BCS Championship Game

[GP1]

Would anyone like to discuss the horrible game that was on TV last nigh? I thought Alabama would win, but not by as much as they did. Lots of talk about Nick Saban. Great coach, but a play here or there against LSU and yesterday has a different outcome.

I'd like to congratulate ND for getting the ball past the 50 yard line.

Anyone ever been to the dog track in Wheeling? There is a place where you can go down and watch the dogs pee on a wood post so they can test them for drugs. It is a good place to see the dogs up close to see their physical conditioning as the dogs are only about ten feet away. Not many people go down there, but I've made a lot of money seeing the dogs up close and betting on the better conditioned dogs. Had I seen the Alabama dogs next to the ND dogs before the game yesterday, I would have never thought the game would be close. Bigger, faster, stronger just wasn't a cliche last night. Better everything all around. Wasn't even close.

There is an old saying, "When one door closes, another opens." That statement probably couldn't have been more true around Ohio yesterday. The sound of the door closing was all of the ND fans putting their sweatshirts they haven't worn in 20 years back in the drawer for another 20 years. The sound of the door opening was those same fans opening up the door to where they keep their OSU sweatshirt to throw it back on.

Would it be out of line to predict Alabama winning the national championship next year?

[LZIp]

reps if I could.

Oregon returns a lot as does OSU. But I'd say Bama will be the favorite yet again. Key for them is replacing that NFL line.

[Dave in Green]

I enjoy watching competitive games, so I didn't watch.

[Kangaroo Craig]

Saban may just go down in history as the greatest college football coach of all time. Of course only as long as he remains as a coach at the college level. His teams are amazing! They just keep reloading with fresh, NFL ready talent year after year. He keeps saying that he wants no part of the NFL. I'm not convinced of that. His father, Lou coached in the NFL. It's in his blood.

[Kangaroo Craig]

Scratch what I just said about Nick being Lou's son. Not true. Lou might be a second cousin to Nick, but that is not confirmed anywhere. Nevertheless, I still see him in the NFL at some point.

[LZIp]

Hard to tell. Hopefully with the Browns, though. His age is getting up there, 61 I believe. His window is closing. You would figure if he was going to make the jump, he would do it after his 3rd title in 4 years including a most recent beat down of Notre Dame.

Then again, why would he ever leave Bama?

[MDZip]

Had a feeling it was not going to be a good game, with ND eking out too many wins over mediocre competition this year. If Pitt had a reliable kicker, ND isn't even in this game. I can hear the SEC howls growing louder but the odds of them landing more than one team in the upcoming four team playoff seems a bit unlikely, so that will probably be the next impetus to grow that playoff number again. It's coming eventually, Monday night's game is another good argument for it. And Saban is at $5M a year at Alabama which is the equivalent of an NFL coach. He has a great setup, is treated like a demi-god, can't see that he would have any reason to bolt for the NFL.

[Captain Kangaroo]

I enjoy watching competitive games, so I didn't watch.

But you watch the Zips play John Carrol, Arkansas Cream-Puff and Malone (similar-level mismatches)?

[zipsfan33]

But you watch the Zips play John Carrol, Arkansas Cream-Puff and Malone (similar-level mismatches)?

Or relating it to football... The Zips vs. anyone in D1 lol

[Dave in Green]

But you watch the Zips play John Carrol, Arkansas Cream-Puff and Malone (similar-level mismatches)?

I enjoy watching the Zips basketball team practicing and scrimmaging, whether against themselves or a lower-level opponent. I enjoy it more watching them play against tough competition, especially when they win. When it comes to a championship game in any sport, I want to see the two best and overall strongest teams in the country play an intense game that's close right up to the end. I never really believed that ND was one of the two best and overall strongest teams in the country, and never really believed they could hang with Alabama. I happened to catch the score when it was 14-0 early, and never bothered to turn on the TV.

[Captain Kangaroo]

The game was a total mismatch...Notre Dame had no business being on the same field...but...that first sideline catch by the ND receiver was a great catch, ruled incomplete even after the replay. Then the Tide's own player causes their return man to fumble the ball, and again, even after replay the ruling isn't overturned. Getting those calls right would have simply delayed the inevitable, but as someone who hates replay, they pissed me off. Why have replay if you still get the call wrong after watching it several times in slo-mo?

I liked Musberger's "Jimmy The Greek/Cosell-Senior-End-of-Career Moment." The guy broadcasts for 50 years without much real identity, and now he'll forever be known as a creepy old perv.

It was like Mogadore vs. St Ignatius. A 12-0 team that moved up way too high in caliber of competition and got waxed.

How many draft spots did Manti Te'o drop? 15? 30?

How many embarrassing whiffs by would-be ND tacklers. Is that simple spin move by 'Bama RB's really that effective? Probably not.

I liked Urban Meyer's half time analysis. Emotionless...no hyperbole...stating flat-out that the beatdown would continue into the 2nd half and there was nothing Kelly could do to stop it.

Bama's O-Line was awesome. They got a 5 yard surge on essentially every play.

Finally - As creepy as Musberger was...he was right. Hubba hubba.

[Dr Z]

I liked Musberger's "Jimmy The Greek/Cosell-Senior-End-of-Career Moment." The guy broadcasts for 50 years without much real identity, and now he'll forever be known as a creepy old perv.

ESPN appoligizes on Dustburger's behalf

How many draft spots did Manti Te'o drop? 15? 30?

I read a comment about Te'o a week ago that went something like this...Te'o is predicted in the top 10 right now, look for him to put up pedestrian like combine numbers dropping him out of the top ten. Possible landing spot, the Steelers at #17. As a Steelers fan, and watching that game, I hope not.

[LZIp]

The game was a total mismatch...Notre Dame had no business being on the same field...but...that first sideline catch by the ND receiver was a great catch, ruled incomplete even after the replay. Then the Tide's own player causes their return man to fumble the ball, and again, even after replay the ruling isn't overturned. Getting those calls right would have simply delayed the inevitable, but as someone who hates replay, they pissed me off. Why have replay if you still get the call wrong after watching it several times in slo-mo?

I liked Musberger's "Jimmy The Greek/Cosell-Senior-End-of-Career Moment." The guy broadcasts for 50 years without much real identity, and now he'll forever be known as a creepy old perv.

It was like Mogadore vs. St Ignatius. A 12-0 team that moved up way too high in caliber of competition and got waxed.

How many draft spots did Manti Te'o drop? 15? 30?

How many embarrassing whiffs by would-be ND tacklers. Is that simple spin move by 'Bama RB's really that effective? Probably not.

I liked Urban Meyer's half time analysis. Emotionless...no hyperbole...stating flat-out that the beatdown would continue into the 2nd half and there was nothing Kelly could do to stop it.

Bama's O-Line was awesome. They got a 5 yard surge on essentially every play.

Finally - As creepy as Musberger was...he was right. Hubba hubba.

Let us all remember that we have a former Jr. Miss all Ohio on our dance team....

[Dave in Green]

Everyone seems to agree that the Alabama QB's girlfriend was the highlight of the game. No question that the Tide does a great job of attracting the biggest, toughest players who leave the school NFL-ready, though not always with adequate character for even the Oakland Raiders.

McClain in trouble again

[Buckzip]

reps if I could.

Oregon returns a lot as does OSU. But I'd say Bama will be the favorite yet again. Key for them is replacing that NFL line.

Bama actually considered this a rebuilding year.

They will be the top dog for the foreseeable future. They do lose some lineman but have a lot of depth behind it.

They keep getting great recruiting classes and have a great coach and system. The only chance anyone else has is if another SEC team knocks off Bama giving them a loss, and then there are 2 undefeated teams left. Actually there is a chance a 1 loss Bama team would jump an unbeaten team. LOL.

Georgia had them beat in the SEC champ game and blew it.

Even if one of the undefeated teams like Oregon or Kansas would have won out and it would have been ND and one of them, most would know Bama is still the best.

Bama needs to be beaten head to head in the NCG for everyone to acknowledge they aren't the best.

[LZIp]

Bama actually considered this a rebuilding year.

They will be the top dog for the foreseeable future. They do lose some lineman but have a lot of depth behind it.

They keep getting great recruiting classes and have a great coach and system. The only chance anyone else has is if another SEC team knocks off Bama giving them a loss, and then there are 2 undefeated teams left. Actually there is a chance a 1 loss Bama team would jump an unbeaten team. LOL.

Georgia had them beat in the SEC champ game and blew it.

Even if one of the undefeated teams like Oregon or Can't State would have won out and it would have been ND and one of them, most would know Bama is still the best.

Bama needs to be beaten head to head in the NCG for everyone to acknowledge they aren't the best.

Agree with all of this. I would say this was the least talented team Bama has had during their "dynasty"

[Buckzip]

Agree with all of this. I would say this was the least talented team Bama has had during their "dynasty"

Kind of sucks for the rest of CFB

[Wally B]

Ahh.... but what goes up, must come down.

Without a question, Saban has built a dynasty at Alabama, but he'll have some stiff competition next year. Notice I said Alabama, not the SEC.

Yes the SEC is a great conference, but I've been forced to hear gator fans whine like French aristocrats ever since their loss to Louisville. To me the most outlandish claim, and the seeds of their destruction, was their assertion that the Sugar Bowl wasn't important enough to garner the attention of the FL players and they let Louisville win.... Hence their ego's are laid bare for all to see. The only two games that matter are the SEC and BCS Championships, neither of which they played in. Again the SEC is great, but like any other conference only a few teams compete year-in and year-out. Unfortunately for Florida, Myer has moved on, and they haven't seriously contended since, and it's over. They just haven't accepted it yet.

Likewise for FLSt, whose ire about competing against NIU in the Orange is strangely similar to their assertion that they are too good for the ACC, even though they've largely failed to do much of anything for the last 10 years.

In the end, Saban's Tide will either fade in the stretch or become the most reviled success in football history. Until then, I'm content with not having to put up with either the chomp, the annoying Atlanta braves tomahawk, or pseudo catholics (you know, during the game ) .... Roll Tide!

[GP1]

Kind of sucks for the rest of CFB

It does in some very interesting ways. What history never reports on during a dynasty period is the number of really good teams that never make it to the top because of the dynasty. Had any of those team existed during a non dynasty period, they would have a championship.

This discussion always leads me to think of the Dallas Cowboys of the 1970s. This was a team, except for a few plays here and there, could have had just as many Super Bowls as the Steelers, but things didn't work out. It's the nature of sports. If LSU makes just a couple more plays against Alabama this year, they beat ND and not Alabama...It will become a back story in history, but I find those stories interesting.

[MDZip]

Two amusing comments I saw on ESPN about the game

1. Idea for “Rudy 2”: A Notre Dame starter transfers to Alabama and manages to get on the field for one play.

2. It will be interesting to see how far Notre Dame drops in the final AP rankings. Going from No. 1 to FCS seems like it might be too drastic

[Dave in Green]

AP rankings have ND #4, and the USA Today coaches poll has ND #3. But the Colley Matrix -- one of six computer formulas used by the BCS -- begs to differ. After Alabama crushed ND, 42-14, the Colley Matrix continues to rank ND #1 and Alabama #2. Seriously.

Notre Dame still No. 1 in one BCS computer ranking

[zippy5]

I guess that's why there's more than one computer involved

[Dr Z]

Finally - As creepy as Musberger was...he was right. Hubba hubba.

Dustburger actually ended up doing her a favor?!?

[Dr Z]

Dustburger actually ended up doing her a favor?!?

Want to get your career started, catch the eye of super talent agent, Brent Dustburger.

[Dr Z]

I read a comment about Te'o a week ago that went something like this...Te'o is predicted in the top 10 right now, look for him to put up pedestrian like combine numbers dropping him.

As predicted, Te'o runs 20th out of 26th LBs. A 4.82