04/25/24
November 14, 2007
Football ref crew mistake may cost $4.5 million: Did the Big Ten make a $4.5 million mistake by allowing an officiating crew that was facing a suspension this weekend to work last Saturday's Illinois-Ohio State game?
I'm glad the Ohio State nation is up in arms over this because it's much better to have a loss now than be embarrassed by the all powerful SEC in two consecutive years. Face it, LSU would have destroyed a much inferior Ohio State team. So Buckeye faithful, dream about 2012 when the Big Ten might be able to break through and finally when a national championship. ROLL TIDE!!!!
posted by map1876 at 04:25 PM on November 14, 2007
As far as the big ten goes...Who cares? SEC forever!!! The system sucks...It's almost impossible to go undefeated in the SEC
posted by whw442 at 04:29 PM on November 14, 2007
Although I'm a Big Ten guy, map1876 is spot on with his post.
posted by LeftyPower at 04:44 PM on November 14, 2007
"As far as the big ten goes...Who cares? SEC forever!!! The system sucks...It's almost impossible to go undefeated in the SEC posted by whw442 at 4:29 PM CST on November 14" Your observation about going undefeated in the SEC is on target. The teams in that conference gut each other week in and week out, but all but one or two are quality, powerful teams. The BCS was a farce this year, and with the exception of LSU being rated #1, still is. Who in their right mind think that Oregon will stand up to LSU, if LSU avoids getting knocked off in the team's remaining SEC games and ends up playing Oregon for the National Championship? I am all for a 16 team playoff system that will decide the national champion. Such a system will make good use of the currently useless bowl games that happen before the national championship game. Such a system would be a boon for fan interest and bring big money to all the teams participating and their conferences. Let's face it, between the end of their season and their bowl game, teams that go to bowls keep players on campus practicing, nothing about a playoff system will change that. In a playoff system, there will always be an argument about why the 16th team was selected over other choices that did not make the tournament field. But one thing would be certain, #16 would be very unlikely to stand up to #1 over the duration of their game - well, that is if #16 is not a Florida playing #1 LSU.
posted by Cave_Man at 04:57 PM on November 14, 2007
Who in their right mind think that Oregon will stand up to LSU I think you might be suprised by Oregon. Their offense is 2x as good as LSU's, but the defense leaves a lot to be desired. Put it this way, if LSU can lose to Kentucky, they can definately lose to Oregon. Especially when Oregon has a QB with sprinter speed. He can cancel out their pass rush with his escapability. If Oregon's receiver didn't try to stretch for the goal-line in their loss, they would still be undefeated and ranked #1. If they both make it there, LSU vs Oregon will be a great game.
posted by docshredder at 06:15 PM on November 14, 2007
To be honest, I knew that the Bucks wouldn't get to the championship game this season. At least I was hoping. We aren't ready. I just thought it was an interesting article and one I had not read about before. But you would think the Big Ten would have known better. Yes, the Bucks lost and it had nothing to do with the officiating.
posted by lil'red at 06:46 PM on November 14, 2007
How about the 80 yard run, that the guy obviously fumbled, OSU recovered which would have taken a touchdown off the board for ILL? The play should have been overturned.
posted by gobucks at 12:40 AM on November 15, 2007
I am all for a 16 team playoff system that will decide the national champion. there will always be an argument about why the 16th team was selected over other choices I couldn't agree more and I would only add that I wouldn't have a lot of sympathy when the #17 8-4 Big Sate U cries about missing the playoffs, whereas now multiple undefeated teams could have no shot at the national title.
posted by kyrilmitch_76 at 05:02 AM on November 15, 2007
Fuck Ohio State, and Jimmy Tressel. The Big Ten is by far the best conference in the country. Go Blue Motherfuckers...
posted by Marko2020 at 05:47 AM on November 15, 2007
I think the premise of the article is silly. First, there is no evidence this crew did anything at all that was harmful to Ohio State. Ohio State's poorly played game hurt Ohio State. If the top rated team in the country can only play defense well enough to get the ball to run three plays in the fourth quarter, they don't exactly show they deserve to be in a title game. Further, since when is it the officials' job to see to it that a conference gets the maximum revenue out of bowl appearances? That wasn't stated, but was a sinister implication here - a better crew would have made sure Ohio State won?? As for two teams in the BCS, Michigan is obviously no BCS team (and shouldn't have been even with a win over Wisconsin), unless it beats Ohio State, in which it gets a bid automatically. We wouldn't have this annual silliness if they would put in a playoff system. Yes there will always be complaints about how certain "bubble" teams get in or not (see basketball), but nobody will be able to claim they were the BEST team over the whole season, but never even got a chance to TRY for the championship, such as the current football mess almost ensures.
posted by srdshelly at 05:52 AM on November 15, 2007
marko, if the big ten is the best conference in football, you must either a. Live in Ohio b. Live in Michigan c. Not watch any football at all. Any SEC team or Appalachine State would do to MI or OS what Florida did last year. Say it with me everyone. OVERRATED
posted by Debo270 at 09:13 AM on November 15, 2007
How many Big 12 teams are in the top ten?
posted by hawkguy at 09:30 AM on November 15, 2007
Fuck Ohio State, and Jimmy Tressel. The Big Ten is by far the best conference in the country. Go Blue Motherfuckers... Marko2020, you've been here long enough, please read the guidelines.
posted by tommybiden at 10:34 AM on November 15, 2007
THE REFEREES GAVE ILLINOIS A TOUCHDOWN!! NO EVIDENCE? DID YOU WATCH THE GAME?
posted by gobucks at 10:52 AM on November 15, 2007
I'm sick of hearing about SEC and Big Ten. My moneys on the Big 12. No brag just fact......look at the polls, defensive and offensive numbers.
posted by brickman at 11:10 AM on November 15, 2007
THE REFEREES GAVE ILLINOIS A TOUCHDOWN!! NO EVIDENCE? DID YOU WATCH THE GAME? gobucks, did your caps lock stick?
posted by tommybiden at 11:29 AM on November 15, 2007
gobucks, First off, your name is gobucks so I would think your opinion is a little bias. Your team is over rated this year. Before you flip and yell at me, dont worry. You have a stacked YOUNG team and good years ahead but the style of football you play cannot compete with teams not in your conference that dont play the same style. The teams in your conference are all firm believers in 2 receiver, tight end, I formation, smashmouth football and you may be the best at that in your conference but, if a team lines up with 5 wide and no backs and spreads you out and plays speed football you are screwed(see last years national championship) You may be the best BIG TEN team but that is a far cry from #1 in the nation. 3 yards and a cloud of dirt will not get it done in college football in this day and age. Time to adapt or die off.
posted by Debo270 at 01:04 PM on November 15, 2007
It's been a long time since I've been able to say this ,but it's time for Ohio State to figure out that they are not the only team with talent. The Big Ten has finally become what people thought it was. And to gobucks,it's not like Ohio State got beat by Eastern Illinois, the Illini have won a few this year.
posted by jda at 01:28 PM on November 15, 2007
totally agree. Illinois has upset several teams this tear and given a lucky bounce or two, may be a top 10 team too.
posted by Debo270 at 01:39 PM on November 15, 2007
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 04:36 PM on November 15, 2007
I'm a die-hard Ohio State fan. That's a good starting point for these comments. At no time during this season did I feel that Ohio State had the strongest team in the nation, nor do I feel their schedule was anything close to that of the SEC, Big 12, or even Pac 10 this season. Of course there were the patsies scheduled early in the season, most of them in-state. Tressel has addressed this before. He believes in giving all those Ohio teams a shot, guaranteeing them a huge influx of cash. Other than that, the Bucks are in the Big 10, that's who they play every year. If the conference is stacked, like in the early 90's, they play a stacked schedule. If the conference is relatively weak compared to some others, they play a weak schedule. That's how conferences work. The fact is, they were undefeated last week against a top-tier conference, therefore, the #1 rating. They lost to an improving Illinois team, hence, dropping the #1 rating. Simple, see? Debo, not sure where the info comes on Ohio State's playcalling. Tressel's system is based on running, and stopping the run, as are almost all successfull football teams. But the three yards and a cloud of dust cliche just doesn't fit. For years now, Ohio State (and many other Big 10 teams) have been running three and four receiver sets. Try watching a game before you talk out of your ass. As to last year's drubbing in the title game, it was just that. There's no denying that Florida came in the more prepared, seasoned, quicker team. One could site many reasons for that: a more consistent schedule, time off before the title game, understanding your opponent, etc. But it was one game in one season, to believe that it signifies beyond a doubt the superiority of any one conference over another, try looking at the history of the BCS. Champions have come from the Big 10, Pac 10, SEC, Big 12, and Big East (Miami was Big East when they won it all, right?). Sounds like any given year, the best team can come from almost anywhere, huh? Final comment deleted on preview, good call YYM.
posted by tahoemoj at 04:36 PM on November 15, 2007
"As to last year's drubbing in the title game, it was just that. There's no denying that Florida came in the more prepared, seasoned, quicker team. One could site many reasons for that: a more consistent schedule, time off before the title game, understanding your opponent, etc. But it was one game in one season, to believe that it signifies beyond a doubt the superiority of any one conference over another, try looking at the history of the BCS. Champions have come from the Big 10, Pac 10, SEC, Big 12, and Big East (Miami was Big East when they won it all, right?). Sounds like any given year, the best team can come from almost anywhere, huh?" SEC teams are stacked with huge, agile and fast defensive linemen and hard hitting, agile, rocket fast corners and safeties. This is why teams like Ohio State of last year and looks like Oregon of this year get beaten badly by an SEC opponent. Last year, all the talk was about the Ohio State quarterback and how fast and agile he was. This year, all talk is about the Oregon quarterback and how fast and agile he is, fine, but he will face 11 players across the line that are just as fast and agile or even faster and more agile.
posted by Cave_Man at 05:40 PM on November 15, 2007
Looks like there is no need for the NFL to scout college players anymore, not when all the SEC teams are stacked with the best defensive players in college. Lets get away from the notion that the SEC teams dominate teams from all the other BCS conferences because it isn't true. For one, it is quite difficult to manhandle other BCS teams when your non-conference schedule consists of Western Kentucky, Troy, Florida Atlantic, and Florida State. More importantly, the SEC as a whole has played three games against currently ranked non-SEC teams; winning two and losing one. That hardly proves dominance.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 05:56 PM on November 15, 2007
Well, at least now we can do away with any argument in favor of a playoff. The SEC championship will forever be the national championship, and the rest of these programs will be relegated to also-ran status. The powers that be in the NCAA will be relieved. Cave man, by including my entire paragraph in your post, you tell me that you read it all, yes? Now tell me, in the last ten years, how many national titles have been won by the SEC? (Here's a hint, if the answer is less than ten, your point, if you have one, is wobbly, at best.)
posted by tahoemoj at 06:09 PM on November 15, 2007
For one, it is quite difficult to manhandle other BCS teams when your non-conference schedule consists of Western Kentucky, Troy, Florida Atlantic, and Florida State. More importantly, the SEC as a whole has played three games against currently ranked non-SEC teams; winning two and losing one. That hardly proves dominance. Certainly not like whipping up on a Division I-AA school, right? How'd that work out again? Sorry YYM, you leave it open, I'll walk in. I believe the SEC is generally the toughest conference in the nation. I'm a UF grad, yeah, but I like to think that if Florida, or Bama, or LSU were the only team in the conference in the Top Ten, and the rest of the SEC had losing records, I'd be able to recognize, as a Football Guy, that the conference sucked. I'm not downgrading the Big 12, or the Pac-10, or anybody else, but the SEC is one of the thickest, most well-stocked football conferences in the counrty, and the last time a Big Ten and an SEC team met for all the marbles, the results spoke loudly.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 06:39 PM on November 15, 2007
I'd rather lose to a DI-AA team and be 8-3 with a shot at the Rose Bowl than be 1-9 any day. I also believe that the SEC is the best conference in the country. They have some tremendous teams and almost every team in the conference is competitive. They have several teams in the Top 25 as well. However, I wouldn't hand them the championship just yet. There are many quality teams out there who could give any SEC team a run for their money.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 08:53 PM on November 15, 2007
I'd rather lose to a DI-AA team and be 8-3 with a shot at the Rose Bowl than be 1-9 any day. More power to you, bud. I'd rather lose to a schedule full of Div. 1A teams than one Div. 1AA team. But then again, that's just me. That's how I roll. And, if we're comparing non-conference opponents, we would be remiss if we didn't mention football powerhouses like Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, and Central Michigan (got MI pretty much covered, don't ya?); Eastern Illinois and Western Illinois; Youngstown State, Buffalo, Indiana State, Toledo, Kent State, Ball State, Florida International, Akron (twice!), and the aforementioned Appalachian State. You can criticize any conference's non-conference schedule, because everybody schedules a couple of cream puffs. Most schools just don't lose to them. Q: What do you call it when Notre Dame loses to Navy and Air Force, at home, in the same season? A: Supporting the Troops!
posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:30 AM on November 16, 2007
I never said the Big Ten had a tough non-conference schedule. My point was there isn't really evidence (from this season) that shows that the SEC will dominate all of their opponents from other BCS conferences.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:31 PM on November 16, 2007
I don't want to sound like a homer here, but I still don't understand why there is so little mention of the Big 12 in this thread.
posted by hawkguy at 08:38 AM on November 17, 2007
NoMich - Hawkguy is my tribute to the Jayhawks.
posted by hawkguy at 09:37 AM on November 17, 2007
Ah, I see. If hawkguy's post is confusing anyone, justgary zapped two of my posts (it's a long story and of no consequence) in which one of them I accused hawkguy of being an Iowa Hawkeyes fan. Whoops! Sorry guy. Also in that one post, I wondered if the lack of respect for the Big 12 teams currently in the top 10 didn't have to do with the fact that two of the teams are not perennial football powerhouses. If the Big 12 teams that are in the top 10 were Texas, Oklahoma and, say, Texas A&M, I'm sure you would see more respect for that conference. As it is, we have Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma representing the conference. Two of the three aren't really known for their football teams. So, maybe that answers your question, hawkguy?
posted by NoMich at 10:42 AM on November 17, 2007
I think Ohio State losing cost the Big 10 the money, not the actually referring in the game. It's not like they are being fined for having the crew that they did. The whole headline is premised on the Big 10 getting two BCS entries which wasn't a 100% lock, especially after Michigan was beaten by Wisconsin.