Has Chris Fowler lost his mind ?

[4DTIDE]

If we're talking about "right now" then why does Cincy deserve a shot? Anybody watch them play today? They had to come back from almost 20 pts, their starting qb was about one play from getting benched and their defense couldn't stop Lou Holtz.

I agree with Herbie. You look at their full body of work. We've got people who keep asking the question "Why shouldn't TCU and Cincy get a shot?" Well, why shouldn't Alabama and Texas get a shot? Texas and Alabama have the tougher road to get 13-0.

If Bama and Texas aren't in it I'll be utterly shocked.

That takes us back to the question asked earlier this week... could it possibly be anSEC re-match??? i dunno....

 

[runtheoption22]

To be contrary, were we deserving of #2 after the BarnFarm game?? Texas has earned the #2 spot. Why?? Nobody has manned up to take it away from them.

Exactly. I wasn't arguing for that opinion, just that the opinion has legs in the voting realm.

 

[Dartigan]

If Texas wasn't that impressive, I expect MI to be at the top of Fowler's Heisman ballot.

 

[Tide1986]

To be contrary, were we deserving of #2 after the BarnFarm game?? Texas has earned the #2 spot. Why?? Nobody has manned up to take it away from them.

Fortunately, that logic is irrelevant. No poll matters until the one that comes out tomorrow (and the one that comes out in January). Regardless, you are forgetting the quality of competition differences among the conferences.
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[popechild]

To be contrary, were we deserving of #2 after the BarnFarm game?? Texas has earned the #2 spot. Why?? Nobody has manned up to take it away from them.

Exactly how was TCU, for example, supposed to "man up and take it away from them" when they don't have a chance to play them? If I had a vote I'd put TCU #2. Texas has struggled through a number of games all year and has looked downright bad the last two weeks. Who cares if they started ahead of TCU, or if they play in an extremely weak Big 12?

I'm happy the voters will probably be too narrow-minded to think the same way though, because playing TCU in Pasadena would scare me a lot more than playing Texas.

 

[RedWave]

I definitely believe it will turn out to be Texas, and rightfully so. Having a team play you tight does not necessarily kick you out of consideration (we have had a couple of tight ones too, ya know). Yeah, theirs came at a bad time, but they are undefeated in what is recognized at a top level conference. But ya know what, I think TCU would be a tougher W for us then UTw. I like TCU a lot as a football team and think they could give anyone a good fight. Now, if someone wants to be stupid and try to find a way to get Cincy in that game (they at least come from a conference that at one time was legit), then go ahead and start sizing the rings right now. Cincy could not play with Bama at all.If I just wanted to ensure a Bama victory, I would want us to play Cincy.

 

[LCN]

I actually agreed with most of what he said. He basically stated that Bama deserved to be in the BCSCG, but that it as dangerous to assume Texas would be. The Horns did not look like a dominant team that is head and shoulders above TCU and Cincy.

Obviously, Texas will very likely play us, but I think TCU and Cincy merit discussion.

I may turn out to be wrong but , what would you say if I said Florida will still be ranked ahead of Cincy in at LEAST one of the polls ?

He works for ESPN/ABC which happens to be the same network that has the Bowl selection show.....

There is that obvious and insulting element but , I think Fowler actually believes what was surely formated and intended as overt filler . IMO , TCU has a 0.0% chance of leaping Texas .

He said he was thinking about putting TCU at #2 with his AP vote.

Perhaps Fowler drew the shortest straw from management in Bristol for idiot of the month

 

[Bamabuzzard]

With each passing year this is becoming a forgotten after thought. These teams are getting to play very weak regular season schedules, run up gaudy offensive numbers, not having to get physically challenged, staying relatively healthy all year and are having droves of people say they "deserve" to play for the national championship. Give me a friggin' break. :mad2:

Fortunately, that logic is irrelevant. No poll matters until the one that comes out tomorrow (and the one that comes out in January). Regardless, you are forgetting the quality of competition differences among the conferences.
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[Special K]

Fowler and ESPN are just trying to generate interest in the selection show for tomorrow. Texas will be in the title game and I don't think it will be as close as some may think. The Horns should thank the good Lord that Nebraska has no offense (or sense enough to kick the kickoff deep down the middle of the field).

 

[BamaMan12]

You know what no doubt in my mind Alabama is #1 Tomorrow in all Polls! All 60 votes! I be shocked if one is not on our side! Damn Politics! The question is who is #2 in tbe BCS? Texas,TCU,Cin???

P.S. Did anybody think how ironic this is? Last year Alabama was #1 coming in the Sec Championship and we got beat. Now we walked in #2 and beat #1 Florida. Now that is weird!

 

[GreatDanish]

Well, I don't think anyone expects anything other than 'Bama vs. Texas in the NC (man, it feels good to type that!).
But, I agree with Fowler, if he is saying that it might be closer than many people think...
Texas and TCU are very close in the computers (0.89 to 0.86). Texas will get a bump, but they will NOT move up in the human polls, despite Florida losing - in fact, Florida may still actually be ahead of Texas in the computers - which is good news for TCU.
Texas had #1 votes in both polls, which they will not have this week. They were #2 in one poll (which they will remain, but will have fewer #1 votes), and #3 in the other, but only by two votes. TCU, however, may very well move from #4 in both polls to #3 in both polls.
Assuming Texas has a firm grasp on #2 in the polls, then they will be ahead of TCU, but it will not be a landslide.

 

[TexasBammer]

Bama beat #1 by 20 points. We are there.

The guys who spend so much time trying to talk up the Boise's of the world are just trying to make noise. Then again, many West Coasters will vote for Gerhart for Heisman, and I must say that he'd be one heck of a 3rd string fullback at Bama.

 

[LCN]

Well, I don't think anyone expects anything other than 'Bama vs. Texas in the NC (man, it feels good to type that!).
But, I agree with Fowler, if he is saying that it might be closer than many people think...
Texas and TCU are very close in the computers (0.89 to 0.86). Texas will get a bump, but they will NOT move up in the human polls, despite Florida losing - in fact, Florida may still actually be ahead of Texas in the computers - which is good news for TCU.
Texas had #1 votes in both polls, which they will not have this week. They were #2 in one poll (which they will remain, but will have fewer #1 votes), and #3 in the other, but only by two votes. TCU, however, may very well move from #4 in both polls to #3 in both polls.
Assuming Texas has a firm grasp on #2 in the polls, then they will be ahead of TCU, but it will not be a landslide.

Very true but , they'll likely have 85+% of the 2's in this weeks polls


IMO , TCU will receive about as many #4 votes as they will for #2 as I believe a noticeable % of voters will place Florida 3rd - something I think TCU supporters are apparently failing to comprehend . I could be wrong but I'm honestly not expecting the results to be even remotely close . We'll see :BigA:

 

[Giant Squid]

Fowler is actually 100% right on this one.

The whole problem with the BCS is that the preseason polls and media hype play far too large a role in the process. In theory, the coaches should watch a range of games and vote based on their own opinions of each team's performance. In reality, the media (and particularly ESPN) create public opinion with their comments and their coverage. As Fowler correctly pointed out, broadcasting the presumption that Texas will be in the title game before ballots are even in creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. On top of this, it's proven year in and year out that starting too low in the preseason polls effectively disqualifies some teams from the national championship discussion, even if they go undefeated. When people in the media are publicly admitting that there is nothing TCU, Cincy or Boise could have done to jump Texas in the polls because of name recognition, something is very wrong.

With each passing year this is becoming a forgotten after thought. These teams are getting to play very weak regular season schedules, run up gaudy offensive numbers, not having to get physically challenged, staying relatively healthy all year and are having droves of people say they "deserve" to play for the national championship. Give me a friggin' break.

Good point. After all, there's no way a squad like, let's say Utah, running up gaudy numbers in a less respected conference, could beat a physical SEC team like Alabama in a BCS bowl game, right?

 

[dave12]

He said he was thinking about putting TCU at #2 with his AP vote.

Well to be honest, TCU is a better team than Texas. I've thought this all year long. In a head to head, TCU would steamroll Texas. And would be a better game for Bama, But we're in now, so i don't care who we play, BRING IT ON!!!.


ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!:BigA:

 

[OreBama]

I may turn out to be wrong but , what would you say if I said Florida will still be ranked ahead of Cincy in at LEAST one of the polls ?

I'd say you're probably right. I believe UF to be superior to the Bearcats. However, what makes college football so great, to me anyway, is the importance of every game. UF now has one loss and in a fair world be ranked behind Cincy based on recent performance and record.

 

[twofbyc]

But, to the one's who actually vote, he has a point. Is Texas worthy of #2 right now?

We had a big discussion earlier this year about how pollsters vote. Do they just bump #2 up to #1 if the previous #1 loses? Or do they vote based on performances from week to week?

I think we'll see a close 2-4 in the human polls tomorrow.

All that said, SEC> Big 12 > Big East/Mountain West and I think Texas will still be #2.

:iagree:
Look, it's hard for me, as a fan, to rate Texas any higher than TCU or Cincinnnati, simply because, frankly, the level of competition they have played against doesn't seem to be much better than TCU's or Cincy's; and Nebraska made them look really, really weak offensively; I mean, 13 points? 8 sacks? I know the Husker D is ranked 9 now, don't know what they were before yesterday, but 13 points? From a supposed offensive powerhouse?
I see Fowler's point exactly; I would seriously have to consider TCU as #2, because they are good on both sides of the ball.
I am up waaaaay too early...

 

[LCN]

Fowler is actually 100% right on this one.

Really ? If TCU plays in the BCSCG , he will have been proven correct . Since they will not , he's wrong . There is no "dangerous assumption" , as Fowler claims , in stating the obvious :conf3:

 

[WishIwasInBama]

I think Alabama, Oklahoma, and Georgia are partly to blame for this. When West Virgina ran all UGA, Boise beat the sooners, and we lost to utah gas was thrown on the fire. This isn't going to be fixed until a few years goes by and all these types of teams are treated like hawaii was a few years ago. when you put Boise against TCU then there is no real way to determine how they would do against the big boys. I hope Boise and TCU get to play other teams than each other in the BCS bowls and I hope the teams they play takes them serious.

 

[Giant Squid]

Really ? If TCU plays in the BCSCG , he will have been proven correct . Since they will not , he's wrong . There is no "dangerous assumption" , as Fowler claims , in stating the obvious :conf3:

He never said that TCU would be in the BCSCG.

Fowler was arguing that it was irresponsible to talk about how the Texas v. Bama matchup would play out because all the votes weren't in and media coverage influences the voting process. When Sportscenter anchors use words along the lines of "So, voting's not over but we're all certain that Texas will be selected" they create a self fulfilling prophecy.

When you have a group of voters who actually give very little thought to the voting process, a relatively small group of people in the media can shape public opinion by pretending that their opinions represent the conventional wisdom that no one is seriously questioning.

You know, kinda like how American politics works.