My Post-BCS Rant

I'm not a hugely devoted obnoxious Ohio State fan, but I am a fan. I have a t-shirt from their 2003 championship and a hat. I've even marched at Ohio Stadium in the state marching band finals my senior year of high school. I come from a football crazy state (the home of the football hall of fame) and am proud of that fact. I also realize that obnoxious Texans and Floridians and Michiganders and Alabam-ers will claim to be more football-crazy, and that's fine. I just hate all the smack talk every time we lose to the arrogant SEC.

Yes, we are inferior. Yes, the BigTen is inferior and sad. Yes, some high school programs could've beaten Minnesota, Northwestern, and Michigan State this year. At the same time. But the fact is, and please read this carefully and slowly: Ohio State did not choose to be in the BCS Championship Game. We were placed there. If you will remember after we beat Michigan (again), Ohio State players were carrying roses. They didn't win a beauty pageant or give them to their mothers. It's an inferior BigTen tradition to have roses if you win the conference because they thought they were going to the Rose Bowl.

Even with an 11-1 record, they knew their schedule wasn't stellar; they knew that other teams were better. Really. Some critics (and rednecks) have this belief that the players and staff are arrogant so-and-so's who don't know anything about reality. Actually, they do. And I'll bet ya that Jim Tressell was incredibly surprised that his team ended up in the big game. And I'll bet he was also surprised that these supposedly superior teams (LSU, Kansas, Missouri, West Virginia) kept losing at the end of the season. Last year, he was criticized for having too much time off and not having a conference championship. This year he was given kudos for being a brilliant tactician for not having a conference championship and for playing all 12 games without a week off. Go figure.

In closing, Ohio State did what they were supposed to do against the teams they played (except Illinois). They did not ask or petition to play for the BCS. Yes, they could've turned it down, but that would've been weird. I would've preferred the Rose Bowl. We sure would've done better than Illinois. I really think this points to the need for a playoff. The Buckeyes didn't belong in that game, even though they did play better than last year. A playoff would've determined the real winner. It probably wouldn't have been LSU, either.

In the meantime, I think we should give the SEC fans/rednecks their wish and make the SEC Championship the National Championship. It is the vastly superior conference, after all.

Joy!!!

Football season starts today. This is the best time of the year. Period. My beloved Kent State Golden Flashes (yes, that is our real name) take on Iowa State tonight. We will get crushed, but I don't care. Here's a stupid picture from last year's loss to Ohio State. We'll lose to them again. It's great to have a losing tradition. There's absolutely no stress involved, and you're pleasantly surprised when good things happen.

Fantasy Football

Among the many accomplishments in my life, I list "fantasy football commissioner" as one of the most honorable things I've ever done. I've tried putting it on a resume or two, but decided against it. I don't think my future employers would "get it". So, last night was our league's 3rd annual inaugural draft night. What a blast. Your adrenaline is pumping with all the excitement and anticipation of who you will get in the draft. You're competing with 9 other teams to select the best team overall. Not that it matters much anyway. You'll probably end up dropping half your team by the 2nd week due to injury or just plain lameness.

I'm very pleased with my selections. I would like to thank Damon Gibbs for selecting Peyton Manning with the first pick overall, leaving me to gobble up Ladanian Tomlinson with the second pick. I also picked up Drew Brees (QB) and Marvin Harrison (WR). I've named my team the Spider Pigs in honor of the Simpsons, of course.