Dec 14th 2009 04:00 am What’s old is new again
As I have mentioned recently, we’ve not talked about sports much this year. Given this, I hope the non-fans among you will indulge my annual football tantrum.
Even the non-fans know, New Year’s Day is when the marquee bowl games traditionally have been played. New Year’s Day, 2010, Auburn and Northwestern will play in the Outback Bowl. Of the four significant polls, neither team appears in the top 25. Now, Auburn University is my alma mater. The Tigers were better this year than last. Their win-loss record is miraculously good, and with chicanery and adrenaline they came within a minute of beating then-No. 2 Alabama. However, anyone who regularly watched this team play knows the polls have it right. This is not a sound Auburn team. I don’t know much about Northwestern, but here’s what gets me: the old men who run this circus will tell you there can’t be a major-college football playoff, because it will be detrimental to the existing bowl system when in reality their unworthy BCS championship scheme (Those still reading will need no explanation.) already has made the once-interesting bowl season meaningless.
There, now that I’ve said it, it doesn’t seem so important. Thanks for listening. Note the unusual two-panel format of this cartoon.
Posted by jimmyjohnson / Vintage A&J
41 Responses to “What’s old is new again”
Anonymous on 14 Dec 2009 at 5:24 am #
JJ I didn’t know you were a Patriots fan…..common baseball….
Redman in the Big "O" on 14 Dec 2009 at 7:45 am #
See if you can find the “Capital One Bowl” strip. It is great! War Damn Eagle anyway!
Kirk on 14 Dec 2009 at 7:54 am #
GO WILDCATS!
Ed from Tampa on 14 Dec 2009 at 8:38 am #
Checkout the gravy boat homage!
Is “homage” French for “rip-off”?
http://comics.com/f_minus/2009-12-14/
Go Buckeyes!
Steve from Richmond on 14 Dec 2009 at 8:51 am #
Appalachain State and Montana made an incredible statement for the value of college football playoffs. The game to determine who plays for the I-AA national championship came down to the last one second in zero degree weather in a driving snowstorm at the goal line. If only Divsion I-A would read the memo. God, what a game. Every other division uses playoffs, the NFL uses them, and to protect their ranking system they have Boise State and TCU, both undefeated from “minor conferences” play each other, and Iowa and Georgia Tech, both two losses but from “major conferences” play each other in BCS bowls. Wouldn’t it make sense to settle the minor/major problem and have the SEC and ACC play against the “pretenders” especially since Boise State opened the season by beating Rose Bowl bound Oregon? Nope. BCS? Nah, same old BS.
Todd from Fairfax on 14 Dec 2009 at 9:00 am #
Ditto! or, as I learned it in Houston, Yeah Boy Howdy! The lack of a real championship is a major part of why I just can’t get into college football, despite attending school in a “major” conference. Of course, on the flip side of that are the rumors of expanding the college hoops championship field to 96 teams, which has its own issues. And don’t get me started on the “64-65 Play-in Game”.
Bob in Orland Park on 14 Dec 2009 at 9:06 am #
Go NU Wildcats!!!
You can’t speak of dismal seasons without mentioning Da Bears. Sad, sad……..
Steve from Royal Oak, MI on 14 Dec 2009 at 9:23 am #
I am a fan of the Bowls. Maybe we have a few too many, but I think that our society is too tournament crazy. If you play everyone in your conference and you have the best record, you are a champion. Before 1969, winning the pennant in baseball was a big deal. The World Series was exciting, but it only proved who was the best team in a short series. Colleges play too many games as it is and to add a playoff might add 2-3 games right in the middle of finals.
Basketball has the luxury of playing 30 game schedules, so statistically,you can get a pretty good idea of who the best 25-30 teams are in the country. They can also play two games a week, which cuts the tournament from 6 weeks to 3.
Yeah its a lot of fun and an interesting test to find the best team, but do you really thing if George Mason had played in the ACC, Big East or Big Ten when they went to the Final Four they would be conference champions? To me, the best team doesn’t always win. However the best team SHOULD win the regular season conference championship.
I KNOW that I am in the minority, but I do not see a practical, statistically sound method of determining a champion in football. I enjoy the bowl games because the coaches play to win and losing is not the end of the world. It makes for some pretty good games. NW played very uneven this year just like Auburn. It should be a good game.
Ace on 14 Dec 2009 at 9:24 am #
Goodness. Allow me to be the first in the thread to say Roll Tide!
I’m one of those people who believes the only good thing to come out of that cow college across the state is the proprietor of this fine comic strip. 
nickchick on 14 Dec 2009 at 9:26 am #
Believe it or not I (as a Bama fan) agree with you Jimmy. The BCS is a joke. But personally I hate the way they have ruined New Year’s Day. Even though Auburn will be playing on New Year’s, its just not the same. When I was little we used to watch football all day after watching the Rose Bowl parade. Mama always got up early and made the turnip greens and black eyed peas and cornbread and left them warming on the stove so she wouldn’t miss any thing. We would bring TV’s in the living room from the bedrooms and watch football all day. As kids we all looked forward to the fabulous half time show at the Orange Bowl.
After New Year’s day college football was over. The BCS screwed everything up. It is 32 days between the SEC championship and the BCS championship. Too long!
Thanks for listenening and good luck to Auburn in the Outback bowl.
Mary from Montana on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:07 am #
Steve from Richmond – the Appalachian State/Montana game was probably the best game I’ve ever watched. WOW
Matthew on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:36 am #
Sorry, I can’t get worked up about college football or college basketball. They both reek of corruption. They create a separate class of “student” at their schools, mostly exploited, and most of these programs cost more than they deliver.
curmudgeonly ex-professor on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:38 am #
In my humble opinion, bowl games ought to be a reward for having a fine season. For some teams, this is certainly the case, but what about those teams with 4, 5, or even 6 losses? How do they merit even a passing mention for a bowl game? It was a much better – and more interesting – situation when there were only a handful of bowl games of higher quality.
Connie on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:51 am #
I’m with curmudgeonly ex-professor. MSU had an embarrassing season (50/50), then over half the first string gets into trouble with the law and kicked off the team for the rest of the season (which is only the “bowl” game) and they still make a bowl game?
I used to laugh that the Cherry Bowl was created just so MSU could play in a bowl game, but I had no idea how true that statement was! It doesn’t mean anything anymore, its just another way for the NCAA to generate $$$$$ off a bunch of kids who happen to be good at sports.
Don’t even get me started on those who go to school on full scholarships, then drop out to join the majors before they graduate. Someone should have to pay back that money so it can go to those who seriously desire an education.
College was never meant to be a stepping stone to the major league sports networks, it was supposed to be a way to better one’s self and get an education. I love college sports but they do need to be reigned in and reminded of why those kids are in school.
another Josh on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:55 am #
As an alum of a school that is usually awful (Iowa State), it’s kinda fun when the team is good enough (like this season) to qualify for a bowl. I’m not one who will sit down and watch every bowl game possible, but when a few select schools I have connection to make it, I try to watch those. I might try to watch the Outback Bowl this year because my brother is attending Northwestern. Now the challenge is figuring out which channel the games are shown on and if you receive that channel. This year I was hoping for an Auburn/Iowa State bowl pairing matchup, just because of the coach swap the two schools had just before this season, but apparently the bowl organizers couldn’t make that happen. As an aside, I couldn’t figure out why Auburn would want to hire Chizik anyway, but I suppose he had a prior connection to the school.
Glen on 14 Dec 2009 at 11:14 am #
Amen to Jimmy’s comments from those of us out west (at least me anyway.) I am a Utah man!, The BCS showed their true colors this year by pairing the two BCS busters against each other. Rather than a “true BCS” school. I guess what Utah did last year still has the BCS reeling.
Rickmeister on 14 Dec 2009 at 11:34 am #
Steve from Royal Oak:
“If you play everyone in your conference and you have the best record, you are a champion.”
What gets to me is that the Big Ten doesn’t seem to think the same way…they don’t play everyone in the conference each year – instead ‘padding’ the schedule with MAC teams and the like. I’d like to see each team get an equal shot…I find it disheartening to find teams like Ohio State or Michigan still playing non-conference games seven weeks and more into the schedule. There are 11 teams in the Big Ten (don’t get me started on the math) and they only play against 8 league opponents, finishing two weeks ahead of most other conferences. {Surprisingly, I only get moderate satisfaction from teams like Toledo bumping off the Wolverines…I’d rather it be some Big Ten team lower in the conference standings.}
And now there’s serious talk of adding a 12th team to the Big Ten – we may have to find a more creative name for the conference, as Big 12 is already taken!
K in ND on 14 Dec 2009 at 11:35 am #
Oh boy. I don’t understand the strip, don’t get the discussion, can’t figure out Mr. Johnson’s post…I’d better duck out for a few days.
K
Dale on 14 Dec 2009 at 11:51 am #
I assume that “detrimental to the existing bowl system” means “would reduce the aggregate ad revenue of the bowl games”. The worst solution would be the eminently rational “If you play everyone in your conference and you have the best record, you are a champion.” If that was adopted, there wouldn’t be any playoff revenue at all!
sandcastler on 14 Dec 2009 at 12:01 pm #
Gave up on football, basketball and baseball years ago; now am a die-hard hockey fan. The only downside is I have nothing to discuss at the water cooler. To those who may have a team in a bowl game, enjoy and good-luck!
Leary on 14 Dec 2009 at 12:01 pm #
I’ll be with K in ND. I understand enough to not be interested.
Mindy on 14 Dec 2009 at 12:08 pm #
My Colts are doing great. Again. And my Saints…well, who knows? They always snatch defeat from the jaws of victory but hope dies hard! Oops! Sorry, have I offended?
Bonnie on 14 Dec 2009 at 12:09 pm #
I have to put in my plug for Penn State. I credit Joe Paterno with keeping his team as unegotistical and down-to-earth as humanly possible.
We Are Penn State.
Steve from Royal Oak, MI on 14 Dec 2009 at 12:40 pm #
Rickmeister:
I agree. I would like to see them play all of the teams and not play the MAC. All other conferences do the same thing as they load up on the creampuffs. In Basketball, before Penn St came, the B10 did play home and away with the other 9 teams. Personally I found that more satisfying.
Remember the Big 12 South last year had Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma all with the same record. Any one of them could have been the best team in the country. It reminded me of the movie “Wargames” when the computer learned that you cannot win playing Tic Tac Toe.
The BCS was created because Bowls started inviting team in late October and ended up with Virginia at 7-4 playing Notre Dame at 11-0 in the Sugar Bowl. At least the BCS, with some obvious exceptions, creates better match ups. Of course everyone gets to agrue about it, except for the folks who could care less. And I think they shake their heads and laugh at us.
Frankthecurmudgeon on 14 Dec 2009 at 1:41 pm #
Damn! You read my mind – re: Pats. Didn’t really expect them to go undefeated but the first half of this game and the two previous were an embarrassment.
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Anonymous on 14 Dec 2009 at 5:24 am #
JJ I didn’t know you were a Patriots fan…..common baseball….
John in LA late of PNS on 14 Dec 2009 at 2:32 pm #
YAWN!
Rick (SE Al) on 14 Dec 2009 at 3:04 pm #
Re: bowls and playoffs in college football. Follow the money. There will not be a playoff in D1 football because the BCS conferences don’t want to share the proceeds with the other 50 schools. A playoff would put all money under the control of the NCAA which would disburse it evenly amongst all 120 schools. A’int gonna happen.
It isn’t hard to figure out why there are over 200 D1 basketball programs and only half of those schools have D1 programs. March Madness splits that money evenly.
This is just my opinion and I’m sure many will disagree. Regardless, Roll Tide.
Columbus Girl on 14 Dec 2009 at 3:06 pm #
There is only one real Bowl Game: the Rose Bowl, and if Ohio State isn’t in it, it is a mere distraction in an otherwise busy day. Sugar and Orange bowls follow closely. After that it is all Johnny Come Too Lately. And the BCS needs to go away; whatever they know about football can be inscribed on the head of a pin. I definitely agree with you.
Ace on 14 Dec 2009 at 4:18 pm #
Rick (SE Al):
what part of southeast Alabama are you from? i grew up in Enterprise. yep, home of the Boll Weevil Monument.
Jean from Dahlonega GA aka Trapper Jean on 14 Dec 2009 at 8:57 pm #
Normally I wouldn’t comment here, because I know nothing about football and don’t care to learn. However, I feel that with the discussion of Bowl games, someone might get a chuckle out of the following story: Many years ago, when I was about high school age, I heard part of a radio show (WSB 759 in Atlanta) on which the host and a guest were talking about who was going to play in that years’ Peach Bowl. Since the University of Georgia (UGA) frequently won a spot in that game, there was some notion of giving them a permanent placement there. A lady called in that was obviously not a UGA fan. Her opinion-yes, UGA should have its very own Bowl game…the Toilet Bowl. Needless to say, host and guest got a good laugh out of that call and moved on.
Steve from Royal Oak, MI on 14 Dec 2009 at 9:48 pm #
Jean:
Well the Lions play in the Turkey bowl every Thanksgiving. For the last 6 years, they’ve gotten stuffed.
For those who are bored talking about football, it could be worse. We might be talking about a certain golfer’s private life….that is not so private anymore.
James Pollock on 14 Dec 2009 at 11:38 pm #
In the Pac-10, everybody plays everybody each year. They got Oregon into the Rose Bowl, but no other BCS slots, because everybody else had 3 conference losses. Oregon played Oregon State for the conference title… and Boise State beat Oregon, and Cincinnati beat Oregon State. That’s what you get for NOT scheduling creampuffs.
On the other hand, there will be at least two teams that had undefeated seasons this year. One will get to claim to be national champions. The other(s) will just have to say “we beat everyone that wasn’t afraid to play us.”
Liz on 15 Dec 2009 at 2:16 am #
As a Northwestern alum, I beg for your pity. We have often placed 10th or even 11th in the Big Ten, so moments such as these (actually going to a bowl game) are sweet and rare. We are some of the only fans who will walk out of a bowl game still smiling after we lose. Go Cats!
nickchick on 15 Dec 2009 at 9:29 am #
Hey Ace! My daughter lives in Ashford. She used to work in Enterprise. Small world, isn’t it? RTR
PS…I am curious to see if this post has to be approved by JJ. Could it be it has to wait to be moderated because of my name? JJ doesn’t trust those of us on the “other” side? We’ll see…
Rick (SE Al) on 15 Dec 2009 at 11:21 am #
Ace:
I’m live near Dothan and am very familiar with your home town. Have some friends and co-workers who live there and really like it.
Bob, near Mark on 15 Dec 2009 at 12:26 pm #
Rick (SE Al), and Ace,
I’ve played miniature golf in Dothan. :>)
One of my daughters and her husband live in Enterprise. He’s an instructor at Ft Rucker.
Ace on 15 Dec 2009 at 12:29 pm #
nickchick and Rick (SE AL):
nice to see some folks from around my old stomping grounds.
small world! i miss the Wiregrass often, but living in Tuscaloosa for the past year+ has been a lot of fun, too. especially football season, what can i say?
Ace on 15 Dec 2009 at 2:13 pm #
Bob, near Mark:
that’s doubly funny to me. i was pictured in the Adventureland brochure, back when the place first opened (i’m sure that’s where you played mini golf in Dothan).
my dad retired at Ft. Rucker. not a pilot, though. 20 years, NCO, infantry. and he’s still a tough old buzzard.
Bob, near Mark on 15 Dec 2009 at 3:10 pm #
Ace,
My son-in-law is an NCO flight instructor at Ft Rucker. He has about 14 or 15 years in right now. Me, I’m ex-USAF. I spent about a month (July of 2007) at Ft Rucker. Felt a bit odd living on a military installation again – odd but familiar. They’ve moved off-post recently.
Bob, near Mark on 15 Dec 2009 at 3:13 pm #
Ace, sorry, that date was incorrect. It should have read July of 2008. In July of 2007, they were still at Ft Hood, with me visiting there, too.
spot on 15 Dec 2009 at 4:14 pm #
why is arlo getting so wound up about sport?