http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls04/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=1939745 ... ChineseBandit, at least one writer at ESPN agrees with me. Read the article and see if it makes sense. It does to me. At least everything else would be more meaningful than it is now. Now we have 2 teams that may or may not deserve to play in the national championship. And the rest of the bowls don't matter as much. At least this way, you have multiple bowl games that have big implications. I know you guys like the BCS after what happened last year and you think that the BCS National Champion is the true national champion. Well thats just not the case, because the only people that agreed that was true was school presidents. We are never going to have a 4 or 8 team playoff. The NCAA won't recognize a National Champion and I fear they won't ever. Until the NCAA (if they ever) decide to award a National Championship. All anybody will ever have are MNC's. (Mythical National Championship). EDIT---P.S.---if we can agree on one thing, it is that the SEC Championship is always played and determined on the field. And the SEC West has one the past two!! Let's keep it in the West!
Um, you won't find many people on here who will argue in favor of the BCS. But at least with the AP pulling out, the worst component is gone.
Basically, the AP is saying that "we want to be the one who determines everything and by utilizing AP as a component, our rankings are not THE rankings, so we are taking our ball and going home." It is no coincidence that for 2 years in a row, a west coast team has gotten (in the AP's view) screwed. For all their sanctimonious bloviating, the AP is really saying that they want to be the kingmaker and if they can't, well, they don't want to play anymore. Good riddance.
IMO, the AP is merely protecting it's "brand." The AP Poll is the most recognized and prestigous poll over the traditional "test of time". It brings more publicity to Associated Press than any other syndicated element of the product. (Not saying I agree with all their position, just telling it like it is.) AP was fine with this until the integrity of the BCS began to be questioned in the wake of the USA Today Coaches Poll corruption. So now it's convenient for AP to look like they're taking the high road. This is a very smart marketing move, IMO. BTW - don't make this into an Auburn issue. It has far more to do with the process itself and the frustration felt by CFB fans, not just LSU,Auburn, or Cal fans. Update: according to Tony Barhardt (Atlanta J-C), the move by AP to stiffarm the BCS (after 7 years) was an effort to head off additional defections by it's membership. Rumors had begun to surface in recent days that several key member news outlets were considering following the example set by the Charlotte-Observer, which recently withdrew it's writer's vote from the AP due to it's association with the BCS.
Is that so much different than being annointed the Coaches Champion? The Coaches Championship is a very prestigious championship to be awarded and you guys should be proud that you won that one last year. I would be smiling ear to ear if we would get a chance to win either one of them this year. (But that doesn't mean I'm not smiling bc of our undefeated SEC championship!, but u get the idea) But the AP is a very prestigious championship to be awarded. I don't think it has any less meaning than the Coaches poll. Both are popularity contests and its a shame its like that.
I think they have it backwards. They say that the BCS is threatening the integrity of the AP. If anything its the biased AP that has threatned the integrity of the BCS.
I guess the BCS will respect the AP's wishes but if they didn't couldn't they keep the AP Poll as a component even if the AP didn't want them to?
No, I believe the AP name and logo are copyrighted materials and may be legally protected in such cases.
