Justsomeguy

Okay, I've come to terms with the fact that USC will undoubetly be playing for the national championship. Whether they deserve it or not, the media loves them. Therefore, they started the season #1. They've looked okay even though they looked better last year. But no matter, it is not an issue. All that matters is that you get the win and you start the season with alot of love from the media.

However, if Texas runs the table, which seems likely, and plays in the national championship then everyone loses. Honestly, this team is just mediocre and you won't convince me otherwise. Vince Young is overrated just as his team is. Atleast with Virginia Tech and Alabama you have teams that really control the game. You have teams that would really control the Texas offense as well. Alabama lose a 20 point lead in the second half? Won't happen. Nor would it happen for Virginia Tech. Regardless, atleast give us a national championship game worth watching. One where teams actually play adequate defense, which a USC and Texas game would not provide.

On a side note, any less than 3 undefeated teams this year is a failure for all fans. The BCS needs to fail again and show how shitty it really is. USC began the season with a preseason rank of 1, Texas at 2, Virginia at 3, and Alabama and UCLA unranked. They still remain in this order. Teams 3-5 never really have a shot. Someone HAS to lose for them to even receive a fair chance. Preseason polling and the BCS has really become a thorn in the side of college football and something has to be done about it. How the hell do you rank a team that hasn't even played a game. Hell, Tennessee was in the top 5 at the beginning of the season. We see how accurrate that was.

Spartak

If Texas is overrated how come they are undefeated?
If Texas is overrated how come they knocked off more ranked teams than #1 Trojans?
If Young is overrated how come he threw for 200 and then ran for 200 getting his team the win?

Texas played their butts off this entire season, beating Michigan away and Oklahoma when nobody gave them a chance then.

This team is legit and they deserve to play for the national championship should they go undefeated.

USC hasn't been flawless, but nobody talks about that.

__________________
I can read your mind... looking at you... I can read your mind...

philanderer

Are you serious? Everyone said Texas would beat Oklahoma. Oklahoma isn't close to the same level of talent they usually play at...and in all honesty Texas was handled by Ohio State for 3 and 4/5 of a quarter until the Ohio State defense played prevent and let a big play go by...Do you not remember that game. Do you understand what prevent defense is? Put the Ohio State defense on the field again against Texas and take out the defensive lapse and late game quarterback blunders and Ohio State is number 2 right now.

Young threw and rushed for 200 against Oklahoma State who the Texans have handled 100+ points to nothing in the second half over the last three years...The question is how did Texas get down 28 to 9 in the first place?

And Texas always chokes anyways...give them a few more games and they should find a way to screw themselves over. The real number two is Notre Dame and played like it against USC. The game was great and they are the real challenger to this USC team

philanderer

I completely forgot about Michigan....they're ranked what 25? You forgot the only real challenges Texas faced beating Ohio State away and an undefeated Texas Tech.

Glory's Sun

USC will loose to UCLA which will put Texas vs Va Tech for the BCS championship

snow wombat

Virginia Tech will be shocked by the Hurricanes this weekend....

philanderer

I see USC v Va Tech for the national champ. although it doesn't matter whos there cause USC wins it

Jeff

I want Texas in the national championship, I really believe they have the best chance of beating USC of any team in the running. The team is just mediocre? Nope.

Go hawkeyes.

__________________
For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command or faith a dictum. I am my own God. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.
--Charles Bukowski

highthief

Vince Young overrated? Pass the doobie, dood!



Both USC and Texas are damn exciting teams to watch, and both are (currently) deserving, though both have relatively easy schedule playing a number of lesser teams. However, when Notre Dame or Ohio come to play, these guys are getting it done.

__________________
Si vis pacem parabellum.

Gatorade Frost

Yeah. Texas is gonna get reamed by TAMU. No contest there.

That's when we'll see them choke up; playing at Kyle field will be their downfall.

__________________
I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face." I said, "You'll be sorry." He said, "Oh, yeah? Why?" I said, "Well, you won't be able to get into the corners very well."
Emo Philips

stevo

I love college football. USC (as much as I dislike them and the media coverage makes me puke) is a damn good team and in all likelyhood the best team in the nation. Texas is pretty damn good too and a USC Texas matchup will be exciting to watch. I would love to see a shake-up though. There really is no telling what would happen if USC and VT both lose a game before the rose bowl. I don't see texas losing at all, while UCLA could give USC a run for their money and VT still has to play UM and possibly the ACCCG.

Not too long until we get our bowl picks. was there a TFP bowl prediction thread last year? We'll have to get one going this year. Too bad college football isn't 9 months out of the year. but then I wouldn't get many weekends off.

__________________
"If I am such a genius why am I drunk, lost in the desert, with a bullet in my ass?" -Otto Mannkusser

highthief

Damn, UCLA = overrated. Number 7? Please. Losing to nobody Arizona like that...

__________________
Si vis pacem parabellum.

Kurant

Who cares if USC hasen't been "flawless". It's been 31 straight, 2 national titles, and about to be a 3rd.

Look, anyone not retarted knows, USC isn't #2 until they lose, period. No computer will tell you that though.

My 'canes knocked off V-tech, Texas better hope they don't lose. Miami with most likely leapfrog Alabama beating the #3 ranked team in the nation. Texas better hope they hang on, or we may see the 'canes back in another national championship. (Hey, anything's possible with the BCS!!)

If USC goes down, it's going to be this year. I'm not sure if they've gotten lazy, but they are not nearly as crisp in the previous 2 years.

sgn43

It's not laziness. The team has been plagued with injuries to some key positions and has had to not only deal with the stratospheric media hype, but also takes on the best shot of every team they play every single week. Most teams won't understand it, as they aren't back-to-back National Champs vying for an unprecedented 3rd consecutive championship as well as riding one of college football's longest win streaks ever. Having one of the biggest targets in all of sports on your back leads to teams coming out to play well beyond their normal game. Take the classic at Notre Dame earlier this season, or last year's too-close-for-comfort wins over Stanford and fUCLA. None of those teams would play with that same focus and intensity were they taking on just any other squad. The cliched line in sports is that players treat every week the same, and each game is prepared for and played the same as any other, but no one can deny that playing the Trojans right now is something much different from your normal Saturday. In fact, for some teams, their game against USC is the equivalent to their National Championship game....


Anyway, now that I'm done with my long-winded tangent I just have to say that as good as the Longhorns appear to be, and as "lazy" as USC may be criticized as seeming, you can bet that this Trojan team will heat up and steamroll from here on out. Under Pete Carroll, USC simply does not lose from November on. The past couple of games, anyone who has watched SC play has seen them do what they do every year around this time: step on the accelerator and start motoring towards the Pac-10 Championship as well as the Bowl season. And no matter how much the so-called experts pontificate about Texas' defense or the gamebreaking ability of Vince Young, it will not stop the fact that the USC coaches will have several weeks to prepare the team for this game. And, if you bet against Pete Carroll when he's had more than a week to gameplan another team, you are friggin' insane. Fight On.

__________________
To be great is to be misunderstood. -Emerson

spongy

I for one loved last year's Super Bowl where Philadelphia lost an overtime clasiic to Pittsburgh. How exciting was the World Series this year, what with the Cardinals finally beating the White Sox in 6 games?


Oh wait, those sports don't vote for the championship, they play.

that's why I call it the mythical national championship. It is grossly unfair that a "national Title game" could conceivably come down to how much a coach or team is liked (or disliked) by media members, or coaches (more likely ass. coaches or staffers, at least early in the year).

If they can have spring practices, and all the other offseason stuff they have, they can have a playoff. If they are worried about missing too much school, how about having a week or two off before starting the playoofs, instead of waiting a month for the big bowl games?

Anyone with me?

__________________
The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.

Stephen King

Glory's Sun

I'm with ya spongy.. I would love to see an extra week (or two) added to the schedule for a playoff. I'm sure the coaches would be happier as they hate the current BCS system. The BCS is nothing but a money hog that damages teams hopes and chances to be where they should be.

sgn43

I agree with you about the playoff, spongy. In fact, there's a great proposal that would only require one extra game, and it would at least create a slightly more legitimate feel to National Championship. Now, I've never made it a secret that I'm a USC diehard, and I also believe that our two championships have been legit. However, if they installed a plus-one system, where the top 4 teams play against each other in two bowls (#1 vs #4, #2 vs #3) and then the winner of those bowls facing off in the extra bowl game for all the marbles, I believe USC would now be playing for its fourth straight championship. There would still be controversy and team that will say they were cheated; but, that happens even in other sports where they "play for the championship" (i.e. the Angels in this past year's ALCS with the infamous strike three that wasn't). I believe that's the only feasible way college football can clear up a lot of the complaints and controversy surrounding the crowning of the National Champion.

__________________
To be great is to be misunderstood. -Emerson

Justsomeguy

Vince young is very overrated. He's good on NCAA 2006, but that is about the only time he is not overrated. He is a good athlete, but there are several quarterbacks in the NCAA much better. His career will be short lived just as many scrambling qb's.

I was happy to see Virginia Tech lose this weekend. But, it is bull shit that the current system requires teams to fuck up for it to actually put the right teams in the championship at the end of year. Fans deserve better than that. Even if Alabama loses one of there final game, the BCS isn't a success. It just got lucky that a team fucked up. As a fan, I've been sick of this for many years now.

Also, yes, there has to be an alternative. If college football had a full blown playoff system that allowed for you to be less than perfect throughout the season, it would be a huge slap in the face to all fans of the sport. But yeah, something has to be done, which is becoming a redundant statement in college football. Of course, college football is special in that Pre-season polls decides who will be in the championship. Because afterall, without ever playing a game, it's obvious where a team will finish the season.

spongy

The ironic thing is that ALL other levels of college football have playoofs.

__________________
The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.

Stephen King

Justsomeguy

Yeah, but all other levels of college football are not near as popular.

stevo

or as great.

If there were any modifications to the BCS, I'm in favor of a +1 scenerio. I think a full-blown 8-team playoff would cause more controversy than the current BCS system. Its relatively easy to pick the 1v2 matchup - on occasion the #3 team will claim a steak in the MNC title, and possibley the #4 team. But to implement an 8-team playoff it gets much more complicated. Obviously #7 doesn't feel they should be in the mnc game, but if there was an 8 team playoff, there's probably half a dozen teams that think they are at least the 8th best team in the country, yet they're ranked just outside #8. While a playoff sounds nice, I don't think it will solve any problems. If there was a playoff to start today, ND would be left out, but the whole country saw them take USC to the wire and most would agree that they should be in. The current system isn't best, but a playoff system wouldn't be any better.

__________________
"If I am such a genius why am I drunk, lost in the desert, with a bullet in my ass?" -Otto Mannkusser

highthief

Ah, the sweet sounds of the Florida teams getting their butts handed to them!

(And another Ohio victory - but the real test will be that last game against evil Michigan)

__________________
Si vis pacem parabellum.

Justsomeguy

Yep, and the media continues to ride Notre Dame's cock~

Not that other teams aren't overranked. I think Notre Dame got cheated out of the USC game. They barely lost to Michigan state. However, still, who have they beat? Alot of teams ALMOST win all of their games.

The only team they beat is a weak Michigan team that I'm sure most Michigan fans will admit is one of the weakest Michigan teams in recent years. Or ever for that matter.

sgn43

How? And please don't cite the "Bush Push" or the spot of the ball as it went out of bounds. The fact of the matter is USC won an extremely tight game. Both teams deserve credit for a hell of a game--a well-played, hard fought game that wasn't close because of sloppiness of play--but, USC won it fair and square. If Notre Dame wanted to win, they should have stopped USC on the 4th and 9 that led to the dramatic finish.

__________________
To be great is to be misunderstood. -Emerson

Justsomeguy

The refs made the game not worth watching. I.E. ND wasn't ready for the last play. How long did the refs take to decide that the ball was not fumbled in the end zone?

If they were going to make the call they should have made it 2-3 minutes before they did. Hell, Weis was still walking off the field on the last play. Did the refs make the right call? Well, yeah, the ball was not in the end zone. But still, they made the wrong call because they took so long to make it.

I'm not a ND fan. I'm not a USC fan. But, to see it end like that was very pathetic.

sgn43

Well, you have to consider the fact that it was a huge call. I'd rather have the refs take a little extra time and get the call right than end the game on an officiating blunder.


Also, the broadcast didn't do justice to what happened on the field that night. After Matt Leinart was hit and had the ball dislodged, Notre Dame fans poured out onto the field instantly. Most people didn't know the ball went out of bounds because not only was there no instant replay in that particular game, but Notre Dame's stadium also does not have a jumbotron where everyone could see the play over again and from a closer angle. So, not only did the refs have to discuss exactly what happened and where the ball should be spotted, but they had to wait for the field to get cleared of all the fans that prematurely rushed the field. And I don't see how Weis walking off the field would be a point in arguing that the refs took too long to make the call. If anything, Charlie took too long to get off the field and let them play.

__________________
To be great is to be misunderstood. -Emerson

Justsomeguy

Actually, no. I'd rather the refs make a call right away. If it's the wrong call, so be it. It's just a damn game. However, people want to treat it like it's far more important. Fuck replays, play the damn game. Fuck "the right call." Just make a call. Most of the time refs are right as is. Or atleast close enough.

I'm not completely sure of the circumstances of the game. However, I just don't remember seeing it end like that. The refs took forever. They seemed to make no indication that the game was not over. Atleast if they had decided to make a call right away, the game would have been over quicker and my entertainment would have been saved. Instead, I finished watching saying, "WTF are they doing? I thought this was football." I was wrong. College football has turned into CSI.

sgn43

While I'll agree that sports are sometimes treated as more important than they actually are (hell, I'm a diehard Trojan and my mood is contingent on how they're doing), BUT the fact is the game does matter. Those referees aren't just watching over some peewee flag football game at the park. The game had national championship implications, which means millions and millions of dollars for the respective universities. So, at a critical point like they were at, of course they're going to at least huddle up for a second to discuss the call.


And you'll have to trust me on the ending circumstances of the game. I've watched it over and over, and I have friends (whom I am supremely jealous of) who were there and have discussed the game with me to great lengths. The game had to be suspended briefly to clear the tons of fans that rushed the field. NBC did an AWFUL job of covering the last few minutes, so most people don't understand the pandemonium in that stadium towards the end. Also, Charlie Weis would not get off the field himself. In fact, he just stood blank-faced midfield for quite a while and barely made it back to the sideline before the final play.



However, steering back on track. It's been totally beaten to death by the sports news media, but USC and Texas seem to be on "collision courses" with each other. I'm really excited about the match-up, but as I've seen in every year with Pete Carroll as coach, the Trojans are gelling and becoming a very cohesive unit and are hurtling into the tail end of the season at full bore. The horns seem to be a very good team with a superstar at the helm...but I'm almost certain that they're going to be steamrolled.

__________________
To be great is to be misunderstood. -Emerson

Varig

It's all about heart.
Vince Young's is the biggest in the game.
And the Texas defense outclasses anything the wimpy PAC 10 has ever seen.
Reggie has his Heisman. Now he will play not to get hurt.
Texas upsets the apple cart in Pasadena.

Texas 49 USC 21

sgn43

You're right. USC's 30+ game win streak was all luck and had nothing to do with heart and determination. Two back-to-back undefeated regular seasons and a shot at a third straight National Championship were won without hard work and a ton of heart from the leaders, the stars and even the lesser noticed players.


I hope you make sure to come back here and eat your serving of crow after the Trojans complete the threepeat

__________________
To be great is to be misunderstood. -Emerson

highthief

Con"Vince"d otherwise yet?

__________________
Si vis pacem parabellum.

Marvelous Marv

While I admire your guts in making this prediction, I'll just say that going undefeated in the Pac-3 isn't quite as difficult as going undefeated in, say, the SEC.

__________________
"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."
Margaret Thatcher

Justsomeguy

Was very happy to see USC lose the game. I was getting sick of seeing the media ride their cock for the past couple of months and make them out to be a team they just aren't. Hell, the USC team last year was alot more impressive imo. So, does this mean that the media will politely remove their mouth from USC's dick? I sure hope so, but I wouldn't really expect it.

On Vince Young, he obviously carried the team in the game. However, I don't expect him to do anything spectacular after college. If he's lucky, the media will overhype him just as they have done for Michael Vick though and he'll make some quick cash and hit a few pro bowls before his career ends!

Sorry to say! Why the fuck does the media and fans even consider them the 2003 champions? The only championship that really matters now is the BCS. Claiming the AP Championship is about as retarded as the Alabama game I went to this year where they were claiming championships from the 1920's! What the hell is that all about? Weren't there like 20 players to a team back then?

sgn43

Well, I've recovered enough from the loss to come back to message boards where I assured a USC victory. I definitely have a lot of crow to eat, but I have to give credit where credit is due. Vince had a game for the ages, and the longhorns fought like a champion.


I guess I can take some solace in the fact that this was a hell of a game and it can only be good for college football to have such an exciting championship.


This game really could have gone either way, and the injuries and inexperience on our defense finally caught up to us when we went against a team that matched up very well against us talent for talent. I just think it's a shame that Vince decided to leave early, because I'd love to see him go on another collision course with the Men of Troy, and maybe next time we could get the better half of the game, heh.


And lastly, justsomeguy, the reason SC is recognized as back to back champions is because they were ranked number one by every human poll and just got screwed by flaws in the bcs' system, so they couldn't play for the crystal ball. However, as the number one ranked team in the nation, they soundly beat a good Michigan team, and never has a number one team won a game and been moved down a spot. You mentioned that the bcs is the only championship that matters...then why did they completely rehaul the system because of the debacle?

__________________
To be great is to be misunderstood. -Emerson

Justsomeguy

Easy answer. Because IT IS the only championship that matters now. It is the only championship that matters and they realized there were some flaws. Therefore, corrections were needed. Or maybe they wanted to make the media and/or fans happy? Or maybe it was easier to admit the unbiased computers were more flawed rather than the human poll? Any of those are reasonable answers.