More ACC News

Growing pains over ACC title game:Gator Bowl Association has questions about hosting the ACC Championship Game.The one issue that the article dance around is the element of putting a consistent excellent product on the field. Tradition is difficult to manufacture and as 2006 show some of the teams don't sell ticket like the marque schools. If the league wants to really cash in put the ACC basketball tournemnet in the Georgia Dome.

"Donation" fee for football season ticket-holders unacceptableApparently Boston college has joined the rest of the college football world and will be looking for donations in order to secure prime seating. Two problem with this article: 1) the writer goes on a rant that makes the true meaning of his argument difficult to understand 2) the link to the second page refuses to work.

ACC Schedule: Was a Mickey Involved?

The ACC has released their 2006 schedule and you can see that the folks at Disney Sports have had their hands all over it. The involvement of Mickey, Donald and Goofy is not automatically a negative as the cupcakes are scheduled throughout the season instead of being completely front loaded front loaded.

Look at October 20: Central Michigan at Clemson, Miami at Florida State, Army at Georgia Tech, Virginia at Maryland, N.C. State at East Carolina, Wake Forest at Navy. Does anything stand out? With due respect to Army and Navy, given the high standards for students at those school, this is a tailor made week for an ABC Saturday Night Prime Time Game of Canes v. Noles. That is if the football gods smile on the ACC in 2007. Not until the following week do we get into serious all out conference play (with the exception of a Duke visit to South Bend November 17) only to conclude with a slew of OOC rivalry games which will not impact the championship game the following week.

Week by week ratings maker:

MONDAY, SEPT. 3--Florida State at Clemson Is that father/son thing is any lamer that the past Labor Day ACC snooze-a-ramas?

SATURDAY, SEPT. 8--Virginia Tech at LSU See the answer to the ACC question are we a megapowerfootball conference yet?

SATURDAY, SEPT. 15--Florida International at Miami The thrilla in the Orange Bowl...The rumble by the sea...The overhyped game in the hood. The media will be all over this one and even NASCAR fans will tune in to see the crash.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 22--Clemson at N.C. State This is maybe the best of a very average slate. Although William & Mary at Virginia Tech does look interesting.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 29--Florida State vs. Alabama (in Jacksonville, FL) and Maryland at Rutgers These maybe two key early season OOC games for the conference. Did the Terps expect Rutgers to be a semi-cupcake when they scheduled this one? Can Saban gel a team early in his first season?

SATURDAY, OCT. 6--Nothing that is noteworthy

THURSDAY, OCT. 11--Florida State at Wake Forest Revenge on a Thursday night. Can little WF repeat the feel good story of 2006? Chance are that this could be UGLY early.

SATURDAY, OCT. 20--Miami at Florida State Could this be misplaced here as well as the Labor Day games?

THURSDAY, OCT. 25--Boston College at Virginia Tech Good solid game with worthy foes. The bonus will be seeing if Tom O'Brien had more of a reason to leave than we know?

SATURDAY, NOV. 3--N.C. State at Miami Now see what Tom is doing in 2007.

SATURDAY, NOV. 10--Florida State at Virginia Tech Not to be repetative but the rest of the games do not look all the earth shaking (in January).

SATURDAY, NOV. 17--Duke at Notre DameYou know this will be on NBC at 2:00 p.m. Can't see a return game on the schedule nor remeber any past meetings.

SATURDAY, NOV. 24--Virginia Tech at VirginiaWill this be the year UVA wins one of these games?

Partial 2006-07 Bowl Game Rating List

Comments and more rating to follow.
Link to the 2005-06 ratings

Rose Bowl 13.9 ABC
Sugar Bowl 9.3 Fox
Fiesta Bowl 8.4 Fox
Orange Bowl 7.0 Fox
Alamo Bowl 6.0 ESPN
Gator Bowl 4.1 CBS
Hawaii 2.53 ESPN
Armed Forces 2.02 ESPN
Las Vegas 1.97 ESPN
New Mexico 1.80 ESPN
Motor City Bowl 1.7 ESPN
Papajohns.com Bowl 1.7 ESPN
GMAC Bowl 1.6 ESPN
MPC Computers Bowl 1.6 ESPN
Poinsettia Bowl 1.5 ESPN
Texas Bowl 1.4 NFL
New Orleans Bowl 1.3 ESPN
International Bowl 1.3 ESPN
Insight Bowl 0.9 NFL

Sources:
http://dnj.midsouthnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061229/SPORTS/612290306/1006

http://www.al.com/sports/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/sports/1168769761138840.xml&coll=2
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070103/SPORTS020502/70103044/1003/SPORTS

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003528491

Bowl Game Recap...the $'s

The attendence figures are in and as the Shervport Times shows most bowl game suceeded in filling more seats. Something that isn't completely clear is whether these number are for ticket sold or bodies through the turnstyle. A couple of noteable numbers:

1. MPC Bowl had a decrease due to the lack of hometown BSU as a participant. Nevade fans made up the bulk of the bodies in the stands given that any bowl is reason to celebrate. Fans of the "U", noted for lack of attendence at home games played at the Orange Bowl, found it beneth them to travel to the land of spuds and came dressed as empty seats.

2. Beneth them was the feeling of Aubrn fans that literally boycotted the Cotton Bowl. The Cotton Bowl has lost a step and is now put in the pack of second teir bowls. History this game has, cache' it lacks.

3. The Navy fleet of fans moved form the Poinsettia Bowl (with a Navy base in town) to the Meineke Car Care Bowl (with Nofolk very close by).

4. The Music City Bowl hit the jackpot by inventing the near by and hungry Wildcats. Although given the proxmitiy the fans in the stands may not have put as much money into the local economy as fewer that booked hotel rooms and spread the wealth in Nashville.

5. The totals got larger but again given the forced purchase of tickets we need to look at these numbers as being a slam dunk win for all parties.

Saban Good!

Here is a shocker. In the opinion of The Crimson White the hiring of Nick Saban is a good thing. The arguement made there is on par with those of the famous Chico Escuela (those under 40 read this link) and can be summarized as "Football has been berry berry good the the University of Alabama." Or for those whos late 1970's comedy run more to Animal House we can change the plaque under the staute of Mr. Faber founder of Faber College to read Winning is Good.

Alabama football is one of the great and storied progams with the lendary Coach Bryant they were a dominate program. Like many of use the Crimson Tide fnas clings to the past and delude themselves into thinking that they are only a great coach away of returning to the good old days. The pursuit of Rich Rodriguez and finally Nick Saban was done with all the class of a middle age man getting a trophy wife and a sports car. Sadly the two have much in common and as both are despartely in pursuit of a past that will not return.

Deflated

Although the Raven's are part of the mechanical NFL, this image reflects many fans feelings at the end of the season.

WWKMRF

Who Would Karl Marx Root For? The left side of the political spectrum has been quiet too long. With the rise of the conservatives in American politics and the defeat the the Soviet Union we have been deprived of the amusing view of their world as only a Commie Pinko can create. Not that the Religious Righty has not has supplied some interesting diversions, but the left always supplies an interesting change of pace.

There is little on nothing new or interesting in College football players exploited by universities which is disappointing. They point out the truck loads of money being brought in by big time college football and the players take on the roll of the exploited workers at the bottom of the system. What the Pinkos here and other that advocate for the payment of players fail to understand is the reward that the players feel for the opportunity to be on the field. Are they being exploited if they would play for nothing? What about the walk on?

The goal for all programs is 100% graduation with all players leaving with an education the pros as "a if it happens..." Football coaching staffs commit considerable resources to academic support in a effort to help him graduate and to protect the investment they have made in a player. For some the golden payday of the NFL comes true and if played correctly the expected value of an education is eclipsed by the signing bonus. Unfortunately, those are few and it is difficult tell a 19 year old that that may not come when people have been pumping him up for the past five years (consider how top recruits are treated).

The left instead of complaining about the lack of pay for players should work to encourage these young men to invest in their own personal intellectual capital. But the left has never been about personal accountability, they want to complain about the outcome not being as expected with little questioning of the individual's actions. As stated before in the blog the bachelors degree is the payoff for anyone in college and for the vast majority of players the REAL pay.

Not Surprised

Boise State will be expanding there stadium with the victroy in the Fiesta Bowl. Papa Smurf cast the lone no vote.

BS-Damus Revisited College Football 2006 Review

Phil Steele tries to predict the college season with a set of pre-season ranks based on his care review of every angle. BS-Damus made up some prose some with carefully considered teams and others just to fill up the space.

First BS-Damus:

In heart of the farmers
Near the equinox of the year
A team from the large decade
Shall fall to the center of America

Both Minnesota and Iowa fit this prediction--+1

A violent wind will swirl
Those that sow wheat and corn
Will serve those of the bovines
Scandal shall befall the twelfth

Big 12 have a lousy season but no really big scandal +1/2

A storm born of Sahara
The solstice will arrive
The sea bird shall fail to soar
Will not reign on the coast

Miami to a tee (hurricane come off the west coast of Africa). BS-Damus is smart enough, unlike the rest of the college sports world, to remember the ACC divisions.--+2

No more an ocean of pax
One of the decade will rise
A desert will bloom for one
Another will rue the autumn

The Pac-10 came out pretty much as expected with the Arizonia schools actually worst than expected. BS-Damus blames an east coast bias.--+0

For foes of the Roundheads
Dispare and disgrace they know
Course will change suddenly
Joy to be found at the terminal

The Cavilars (fought the Roundheads in the English Civil War) of UVA had a tough season with an early lose to the lowly Pitt Panthers but salvaged the season a late win against Miami. Although they finished 5-7 they finish better than expected.--+1

Canine to growl heard by all
Through flight and hurry
The bite cannot draw blood
Pack finds strength in defeat

The Washington Huskies growled loudly about the officals in their defeat by Oklahoma.--+1

Hatched of a humble nest
Upon wings of iron one soars
Knows no fear on the earth
High beyond where known

What the hell was BS-Damus thinking? He blame a combination of pain pills and Colt 45.--+0

Slip silent through the grass
Stealth and patience in design
Teeth upon neck causes death
Feast from weakness of the herd

BYU had a taste for Duck this Christmas.--+1
Total +7 1/2

Doctor Damus will tackle conferences net summer if he has finished rehab.

Too Sexy for Their Own Good

Notre Dame has a problem with being too sexy a choice for bowl game they attend. The Irish are a fair enough program with talent and very loyal fans. Maybe too loyal. In losing a 9th straight bowl game the Irish have set a record for futility. The Golden Domer's attractiveness is only wallet deep as they deliver the two things that the bowl game and by extension the networks covet...asses in the seats and eyeballs on the screen. Given the polarizing effect that the Irish have there are those the tuned in the the 2007 Sugar Bowl just to see the blowout unfold (and to Fox's benefit they had to wait for the second half).

Where as a lesser team with an equal record might be overlooked Notre Dame gets the nod and find themselves over matched. One might be tempted to feel sorry for Notre Dame but given the $4.5 million they get from the BCS whether they play a game or not, the feeling is quickly forgotten.

Those that question the current bowl array need only to review this blog and see that money the the driving force in college football. Since Notre Dame generates the dollars they are very sexy.

To quote the wire lyrics, "...So sexy it hurts."

Erica Hill, pictured above, currently of CNN IS too sexy for the news.