The BCS is BS: My college football playoff system

Guess what everybody? It’s that time of the year again! No, not Christmas. No, not Hanukkah. You know, the time where everyone talks about how stupid the BCS is and then they try to make their own playoff scenario. Yeah, that time.

Well, I guess I should give it a shot too. I have seen and heard all of the criticism and ideas about a college football playoff system, but there is a lot I don’t agree with.

For anyone who thinks there should be a 16-team playoff: that’s way too many games. You don’t need to give an automatic bid to every conference champion. The Sun Belt Conference champions Florida International, who posted a sub-par 6-6 overall record but won their conference with a 6-2 record in league play, do not deserve to be a part of a playoff.

Here’s what I think should happen:

Keep the BCS ranking system. Take the top 12 teams from those rankings and give the top four seeds a first-round bye. Here’s what it would look like, and here’s what I predict would happen.

First Round: No. 5 Wisconsin defeats No. 12 Missouri, No. 6 Ohio St. defeats N0. 11 LSU., No. 10 Boise St. defeats No. 7 Oklahoma, No. 8 Arkansas defeats No. 9 Michigan State

-These are some great games, and would provide for some great television and revenue. Also, giving the top four seeds a bye gives them an advantage that they deserve. The only upset would be Boise St., who would come out with a vengeance after a heartbreaking loss vs. Nevada, and would take down Oklahoma.

Second Round: No. 1 Auburn defeats No. 5 Wisconsin, No. 2 Oregon defeats No. 6 Ohio St., No. 3 TCU defeats No. 10 Boise St., No. 8 Arkansas defeats No. 4 Stanford

-Once again, incredible match-ups. These games would earn the NCAA much more money than the the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl or Godaddy.com Bowl, right? Oh, you’ve never heard of those games? Oh, you’re not going to watch those? Yeah, I thought so. Anyways, I think Arkansas would beat Stanford, because in my opinion the Pac-10 is overrated. The TCU vs. Boise St. would be a great rematch from last year and would have millions of eyes throughout the country glued to the TV.

Third Round: No. 1 Auburn defeats No. 8 Arkansas, No. 3 TCU defeats No. 2 Oregon

-TCU takes down Oregon. Once again, the Pac-10 is overrated. Auburn beats Arkansas in what would be an amazing game.

Championship: No. 3 TCU defeats No. 1 Auburn

-Yep, you read that right. TCU gets the shot it deserves at a national championship, and doesn’t back down. They come out on fire and beat Auburn.

National Champion: TCU

 

Senior quarterback Andy Dalton would lead TCU to a national championship

-Words cannot explain how special this playoff system would be for college football. There would still be the smaller bowl games, giving smaller schools a chance at another game and all of the advantages that come with it. It would also shed the criticism about the automatic-qualifying conferences, as everyone who finishes in the top 12 would have a shot at the championship.

Odds are, this will never happen. But hey, I can have fun with it too right?

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Steve Johnson is mad at the wrong person

Steve Johnson is one of the biggest surprises so far this NFL season. He has come out of nowhere to become one of the best receivers in the league. He is amongst the top 12 in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns so far this season, which is very impressive considering his sub-par stats in his first two seasons. He was a seventh-round draft pick in 2008, and has definitely proved that he deserved to be higher.

Steve Johnson has become a fan-favorite all over the country. His amusing touchdown celebration against the Bengals was a very popular highlight, as he mocked Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens and their self-given “Batman” and “Robin” nicknames. But boy did he mess up yesterday.

After dropping a potential game-winning touchdown against the Steelers on Sunday, Steve Johnson tweeted this:

First of all, this is one of the many disadvantages of Twitter. The famous phrase of “Think before you speak” should be transformed and implemented into the Twitter rules page. It should read: “Think before you tweet!”

Steve Johnson sounded very immature here. Posting a message that will be seen by people all over the world, where he seemingly blames God for his dropped pass, is not the best thing to do. I know this all happened out of extreme emotion, as he was probably very upset about what had happened in the game, but come on! Don’t blame God. Blame yourself for not catching a few extra balls after practice. Don’t play the victim.

I feel bad for Steve Johnson, because if this occurred 20 years ago, none of this would have happened. He wouldn’t be able to go into his locker room, grab his fancy phone, log in to Twitter, and tell the world how frustrated he is. Twitter and other social media devices have become so prevalent today, and people are often getting themselves into trouble with actions that seem harmless at the time. Nowadays, athletes check their Twitter or Facebook more often than a high school student checks the clock in their last class. In a nutshell, social media has taken over the world.

Hopefully Johnson and other athletes will learn from this experience. Athletes need to be careful about what they say, because they are the center of attention. Thousands of people will see their tweets, and interpret them whichever way they want to.

Remember guys, think before you tweet!

True love for the game: John Peckinpaugh

Have you ever heard of John Peckinpaugh? Have you ever heard of IPFW? Unless my blog leaked to the Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne school website and you are a student reading this, you probably answered no to both. But don’t worry, I’m here to enlighten you.

Recently, photos have surfaced on the web of a basketball player who thought he was entering a boxing ring. Not really, but that’s just one of the many jokes that have been made of this young student-athlete and his attire.

John Peckinpaugh in action with his headgear.

Now I could try to come up with my own clever jokes about John, but I want to take a different approach. I want to give John some props.

John is now a junior at IPFW, and he has suffered so many concussions in his career that doctors told him it was too dangerous for him to play without serious protection. This serious protection entailed wearing both a mouthpiece and headgear at all times.

John could have easily just called it quits. He could have finished up his last couple years of school, and moved on with his life. That would have been the safe and smart thing to do.

“I decided I didn’t want to give up the game I loved and I’d do whatever it takes to keep playing,” said Peckinpaugh.

This is what sports are all about. Who cares if he plays for a school that few people across the country have heard of. Who cares if he averages just around 3 points per game. John Peckinpaugh sure doesn’t care.

He plays because there is nothing more enjoyable to him than stepping onto that court and playing basketball. It doesn’t matter to him that he looks goofy with his headgear on. It doesn’t matter to him that it is extremely uncomfortable and even restricts his peripheral vision. All that matters to John is that he still gets to play the game he loves.

Thanks, John, for proving to us that there are still amazing athletes out there. Not the ones who play for the fame and the money, but the ones who play for the love of the game. These are the ones that make sports special.

 

White men can’t jump, but they sure can rebound!

Kevin Love was a force in the post on Friday

Wow, Minnesota must “Love” this kid.

In case you missed it, Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves recently had the game of a lifetime. On Friday night, he had 31 points and 31 rebounds in a big win over the New York Knicks. Yes, you read that right. 31 points in a game is great by itself. 31 rebounds in a game is absolutely crazy in a game by itself. But to have all of that in one game…are you serious!?

Back in the stone ages, when Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell used to average 20-plus rebounds a game, a 30-30 game wasn’t too spectacular. But nowadays, 30 rebounds in a game is an incredible feat. Heck, a total of 30 rebounds in two games combined is impressive. Over the last few decades, the leading rebounder in the NBA has usually averaged around 15 rebounds per game, give or take a few.

Kevin Love did something that hadn’t been done in 28 years. Moses Malone was the last player to do it, when he had 32 points and 38 rebounds in a game in 1982. Love wasn’t even alive yet.

Kevin Love isn’t incredibly tall (in NBA terms), as he stands in at 6’10. He also isn’t known for ability to jump out of the gym (insert white-basketball-player-joke here). So how the heck did he do it?

“It seemed like no matter what anybody did I was going to go and get those rebounds. I don’t know what to tell you,” Love said to reporters following the game. This confidence and determination, combined with a whole lot of lucky bounces and good box-outs, is what helped Love reach the mark he did.

Is this going to give Kevin Love some momentum and a chance to really get his NBA career going? Who knows. All I know is that if continues to play like he did on Friday, he is going to be an absolute stud in the league for a long time to come.

Congrats, Mr. Love, on one of the most impressive games in a long time.

Pau Gasol…please make up your mind

What is that on your face?

If you are even vaguely familiar with the NBA, you have probably seen or heard of this scruffed-out man. If you’re one of those who lives within a 300-mile radius of Los Angeles and claims to be a Laker fan once they win the NBA Finals, you definitely know who Pau Gasol is. Whether you know him or not, there is one thing you must admit. This guy is pretty goofy looking.

Is Pau an amazing basketball player? Yes, I will admit that. He has dominated the league as of late with his impressive ball skills and soft touch in the paint, and has been an integral part of the Lakers winning back-to-back NBA Championships. He is without a doubt one of the best big men in the NBA today. But seriously man, either shave your beard, or grow it out!

For a few years now, Pau Gasol has consistently rocked the “I haven’t shaved in a few days” look. And when I say consistently, I mean every damn time I flip on SportsCenter, I see a shaggy-haired (which doesn’t help the cause), 7-foot giant trotting down the court with his infamous scruff beard.

Quite possibly the worst part about it is the neck hair. He clearly shaves his beard to the appropriate length often, I’m sure he has an extra five minutes to clean it up and shave his gross neck beard! But no, that’s not his style. Maybe it’s a Spanish thing. Maybe it’s a superstitious thing. He has become a much better player as of late. Maybe it’s good luck. Who knows.

All I know is that Pau Gasol should definitely go back to his old look. He looks much more professional. If he cut his hair short and shaved his nasty beard, his swagger points would instantly skyrocket. He would gain more fans in one day than Justin Bieber’s Twitter account. Probably not, but you get the picture.

For now, all we can do is continue to watch Pau Gasol dominate the league, and look like a goof while doing it. Maybe someday he will roll out of bed, look in a mirror, and finally realize he needs to shave. Just maybe…

Do the right thing, Pau. It will benefit all of us.

Brett, I think it’s time…

I think it’s time to call it a career.

If ever there was a perfect time to hang up the cleats, it’s now. I know its midway through the season, and I know you still think you can lead the Vikings to the Super Bowl, but like it or not, it’s time.

After a tough loss to the Packers on Sunday night, the Vikings moved to 2-4 on the season. Even after making a blockbuster trade to acquire superstar receiver Randy Moss, the Vikings are still struggling. Favre played very poor against his old team, as he threw three interceptions, and clumsily fell down on the last play, only to get up and throw an incomplete pass. To make matters even worse, Favre suffered an injured ankle that leaves his status for next week uncertain.

Reports say it is a fractured ankle, and Favre has yet to say if he will play next week.

I’ll tell you what to do, Brett. Retire. Call it quits. Swallow some pride and save your body some years, I mean you want to be able to walk normally when you’re older, right? If you keeping throwing your 41-year-old brittle body into the line of fire, things aren’t going to go well for you in the future. If you’re not careful, you might be rocking some Forrest Gump knee braces a few years down the road.

Over the past few years, Favre has brought so much drama to the NFL. From fake retirements to a sexting scandal, he has lost the respect of thousands of fans with his antics. Its tough for me to even write this, considering I used to love Brett Favre. Lately, however, I can’t help but despise his actions.

Although I am very critical of the Favre-of-late, one thing I will never lose is my respect for him. His current NFL record of 291 consecutive starts, although likely to come to an end this Sunday, is absolutely incredible, no matter what position he plays. I just think it is in his best interest to call it a career. Not only is it best for him, but it will also be the best for the Vikings.

If one thing is certain, it is that no one in the world knows what Brett Favre will do. He has had so many shocking decisions over the years, and he probably doesn’t even know what he’s going to do.

All we can do now is wait and see. Good luck, Brett. Hopefully you make the right decision.

Hey Gilbert Arenas, what are you doing?

Gilbert Arenas has had quite an interesting preseason.

The Washington Wizards guard, who has played in only 47 games in the last 3 seasons due to injuries and a highly controversial gun charge, is once again finding himself in the news for all the wrong reasons.

On October 6, Arenas was quoted saying, “Right now I’m out there to hit open shots, teach John the ins and the outs of the game, and then eventually go on and move on. I’m on my way.” Speaking about his new, highly publicized teammate, number 1 overall draft pick John Wall, Arenas is basically saying he’s ready to bounce out of the nation’s capital now that he’s no longer the most popular Wizard. Jealous much?

This odd interview was just the beginning of Gilbert’s shenanigans. On October 12, The Wizards faced off against the Atlanta Hawks in their preseason home opener. It was going to be his first game in the Verizon Center since his suspension. However, during pre-game shootaround, Arenas told coach Flip Saunders his knee was sore and that he wasn’t going to play. Nick Young played in his place.

The next day, Arenas shocked media reporters by telling them he faked an injury so his buddy Nick Young could get more playing time. “I told him I’ll go and fake an injury or say something’s wrong with me so you can start,” said Arenas in an interview with a local reporter.

What? Are you serious? Why not just tell your coach the truth? And if you are going to fake an injury, why tell the media about it when you know its going to be blown out of proportion? This guy is going nuts! After this nonsense, the Washington Wizards responded by hurting his pockets and fining Arenas $50,000. Ouch.

To make matters worse, just two days later, Arenas suffered a REAL injury. He injured his groin during their next preseason game against the New York Knicks. Poor guy. Things really aren’t going too well for him.

After being the laughing stock of the NBA so far this preseason, it will be interesting to see if Arenas can bounce back and compete at the level he did before his issues, when he was one of the top players in the league. Until then, keep an eye out for some more Arenas’ antics. Who knows what could be next.

Arenas seems very confused this preseason

Wait, this guy plays baseball?

Let me introduce you to Tim Lincecum.

5’11”, 170 pounds. I’m hesitant to write that, because as an athlete myself, I know that the “official” height and weight of every athlete is typically over-exaggerated. I’m willing to bet Mr. Lincecum is more like 5’10”, 160 pounds. Either way, he’s tiny for an athlete. At first glance, you would expect him to be nothing more than your typical Average Joe walking down the street. Don’t judge a book by its cover.

The Freak. The Franchise. The Kid. Big Time Timmy Jim. Whatever you wanna call him, Tim Lincecum is arguably the best pitcher in Major League Baseball. Drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2006, Big Time Timmy Jim has taken the league by storm.

He has won two consecutive National League Cy Young Awards (2008, 2009), the award which is given to the best overall pitcher in each league. He led the Majors in strikeouts in 2008, and has led the National League three years in a row (2008, 2009, 2010). In a nutshell, this “Average Joe” is kicking ass.

Although he hasn’t had his best season in 2010, Tim Lincecum is helping to lead the Giants on a prime playoff run. Looking to lead the Giants to win their first World Series Pennant since 1954, Lincecum is focused in with his eyes on the prize.

After winning the NL West Division Title, the Giants went on to defeat the Braves in the opening round of the MLB Playoffs, winning the series 3-1. The Giants will now face the Phillies in the NL Championship Series, with the winner moving onto the World Series.

Only 26 years old, it’s scary to think about how good Tim Lincecum will be when it’s all said and done. With a killer changeup and a fastball that reaches the mid-to-high 90s, Lincecum is still looking to add to his already scary repertoire of pitches. If he can lay off the weed and stay focused, Big Time Timmy Jim could go down as one of the greatest pitchers ever.

So next time you see an Average Joe walking down the street, don’t be so quick to judge, because for all you know, it might be a superstar athlete. Heck, it might even be Tim Lincecum.

Oregon jumps ahead of Boise State in the rankings…what!?

Here we go again. We are only five weeks into the college football season, and Boise State has already gotten screwed. After defeating New Mexico State 59-0 (Yes, you read that right), the Boise State Broncos dropped from #3 to #4 in the AP and USA Today Top 25.

Boise was jumped by the Oregon Ducks, who handily defeated the previously ranked #9 Stanford Cardinal in a Pac-10 battle, 52-31.

Notice how I said Pac-10. One of the most recognizable conferences in college sports. Unfortunately for Boise State, they are not a member of this conference. And I believe that because of this, they will continue to be disrespected by poll voters.

How does a team who is ranked #3 drop down a spot after winning 59-0. What more can they do? Do they have to win 100-0? They absolutely destroyed a conference foe, and they were rewarded by being dropped further away from their National Championship dreams.

Boise State, a part of the Western Athletic Conference, has been one of many schools over the past decade to get screwed over by the infamous BCS Bowl Game system of NCAA Football. Now ranked #4, Boise now has to hope for two of the top 3 teams to lose for them to have a chance at the National Championship.

This dilemma brings forth the same question that has been asked throughout college football for the past few years. When are they going to install a playoff system that gives a fair chance to the small schools? If there are multiple teams who are undefeated at the end of the year, a playoff system is the only way to determine a true champion.

There is one thing I know for sure. If Boise State finishes undefeated and once again does not get a shot for the National Championship, be ready to hear the sports world erupt and bash the BCS system, AGAIN.

I guess we will just have to wait and see.

These Boise State fans won't be so excited if the Broncos don't get a shot at the National Championship

I’m kicking myself right now!

With the 17th overall pick in 2000 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select…are you serious? A kicker!?

Yes, a kicker. On April 15th, 2000, Sebastian Janikowski became the first kicker taken in the 1st round in over 20 years. Now unless this guy can kick 70 yard field goals with his eyes closed, that is a flat-out stupid pick. Rarely do you see a kicker being taken in the early rounds, and almost never do you see it in the 1st round. Some of the best kickers of all time (see Adam Vinatieri, Gary Anderson) were either taken in the late rounds or even undrafted.

The reason for all this complaining stems from yet another tough loss for the Oakland Raiders on Sunday; this time thanks to, you guessed it, Sebastian Janikowski. The Raiders were in prime position to win the game, as they were about to attempt a 32 yard field goal with 0:04 seconds left.

Janikowski, who had already missed two field goals in the game, lined up for what appeared to be an easy chip shot to win the game. Unfortunately, it was far from easy, and he missed it wide left to give the Arizona Cardinals the win.

The Raiders moved to 1-2 on the season, and Janikowski added to his unimpressive resume in his 10-year career as an Oakland Raider. Although he hasn’t been terrible, Janikowski has performed at a level no better than most un-drafted kickers in the NFL over the past decade. He has definitely not performed up to his hype as the highest-paid kicker in the NFL.

Al Davis, the owner of the Oakland Raiders, has been responsible for more questionable draft picks and roster moves than any other owner in the history of the NFL. As a Raider fan myself, all we can wonder is how much longer we will have to deal with it. When will it finally be “the year”? After Sunday, it appears that it won’t be the 2010-2011 season.

Although they do look like an improved team, they still have 99 problems, and a kicker IS one.

Janikowski after he missed the potential game-winning field goal