Around the Big Ten

[lineygoblue]

Congrats to The Wizard and his Huskerz for their win tonight over Rutgers 28-21.

It must be nice to end the season with a win.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Shoulda been a 4 TD beatdown but any win is welcome...

[Cody_Russell]

In the article, they say that Bret Bielma is a replacement possibility for the Illini. I could see them giving the meathead a 2nd chance in the Big Ten.

It is indeed Bret (BERT) Bielema. Named Illinois football head coach. Good hire for Illinois.

Sad Bert didn’t work out at Arkansas because he looks like a hog.

[lineygoblue]

The meathead is back

[Hannibal]

He's a good fit there. He can coach but he can't recruit and that's the reason that he got absolutely chewed up in the SEC. But at Illinois it will be easier.

[iam416]

I'm no fan of Penn State, but congratulations to those asshats for not quitting and managing to finish 2020 with some optimism. 4-5 ain't great, but they kept playing and it's way better than 0-5.

[lineygoblue]

As bad as Michigan's 2020 season was, I still don't believe they deliberately gave up on the season. The talk coming from Ann Arbor is that there were over 50 active cases of Covid on the team as of this past Monday. They were hovering around 40 when the OSU game was called off. Those were active cases, not precautionary quarantines or contact tracings.

I'm no apologist for anyone in the program right now, from Schlissel down to the equipment managers. I'm still torqued off at Whitmer for her stonewalling of the season early on, which contributed to the failures in the season.

I know its a popular belief in Ohio that Michigan chickened out, and used Covid as a crutch, but I still believe the game(s) would have been played if Michigan had the numbers to compete with. I hope that the media will get FOIA information from Michigan that shows the actual numbers that were used to cancel the games. The Freep loves doing hatchet jobs on Michigan, so I imagine someone is working on that right now.

Anyway, on to 2021.

[iam416]

A Minnesota "insider" is reporting that the B10 will consider eliminating the divisional format and going with a 14 team league with the top 2 teams playing in the CCG. He also says there is "heavy steam" behind the idea (whatever the fuck that means).

It sounds like a horrible idea to me for logistical and CFP reasons. It works for the B12 because it's a 10-team league and they all play one another. Tiebreakers are easy. Tiebreakers for 14 aren't easy. Last year there were 3 7-2 teams. It probably also would have made a difference maybe 2 times. In 2016, OSU would have played PSU and in 2018, OSU would have probably played M again instead of NW.

In any event, if it's a horrible idea then I'm sure it will get implemented. And then very belatedly corrected, if at all. The league's response to "Leaders and Legends" was glacial as was its response to their god-awful, virtue-signaling Covid crap.

[iam416]

Bowl season is upon us and "Dr." Strangelove has yet to provide us with a list of B10 Bowl games and his accompanying sage analysis. For the love of christ, Strangelove, quit chasing ghosts on the political thread, and hop to! I will also add that reviews for both Congo and Bloodsport 4: Dark Kumite remain outstanding.

You've become an embarrassment. To quote The Wizard quoting Dick Butkus -- "Do you fucking job, asshat."

[Cody_Russell]

It’s the least excited I’ve ever been about bowl season.
Might only watch Clemson vs Ohio State + the 1st half of ND vs Bama + championship game.... that’s it.

Also it’s ridiculous that Indiana was left out of a NY6 game. 7th ranked in the AP Poll Indiana that is.

About the B10 eliminating divisions. Isn’t this ANOTHER rule change that favors Ohio State? They will be in the top 2 of the B10 for the next decade. It’s hard for B10 teams to knock them off twice, if at all.

[WingsFan]

[Dr. Strangelove]

Bowl season is upon us and "Dr." Strangelove has yet to provide us with a list of B10 Bowl games and his accompanying sage analysis. For the love of christ, Strangelove, quit chasing ghosts on the political thread, and hop to! I will also add that reviews for both Congo and Bloodsport 4: Dark Kumite remain outstanding.

You've become an embarrassment. To quote The Wizard quoting Dick Butkus -- "Do you fucking job, asshat."

Congo will happen sooner or later. Dark Kumite may be a while. I'm not sure I can in good conscience jump right into 4 without ever having seen 2 or 3.

[iam416]

Oh, you can't. Savor the journey.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Bowl season is upon us and "Dr." Strangelove has yet to provide us with a list of B10 Bowl games and his accompanying sage analysis. For the love of christ, Strangelove, quit chasing ghosts on the political thread, and hop to! I will also add that reviews for both Congo and Bloodsport 4: Dark Kumite remain outstanding.

You've become an embarrassment. To quote The Wizard quoting Dick Butkus -- "Do you fucking job, asshat."

To quote...well...me...

EFZ

[lineygoblue]

About the B10 eliminating divisions. Isn’t this ANOTHER rule change that favors Ohio State? They will be in the top 2 of the B10 for the next decade. It’s hard for B10 teams to knock them off twice, if at all.

Actually, it would likely favor Michigan more than OSU. Michigan isn't going to get past OSU into the CCG any time this decade under the current format. So, if they go to an all-in-one setup, they might be able to eek their way in as the 2nd place team, to get whipped 2 weeks in a row, instead of just one.

So, as I think of it now, it probably favors both. It gives Michigan a narrow window into the CCG, and also allows OSU to whip Michigan twice in the same season. Ohioans should be strongly in favor.