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The Simplest, Best Playoff Plan

  • JohnLeva said...

    Steve it would be interesting to see what you think about this subject. I agree with the idea that expecting the average fan to travel to what would be essentially two bowl games in a row is not realistic when it come to the cost! A lot of the average fans basically build their christmas/new years vacation around these events and maybe it would be easier for SEC fans when they only have to travel within their region. I believe that for the Big Ten fans the idea of travel, airline, tickets for two weekends in a row is just not realistic.

    Yes, a lot of OSU fans used to go to the bowl games every year as part of their vacation. But now that they play some of them after Jan. 1, they can't swing it any more. They are back on their work schedule after Jan. 1.

    Back to my initial premise on traveling to neutral sites on short notice ...

    Ohio State had very little support at the Final Four in New Orleans. A lot of it had to do with the cost of airfare. It was well over $500 per person and closer to $1,000 if you waited until after they had clinched it.

    Kentucky and Kansas fans -- who granted, that's their big thing -- had planned ahead in anticipation their team was going to make it and they were there in full force.

    My guess was probably 20,000 Ky fans, 15,000 for Kansas and maybe 5000 each for OSU and Louisville.

    This just illustrates how soft the travel can be when you have to make a costly decision on 6 or 7 days notice. It rules out 3/4 of a team's fan base. Maybe more.

    Let's say they do neutral site semifinals ....

    By their very nature (1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3) they can't slot Ohio State or a Big Ten champ into one or the other until the final standings are in. Maybe they'll do one site with a doubleheader or games on successive nights. That would solve that issue so that if your team is down to the end of season in the top 5 or 6, you could book it and hope for the best.

    Just some things they need to think about.

    At least with the NCAA tourn, I could buy New Orleans months in advance and I could buy the Boston regional on a 10-day advance.

    SteveHelwagen

  • JohnLeva said...

    The SEC has been dodging the Big Ten for years when it comes to coming up north and playing in a cold weather stadium late in the season. The SEC has had regional advantge for decades. We all know how important home field advantage is especially in college football. The Big Ten has had to travel for decades to play in the Rose Bowl (USC west coast advantage) The Sugar Bowl (LSU/Alabama advantage) or a myriad of other places that are traditionally closer to the fan bases of the schools that the Big Ten teams have had to face. If the SEC really thinks its the big dog in college football then come and prove it in Columbus/Madison/Ann Arbor/Happy Valley/Lincoln in November!!!! If the Delaney rolls over on the semi-final hosted by the higher seeded school proposal then the Big Ten really has nothing to gain. The Rose Bowl transcends college football and our current stewards of the sport and traditions need to hold fast that if we don't get to host potential semi-final games in the midwestern footprint then I think we will have lost more then we will have gained in this process.

    Granted, the Big Ten has kind of gotten the shaft when it comes to always being on someone else's turf for bowl games, having no logical or practical reason to play in cold weather is not exactly "dodging."

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    Jeff Drummond

  • I love the idea, That is the same idea I post to Jo Schad on twitter yesterday, he said it would never happen for 1. Mike Slive of the $EC felt that it was a disadvatage and would not be a detriment to teams to have to possible play in cold or bad weather, and 2. the fact that there are some tams with stadiums such as Cincinnati thats eat on 35K. My rebuttal was that Mike Slive does not care the fact that most bowl games are in their backyard and I never heard him complain about there being a diadvatage to anyone having to play LSU in the Superdome so he has not leg to stand on other than a hipocrital leg and that there be a stipulation that if you stadium seats less that say 55K that the game will be moved to the nearest possible NFL facility. The facility for these teams can be determined ahead of time because the NFL does not play games on the first Saturday in December anyway because of the Conference championship games.

    scarlethaze

  • Any bkb fans may want to check this out ...

    I rate the top 32 by seed lines and then look at more teams to watch, unsigned HS seniors, All-American candidates, coaching changes and NCAA tourney sites for next year. Tons of data here:

    http://247sports.com/Article/50-Teams-To-Fill-2013-NCAA-Bracket-71688

    SteveHelwagen

  • Unfortunately, you uncovered the flaw with your 2009 teams. Boise State gets left out. What about team number 6, 7, or 8? Couldn't they have upset #1? Going to a four team Tournament in football undermines the whole season and proves nothing. The winner of the four team event will be given a trophy proclaiming them the National Champs, and the debate will still rage on as to who truly is the best team. Play the bowl games as in the "old days" and rank the teams. Usually, there is a clear number 1, but the debate will still rage on anyway.
    All that really matters is we win the B1G, whip TSUN's ASS, and vist Pasadena.

    lhmohr82g

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