St. Louis columnist: OU has no business in the No. 2 slot
By Bryan Burwell, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Published: December 1, 2008
The advocates of the Bowl Championship Series' fraudulent way of doing business (and their willing accomplices in the Big 12) are apparently of the mind that there's no such thing as bad publicity.
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Outrage and indignation are apparently easily interchangeable with praise and pleasure with these folks. It doesn't matter that the BCS and the Big 12 are being ripped from coast to coast over a failed system that relies on weird science, not the simplest math in all of sports (I beat you, therefore I am better than you) to decide their championships. It doesn't matter to these folks that everyone with a sense of fair play knows that Oklahoma has no business in the No. 2 slot in this week's BCS rankings, and by extension has earned an undeserved trip to this weekend's Big 12 championship game.
The BCS advocates are so lost in their well-rehearsed rhetoric of this indefensible "national championship" system that even when faced with the overwhelming evidence that it is greatly flawed, they continue to recite the same tired talking points: A true college postseason playoff will make people stop caring about the regular season.
Wrong.
It will destroy the bowl system.
No, it will enhance the bowl system.
Look how much everyone is talking about college football now. That's because of the BCS.
OK, they're right about that. People are talking, but they're saying nothing but bad things.
But before we get too far down the BCS road, let's deal with the Big 12 and how it wrongly arrived at putting Oklahoma in its championship game. Don't get me wrong, I happen to think that the once-beaten Sooners are scary good. They're probably the hottest team in America right now after scoring 60 or more points in their last four games and winning by an average margin of 34 points. But there's only one problem with OU being in Arrowhead Stadium this weekend instead of once-beaten Texas representing the Big 12 South in the conference championship game.
Texas beat Oklahoma.
But this is what happens when you place your faith in the BCS to deliver the credible goods. How in the world can the so-called best conference in football be comfortable with the outcome of this three-way tiebreaker that decided (wrongly, I might add) its South Division champion by the whims of the BCS rankings?
By virtue of the BCS rankings, Oklahoma edged out Texas and Texas Tech for the South title. This is a particularly curious circumstance that has left Texas sitting at home this week while two teams it beat by 10 (OU) and 25 points (the Longhorns smoked North Division champ Missouri 56-31) get to fight for the title Saturday night in Kansas City.
The Big 12's tiebreaking procedures need to be changed. A better solution would have been to use the tiebreakers that both the SEC and ACC use, which is to immediately eliminate the weakest link in the three-way tie by the lowest BCS ranking (goodbye Texas Tech). Or you could just use plain old common sense (any team that gets lit up by 44 points at any point in the season -- that would be you again, Red Raiders -- should have no earthly business in any national championship or conference championship conversation).
Either way, that would leave us with a two-way tie between Texas and OU, and all we have to do once again is refer back to the simplest math in sports.
Texas beat Oklahoma by 10 points on a neutral field.
'Nuff said.
On Thanksgiving night as the Longhorns were trouncing Texas A&M, many of the clever folks among the record crowd of 98,621 at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium carried subtle reminders that they thought would help sway the voters of the Harris and USA Today coaches polls. Everywhere you looked, fans held up "45-35" signs that were shown repeatedly during the nationally televised game.
"It's true," said Texas defensive tackle Roy Miller after the game. "We did beat them. I think the important thing the fans were doing was making sure that everybody remembered it. I don't know what the voters will do, but I hope they will take that into consideration."
Sorry, Roy, the voters and computers either can't read, can't count or don't know anything about the old "I beat you, therefore I am better than you" rule, because the coaches' poll had the Sooners ranked ahead of Texas (including two first-place votes), and three of the six computers used by the BCS had OU ranked first, two second and one fourth.
A week ago, Texas was the second-best team in the country according to the BCS and Oklahoma (did I mention that the Longhorns beat OU by 10 points on a neutral field?), was ranked third in the BCS standings, and at the time that sort of made sense. But by Sunday afternoon, after both had won their final regular-season games, suddenly OU was a superior team to Texas.
For weeks now, the Big 12 South winner has been holding a presumptive ticket to the so-called BCS "national championship" once it got through with the easy business of destroying Missouri in the conference championship (Dear Tigers, feel free to use this as bulletin board material if you'd like).
And if you ask me, based on the simplest sports math, the wrong team got its ticket punched. So once again, we're on the verge of picking a national champion the wrong way. It's computers and pollsters. It's politicking and subjectivity. This is sports, not a political campaign. We shouldn't be testing which way the wind blows in a national championship discussion except after a coin flip.
And just so you know, despite the harsh admonition of a faithful (and decidedly more touchy-feely) reader who scolded me for using "hate" to describe my feelings about the BCS' silly system, I still must say that I do hate the BCS down to its last confounding decimal point.
Hate is not too strong a word to describe how much acrimony I feel about this warped system. But if it will make you feel better, let's kick around a few less acrimonious verbs. We can go with abhor, detest, despise or revile. Does "loathe" work for you, or perhaps a pithy phrase like "a strong aversion" will do?
Nah, I'm definitely sticking with hate, and right now I suspect that most of the state of Texas is right there with me.
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BCS DECLARES GERMANY WINNER OF WORLD WAR II
US Ranked 4th
After determining the Big-12 championship game participants the BCS
computers were put to work on other major contests and today the BCS
declared Germany to be the winner of World War II.
"Germany put together an incredible number of victories beginning with
the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland and continuing on into
conference play with defeats of Poland, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark,
Belgium and the Netherlands. Their only losses came against the US and
Russia; however considering their entire body of work--including an
incredibly tough Strength of Schedule--our computers deemed them worthy
of the #1 ranking."
David, Austin - Dec 5, 2008 at 10:39 am
Cincinatti got blown out by UCONN! Impressive
David, Austin - Dec 3, 2008 at 11:17 am
Tech argument (against TX) goes out the window WHEN you actually apply thought--see my comments earlier below.
Quick perspective on those great OOC teams OU played: TCU & Cinci
Marquee TCU win:beat BYU
Marquee Cincinatti win: Beat
OU is a deserving team. It's just that TX is as well.
David, Austin - Dec 3, 2008 at 11:14 am
danny, tell me you dont think ou is better than texas because they have the #1 scoring offense.does defense count for anything? the #60 ranked scoring defense? please! the system sucks but it is what it is and o-who & big game bob will get slapped around by florida.(how long since yall have won a bowl game?)
- Dec 3, 2008 at 12:22 am
Brian Burwell, you're a moron. Ok, Texas beat OU on a neutral field, that is the only water texas holds, and it was a 10 point game! It's not as if it were a blowout, give me a break! In a 3 way tie, head on goes out the window my friend, technically by your logic tech should be ahead of Texas correct? OU has produced 4 straight 60+ point games. We beat A&M AT A&M and put over 60 points on them, now that is a trouncing. We beat OSU by 20 points compared to Texas' 4! What more proof do you need?
Danny, Tulsa - Dec 2, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Tyler, I'm hurt. You didn’t like my "grammer"? Tough, you should follow your own advice. Typical Booner, you always know what's best for everyone else but can't do it yourself. Looks like you really got your money's worth in Stillwater too.
Touched a nerve with the decade comment? Face facts Gumby, I'll give you credit for having a few decent teams in the 70s, a few more in the 80s, a couple again in the 90s, and a few here in the 00s. Now you have the best record since what the early 80s? Wow, winning football at its best. Congrats, but one season at 9-3 where you still can't beat the big boys in your division following a 7-6 season including that bowl win over the perennial national powerhouse Indiana making their first bowl appearance in something like 30 years doesn't make the all the chest thumping and predictions coming out of Boonerville this year. Come back after you've done it consistantly for about 10-15 years and then you might get some respect for having a decent program. Right now your program is just another TBoone play toy. Tell me again how many years went between wins to Nebraska? Wasn't in something like 43 years? Learn to consistently beat the big boys in the conference, I’d settle for just the South Division, and you might start getting a little respect. Once you Booners do that, we might actually consider you to be a rival rather than just a noisy gnat buzzing around being a nuisance.
.
Again I wound like to thank you for fielding a decent team this year to get us over the top in the computer poll. Doesn't it just suck knowing you actually helped OU?
Crickets are now being heard in the deafening silence emanating from both Stillwater and Yukon.
Robert, Dallas - Dec 2, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Last time Stoops took the high road is when he was in college, getting high with his other idiot friends.
joe, Austin - Dec 2, 2008 at 9:12 pm
I can't wait to see Jokeohoma choke in another BCS bowl game.
Go Gators, Hooke em Horns
joe, Austin - Dec 2, 2008 at 9:10 pm
OK De--
The only Team in the History of modern football to play 4-Top 11-teams in consecutive weeks--Texas
So what? That's called cherry picking logic. Be real. Be objective. Your argument is not why OU is going to KC. You are going because of a slightly better OOC schedule vis-a-vis TCU & Cincinatti vs who TX played.
David, Austin - Dec 2, 2008 at 6:05 pm
The only team in the Big 12 to beat a top-10 team ON THE ROAD ... OSU (at #3 Mizzou)
The only other team in the Big 12 to beat a top-15 team ON THE ROAD ... OU (at #11 OSU)
Those are the only wins in the conference this year ON THE ROAD over a ranked foe. So who deserves to go. It's no brainer, the right team is heading to KC.
De, Edmond - Dec 2, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Remarkable how one-sided the commenting is on this message board? 90%+ "OU is the most deserving rants". Let's try being logical instead of emotional. Both OU or Texas are deserving. But, to have a friendly discussion, I'd ask you to consider:
1. The Tech argument: they are the weakest team by any measure (OOC schedule, losing late vs. Baylor, losing at Aggie, OT vs Neb). That's why they get eliminated--not because it's convenient for Texas. Sure, if OU had only won by 4-pts, then Tech might be closer to Texas--but doubtful based on the above string of struggles. TX & OU had no other such struggles.
2. Texas almost lost to OSU. Really? Texas managed to not punch the ball in from the 1-yard line on 2-consecutive possessions. It was not as close as the score, but sure OU did beat OSU better. TX was up by 14-multiple times. By this logic, you need to beat Mizzou by more than 21, or Texas is better, I guess.
3. Mizzou shouldn't be going to Big-12 CG: c'mon--they won their division. That argument is just boneheaded.
4. Texas whines & Mack Brown politics. Every Bob Stoops interview sounds like he's happy to plug his team and use the logic that's to his advantage. Absent a playoff, the BCS has forced coaches to "whine". Brown & Stoops are doing their jobs, quite trying to make yourselves somehow above the fray OU fans.
5. Cotton Bowl is not a Neutral site. Uh, yes it is. THere are exactly 50% of the stands filled w/ Sooner fans every year. They switch locker rooms for home/away each year...same exact treatment inside the stadium where you make the play calls. OU brings recruits when they are designated "home" and visa-versa. Huge, huge numbers of OU alumni are in Dallas--permanently. Those making this argument are not familiar w/ the Red River Shootout (Rivalry is a lame name).
6. "Hottest" team should play. If that's the criteria, then the BCS got it right. OU is the hottest team next to Florida since I believe they both last lost on the same weekend.
You all very conveniently leave out the SEC, ACC, C-USA, MWAC (all the other conferences) who would award the tie-breaker to Texas. It will change next year. You should be happy and humble that you're given this gift. Instead of lambasting people that were understandably slighted, just go about your business w/ class.
I'm sick of the Texas fans that think their team is so much better--we're not. About the same, I'd judge. Perhaps OU's team would win 6-of-10 games even. But, we had just the one. Should be a great game next year. Please tell your fans not to curse around my wife and children. I tell the same to any Texas fan who acts like an ape as well. Good luck.
David, Austin - Dec 2, 2008 at 5:52 pm
It's Tyler from the Yukon, but thanks.
tyler, yukon - Dec 2, 2008 at 4:46 pm
'And maybe if you could pull off an Associate's degree you might be able spell and use correct grammer.'
I nearly lost my crap reading this! That's a powerful gift you have, Michael from the Yukon. Use it carefully.
colby, ardmore - Dec 2, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Dear Numb Nuts,
If we are going to dismiss the Texas Tech argument and penalize OU for beating Tech so bad (sounds like Tech is being taken out of the discussion because OU crushed them - go figure) I can just as easily say that we must consider that OU was the better team in October, even in a loss. Why? Because clearly OU was better until Ryan Reynolds goes out with an injury. If Reynolds does not go out OU wins by 20. We may as well throw that wrench into the debate.
You seem to want to forget that TEXAS LOST TO A TEAM THAT OU BEAT BY 40. OU's point differential against like opponents is superior to Texas, OU's schedule was more difficult, OU won a road game against the #11 team (the third best road win of the year in D1). But for whatever reason these issues don't matter to you or the other east coast media (including TSPN, formally ESPN but now the Mack Brown TV Network).
OU did not make up the rules for the tie-breaker. They played the tougher schedule beating OSU, the number 11 team on the road. OU is 11-1, Texas in 11-1, TT is 11-1. This is the system we have – THE COMPUTERS WERE RIGHT – no emotions, no personal opinions, just the facts. OU played a more difficult schedule and finished 11-1 like the other two – END OF STORY. Quit acting like the other games on the schedules didn’t matter. They did. They counted. It’s over.
John, Tulsa - Dec 2, 2008 at 4:18 pm
I've been to the OU-Texas game many, many times and never, not even once or even a little bit has it been a neutral field. Once you get into Texas, it's a foreign country. The treatment, whether it be a restaurant, a gas station, the attendant at the rest area, the guy helping you park at your Hotel, the vendors at the State Fair Park of Texas, or the average fan just going to the state fair on that particular day, never ever make you think this is "neutral" site for Oklahoma.
The 40,000 or so fans, players, coaches, families, and fans, only find solace in that stadium for just the brief time we are actually in battle. We hug and embrace other Sooner strangers with such emotion, cuzz man it's all we got, and once we exit that stadium, the war is still in our face, win or lose.
I don't care for Dallas for that particular reson. I know it's money, money, money, but I'm in agreement with let's do a home and home and then throw in Dallas so Texas can have a two to one advantage or even better, let's go play in KC ---- THAT"S NEUTRAL !!!!!! ...and that ain't ever gonna happen!
I feel sorry for Texas, I really do! I truly wish we could play them again in the title game, cuzz sure as Hell, after we win, Mack Brown would say, "Actually, it's now one to one and we need a rubber match!"
I hate the BCS, even though it's been very good to OU, but we want a play-off, believe me, we know we would mkae it to the playoff every year and take our chances and listen to the media cry about that. The media keeps referring to a head to head. But it was a head to head to head, they cancel each other out and we move ahead, POOR POOR TEXAS...GET OVER IT!!!! NUFF SAID
Dr Ron, Norman - Dec 2, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I'm not an OU homer or even a fan, but I think they belong in the Big 12 title game. Just look at the best team not involved in the tie breaker. OSU 24 at Tex 28 OU 61 at OSU 41
Nuff said.
And Robert, Dallas, I'm going to hold you to that "once-a-decade
decent team" slander. We'll see next year. And maybe if you could pull off an Associate's degree you might be able spell and use correct grammer. It kind of damages your point of view.
Good luck Sooners in the Big 12 and NC. Maybe next year the South will be determined in Norman on Thanksgiving weekend.
tyler, yukon - Dec 2, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Cheer up Mack Brown...If Oklahoma loses to Missouri in the Big 12 Championship game, Texas will most likely go the BCS "Championship" game for doing nothing more than watching the game on TV (just like me). Oh, but wait! Texas Tech beat you guys and you both have identical records. That means Tech holds the tie-breaker and will deserve to go instead of your Longhorns! :-)
Can we just have a playoff already!
Robert, Norman - Dec 2, 2008 at 3:11 pm
If OU had beat Texas, there still would be people angry and saying that OU was lucky and would lose a rematch. TT has been completely forgotten. It's all about OU and UT. TT is a great football team. OU hasn't received the credit that is deserved. Texas lost to TT. That put UT in the position they are in, not injustice or unfairness. If UT had done the job, at TT, we woudln't have all of this bull#$%# to listen to.
mark, oklahoma city - Dec 2, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I see that someone at the Oklahoman has finally woken up to their own horrific yellow journalism and is now striving for a lack of bias: Unfortunately the Oklahoman has to outsource for objectivity. Either way, an excellent article from an unbiased source. Thanks for the insight, Mr Burwell, and thanks for winding up all these ou whiners.
colby, ardmore - Dec 2, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I do understand the outrage and respect some of it. The head to head issue is valid. But some of these columnist are just bandwagoning and not covering the entire issues. They even had Stephen A. Smith commenting on it. C'mon he is far removed and it was obvious he only had surface knowledge of it. Ask any of these columnist, who would you rather play OU or UT? Then see what they say.
eudell, Virginia Beach - Dec 2, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Mr. Burwell, you are a fool. Your ramblings and ravings are the result of a feeble mind trying to express itself under intense pressure. OU's schedule was much tougher and they beat more quality teams than UT did. Your logic is flawed in more ways than one. Okay, UT beat OU. But Tech beat UT, so why aren't they going? You forget my friend, it was a three way tie. I didn't see anyone griping about the tie breaker formula prior to the season!!! YOu can argue all you want, OU is the most sizzling team in the country right now and can beat anyone who dares step on the field with them, so let's not let a single game sway us too much. This OU team is not the same one that played UT. That's why teams play a whole season. No team should be fully evaluated based on a single game. Live with it Bryan
Michael, Yukon - Dec 2, 2008 at 2:19 pm
The fact is that OKlahoma, Texas and Texas Tech all had a time during the season when the players on their teams had total control of their post-season destinations. If they had not lost a game, "on the field", playing football, against another team in their division of their conference, then there would be no national controversy over how the Big XII South was decided. Every athletic director and every coach in the Big XII knew going into the season what the rules were, including tie-breakers and how the BCS works. All their team needed to do was win all their games and they didn't have to concern themselves with all that. Another fact is that none of them did that.
Unfortunately, first Oklahoma, then Texas, then Texas Tech all gave away team control of their post season destinations to the computers and the opinions of people who have very little, if anything to do with their football programs. They did so by losing a football game, played "on the field", by the players on their respective teams, to other another football team, in their division, of their conference.
As we are seeing, all of the games played "on the field" matter. Apparently most of the national media want to forget that fact and focus solely on one game. Sorry Bryan, Mack Brown, Longhorn nation, national media and everyone else who is upset about this, it just doesn't work that way. All of these Big XII South teams had a chance to do exactly what Alabama has done and none of them managed to get it done.
It is crazy to be mad at Oklahoma and the Sooner Nation because they were fortunate enough to come through this madness with the opportunity to regain control of their season. Maybe they will make the best of it, maybe they won't. None of that matters or makes them less worthy of the opportunity to try. The Sooners did everything they could after their loss to regain control of their season and they fully deserve the opppotunity they earned "on the field". They earned it by who they beat and how they beat them before they lost, as well as after. Texas and Tech failed to earn their way out of the 3-way tie by who they beat and how they beat them before and after their loss just the same as Oklahoma. Once again, Sorry Bryan, Mack Brown, Longhorn nation, national media and everyone else who is upset about this, but becuase of the loss all of this other stuff does matter, not just one game.
The proper place for everyone's anger is with the systems that brought about the problems, the athletic directors that scheduled the weak opponents for their teams and most of all, the university presidents and everyone who is involved in avoiding going to a play-off system. As we all know, if we had play-offs, which every level from Little League to the NFL has, except NCAA Div I, then all of this would be solved.
Until then Boomer Sooner Baby!
John - Dec 2, 2008 at 2:07 pm
just cracks me up! all O-who fans can come up with is "we beat tech"and our "strength of schedule" and bob stoopes has "class" well yes you did beat tech(in norman)and you did have the hardest schedule(texas #4)and stoopes cant spell class! why is he running the ball with 28 secs left up by 13? class? offense, yes you got it. defense? cant spell that either. only an O-who homer believes yall belong in the big 12 championship!
- Dec 2, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I know this guy will never read it, but he forgets that it really was a three-way tie, and Texas really did lose. Under his "Tech got blown out, so forget them" logic, if Tech is the "weak link", Texas has the worst loss of the three.
Bottom line, OU wins. Texas loses. Deal with it.
David, Someville - Dec 2, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Funny how OU has no business in the #2 slot for the BCS yet they are favored over their opponent when the #1 team, Alabama, IS NOT!!!! Now, who really has no business in their slot?
JJ, Okc - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Neutral field???Since when has a field in enemy territory been neutral?
I agree about a playoff. Texas should play Texas Tech again and the winner could play Oklahoma again. Sounds fair to me. Seems that nobody complains about Texas Tech getting bumped to #7 by BCS standings but suddenly Texas getting bumped is totally unfair. 45 to 35?? how about 65 to 21? How about 39 to 33 huh? The only thing to bugs me is OU has to play Missouri for the Big 12 Championship. If Missouri was in the South division they would be near bottom of the rankings. I would much rather see Oklahoma play Texas again.
David, Choctaw - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Yah, maybe all us OU fans should thank the LoSur's for putting their once-a-decade decent team together this year. If the Booners arent ranked as high as they were and dont get spanked like the spooled children they are, OU doesnt move up in the computer polls. Yeah, thats it....its all the LoSur's fault that OU is playing in the championship game. Dont hear much from James anymore....Bahahahahahah.
Man I love to hear Texas whine. Just makes my day. Hey Mac, dont lose in November and you dont have this problem.
Robert, Dallas - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Yes, Texas beat OU and Missouri and these two teams are playing for the title. So, how did this happen? Well, the Missouri win was deserved. Maybe the Horns caught OU on a bad day for that win. Nonetheless, the Mack has proved to be a whiner while Stoops has again demonstrated class and poise.
Okie, Muskogee - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Just look at last week, how do you think Texas would fair playing in Stillwater at night on Thanksgiving weekend. Other than OU or maybe Florida would have beaten OSU in those conditions. As an OSU fan, I can say OU is the much better team and Colt McCoy doesn't even hold a candle to Sam Bradford. Just do me a favor Sam, please go pro.
tyler, yukon - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:42 pm
So it's OK to let the BCS choose the weakest of the 3 teams to be left out of contention but NOT OK to have the BCS choose the STRONGEST of the 3 teams to go forward??? Something mighty strange with the logic in that pearl of wisdom... Get a grip Burwell and acknowledge you're just as biased as anyone else - you just can't justify it as well.
Scooter, Oklahoma City - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Whine, Whine, Cry, Cry. Enough already. I have a college buddy that manages the rooms at a Vegas hotel/resort. I texted him yesterday and asked him to go ask their bookmaker who would be favored if OU and Texas were to play again. Answer: Same result as the first, OU favored by at least 7.
Robert, Dallas - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Texas fans and columnists like this can whine all they want. OU is going to KC and will stomp Mizzou for its 3rd straight Big 12 Championship and there is NOTHING they can do about it. See ya guys in Miami when OU wins their 8th national title.
Brent, Tulsa - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:16 pm
It is what it is Mr. Columnist and quite frankly if Texas is so darn worthy why did they let Tech beat them and barely squeaked past Oklahoma State in Austin! Boomer Sooner!!
Edward, Bella Vista - Dec 2, 2008 at 11:28 am
"It doesn't matter to these folks that everyone with a sense of fair play knows that Oklahoma has no business in the No. 2 slot in this week's BCS rankings"
"Don't get me wrong, I happen to think that the once-beaten Sooners are scary good. They're probably the hottest team in America right now after scoring 60 or more points in their last four games and winning by an average margin of 34 points."
Can anybody reconcile these two statements? Without coming to the conclusion that the reason OU shouldn't be #2 in the BCS is because they should be #1?
Bob, Bethany - Dec 2, 2008 at 11:00 am
No matter what this two bit columnist thinks, OU is in the Big 12 Championship game. (by the way, did I say that Texas LOST to Texas tech on November 1 39-33?) For a true insight into the real facts, read Gil Le Bretons column in the Fort Worth Star Telegram. That is why Gil is working in D/FW and Brian Burwell is stuck in God forsaken St Louis.
Boomer Sooner and Brian stop singing the "Whines of Texas are upon us."
Michael , Edmond - Dec 2, 2008 at 10:53 am
One thing I know,tIt doesn't matter what this guy thinks. OU is there!!!!
Scott, Weatherford - Dec 2, 2008 at 10:27 am
By this NIMRODS philosophy, Mizzou does not deserve to be in the conf. champ. game. UT beat them by 25!
Jeremy, Krum - Dec 2, 2008 at 10:23 am
"A week ago, Texas was the second-best team in the country according to the BCS and Oklahoma (did I mention that the Longhorns beat OU by 10 points on a neutral field?), was ranked third in the BCS standings, and at the time that sort of made sense. But by Sunday afternoon, after both had won their final regular-season games, suddenly OU was a superior team to Texas." OK....A week ago, OU was ahead of Texas in BOTH SUBJECTIVE HUMAN POLLS! After beating the worst team in the South, A&M, at Austin, somehow SUBJECTIVE HUMAN BEINGS thought this to be a more impressive win than OU beating OSU at Stillwater? Does this guy even know that A&M failed to win a game in the Big 12 South Division? Probably not. He just votes.
The Plainsman, Oklahoma - Dec 2, 2008 at 9:41 am
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT UTAH AND BOISE ST ARE UNDEFEATED, OR WHY NOT LET OLE MISS, OR OREGAN ST HAVE A CHANCE AT THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE THEY DEFEATED FLORIDA AND USC. I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE ALSO. tEXAS IS THE ON THAT SCHEDULED THOSE TEAMS NOT THE BCS OR THE BIG 12.
Scott, sallisaw - Dec 2, 2008 at 9:11 am
Geesh, will this ever end? I just hope we go in there and stomp heads and disprove all the nay-sayers.
Scott, Chickasha - Dec 2, 2008 at 8:32 am
Everyone seems to forget - Texas has only its AD to blame. Didn't ALL the conference AD's agree to use this system before the start of play? Did the Texas AD step up and say "No!"...Hmmmm...then it seems to me that ALL TEAMS agreed to use these same RULES at the beginning of the season. So, it "may" have not been the best team that won the B12 South but never the less, each team played by the rules and the Sooners are going to the B12 championship - just deal with it this year and get the AD's to change it BEFORE the next year....
James, Lawton - Dec 2, 2008 at 8:12 am
How awesome is it that we have football!! I can't imagine a life without it. Smile and have a blessed day everyone! BOOOOOOMERRRRRR SOOOOOOOOOOOONER!!!!!!!!!
Jeff, Edmond - Dec 2, 2008 at 7:18 am
It was a THREE-WAY tie Mr. Nimrod, not a two-way tie! Following your logic, Texas Tech should be ranked ahead of Texas.
Grant, Mechanicsville - Dec 2, 2008 at 7:00 am
I think it is interesting. It is OK to use the BCS to eliminate the lowest performer (in this case TT)and then allow the head-to-head to rule. If it is OK to use the BCS to eliminate the lower ranked team; then why not use the BCS as was done in this case?
Let's not forget that Oklahoma State nearly defeated Texas in Austin (28-24); in fact, I think they either fumbled or threw an interception near the end of the game that sealed their fate. Could Texas have beaten Oklahoma State in Stillwater?
Stoops is correct, using this logic, then why isn't Texas Tech ranked above Texas?
I don't blame Coach Brown for politicking for his team; that's his job! I do blame the voters for being swayed by it. There is no other logic for closing the gap in the polls. How can you defeat the 11th ranked team and lose ground in the polls? That's why the heartless computers are important.
Henry, Dontoknow - Dec 2, 2008 at 6:16 am
I think most of this just proves Stoops point. People have agenda's and loyalties. Accordng to this it is ok to use the BCS to determine the worst team but, not to determine the best team of a three way tie. In other words use it to determine how YOU want it to come out. I Texas Tech got the worst end of all of this because they beat Texas there for they are better than them. Go Sooners.
Randy, Ringwood - Dec 2, 2008 at 4:53 am
Not all conferences have championship games to decide who is best within that conference. Not to mention the independents (Notre Dame). There are many reasons why the BCS is limited. Most of it is purposely done so because of the MONEY factor. Bowl games want revenues from ticket sales, commercials, endorsements, etc. Most of the bigger schools travel very well. You won't see Ball State in a championship game any time soon. I don't the like the BCS system but is better than what we had before. Conferences should send their champions in a play-off system similar to the way highschool football is currently done. Independents need to join a conference or be content to sit on the sidelines watching the money train go by.
Darryl, Oklahoma City - Dec 2, 2008 at 1:07 am
ummmm...so you're saying that if OU had not played lights out against Tech and only beat them by...say...14 points, then OU would have been the right choice? Amazing!
Bill, Oklahoma City - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:38 am
The purpose of the BCS was to help eliminate the biased, emotional human element out of deciding the top teams. System seemed to have worked in this case. Texas should have had a tougher non-conference schedule and won with higher style points in those games. Until Texas can earn the points the way Oklahoma did this season, they and rest of the nay-sayers in the media should take their biases and emotions and quit their crying. The system has its flaws, but I feel it worked in this given example. If Oklahoma had been edged out, I believe that Stoop's example would have been emulated and Texas congratulated and wished the best. Where's the LUV?
Darryl, Oklahoma City - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:35 am
Hate is unbecoming. It will be worked out. The Big 12 needs a playoff system. HA... I really think that the south showed up in force this year and if all bet's were off then UT and OU should be playing each other in KC. What about divisions? What about them? Missouri?, come on people. I know lets not leave out TT, but seriously folks they have been on the down hill slide the past 2 weeks regardless of record. If it were up to me I would have the 2 best teams go at it again and that is Texas and OU. Lets bounce these divisions. The South is stacked and everyone knows it. Lets do a lottery each year and let the chips fall where they may. To be frank I would rather play OSU again than Missouri. It would be a much better game.
Jerrald, Norman - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:15 am
By the way... I was talking to a die hard Missouri fan tonight... They were talking about how many Missouri fans wished Texas was playing them and not OU..... but it was because they know they don't stand a chance against OU and it' going to be painful.
c, yukon - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:12 am
Jamie, totally agree with you on the Big 12. I'm a huge OU fan but leaving Texas out is BS. Throw out the North and South divisions and put the two best teams in the Conference championship game, and this certainly is in no way Missouri. This gives us an instant plus-one playoff. #1 Alabama vs. #4 Florida and #2 OU vs. #3 UT. Who ever wins those game advance to the National Championship. Win that game and you just beat two top 4 BCS teams. No one could argue the winner did not deserve the National Championship then!
Kelly, Choctaw - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:07 am
OU statistically won out. Period.
Proof that the human polls are flawed is that last week OU was above Texas in the Harris and the AP, then this week, they're not... after Texas beat a very weak Texas A&M, and OU beat #12 ranked OSU soundly (Remember how Texas barely edged out OSU by a mere 4 points in that pairing?). Where's the simple math on that equation?
It's so very easy to ignore the facts that don't support your argument. You cannot use one argument for your team, but not for the other. Statistics don't lie.
Stop the whining, have some dignity. Hey UT, Texas Tech IS part of this equation even if you don't like it. Respect all three of these school's great seasons(UT, TT, and OU).
Enough is Enough.
c, yukon - Dec 2, 2008 at 12:05 am
Bryan; outrage, indignation, hate, warped sense, ripping the game apart.........come on. Sounds like you might need to spend a few afternoons on the couch with your therapist if the BCS is really doing all that to your beloved game and "soul". After all this is a game that teenagers play, but apparently big boys take too seriously. Honestly....your commentary makes me sick to my stomach.
Paul, Rancho Cucamonga - Dec 1, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Mr. Burwell, you sir are an idiot. This notion that Teach just gets thrown to the curb is ridiculous. Why should they get thrown to the curb when they beat the team that you are pushing? It is a 3-way tie! All 3 teams have 1 loss! It's not OU's fault that they scheduled top 15 opponents out of conference and Texas scheduled cream puffs. It's only going to get worse for Texas now that OU has contracts to play Tennessee, Notre Dame, LSU, and Florida State while Texas will be playing Tulane. Hope that works out for you Texas when it comes down to the computers not being biased like all these reporters.
Fred, Broken Arrow - Dec 1, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Attack the system all you want, but don't trash an excellent OU team made up of good kids playing just as hard to achieve their wins as any other team in the country. Realize that the extent you go to to make your point about the system robs these kids from the appropriate pat on the back they deserve for playing well all year long.
Bruce, Cedar Park - Dec 1, 2008 at 11:23 pm
I say if everyone wants to cry over who got screwed and who is getting a free ride why don't we just change the Big 12 rules so that the two top teams play eachother in the championship game. If anyone shouldn't be at the game Saturday it is Missouri. The are certainly not the best or even second, third or fourth best team in the entire Big 12. They are however the best the crappy North has to offer this year. This writer is just crying because he knows OU is going to slap the crap out of Missouri this weekend. And for all you whiners in TX shut up nobody cares.
Jamie, Yukon - Dec 1, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Hey T, I hope your back on the blogs after Oklahoma chokes again in the big game.
joe, Austin - Dec 1, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Cathy, My thoughts exactly as I read this stupid article. I am getting really tired of all these "writers" crying about Texas. OU will be playing Saturday night, get over it!
cindy, edmond - Dec 1, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Joe...We're going and your not...enough said.
T, Oklahoma City - Dec 1, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Even the majority of the country believes Oklahoma should stay home.
http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/poll/index
joe, Austin - Dec 1, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Don't blame the BCS for this mess. It belongs squarely on the shoulders of the sportswriters and coaches who do not do the necessary homework before they vote. They are in most cases biased against a team or just plain ignorant of what has occured in the sporting world. Head to head is out because all three teams are still tied by their records. It really don't matter how far down the polls Tech fell, they are still tied with UT and OU. A tie is a tie is a tie. Wanna tell someone shame, shame, start with the ESPN commentators. They are very vocal in their beliefs.
Lawrence, Guthrie - Dec 1, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Yesterday on TV Doug Flute went on and on about how texas got screwed by the "system". After his mild rant he was asked who he thought was the better team and he paused, then said he thought OU was playing better than texas. Everybody know this.
By the way, if someone else made this same point already, sorry. I didn't have time to read all of the posts.
tom, Lawton - Dec 1, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Are we forgetting-
Did Texas lose a game this year? Yes
Is there a 3 way tie
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