Brandon on Bowl in Blade

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 12:02 pm

I said we don't deserve a bowl bid, but I suppose that it comes down to who the choices are. Us or whoelse?

If the MAC gets 3 bids, we most certainly don't deserve one. If the MAC gets a 4th I would say we do.

Looking at other conferences, I would say a 7-4 OSU team that we've been ripping on all year deserves a bid more than we do. They have one more loss and actually have at least one major quality win.

Typically the 8-3 MAC team deserves a bowl bid every bit as much as the barely eligible BCS team, but in this case I'm not so sure. I'd have to look at what the BCS team did to get their wins, but I've gotta believe there are 6 win teams out there that have more quality wins than we do. The fact is we don't have a signature win upon which to hang our hat this season.

I don't deny that our guys worked their butts off. That is an unquestionable truth. That doesn't mean that we've shown enough on the field to be more worthy of a bowl than some other teams. I'd have to look through a list of bowl eligible teams to make a for sure determination on whether or not I thought we were deserving over so & so, but I think in this year of few bowl eligibles we are likely worthy enough to get a bid.

Like O & B I don't have the blind loyalty/optimism gene. When I see stuff I don't like I'll be commenting on it. When I see things I like, I'll comment on them as well, although likely not as much. I'm of the type that is happy we won, but then sees things that need to be fixed to further excel. It is not in my nature to think the world is great just because we've had recent success. Complacency breeds failure. As for going to the bowl game, I don't believe you have any right to tell me that I cannot go, and if it is the MCB, which I doubt, I will be there. I will likely not be able to afford a trip to any other bowl game.

Sorry if my comments rub you the wrong way, but if not for dissenting opinion this would be a pretty boring place to hang out.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 12:20 pm

C'mon folks---we're all good here. hammb and O&B, I agree with you that a bowl bid right now just wouldn't feel right. I think we're as worthy as Miami (assuming UT beats them) but I think we'd be in there based more on the weakness of our conference and college football on the whole this year.

It's like getting a bike for Christmas when you deserve a sweater. You may feel bad about it at first, but when you're riding it that spring....

doughash · Post by **doughash** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 12:48 pm

I really don't think we need to apologize or feel unworthy of a bowl bid. Minnesota has won one game since Oct. 2nd and they're not apologizing. Boston College beat Ball St. by 8 points and Temple by 17 and are going to a BCS bowl. I know where you guys are coming from but I figure this year makes up for all the years BG or another MAC school was deserving but sat at home.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 1:09 pm

Flipper wrote: It's like getting a bike for Christmas when you deserve a sweater. You may feel bad about it at first, but when you're riding it that spring....

Makes sense. I certainly wouldn't be complaining if we did get a bowl bid, and of course I'd be watching (hopefully live, if feasible) for sure and rooting for BG. It could be that the MAC is owed one for all the teams that have gotten shut out recently.

Schadenfreude · Post by **Schadenfreude** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 1:13 pm

doughash wrote:I really don't think we need to apologize or feel unworthy of a bowl bid. Minnesota has won one game since Oct. 2nd and they're not apologizing. Boston College beat Ball St. by 8 points and Temple by 17 and are going to a BCS bowl. I know where you guys are coming from but I figure this year makes up for all the years BG or another MAC school was deserving but sat at home.

Absolutely.

Did Kansas deserve a bowl bid last year? Think they apologized?

Think Cincinnati deserves a bid this year (or any other)? Think they'll apologize?

If we get a bid -- and I think we will -- I'm going, and I'm not apologizing to anyone.

orangeandbrown · Post by **orangeandbrown** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 5:25 pm

NWLB wrote:Though advocating BG over Miami is less of a task than the alternative.

I agree, but last year we were advocating that a division winner should get one of the two bids, and that's how I still feel. If you can win your division, the MAC should fight for you to get one of our two bids.

Schadenfreude · Post by **Schadenfreude** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 6:21 pm

orangeandbrown wrote:
NWLB wrote:Though advocating BG over Miami is less of a task than the alternative.
I agree, but last year we were advocating that a division winner should get one of the two bids, and that's how I still feel. If you can win your division, the MAC should fight for you to get one of our two bids.

I agree this principle should be applied this year just as we we thought it was appropriate to apply it last year. Miami's division title puts some seperation between themselves and those of us who haven't.

But I don't think it is an iron clad rule that division winners should go bowling before anyone else in the MAC -- nor should it be.

Look at 2000. We had one bowl bid then. Marshall won the MAC with a 7-5 record. Toledo sat home as a 10-1, 24th-ranked division runner up.

I am convinced that if the MAC had two bowl games, Toledo would have been offered a bowl game. Marshall and Western Michigan would have played for the other bid.

A division title is an important resume stuffer. But it isn't everything.

Photodan · Post by **Photodan** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 6:57 pm

doughash wrote:I really don't think we need to apologize or feel unworthy of a bowl bid. Minnesota has won one game since Oct. 2nd and they're not apologizing. Boston College beat Ball St. by 8 points and Temple by 17 and are going to a BCS bowl. I know where you guys are coming from but I figure this year makes up for all the years BG or another MAC school was deserving but sat at home.

Ooh, spot on!

Just don't make a judgment about a team not being worthy until you see how they represent the MAC in the bowl game.

-Dan

zerothehero · Post by **zerothehero** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 7:02 pm

I love my Falcons but I am sorry they knew what was at stake last night. Yes if they get a bowl bid, I'll be happy as hell. If they get left out I don't see any reason why anyone could complain. We had three games in which to shine and with the exception of the Oklahoma game they did not. They got throughly dominated by Northern. The game last night was not the way a bowl team makes their statement that they should be included. No if ands or buts that was absolutely horrible on NATIONAL TV. I just hope that most casual fans turned away before or at halftime assuming that the game was over.

Sorry I would love to see my alma mater in a postseason game but do not expect one. As for calling other people nonfans for stating the reality of things that is just wrong. I am ashamed that I am an alum of someone that narrowminded and abrassive. I am sorry I don't believe that the seniors deserve anything. It must be earned. Sports and life aren't always fair.