What Shall I Say?

No, this is not some discernment book for your candidacy committee. Rather, it is my musings about the NCAA football national championship game which already happened. I am, how you say, a Michigan fan. I placed a bet on the OSU-UM game and lost. Now every Saturday next fall I will don a Buckeye shirt. I watched the game, and yes while it was a few plays away from being a blowout by the Buckeyes, it was also a few plays away from being a blowout by the Wolverines. But it played out the way it did and it was a close game. Now we watch Ohio State and Florida play in the "real" championship game. Here's my thoughts on the whole BCS process:

1) For those people who argue for a playoff in college football, well, you got one this year. It wasn't bracketed in a #1 vs. #4 & #2 vs. #3 fashion, but it happened. If a playoff system was implemented, then the underdogs would have to visit the favored team's HQ and play. Well, Michigan went to The 'Shoe, and they ended up losing. Did this prove that OSU was decidedly better than UM? No. If they played in a neutral stadium would the result be different? Maybe, but it might be different even if they played in the same stadium. My point is this, there is no way to objectively evaluate whether one team is better than the other. Subjectivity comes in the form of playing conditions, spirit of the team, injuries, booth reviews, any manner of variables in or out of game that shape the atmosphere and the game itself. In short, even the NCAA basketball system doesn't provide an objective answer to who is #1. What we got this year was a 4 team playoff structure between Michigan, Ohio State, Florida, and Arkansas, we just didn't call it a playoff, oh and Arkansas got dropped off at the curb.

2) Following previous statement, it is completely my opinion that Michigan is better than Florida. Anything I read either way will not sway my opinion. You could make an argument either way and have a convincing case, if you really look at things honestly. If you want ideas, I could post ideas. If you want stats, I could post stats. Any fool that says they can show me definitive evidence that one team is better than the other can take his/her "objective analysis" and choke it down with a nice cool bottle of "I don't give a crap". We've built in our minds that one team beating another determines who's best for the entire year. It's not objective, but it's what we've settled for. So until UM and UF play, which won't happen, there's no comprehensive answer to the question.

3) Why I think Fla should be in the championship game: Regardless of whether or not UM got "jobbed" by the voting, someone else should get to play Ohio State. I still think USC is a better team than UF, but they aren't even in the conversation. And now for a twist: why I think Florida shouldn't be in the championship game: whining and lobbying should be punished, not rewarded. I wish Urban Meyer and I were friends so I could call him and dump him. Both arguments made, UF belongs in the championship game.

4) It's not beneath me to root for Ohio State, especially when such bad press is going around about the Big Ten. But I've got extra ammo for a gator-stompin this year.

5) I'm still gonna love every minute of the Rose Bowl, because two of the top teams in the country are gonna smash it out. That's what football's about, not about championships and voting, but about insulting the other person's mother, then stepping on their neck until they tap-out.

That's my 1,347 cents worth. Go Blue!