Hating on the $EC - Mostly Alabama (and a little Georgia too)

[Dr. Strangelove]

Gentlemen, I have a source, and he says Bama is in trouble.

[AlabamAlum]

Wise and succinct as usual, DSL.

[AlabamAlum]

Wiz, are you ignoring me?

Wiz,

Talking with some friends at the bar last night about college officiating. I told them I knew a very old one-time college official who is now crippled and retired who I could pick his brain on this. So here goes:

1. Did you ever see, or have you ever been a part of in any way, make-up calls? In other words, you ever see a call that you think was wrong, but one of the officials called it, and so you (or another ref) makes a technically correct, but ticky-tack make-up call that normally you/they would have left the flag in your/their pocket?

2. You hear all the time when a conference's cash cow/highest ranked team heading for a championship gets a favorable call(s) that the refs were “protecting” that team. You ever get pressured -directly or implied- from a conference commissioner or conference director of officiating- to protect that team? If so, what did you do?

3. You ever work with an official who was making so many one-sided questionable calls in key situations against a team that you thought they were biased to the point of trying to artificially influence the game? If so, how did you handle that? Did you ever suspect they had money on the game?

Thanks in advance.

[Mike]

I saw some scuttlebutt on X about some Bama players maybe opting out, etc. That stuff was based on the assumption that they are out of the playoff hunt which is premature to assume at this point. I think a 9-3 Alabama has a decent shot in a 12 team format. Hell, they'll probably send you guys to Happy Valley for an auto-win against Frames Janklin and you find yourself in the quarterfinals. Maybe even back at the Rose Bowl!

[AlabamAlum]

Nothing to do with opting out. And Bama (rightfully) won’t sniff the CFP.


Just drop some bandz on Auburn to cover/win.

Trust me.

[AlabamAlum]

Bama vs #6 Houston going to OT. Exciting game.


But these officials? Woof.

[AlabamAlum]

And Bama beats #6 Houston. Alabama plays Rutgers tomorrow night.

[iam416]

Can I go on record saying how stupid it is that conference champions automatically get byes in this nonsense tournament?

Also, can I go on record saying how stupid it is that _THE_WIZARD gets internet access?

[Mike]

Once Boise and Arizona St. or whatever horseshit team wins the Big 12 get byes over the likes of Oregon, OSU, Texas, et al., that shit will end really fucking quick. Wasn't this format approved before the implosion of the PAC? Just going off last year's field, the 4 teams all won their conference and would have had the 1rst round byes this year and would make perfect sense but not with glorified G5 trash.

Last year:

#1 Michigan - 13-0
#2 Washington - 13-0
#3 Texas - 12-1
#4 Alabama - 12-1

This year's top 4 seeds (projection):

#1 Oregon
#3 Texas
#6 Miami
#10 Boise St.

Fucking Boise is 6 spots higher than the highest ranked Big 12 team (ASU at #16). JFC.

[Mike]

I'm just now looking at the rankings and bracket. What a shitshow. We went from 5 power conferences where one of those champions would not get a first round bye and likely bitch about it forever to 4 power conferences with one of them being so bad that the Mountain West champ will get a first round bye and the 4 seed over an entire field that would be heavy underdogs against.

The Big 12 is a "bid stealer" league. LOL

[iam416]

Oh, it's awful. You can't do these auto-byes when there's only 2 conference worth a shit.

Right now, if Ohio State somehow upsets SHERRONE!!!!, they'll play Oregon. The winner will be #1 and the loser will either be #2 or #3 but pushed down to #5. The loser will actually probably have an easier path assuming #12 is a dogshit team. They'll play that team at home and then get the #4 seed -- the dogshit auto-bye champ. Meanwhile, the #1 seed does get a bye, but then they play the 8/9 winner, which will be a real team (Tennessee or Georgia as of today). And then they'll get the "#5" seed that is actually the #2 or #3.

So, would rather play Arizona State at home then Boise OR bye then Georgia/Tennessee?

[lineygoblue]

Its going to create some mis-matches for bye teams who get a home game. It could mean that a #10 ranked team sitting in the #4 spot, could get a very angry #5 ranked team to play against in the first round.

The intent (I thought) was to give the bye teams a better chance of advancing with a home game and a bye. It may not happen that way.


EDIT: Sorry, talent. Cross posted. You said it better.

[Mike]

That's another goofy aspect and why they'll just make it 16 teams pretty soon. Even Saban said he'd rather have a home game as the reward for being a high seed. Penn St. is the 3rd best team in their conference and they'll be rewarded with a home game against the 11 seed, in this case a fraudulent Indiana team. If I interpreted the schedule correctly, the #3 seed will be the "home" team in the Rose Bowl and will play the winner of the 6/11 game. Right now that would be Miami - PSU. I swear if Boise ends up "hosting" the Rose Bowl I'll have a fucking stroke.

[iam416]

It definitely needs to go to straight seeding. That would cure much. 16 is inevitable.

The thing they probably need to do is have some sort guideline about avoiding conference matchups if you only have to tweak by 1 seed.

But, whatever. If CRD somehow pulls off the win on Saturday, then he's destined for 3 losses to Oregon in a single season. JFC.

[Mike]

Anyone know if ND is eligible for a bye? As much as I hate them, I'd rather see them in the top 4 than Miami or Boise.