I have brought out the analogy of pro sports, where a champion of a weak division (e.g., 7-9 Seahawks from 2010) can get in the playoffs over a stronger team from a stronger division. But what also comes to mind is the NCAA basketball tournament. Weak mid-major conference champions get in every year over stronger teams from stronger conferences.
Since in football there are more conferences than playoff spots available, the committee needs to require than only conference champions can be considered. An independent would have to be considered better than 7 conference champions to qualify, and for those who believe only the "power five" (I put that in quotes because either you are at the FBS level or you are not) should count, that independent needs to be better than 2 of the 5 champions. That's a pretty high bar.
There needs to be some objective criteria introduced to make this process more in line with what's already accepted in other sports and other levels of play.
And I don't think it should be a rule that only a conference champ can make the playoff. There will be years when both an Alabama and a Georgia should be in, and neither should be eliminated because they are in the same conference. This year, UGA needs to be out . . . two losses, including a 20-point loss to a three-loss team, in a year in which there are three major undefeateds. In another season, though, one-loss Georgia and one-loss Alabama might both be clearly deserving. If that "conference championship" requirement was in play and UGA beat 'Bama yesterday, three-loss Washington would have a shot and Bama would be eliminated from consideration by an "objective criteria." That is just wrong.
...but you have to expand the field.
At least 8 teams...5 conf champs get auto-bids and 3-at large.
Why is this so difficult for people to grasp.
And you can leave it up to the conferences how the 'conf champ' is determined.
The 'must have' conference championship games maybe aren't how a conference wants to determine its champion.
The conference championship games are only for money.
After yesterday’s games, here is the top of those ratings:
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Georgia
4.Ohio State
5.Michigan
6. Oklahoma
7. Notre Dame
Objective isn’t always best.
I’m going ignore the talking heads who are making noise to drive traffic to their media outlets, and see what the committee comes up with today.
Link: http://sagarin.com/sports/cfsend.htm
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I actually just sent an email to the playoff committee (didn't know you even could). I am under no illusion it will be taken seriously, but even if it's one in a million, I'm saying there's a chance.
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Are you a complete jerk and bully in real life or do you just play one on this board?
So you can make fun of me further, if you know anything about golf, the World Golf Championship match play went from single-elimination to pool play, after I called the PGA Tour and suggested that change to one of their higher-ups. I also wrote Mike Tranghese after USC was left out of the BCS playoff, suggesting exactly what they changed to. He wrote back, thanked me and said my idea was a good one and he would bring it up.
So yes, we ordinary folk can make a difference. What are you doing positive for the world except bashing your fellow board members?