January 30, 2008 · 7:41 AM

Only in America

Now this is a fascinating debate. There are pundits arguing that it would be a good thing for undefeated, No. 1 ranked Memphis to lose a regular season basketball game.

On Saturday, ESPN.com’s Pat Forde wrote, “But in my view, pulling an undefeated bull’s-eye into March Madness will hinder Memphis’ title quest.”

On Jan. 10, Sports Illustrated’s Seth Davis wrote, “Personally, I think this is a no-brainer. I say it’s better not to be undefeated … (I) believe that if a team hasn’t experienced losing, then it doesn’t achieve the kind of growth that can only come about through adversity. And at some point, instead of playing to win, you start playing not to lose.”

Can you imagine the response Forde would get if he suggested something similar during a college football season?

But, hey, it’s not like an extended playoff cheapens the regular season, is it?

5 Comments

Filed under BCS/Playoffs, Media Punditry/Foibles

5 responses to “Only in America”

  1. LD
    January 30, 2008 at 9:44 AM

    The college basketball regular season has three times as many games as the college football regular season. These statements are akin to some pundit saying it’s better for a college football title contender to get tested by someone (maybe trail at halftime or something) rather than just blow everyone out.

    I’m not saying it’s a valid argument, but I know that pundits have made it in college football after a top team struggles. Something like “now they know they can bounce back”.

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  2. Senator Blutarsky
    January 30, 2008 at 9:49 AM

    I like Calipari’s response: “I just need to know,” coach John Calipari said, “which of those people have coached.”

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  3. D.N. Nation
    January 30, 2008 at 12:16 PM

    There’s nothing in a loss you couldn’t have also learned in a win.

    – Jim Valvano (the quote is something like that)

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  4. peacedog
    January 30, 2008 at 1:00 PM

    Yeah, most serious college basketball fans dismiss that kind of commentary. And LD is right, what people are really asking for is that a team be tested.

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  5. Chuck
    January 30, 2008 at 2:24 PM

    So we need to avoid tripling the length of the regular season and the not have a 64 team playoff in CFB to keep the regular season meaningful?

    Hmm, the prospect of 45 or so UGA football games every year might just be enough to get me to not care about devaluing the regular season : )

    “Well, we won the series against Florida this year 4-1…)

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