Boise - Nevada

[billybud]

I need to call Donovan "Elliot Ness"...for corruption is his oft used word. He sees it everywhere he looks.

But...this year, I have to agree that Gee is off base. Ohio State's SOS is right there with Boise's. Boise's is actually higher by a couple of spots (thank Michigan's year for that). But..Boise's SOS will sink into the 70's after playing seven loss Utah State.

[donovan]

I was hoping for Sam Spade. I do see it often. I think the system is corrupt, not just broken...and it has nothing to do with Boise State, et al. I am, according to my kid, Don Quixote. Perhaps so...I enjoy individual games and am growing tired of the ranking bowl stuff. I am pretty sure, this will be my last year. When it is no longer is enjoyable...time to move on.

[billybud]

Just relax...and enjoy football. Ranking will always be part of the patter since it is what folks from different parts of the country have in common to talk about. if you don't vest yourself in your team's ranking, it is all just rational discussion.

I learned to relax when FSU started going south ( a reference made up by darn yankees). Now...I'm just "drunk and fabulous" over a Nole win over a mediocre Florida team. A loss of any kind used to throw everyone off kilter, now most of us can enjoy the season and take losses with the wins. In fact, for most teams, there comes a time when the football gods decide that we need balance.

Texas fans, who were getting almost obnoxious, have taken a little breather this year. Florida, likewise. Michigan guys are learning how to savor wins again as are Penn State guys and USC guys.

And, although Ohio State guys have been flying high..in their heart of hearts they worry that the football gods have an SEC team in the wings to smite them.

(isn't smite a lovely word? And how come only God or gods can smite?)

[Derek]

I was hoping for Sam Spade. I do see it often. I think the system is corrupt, not just broken...and it has nothing to do with Boise State, et al. I am, according to my kid, Don Quixote. Perhaps so...I enjoy individual games and am growing tired of the ranking bowl stuff. I am pretty sure, this will be my last year. When it is no longer is enjoyable...time to move on.

Just....be..sure....you make it to....Atlanta for the last game.....

[Spence]

Just relax...and enjoy football. Ranking will always be part of the patter since it is what folks from different parts of the country have in common to talk about. if you don't vest yourself in your team's ranking, it is all just rational discussion.

I learned to relax when FSU started going south ( a reference made up by darn yankees). Now...I'm just "drunk and fabulous" over a Nole win over a mediocre Florida team. A loss of any kind used to throw everyone off kilter, now most of us can enjoy the season and take losses with the wins. In fact, for most teams, there comes a time when the football gods decide that we need balance.

Texas fans, who were getting almost obnoxious, have taken a little breather this year. Florida, likewise. Michigan guys are learning how to savor wins again as are Penn State guys and USC guys.

And, although Ohio State guys have been flying high..in their heart of hearts they worry that the football gods have an SEC team in the wings to smite them.

(isn't smite a lovely word? And how come only God or gods can smite?)

I talk to lots of Ohio State fans. I don't think most of them are happy or flying high with this team. It is a good team, but a long way from being great IMO. Any team that has veteran receivers who can run tight routes or a big running back will hurt Ohio State. Ohio State hasn't had a good offensive line in ten years. The defensive line is fast and small and can't handle an attack from a big team with a pro stlye attack.

[Spence]

I was hoping for Sam Spade. I do see it often. I think the system is corrupt, not just broken...and it has nothing to do with Boise State, et al. I am, according to my kid, Don Quixote. Perhaps so...I enjoy individual games and am growing tired of the ranking bowl stuff. I am pretty sure, this will be my last year. When it is no longer is enjoyable...time to move on.

The system hacks me off as well. It didn't when it started, I think it was a decent system - not always right, but we know the best teams aren't always going to make it. I think what made it bad was the coaches manipulating the vote. I first noticed it in 2006 when several teams, but most of all Georgia got screwed IMO.I liked this system in the beginning now I would rather go back to the old way.

I also understand you sentiment with ranking. I don't do it know for two reasons - One, I enter all the polls and it is hard to pay enough attention to all the teams to do it well and keep up with entering all the polls - and - two, I went into making a poll with consistent ideas on how to rank teams fairly. I found out, by the end of the season, that there are so many contradictions that you can't be consistent. Example, Michigan State beats Wisconsin who beats Ohio State and both Wisconsin and Ohio State are ahead of Michigan State in the polls. It is hard to reconcile logically. I found out in the end, you just have to watch teams and be honest. As long as you give an honest opinion it is a good one. It doesn't matter if some personal bias leaks through, although in your case I think you didn't give your team enough credit.

I hope you keep doing it because I think we need your opinion in the poll. Our weak area in the poll is the western US. We have strong representation in the south, decent in the midests and east, OK in the southwest and even though we get decent representation in the west we it is our weak spot. You pay attention to those teams, but just yours, but several. I understand if you opt out of next years poll, but I do hope that you remain because I think it makes our poll better.

[billybud]

Spence has a point.

I don't really watch many west coast games, especially those that will carry on past midnight in the east. We do need the west coast perspective.

I, also, hope that you stay on. Someone needs to rage against us "true fans in the south".

Besides, I depend on your take...

[Spence]

Also just because an opinion is the prevailing opinion, doesn't mean it is right. Lots of us believe that the SEC is the strongest conference, but until the bowls - no one really knows for sure - all we know is what has been the case in the recent past. I see one or two SEC games a week - generally part of a B-12 game, usually an ACC game, two or three B-10 games, sometimes a B-East game. I also see one PAC-10 team play and one or two middies all thanks to a DVR service. I probably see as much football as most people and I don't have a gauge on the West coast teams like I think I should. The news in this part of the country only covers SC in the west. When Donovan or someone from out west says something about those teams it makes me pay attention. All of this isn't an intended slight of west coast teams, it is just a time and local coverage thing. At the holidays, when all see lots of my relatives, they know nothing about the west coast teams. They ask me if this or that team is good. TV has tried to make college sports a national entity, but in many ways it is always going to be regionial - even to the guys who try and pay attention.

[billybud]

I haven't seen a MAC game this year...(many of their games on down here are on the B-10 channel which I won't pay for).

[Spence]

I haven't seen a MAC game this year...(many of their games on down here are on the B-10 channel which I won't pay for).

The B-10 channel doesn't do MAC games unless they are playing a B-10 team. But it is hard. I don't see the sun belt or C-USA unless they are playing a major conference team so I know what you mean. Those conferences get very little exposure.

[Cane from the Bend]

Due to some internet sites, I watch quite a few teams from the west play. ( I actually stayed up to watch the Fresno State / Idaho game, even though it didn't end until 2:30 a.m. )

I get to see a good number of MAC teams play, because they are regional.

I also see several Big East games; I think it has more to do with nd's tie in with their conference, which is why there are so many games available by them, at least around here.

SEC is always on, ACC is espn or internet available.

Big XII I sometimes have to do some searching, but usually find 3 or 4 games.

You're right though, Spence. I rarely see any CUSA games. And I don't think I've seen a single Sun Belt game all year.

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[billybud]

We have Cusa available...maybe because of UCF and UAB being in the vicinity.