Happy New Year

Happy New Year from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Steve Ramirez, Miguel Melendez and I are writing stories from today's game, so lets just make this the Penn State-USC game thread. Before the BCS, this was a classic Big-10, Pac-10 showdown, and both teams probably would have been playing for a piece of the national title. It wasn't a consolation bowl, which is the feeling coming out of the USC camp after missing the BCS championship game, played next week between Florida and Oklahoma, two other 11-1 teams. If there isn't going to be a playoff system, go back to the old way and let the writers and coaches decide in the polls. Why do you have to pick two 11-1 teams and say, "this is the national title game." You can't say Penn State or USC isn't just as deserving. You can't say undefeated teams like Utah have no say either. Let's see how Utah does in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama, and then decide. Prior to the BCS, everyone played, and the voters decided after the games who the champion was. We should all be in favor of a playoff, but until that day is here, get rid of the BCS and go back to the way it was.




Comments
There are a few great photos of Will Harris (CO) in action on the LA Times Rose Bowl photo gallery.
Oh... and JFR - that wasn't a "slam" by whitey on Lassalette when he called him"LostTheLeft". If you know about Mike's 3rd base coaching box mishap - it is pretty witty. Although I'm not sure it was very funny at the time. A guy I know was an orderly across the street at Queen of the Valley and said it was the size of a cantaloupe. OUCH!!
Posted by: Joe Amat | January 2, 2009 11:33 PM
Another Trojan VICTORY !
Fight On
TM
Posted by: Trojan Man | January 2, 2009 1:59 PM
The ultimate scenario (for me anyway) would be a championship playoff with the ultimate goal being the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on New Years day meaning the the end of the college football season. I can never remember a time when the Rose Bowl was so promoted than this one was.
Why the NCAA continues to play their D1 championship game football/basketball during the week on a week day makes no sense to me at all.Imagine all the TV viewership they lose because the blue collar guy who would have watched won;t watch because he has to get up the next morning to go to work.
Have it on New Year day and celebrate the New Year and the end of the college football season and hype the heck out of it just like the superbowl does.
What say you?
Posted by: Somethig to ponder | January 2, 2009 9:15 AM
Mr. Trek, my addy on the y is milkmantothestars and yes after Ron Vanderkelen, (4 doors down the block from us) came to Pasadena in 1962 SC 41 Badgers 37, we had to come out here......
Posted by: whitey | January 2, 2009 1:24 AM
Well Whitey...the season should only be 10/11 games for everyone.
Every Bowl game would stay the same. That makes 11/12 for everyone but the last 4 based on their Bowl Wins.
The final four teams are picked and THEY play the final 2 game. A National Semi Final Night followed by the Championship Game January 1st.
Who would that have been this year?
Maybe Alabama, USC, Florida, Texas and Oklahoma?
The seaosn is too long. Especially the break for Big Ten schools. They always look rusty and teh Pac 10 team ALWAYS has the HOME FIELD advantage.
I've never liked this format of Pac 10 vs. Big 10..it sucks. Beside "they" never want to "leave"...isn't that how you got here whitey?
Just kidding. Hope the surgery went well. The bike offer still stand. Trek 4500 brand new. Needs a rider?
Posted by: My Pal Whitey | January 2, 2009 12:28 AM
and who determines the top four teams? and after the bowls the teams play 2 more games? so OK and FLA would end up playing a 16 game season(NFL plays 16).......no way this happens, EVER
Posted by: whitey | January 1, 2009 11:46 PM
Okay as usual I'll make the right call...and here it is...
At the end of the season the top 4 teams are put in a hat and the matchups are pulled from a hat.
Locations could be Indoors, East, West, North or South on a rotating basis.
The top 4 teans are no longer ranked. Every one of the 4 top teams no longer have rankings. It's a random draw.
Two sites. Two Games. One Champion.
The logic behind this system is two fold.
If you're in the Elite Top Four you're really a potentially 1 thru 4 ranked team anyway.
Given these parameters might have changed the rankings with coaches and writers. The Computer is god aweful. Junk in junk out.
Let's say...1 meets 4 and loses. 3 beats 2 and loses to 4. Sorry...that's your National Championship.
It's a solution with wrinkles but it at least addresses the homerism and the need for some on field Champion.
Posted by: Maybe this works | January 1, 2009 11:28 PM
Oh Whitey, have a Happy New Year will ya...
Posted by: FredJ | January 1, 2009 7:00 PM
fred, I know you live for the "free" food at the venues, but you're the only guy who minutes after the game starts has to tell us he's sitting next to that god of "homer" journalism Jim Hill and then your next blog a few minutes later tells us how many tube steaks he's wolfed down...on to the "playoffs" it won't happen EVER look at the rate of Afro-Americans now in college football it's microscopic at the factories, TX,LSU,SC,Al,Ga. with semesters ending in December, you want to have a playoff? the college presidents will not go for it, EVER...it's not practical to start the playoffs after the bowl season, because half your senior players either stop going to school, in prep for the NFL auction and the other half of the seniors just drop out or flunk out, look at how bad the basketball playoff is, it balloned to 64 teams from only 26 in the late sixties, now that isn't enough they have to have a play-in game between the 64th and 65th seeds....and who is gonna seed the teams? the WRITERS, lol..and how many 8...16? and what are the venues? how many"fans" can make it on the road 3 weeks in a row or more? can ND,Ohio State,Penn State get a "home" game in January? it just ain't practical, if you THINK about it , logistically, and ethically they are suppose to be learning institutions(btw fred, did you "vote" for SC when LSU won the BCS championship game so you could keep feeding at the trough?
Posted by: whitey | January 1, 2009 6:52 PM
It never ceases to amaze me as to how much influence American culture has in this world.
In years past, I have been fortunate enough to have watched Lakers games from restaurants in such places as Manila, and have sat in remote jungle coffee shops with posters of Shaquile O’Neal hanging over the patrons who often knew more about NBA statistics tan I did.
This morning (it's about 9:30 am here) I was able to watch USC just domnate Penn State in the Rose Bowl, from the comfort of my hotel room.
I guess that all I am saying is that America is truly a nation whose culture, language and sports stars are well known throughout the world.
You know, we as Americans are truly blessed to live in a great county like this, and to enjoy so many things that we all take for granted every day.
So with that in mind, to each and every one of you, happy New Year, a belated Merry Christmas, and may this year turn out to be a blessing to all.
Posted by: jcaz | January 1, 2009 6:30 PM
Fred, money speaks volumes and thats why the BCS isn't going anywhere..
There should be a playoff scenario but lets face it it's just not gonna happen.
I dont understand why there just cant be a setup where you play your bowl game and then the winners of each bowl game are seeded and thrown in2 a playoff.. WHATS SO DAMN DIFFICULT ABOUT THAT!?!?!!
March madness in January any1??
Posted by: ST G54 | January 1, 2009 5:57 PM
Yeah, me and hundreds of other journalists chowing down on the spread.
Posted by: FredJ | January 1, 2009 5:09 PM
Hey Mike is a great guy, I played for him at Amat before he went to Edgewood and the BCS is way better than local homer honks(tribune) "voting" on something OK and FLA both won 12 games in conferences at least as difficult as the PAC10, if you need to vote on something, vote for dogcatcher, what a classic line from freddy" I've already knocked off 2 hot dogs........" and you call what you do JOURNALISM, lol
Posted by: whitey | January 1, 2009 4:52 PM
JFR, thanks, I've already knocked off two hots dogs, two kit kat's, chips and salsa and the food just keeps on coming. Jim Hill is directly behind me and TJ Simers is just a few seats down.
Posted by: FredJ | January 1, 2009 2:26 PM
Easy Whitey, Lassalette is a great person. Fred, I hope you can write about our Bruins in this game in maybe the next 7,8,10 years to come. Being a true BRUIN fan I am going to my neighbors house "both SC alum" to endure four hours of ridicule while wearing my BRUIN shirt. Have fun with the free food and drink Fred.
Posted by: JFR | January 1, 2009 1:17 PM
Whitey, the writers always have been part of the process, where have you been? There should be a playoff, but without one, the old way of doing things is better than today's BCS
Posted by: FredJ | January 1, 2009 11:38 AM
let the writers decide it? you're kidding right? certainly no one from the trib is qualified to vote on any sports related issue, do you finally know what a "libero" is now freddy? did the guru?(lmao) help you with that? don't be a homer, in regards to sc, there are 2 teams that are 12-1 playing in the BCS championship game for the right reasons, they won more games than any other teams? ergo, they get to play for the ring? it ain't all that hard, c'mon don't embarrass those EHS teachers(Lassalette) or is it Losttheleft? lol
Posted by: whitey | January 1, 2009 11:30 AM