I imagine the BCS would like to convince us to eliminate the word 'mythical', but it's still as mythical as ever. In fact, it's not even arguable since there is no NCAA championship for the subdivision formerly known as Div IA college football. The BCS championship is a third-party award, just like the old AP and UPI national championships used to be. Since the BCS arranges the games, which the old poll-based ones didn't, there is an air of legitimacy to it, but that's illusory. Since there actually is no NCAA championship, I maintain that any third-party championship is mythical.
But that's not what you really mean by the question. You mean that, since the #1 and #2 teams actually play, then isn't it now a real championship. I don't think so. As long as there is no playoff of 8 teams or more, there will always be teams who would have had a legitimate shot at a real national championship, who do not get a chance to compete for it. See the case of an undefeated Auburn a few years ago or any of a number of teams who have been left out in recent years with credentials just as good as those who were in the big game. I know some people argue that every week is a playoff, but that's just not true. Look at the number of one-loss teams this year who will not get to play in the BCSCG who have every reason to believe they could have beaten the teams that do play, if they'd only had a chance. Say it turns out to be Florida vs. Oklahoma. Doesn't a one-loss USC have every reason to argue that they haven't had a playoff against those teams? The pollsters have just decided that they're not better than us, but none of us knows if that's true because we will never play. Is a one-loss Texas Tech any worse of a team just because their one loss happened later than ours? We'll never know because we'll never play. How about a one-loss Texas who beat Oklahoma on the field? (And if Texas goes on instead, then Oklahoma has their own argument.) The examples are endless. So I argue, both technically, and in the spirit of what sports is about, that the national championship we all want so badly for the Gators to win (myself included) is still mythical. It will remain mythical until there is a real playoff and the NCAA formally awards the championship to the winner of that tournament. Rob From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Gatornet Admin Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2008 11:27 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [gatortalk] Re: [gatornews] Today's Gatornews from Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post I agree with everything you said, but didn't the BCS eliminate the word "mythical"? Randy Lyons Sent wirelessly _____ From: NZ Gator <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2008 10:47 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [gatortalk] RE: [gatornews] Today's Gatornews from Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post I understand Demps having extra incentive against FSU since he wanted to go there and they wouldn't recruit him. That's natural. But why would this Reed guy have extra incentive against Florida who did want him? He just decided to choose the other school. It sounds like we're better off without him anyway, given his propensity for getting into trouble (and still only a freshman), but I still don't get the point of the story. Aren't there lots of players on both teams that were also recruited by the other? Perhaps he's just bitter because he chose a mediocre team when he could have been playing for an SEC, and possibly a mythical national, championship. Rob From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of JunoGator Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2008 9:14 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [gatornews] Today's Gatornews from Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post FSU freshman receiver has extra incentive against Gators -- IRA SCHOFFEL TALLAHASSEE -- Freshman receiver Bert Reed, who likely will be one of Florida State's top offensive weapons Saturday, originally planned to be wearing orange and blue. Reed orally committed to Florida during his senior year at Panama City Bay High, but backed out and signed with the Seminoles. ''It's a big game for me,'' Reed said. ``I want to make a play. I want to make some kind of difference in the game -- special teams or any way I can.'' Though he has missed three games because of team suspensions, Reed is Florida State's fourth-leading receiver with 16 receptions for 253 yards. He has three touchdown catches. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
