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BCS happy-talk is sickening

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Posted: Friday January 05, 2001 3:17 PM
Updated: Friday January 05, 2001 4:21 PM

  View the Trev Alberts archives

I had a rough week down in Miami. I was all excited about getting down there, eating some seafood, but I order the Neptune's Feast and the next thing you know, I've got food poisoning, I miss two days of work and I barely make it to the game.

Now, I thought my sickness was over -- until I started reading all these pundits who are trying to tell us the BCS worked, just because Oklahoma won. Now I'm sick again, and I don't know if it's because of what I'm reading or the Neptune's Feast.

First of all, the Orange Bowl was a fabulous game, and Oklahoma proved a worthy national champion. There might be people who actually thought the game lacked luster because it was 13-2, but I thought it was one of the most spectacular football games you're ever going to see in terms of the whole chess match chess going on between Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops and FSU offensive coordinator Mark Richt. The game did determine a lot, like that the Big 12 was the best league this season and that Chris Weinke may not be as ready to play on Sundays as we thought.

So congratulations to Oklahoma, but guess what? They only beat the No. 3 team! Wouldn't you expect the No. 1 team to beat the No. 3 team? Now we have a national champion who never beat the top challenger, just because of what eight computers decided.

That's amazing to me.

Bobby Bowden was right -- Miami should have been there, not Florida State. (Where was that talk the week leading up to the game?) Oklahoma-Miami would have been a much better ballgame. Miami can at least run the ball, and the 'Canes would have made Oklahoma have to actually guard two things. Not to take anything away from Oklahoma but, boy, how I would have loved to see Oklahoma's linebackers trying to stop James Jackson, and Mike Stoops having to deal with a fantastic tight end in Jeremy Shockey.

I really enjoyed the bowl season. But mostly, I just feel gypped because we were promised 1 vs. 2, and we didn't get to see it, even after the wronged team, Miami, beat the team that got to be there, Florida State. I can't imagine the disappointment Miami must feel right now, having spanked Florida in the Sugar Bowl but getting no direct shot at the national championship.

Hey, the first round of my playoff was unbelievable, but I'm ready to see more. I'm ready to see Oregon State and Washington tee it up again. I'm ready to see that Miami-Oklahoma game that never happened. Face it, people -- the BCS did not work.


 
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