tournament system.
Of course, what's somewhat ironic out of all of this, is that we probably wound up with a better bowl game by going to the Alamo bowl. Yes, it's not a new year's day bowl, but the game will be much better seeing as we're facing Mizzou over a very mediocre South Carolina team.
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