The Tarnished Trophy

The Heisman Trophy will be awarded tonight for the 77^th time in its history.  According to the Heisman Trust Mission Statement, it will be presented to “the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work. The Heisman Trophy Trust ensures the continuation and integrity of this award.”  Reading this was news to me because growing up, I always thought that the Heisman Trophy was awarded to the best player in college football.  Recently, that too has changed to giving the award to the best player on the best team in college football. 

For this reason, the Heisman Trophy, which was once the single greatest individual trophy in all of sports, has now become ordinary.

In all likelihood, Johnny Football, Johnny Manziel to those of you new to this freshman phenom, will win tonight, as he should.  I have no problem with him winning.  My problem is with the player who many think could pull the upset, Manti Te’o.  Now, maybe my issue should be with the Heisman committee and their voters instead of with Te’o himself.  As I said, the Heisman Trophy used to be awarded to the best player in college football who held those traits and qualities mentioned in the Heisman Trust Mission Statement.  Now, they give it to the best player on one of the top ranked teams.

Manti Te’o had a very nice season this year, and did it all with a heavy heart after losing his grandmother and girlfriend within a 24 hour span.  I get that.  That being said, he isn’t the best linebacker in football, let alone the best player in the nation.  He was the middle linebacker on the best defense in the country and averaged just 4.33 solo tackles a game, which does not rank in the top 100 nationally (The NCAA only ranks top 100).  Te’o also ranks 59^th in the nation in total tackles with 103.  That is 63 tackles behind the nation’s leader.  As for interceptions, yes, he does have 7 this season, which is more than any other linebacker in the nation, and only 1 other player has more.  That player is Phillip Thomas from Fresno State, who returned 3 of those 8 picks for scores.  Thomas also has more solo tackles than Te’o this year.  Why wasn’t he invited to New York?  If the trophy is given to the best player, one would think Thomas would be invited before Te’o.  No?

Let’s try this blind comparison.

PLAYER A:
Tackles - 103
Sacks - 1.5
Interceptions - 7
Tackles for Loss - 5.5 for 19 yards
QB Hurries - 4
Forced Fumbles - 0
Fumbles Recovered - 2

PLAYER B:
Tackles - 125
Sacks - 5.5
Interceptions - 2
Tackles for Loss - 10.5 for 48 yards
QB Hurries - 8
Forced Fumbles - 6
Fumbles Recovered - 2

Player A is Notre Dame LB and Heisman Finalist Manti Te’o.  Player B is the 2-time Big East Player of the Year, Khaseem Greene, a linebacker from Rutgers.  The numbers speak for themselves.  For what it’s worth, Rutgers allowed 14.25 points per game, good enough for 4^th best in the nation, and they finished with a 9-3 record and unranked.

Again, I hate the way this award is now given to the player with the most publicity who plays for a great team.  Nowhere in the Heisman mission statement does it say the “most valuable” or “leader,” yet that is the voters’ current interpretation for the award.

In 1985, Bo Jackson’s senior year at Auburn they finished 8-4 and unranked.  In 1988, Barry Sanders starred on a team outside the Top 10 at Oklahoma State.  Neither of those two players would have won the Heisman Trophy had the voters used the same mentality then, which they use now.  More recently, in one of the biggest Heisman snubs in history, Jason White, the quarterback of the #1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners, was awarded the Heisman over Larry Fitzgerald, star wide receiver of the 8-4 Pitt Panthers. I would love to go back and hear from the voters who voted for White that year over Fitzgerald.

The Heisman is a joke anymore.  It lives off its history and is no longer as prestigious as it once was.  That is unfortunate, because at one point in history, it truly meant something special to win the Heisman Trophy.

Don't Blame the Replacement Refs

The NFL has become a laughing stock in the sports industry thanks in large part to a labor dispute between the NFL and their game officials.  Because of this labor dispute the league has decided to use replacement officials for their games thus far this season.  And the job done by these replacement referees has not been good.  That is not their fault entirely.  Most of these men had been reffing division II or III football on Saturdays and high school on Fridays before this opportunity came about for them.  It is not their fault, they were just simply not prepared for this and the NFL has nobody to blame for this but themselves!

The NFL could end their labor dispute today if they wanted to, but they refuse to give in.  They refuse to let someone else win.  They refuse to take even one cent out of their profits for the betterment of their own game.

Roger Goodell took over as the commissioner of the NFL just over 6 years ago.  Since then, he has built his name on two things, the safety of the game and the integrity of the NFL.  Both are now in question.

Not only was a game decided last night by the inabilities of the replacement officials that Goodell and the NFL has been using this season, but injuries have been piling up as well.  Darrelle Revis is out for the season after getting hit below the knee in the Jets loss in Miami on Sunday, Steelers lineman Ziggy Hood was forced to leave the game on Sunday in Oakland after injuring his leg due to an illegal chop block that was not called.  Those are just 2 that standout from this week.  There are others as well.

How does this stop?  Hit the NFL and their owners in the only place that matters to them, their wallets. 

Stop watching games.

Stop going to games.

Stop buying the merchandise that they make so much money on.

As for the players, they can do something as well.  I see players using social media to vent about their unhappiness with these referees.  Twitter and Facebook were both blowing up after the questionable call giving Seattle a win on Monday Night Football.  Rather than complain and fuel the fire for the fan base, or as Clay Matthews did, put the commissioners phone number up on his Facebook page, do something that will make an impact.  STOP PLAYING!

The players hold as much power as anyone in this case.  Yes, we know that you have gone to the NFL in support of the referees, but that obviously has had no effect.  But what will have an effect is if next Sunday on CBS and FOX the NFL is not being aired.  Yes, the players will all have to forfeit a games pay, but how much is your safety worth to you?  As long as the players aren't playing the owners aren't making money.  And if the owners aren't making money they will be forced to resolve the issues at hand to prevent any further embarrassment to their game.

So if you want your NFL back, do your part.  Get your football fix this Friday or Saturday, there are dozens of great college games on television and I'm sure you could find a good local high school game as well.  As for Sunday, watch the Ryder Cup, it is more entertaining anyway and with a high viewership rating, it will show the owners that you can live without the NFL.

Pitt Football Thoughts

First and foremost, everyone needs to relax a bit.

* The Pitt Football Program is bigger than any one football season at the school. Paul Chryst should not be judged on his first 2 games. He should not be judged on his first season.  He was brought in to be a football coach and to re-build a football program. Give him time. Remember the players on this team are dealing with their 3^rd head coach in 3 seasons.  That means 3 different styles and systems that these kids have learned in that time.  And for those of you doubting his ability and his offensive gameplan, ask Wisconsin if they miss him.  The Badgers snuck by D-1AA Northern Iowa in week 1, 26-21 and lost this past weekend against Oregon State.  They didn't score against the Beavers until there was 91 seconds left in the game.  This, one season removed from Chryst leading Wisconsin's offense last year to a 35-0 win against Oregon State and never scoring less than 29 points in a game.

* 6 coaches in under 3 years matters. Since December of 2010 there has been 6 different coaches to hold the title of HEAD COACH of the Pitt football team.  That has absolutely killed recruiting the past 2 years and it shows in the lack of depth on this team. In 2011, Todd Graham scrambled around and signed 21 players, Chryst signed 16 this past February.  That is 37 players in 2 years. And of those 37 players, some of them aren't Big East quality players and brought in just to help with numbers.  When other schools are signing 25-30 players a year, that is going to catch up with you.  This team has a serious issue with both talent and depth.

* Tino Sunseri is the best option for quarterbacking this football team. I know many Pitt fans don't want to hear that, but it is true.  It makes no sense for Chad Voytik to be pummeled for the season to "gain experience" as so many people want. Think about this for a second. In all likelihood Tom Savage is the quarterback at Pitt next year, so why have Voytik blow his redshirt this year to be a back-up next year?  If you redshirt him next year you almost certainly force incoming freshman Tra'von Chapman into back-up duties, thus burning his redshirt.  I would feel much more comfortable for the betterment of the program to have Chad redshirt this year, be the primary back-up next year and play when the opportunity presents itself.  That gives him 5 years in the system and puts him in position to be a 3 year starter.

* Steve Pederson is the AD, deal with it! Has he screwed up? YES! Has he made some terrible hires? CERTAINLY! Does he do a very good job raising money for the athletic department? Yep! He has also greatly improved the facilities for nearly every sport the university has, as well as making sure Pitt moved to the ACC and didn't get stuck in the Big East.  I could think of 100 reasons why Steve Pederson could and/or should be fired, but it ain't gonna happen. The only way he goes is if donors stop giving the university money. If that happens then, yes he might get fired, but that will only lead to a new AD who will want to bring in his own coach and then we have ANOTHER coaching change. Sorry, I'll pass on that!

Don't get me wrong, I have been disappointed with how this season has played out to this point. But as long as the team continues to improve week to week, game to game, season to season under Chryst I am going to be completely content as I wait and see what is to come for this program under the guidance and leadership of Paul Chryst.

HAIL TO PITT!

Reality Check For Bucco Fans

For all the Pittsburgh Pirate fans who are panicking after the Buccos' most recent home stand in which they finished 4-7 and failed to keep the opponents from scoring at least 5 runs in the final 10 games, I have one word for you.

Relax.

The Pirates aren't as good as they were the first two months of summer, and they aren't as bad as they played the past 11 games, so let's find a middle ground for this team.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that Pirate team that you just saw during this home stand is more like the real team than the team we saw take the field for most of June and July.

Let's step back and look at this team from an outsider's perspective and not as an irrational fan that has been dying for a winning team for the past 20 years.  The Pittsburgh Pirates lost 105 games just 2 years ago.  Last year, they improved that mark by 15 games.  Not many teams improve by 15 games in 1 year.  This year, they are on pace to win 88 games, once again improving, this time by 16 games.  I know that everyone in Pittsburgh would love to see this team in the playoffs come October, but why can't people just be happy that this team has continued to improve in drastic measures over the past two seasons?

When this season began, everyone that followed this club knew that they were a year or two away from being serious contenders.  That plan was set in place by drafting Jameson Taillon and Garrett Cole, two of the top young pitchers in the country, with back-to-back first round picks.  Add in signing all-star Andrew McCutchen to a long term deal, and the promising younger position players the team has in the organization (Neil Walker, Pedro Alvarez and Starling Marte), and the future looks bright.

Also consider the fact that all of the key players on this years team as well as all of the players acquired at the trade deadline are signed at least through the 2013 season.

Sure, making the playoffs this season would be great, but let's remember where this team was just two years ago, and be happy with the results we have seen this year.  It is about continuing to get better, and the Pirates are doing that.

The 2012 Pirates team has been really fun to watch, but this is just the start of things to come for Pirate fans if all continues to go right in the Pirates organization.  Just be patient, and relax. 

Bowl Season Extreme Makeover Edition

It has been 303 days since the last time I ranted. Since that time, I got engaged. Kim Kardashian also got engaged. Lebron James showed the world that his kryptonite is the 4th quarter of big games. The Pirates were in 1st place after the all-star break. Kim Kardashian got married. The Eagles became the most recent “dream team” to fail to deliver. Tim Tebow saved Denver and all of us. Kim Kardashian got divorced. Jerry Sandusky gave a whole new meaning to "horsed around".

So what it is that could get me out of my slumber and writing again? No, not the Jersey Shore premiere tonight, however that could be a good future topic. Combined with finally having time, after being incredibly understaffed at work for the last 4 months and sitting through meaningless bowl game after bowl game, I figured the terrible bowl system would be a great topic.

I know that I will not be breaking ground here by saying that the college football post-season is the worst in all of sports. And since we are only in year 2 of the 4 year deal between the BCS and ESPN, which spent $500M for the rights, the current BCS system is not going anywhere anytime soon. Rather than complain about the system, I’ve come up with a better, more entertaining system for the college post-season.

A bowl draft.

Hear me out now. I think we all realize that despite being entertaining, the post-season in college football consists of 1 important game, the national championship game, and 34 absolutely meaningless games. In my system, you will still have 34 meaningless games to go along with the national title game, but you will have better match-ups pairing off evenly matched teams with no pre-arranged conference affiliations. (By the way, ideally, I would only have between 20-25 bowl games, but we know that neither the bowls nor ESPN are going to throw away the money that these bowls bring in.)

All of that being said, I actually like the idea of the BCS. I think there are many good ideas in how they come up with their rankings. Where they fall short is the limiting the rankings to affecting just the top 2 teams. So let’s use the BCS standings in the draft format. This is how I would do it if I had a chance to revamp the college bowl system.

THE BASICS:
1) Using the BCS rankings, list all the bowl eligible teams, starting at the top with #1.

2) Using bowl payouts, we create our draft order. The 4 BCS bowl games would always draft in spots 2-5 followed by the highest payout game all the way down to the lowest payout game drafting 35. This year the draft order would have looked like this:

1. National Championship Game
2. Rose Bowl
3. Fiesta Bowl
4. Sugar Bowl
5. Orange Bowl
6. Capital One Bowl ($9.1M)
7. Cotton Bowl ($7.25M)
8. Outback Bowl ($7M)
9. Chick-fil-A Bowl ($6.9M)
10. Insight Bowl ($6.65M)
11. Alamo Bowl ($6.35M)
12. Gator Bowl ($5.45M)
13. Champs Sports Bowl ($4.55M)
14. Holiday Bowl ($4.15M)
15. Sun Bowl ($4M)
16. Music City Bowl ($3.675M)
17. Pinstripe Bowl ($3.6M)
18. Meineke Car Care Bowl ($3.4M)
19. Belk Bowl ($3.4M)
20. Liberty Bowl ($2.875M)
21. Independence Bowl ($2.3M)
22. Las Vegas Bowl ($2.2M)
23. TicketCity Bowl ($2.2M)
24. Military Bowl ($2M)
25. BBVA Compass Bowl ($1.925M)
26. Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl ($1.675M)
27. GoDaddy.com Bowl ($1.5M)
28. Little Caesars Bowl ($1.5M)
29. Hawaii Bowl ($1.3M)
30. Armed Forces Bowl ($1.2M)
31. Beef O’Brady’s ($1.075M)
32. Poinsettia Bowl ($1M)
33. New Orleans Bowl ($1M)
34. New Mexico Bowl ($912,500)
35. Idaho Potato Bowl ($650,000)

THE DRAFT:
The way the draft would work is simple. There would be absolutely no conference affiliations with any bowls. There would be no automatic bids for any conference. Obviously, the top 2 teams would automatically be placed in the national championship game. After that, it is a free for all, minus a few simple rules.

* Bowls will select in order, with a pool of 10 teams to pick. For instance, this year with the 2nd pick, the Rose Bowl would be able to pick any 2 teams that finished 3-12 in the final BCS standings. (Remember the #1 and #2 teams would be off the board already in the national title game.) Next pick would be the Fiesta Bowl and 2 more teams would open up for their selection, teams #13-14. And so on and so forth, until all the bowls are filled.

* No team can drop more than 5 bowl games. Meaning every team must be selected within five games of becoming available. This rewards teams for successful seasons despite how unattractive they might be as a bowl team. For instance, this season Boise State would had to have been invited to one of the top 8 bowls, instead of going to the Las Vegas Bowl, which ranked #22. It would also prevent teams with great history and huge fan bases being selected to bowls they don’t deserve (This year it would be Ohio State and Florida, both 6-6 and unranked, playing in the Gator Bowl.)

Think about what this would do for the college football post-season. First, the TV networks could/would sell the hell out of the live draft. Imagine having every AD or head coach at the draft along with the bowl committee members. They make the pick, the coach or AD’s from both schools go up onto stage and shake hands. Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit talk about that bowl for the next 5 minutes or so, maybe interview the coach or AD from the schools. Everybody wins. The schools gets some press, the bowls gets their individual time in the national spotlight and the coaches get a little face time.

Another benefit to this system is you don’t have repetition. Bowl attendances have been way down the past few years and a big reason is fans don’t want to go back to the same bowl a few years ago. Sure lots of fans will go and support their team wherever they go, but they want to go to new places and see new things. In the last 3 years, 9 different teams played in the same bowl game at least 2 of those 3 years.

This format also helps other conferences get a chance to play each other. For instance, the Big East has the best record of any automatic qualifying conference in bowl play over the past 6 seasons. Does that mean that the Big East is the best conference in football? Of course not, but they don’t get a chance to prove themselves against the bigger conferences either. The Big East currently has 6 bowl affiliations. Of those six, they play the ACC in 2, the Big 12 in one, the SEC in one, C-USA in one and their BCS bowl game, which is usually against an ACC team in the Orange Bowl. The Big 12 game is against the 7th place team from the Big 12 and the SEC game is against their 9th place team. So even when they play the elite conferences they are playing the worst bowl eligible teams that the conference has to offer. While in turn the SEC and the Big Ten both set up their top teams to play each other in 2 different bowls.

THE MONEY:
Now, many people might complain that this is taking money away from teams/conferences since the bowl contracts with conferences all but guarantee a certain amount of money that every conference knows that they will receive come bowl season. I disagree. If anything, conferences have a chance to make even more money. This year the SEC had 3 teams in the top 6 and 4 in the top 9, yet both Arkansas (#6) and South Carolina (#9) were both blocked from partaking in any BCS bowl because current rules state only 2 BCS bids per conference.

The bowl payouts would probably also go up, creating more money in the total pot for teams. The reason the bowl payouts would go up is because that directly affects your draft order. If you want to get better teams to your bold game you up your payout. Payouts would have to be submitted before the season starts in a blind bid, the draft order would then be announced closer to the end of the season. If the Las Vegas Bowl wanted to make a splash next year to celebrate the 20th year of the bowl, they could make a larger bid than they might normally, and get a better match-up between top 15-20 teams.

One last detail I would tinker with would be the bowl payouts. Instead of each team splitting the pot and putting on an exhibition for the fans, I would have the result of the game determine the payout. Winning team takes two-thirds and the losing team gets one-third.

I know that this does not fix all the problems in the college football post-season, but I think it does make bowl season better. I know as a Pitt fan, that I would love to be able to see Pitt play Penn State in a bowl game or maybe Arizona State, now that Todd Graham left Pitt for that job. Before, that was impossible. The chances of playing in the Cotton Bowl or Rose Bowl are currently non-existent if you are an ACC or Big East team, which should not be the case. Change is good. Change is needed.