I was sitting in a Mexican restaurant Monday night drinking a beer when I looked up at a big screen TV that was tuned to ESPN’s Monday Night Football preview show. There was no sound, so I hadn’t been paying attention, but a question posed across the bottom of the screen caught my eye and reminded me why I don’t like the NFL and do like college football.
It was a simple question about the upcoming NY Giants – New England Patriots football game: Do the New York Giants owe it to the rest of the league to play their starters against New England?
You see, both teams have already clinched playoff spots and the outcome of this game makes no difference to either team’s seeding. But the Patriots are on course to set history by going undefeated over a 16 game regular season. The question essentially is, should that matter to the New York team? And the answer is, at least in the context of the NFL, nope. There’s no reason for the Giants to jeopardize their postseason with an injury to a key starter in what has become a meaningless regular season game.
Those are scales I hope I never see a D-1 football team have to balance.
I’m not opposed to a playoff. But I am opposed to a postseason format where considerations like that could become part of the equation. The day I hear Mark Richt asked a question like that before a Georgia Tech or Auburn game is the day I find another sports interest.
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Jeez – now I’m an echo chamber for Stewart Mandel.
Be afraid. Be very, very afraid. I am. 😉
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We don’t need a playoff for just the reason you cite. I want my team to focus on winning their conference, beating their rival(s), and getting into a good, fun Bowl game. People just need to accept that the whole BCS and National Championship thing may be subjective. Lot’s of things in life are subjective. The value of the regular season and winning the conference is all important. A plus-one game – sure. But a full blown playoff – not on my priority list.
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Senator, I understand about not having a play off. But why isn’t there more of an outcry over coaches voting in polls? As the money grows, I think the adverse impact that has will become more problematic and could corrupt the current system.
That and the fact that not every conference has a championship game.
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You misses the point. They are resting for the “play-offs”. College football standings are voted on by sportswriters. If you like that better, it’s because you are a fool. College football is for kids, if it mattered, they would have playoffs too.
The Sultan on Sports
http://www.tsos20.wordpress.com
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Great argument Sultan. You’re a fool. NFL is for kids. If it mattered, the regular season would be exciting.
I think you misses the point. Individual games still matter in college football. No one single game in the NFL season means anything. College football has huge games every weekend that matter.
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Dawg,
College sports is played by amatuers with hopes of being professionals one day. College sports are beneath minor league sports in quality. Only fools place too much importance and bet on games played by kids.
Little league baseball has big games every week also, maybe you should go to those games. The players cry when they loose and everything.
The Sultan on Sports
http://www.tsos20.wordpress.com
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But why isn’t there more of an outcry over coaches voting in polls?
BB, I couldn’t agree with you more.
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You misses the point. They are resting for the “play-offs”.
Sultan, it doesn’t sound like I’m missing the point at all. I don’t like the idea of taking off a game during the regular season (I’d like it even less if I’d paid for a ticket to that game).
You’re obviously OK with that. To each his own, sir…
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Sultan,
Let’s take it one step further. Only fools place too much importance and bet on games played by ANYONE. As the Senator said, to each his own.
But thanks for stopping by and hocking your professional football web site.
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Sultan King Ego Shah Emporer of Sports,
I don’t think anyone was arguing the quality of athlete between college and pro. Nor do I think anyone here mentioned betting on sports. What was mentioned was a reason college football is better than the bland product the NFL puts out. I have yet to see an college athlete take a game off to prepare for a bowl, but I’m going to see several NFL players ride the pine this weekend in meaningless games.
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