State of Big Ten

The Big Ten Conference. Bastion of all things...dusty?

Yes - dusty - as in "three yards and a cloud of" which would be just fine if this was 1967, and we were all screwing with whatever or whoever we could our filthy hippie hands on. Unfortunately for us, it's not, and due to legal proceedings still pending, we've learned our lesson. Nope, no more smoking up while going down, because it's 2008 baby, and that shit's illegal in most states, and at least partially frowned upon where it's not. Nope, here at State of Game, we've been blogging sex and drug free since we started. That, of course, leads us to believe that there may be a direct link between "sex and drug free" and "blogging" that we're investigating further. We'll keep you posted on any findings.

Dust.

It also settles on things that are old, antiquated, and stagnant, which is much of what the Big Ten has become. Yes siree, it's 2008, and that cloud of dust that the Big Ten so fervently kicked up in the 60's and 70's is now settling on programs that refuse to adapt. Need evidence? Look no further than the class of the Big Ten - Ohio State. You have to peel back that shiny paint job that Ohio State's fans have hastily painted on to see the truth, and I can't find a better way to state it than this post at Dawg Sports which basically backs up the fact that Ohio State and BYU aren't really that far apart. Oh - and Ohio State has regularly bitch-made the entire Big Ten for the past 5 years or so. When your top program is being compared to BYU - and there is some legitimacy to it - your conference is in trouble.

Three yards and a cloud of dust has turned to dusty. Witness the annual event that is "Big Ten Champ gets Crank Slapped by SEC for Title."

While this may appear to be a bunch of Big Ten bashing, I assure you, it isn't. There are several very good things going on in the conference. For one - despite the Dawg Sports post, Ohio State and Michigan continue to be national powerhouses. They compete for top recruits, and benefit from the BCS. Run the table in the Big Ten - no matter how weak - and you'll at least get the chance to play for the title. The Big Ten has a fervent fan base, and a local talent pool comparable to any in the nation (Ohio, and quickly ascending Pennsylvania). The top dogs aren't bereft of talent by any stretch of the imagination - and the hiring of Rich Rodriguez only points to more good things to come for the cream of the crop. Ohio State is also to be commended for their future schedules, which include a home at home with USC.

But this isn't just about the top two programs of this numerically challenged conference. Michigan and Ohio State will be fine. What of the remaining 9? (9+2=...10? Academics are important kiddies)

Well, the other programs rank a combined...not so good. And this - far more than lack of speed, strength, or coordination - hurts the two at the top. Honestly, can you point to one program not named Michigan or Ohio State and say "now there's a team that could challenge the nation!!" I didn't think so. Sure, there's the "team de jour" each year. You know who they are because the God Damn Stone Cold Soothe-Sayer Kirk Herbstreit picks them every year to win the Big Ten. Wisconsin, Penn State, Iowa, and Purdue are the usual suspects. When those teams, along with everyone else, turn in mediocre years, it diminishes the value of Ohio State and Michigan's victories over them. In order for Michigan or Ohio State to gain more respect nationally, the other teams in the conference are going to have to start getting better. Ohio State's got the memo - they're schedule proves it. Michigan, through no fault of their own (who'd have guessed that ND would suck so bad?), continues to play patsy's.

One thing that will shake off the dust will be the schedule change that the Big Ten will implement next season. It involves a real-live bye week that puts the Big Ten well within the realm of Big Boy football. Now, instead of ending the season a full week (sometimes 2!) before the rest of the nation, the Big Ten will be fresh in the minds of the pollsters who determine the bowl rankings. For this, the Big Ten should be commended.

Ohio State and Michigan continue to dominate into the future of this conference. Ohio State shook off a lot of the dust that had been accumulating when they hired Tressel, and started Bitchmaking Michigan year in and year out. Michigan shook off the dust with the hiring of Rich Rodriguez, and should start handing out some slappings of their own once his system comes to fruition. Much of the rest of the conference is set to do some shaking soon. Paterno won't be around forever, nor Tiller. Penn State could contend for championships almost immediately, while the right coach at Purdue could have them in good bowls on a regular basis. The future is certainly bright for this conference, but as it stands right now, the cloud of dust kicked by Woody and Bo still resides on the majority of programs who refuse to enter the next generation of football, and until they do, the top dogs will suffer.

State of Game Address

This is a football blog, and Beauford prefers if politics just stay the hell away, but since GW's speech sucked so bad (Not a single Big Ten reference. Come on George, it's not all Texas) I've decided that if you want something done, you'd better do it yourself.

STATE OF THE GAME ADDRESS

Ladies and gentlemen, I come to you today to address the state of NCAA Division 1 football, and I am proud to say that the state of the game is strong. Interest has never been higher. Yet, even in times of security, threats surround us. Calls for regime change in the way the post season is handled are growing every stronger. Sunday Morning QB's 6 part treatise on the potential of the playoffs have not fallen on deaf ears, nor has the Dawg's equally eloquent response. The debate rages on, and yet very little progress is made. Despite the cries of the masses, a post season that does not crown a true champion persists. The NCAA cares not for the masses - only for the money. Playoff systems abound in lesser divisions, and yet, entrenched here - at the top - is an antiquated bowl system laden in tradition, but not in practicality. In 2008, we saw an undermanned Illini squad get demolished by the Trojans of Troy. The Bulldogs of Georgia turned Hawaii to rubble. Kansas and West Virginia triumphed easily. Even the crown jewel, the supposed National Championship game was won by a team with two losses, facing a team that had been beaten at home by the aforementioned Illini. It is indeed time for change, but the ultimate walking factor, cash, does not back it.


So, um, yeah. Maybe I shouldn't give ol GW too hard of a time. That's tough to write. Hell, I had to go to the Thesaurus just to make it sound fancy. Not really, big words just flow from me. Here's the bottom line: Our National Champion had 2 losses. They played a team that got beat at home by Illinois. Isn't that all the evidence you need to know that the system doesn't work? I watched the BCS bowl games this year, and by watched, I mean I scratched my eyes out with 30-grit sandpaper. That shit was awful. Isn't that a clue that the system needs to change? If you want a state of the game, I'd say this: Interest has never been higher, and organization in the postseason has never been lower. I don't offer solutions, because frankly, I'm not paid to do so. What I do offer is common sense that says "hey guys - this isn't working." The NCAA has a golden opportunity right now, and yet, they cling to this system that, in the past 10 years, has worked only a few times.

The NCAA may not see the cash as backing the system, but fortunately for them, Beauford doesn't deal in cash. This is partly due to an innate aversion to it, but mostly because he flat out doesn't have it. Hell, I'd love the ability to deal in cash - but I work with what I got, so I'll tell you with what I do deal. Cold hard common sense. You know. The kind that slaps you across the face, and stings like hell because you know you've been caught. The evidence is there. Our National Champion had 2 losses. All the bowl games except for the Capital One bowl sucked. People will watch this garbage now, but this kind of narcissistic attitude by the NCAA - where they believe people will watch simply because it's college football - is the type of thing that destroys leagues. Don't believe me? Ask the NBA. I'm happy to report that interest is at an all time high, and that parity appears, on the surface, to be paramount. Really. It tickles me to death. But unless some changes are made with how the post season is run, NCAA football is going to crumble as interest wanes.


COMING SOON: STATE OF THE BIG TEN