San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
Eight-team playoff might fix problem
Sez Me … College football has to change, or it surely either will choke in its own green vomit or drown in its top-heavy greed.
Its rewards, other than money — the thrill of the chase, the incentives of maturation, the risk-reward, the appeal — must be available to more than the gilded few.
The fix, in now, has to be out. The usual have become suspects.
The College Football Playoff is a gaggle of Meryl Streeps. Always around when the awards are handed out.
If Meryl played Margaret Dumont’s roles in Marx Brothers movies, she would have been nominated for seven Oscars.
Except, she doesn’t always win, and although she’s good in everything, she’s not exclusive. Just gets included because it sounds right and most of the voters haven’t seen much of anyone else.
The committee selecting the playoffs’ Final Four — Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Notre Dame — came close to getting it right, but it had a surprise ending similar to “Titanic.”
We need some O’henry finishes.
It should have a DZ Akins menu, not a few foofoo creations. It should be an eightteam playoff. That’s enough.
This is football’s Met Gala. The lower crust — no matter how good, such as unbeatenbut-not-in-the-power-five Cincinnati — aren’t getting an invitation.
Does Cincinnati belong in the Final Four? Probably not. But in a Final Eight? Yes.
Basketball serves up opportunities. At least 120 of the 130 Division I football programs enter the season knowing that, no matter what, they can’t even be footwipes at the ball.
Go ahead and say the four teams added wouldn’t stand a chance. We forget Boise State beating Oklahoma? I see no great teams here.
Alabama allowed Florida 46 points. Great basketball teams allow 46. Notre Dame beat Clemson earlier in OT, when the Tigers were without Trevor Lawrence. Played them last week, with Trevor on the field, and got whacked.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M, boat-raced by Alabama on Oct. 3, but winner of seven straight in the SEC since (including a win over Florida, which just scored 46 to Bama’s 52), gets pancaked by the selection committee.
If Notre Dame’s close, it’s getting in. National star power.
Same with Ohio State. The Buckeyes, bucking COVID positives, played just six games. Clemson’s Dabo Swinney says a six-win team doesn’t belong. He has a point, but if Alabama were 6-0, he would hypocrite his way out of it and dare not say it. Not if he wants to coach the Tide one day.
I would have taken A&M over Notre Dame, but Fighting Irish have more brand than Agriculture & Mechanical.
Remember, the playoffs are a TV show. But farce is not drama.
Certainly this has been a college football season unlike any other. The Big Ten and Pac-12 waited too long to get in. No team west of College Station, Texas, was Final Four/ Final Eight deserving. The SWC is defenseless.
But this thing must be expanded soon, and I believe it will be — before the revolution comes, and it will come, when the Power Five Zeppelin cuts the ropes and floats away on its own.
This isn’t Westminster. It shouldn’t all be about the purebreds.
The FBS butcher shop has enough bones to throw to the mutts. …
Field tilted? Alabama has signed 20 of ESPN’S top 300 prep recruits . ...
Bryan Harsin’s buyout to leave Boise State football for his Auburn dream job was $250,000. Or what SEC programs pay moonlighting county mounties weekly to protect head coaches. …
Sez Here: San Jose State’s
Brett Brennan is College Football Coach of the Year, from Santa Cruz to Tuscaloosa. One of the truly great coaching jobs by anyone, anywhere, any time. …
And, of course, Brennan isn’t a finalist for the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award. People don’t understand. This was raising the Titanic and putting it back to sea in great condition the next day . ...
How much heavy equipment is needed to move the Rose Bowl to Texas? ...
Washington may keep its clever Football Team moniker. This is sure to cause an uproar among those who consider Football Team racist and offensive to other Football Teams. …
It took Alvin Kamara 15 games to remind the Saints he’s active. …
With that unique NFL game played on Friday, scouts and admirers now can say: “That kid won’t just play on Sundays, but every day of the week.” …
Just think. We don’t have an NFL team. Phoenix has two. …
The last time the Patriots didn’t make the playoffs: April 18, 1775. …
On Tom Brady’s inability to throw the deep ball: In the first half Saturday vs. the toothless Lions, he went 4-for-4, 140 yards, 2 TDS on long ones in the first quarter. …
Can’t remember seeing a better half of quarterbacking. Think what Tom could do if he were 42 . ...
Stink O’ The Week Sezment: “Bulletin board material.” If a professional football player needs it for motivation, he’s not a pro . ...
From Richard Lindroos: “Is Aztecs hoops IQ higher with
Mensah playing?” …
K.C. Jones, RIP, a fine man, fine coach, fine player. When he was coaching the Conquistadors here, I asked him what the K.C. stands for. “My mother thought that’s how you spell Casey.” …
Kevin Greene’s passion and ferocity never got blocked. RIP . ...
There is one reason for a team to trade for James Harden — box office. And right now, the box in the NBA’S office is empty . ...
Do Finnish games ever start? …
Why is it at times more difficult to hear game broadcasters when there are no fans in the stands? Not always a bad thing, though. …
Lying now is totally acceptable, so it’s OK for analysts to mention 40-yard dash times without going to Confession. …
Sports is not a metaphor for life. If it were, we’d be in more trouble than we already are. …
I’m sure that, when Frank Hope designed San Diego Stadium, he expected maintenance. It never had an oil change. …
Tony La Russa says he doesn’t have a drinking problem. Drive drunk, you have at least one problem — you’re driving drunk. …
Love all the deniers getting the vaccine first. …
I was excited to finally make the Dean’s List — until I was told it’s the Dean (Fredo)
Spanos List, so not the first time. …
Leaders of men: Churchill, Patton, Dwayne Haskins .…
If strip clubs were closed, athletes wouldn’t go into them. …
Always wondered why the Magi, Three Wise Men bearing gifts, didn’t fly instead of relying on camels and celestial navigation — unless they couldn’t carry on bags back then, so there was concern about losing their luggage. …
2020? Goodbye, farewell, ciao, adios, au revoir, auf wiedersehen, aloha, sayonara — and to quote a great L.A. Times headline on a long ago Rams season-final debacle: “Arrivederci, aroma.”
sezme.godfather@gmail.com Twitter: @sdutcanepa