Question: Is the BCS the best championship in sports?

[KrAzY3]

I could dig into the past to give examples of how messed up some of the playoffs and tournaments have been. A 8-8 Arizona team played in the Super Bowl, an undefeated Patriots team lost the Super Bowl to a team they had previously beaten, the #2 ranked team was left out of the NCAA tournament, an 8th seed won the NCAA tournament, etc...

These situations are noteworthy because it brings into question if the process disregards the regular season or actually seeks to crown the best team. We don't have to dig into the distant past though, a 10-6 Packers team won the Super Bowl, but they lost the only game they played against a 14-2 Patriots team. Are we really supposed to believe that the Packers were the best team? Even if we do, does a team that can't even win their division deserve a shot at a championship? Let's not even get into a team with a losing record playing a home playoff game...

The Uconn vs. Butler match-up also begs the question of if the NCAA tournament even comes close to crowning the best team. USCBAMA said what I intended to say in another thread, but the fact is Uconn was ranked 9th and Butler was ranked 33rd. This would be like Oklahoma and Pitt playing for the national championship last year (it's really uncanny that I pull up this info and USCBAMA cites exactly what I was going to say, right down to the hypothetically OU and Pitt pairing). This might seem absurd, that Pitt could have played OU for the championship last year, but Pitt was tied for the Big East Championship and OU won the Big 12 Championship. In a playoff we could have see that duo in the championship game. To the people that mocked my saying MTSU would have been in a football bracket (despite playoff supporters making a bracket with them in it), all I have to say is VCU.

I have said all along that the NCAA tournament doesn't seek to crown the best team, it's just an arbitrary process. It's about seeding, matchups, regions, etc... The best Alabama tournament team was 8-8 in SEC play. The NIT Championship game could have easily been confused with the Butler vs. VCU final four matchup. We saw two 9 loss teams play for the NCAA championship, which is the loss total of Ohio State, Kansas, and San Diego State combined. It's a joke that the coaches poll has Uconn and Butler at 1-2, as though we are to believe they are actually better than Ohio State, Kansas or even Duke because they the latter teams happened to suffer a single loss at a bad time. Uconn didn't even have to beat a #1 seed on their road to a championship. It's not even like Uconn played an impossibly difficult regular season either, counting the tournament their RPI (HAH! You didn't get that stat USCBAMA) sits at 6th (below Kansas, Ohio State, Duke and San Diego State) and Butler is all the way down at 19.

Now, contrast the MLB, NBA, and NFL teams sitting starters before the playoffs, contrast the low seeds winning NCAA tournaments, contrast the general disregard for the regular season these systems have with the BCS.

The BCS isn't perfect, but I've studied the numbers. It does the best job of any sport I've seen of putting the best team into the championship game. Isn't that what it is supposed to be about? We're fascinated with playoffs and tournaments not because they're fair, not because they crown the best team, but because they give so many teams a chance. Our fascination with these types of events is not because they crown the best team, it's because they often do not crown the best team. We love these events because the underdogs (and undeserving) teams can walk away as "champions". It's not fair though, and I'm not going to pretend the wild card Giants were better than the undefeated Patriots.

I question the sincerity of anyone the claims the BCS doesn't do a good job of crowning a champion because from what I've seen they do the best job.

 

[Johnnyb]

Very good points, something I think many of us have come to recognize.

One thing to add, particularly with college athletics, the Bowl system is very good for all the teams involved. Not only does more than one team get to go out on a winning note, 60+ teams and schools get to go to a bowl and get the money that goes with it. If it wasn't for the money that those schools get from going to the bowls, teams like Boise St. and TCU wouldn't have half the programs they do. It makes every game count and rewards the teams who were good throughout the year. It just makes every game matter that much more.

 

[RedStar]

It's odd really. March Madness has the most exciting post-season of any sport with a playoff system, yet it consistently does the worst job of crowning a true champion. It's a conundrum. It's fun to watch, but it ultimately doesn't do what it's intended to.

NBA & MLB have good formats, but they're too drawn out & have too many games to work on the college level. (They also include wildcard teams, which is a complete farce.)

The BCS is head & shoulders above the other formats at crowning a true "champion," and that's why I like it so much.

 

[CrimsonNagus]

One thing to add, particularly with college athletics, the Bowl system is very good for all the teams involved. Not only does more than one team get to go out on a winning note, 60+ teams and schools get to go to a bowl and get the money that goes with it. If it wasn't for the money that those schools get from going to the bowls, teams like Boise St. and TCU wouldn't have half the programs they do. It makes every game count and rewards the teams who were good throughout the year. It just makes every game matter that much more.

I'm not going to get into whether a playoff or the BCS is better, I've gone back and forth over the years most recently being in favor of a playoff but, after that horrible NCAA tournament and Final Four, IDK if I want to ever see that in football.

My problem is what you say about the money because it is just not true at all. Very few teams turn a profit on bowl games, including major teams like Alabama, Texas etc. Most teams loose money or barely break even by going to bowl games. This information is not hard to find out, just do a Google search. The bowls are good about talking about pay-outs which give the perception of schools making all kinds of money on the games but, it doesn't tell the whole story. Did you know that every school actually has to pay the bowl what is basically entry fees to even participate in the game? Schools are required to buy a set amount of tickets from the bowl game even if they know they can't sell them all. That wipes out the "pay out" for most schools right there, and they are lucky to break even after all the unsold tickets. You may say, well Bama sells all their tickets and they do most of the time but, the costs do not stop there. The bowls require the schools to buy a ticket for every band member and any other support staff they need to bring, you don't get free tickets. Add up the hotel cost, for a week stay and food and entertainment, these trips get very expensive and even the best bowl pay-outs barely cover the expenses.

Everyone loves to look at these pay outs and talk about how much the schools are making off bowl games but, they never want to talk about how much the schools had to spend to get there and back. Schools are not making big time profits off of bowl games, if you believe that then I have a bridge to sell. I'm not saying that to make an argument for a playoff, I'm just saying it because I'm tired of this illusion that the bowl games are giving all this money to schools when it is not true. This is no secret either, just have to dig a little deeper then the ESPN headlines. I think the Fiesta Bowl stuff coming out may finally be opening some people’s eyes. That is not an isolated incident, it happens at probably every bowl. It is time people demand more from these games, better deals for the schools to lower the cost of trip or the finacial hit most schools have to take. Demand more money be funneled back to the schools and the charities that they claim to support (but send maybe 1% of there profits too); and less money for the bowl owners who should not be getting rich from putting on one event a year IMO. There are some big problems with the bowls system, all pretty much revolving around money that needs to be addressed. Could start by eliminating 10 of the bowls IMO.

 

[GreatDanish]

As far as having the best teams play each other, the BCS does the best job.

No doubt.

I will say this. The BCS is the best championship that I can think of, but March Madness is the best sporting event. The BCS' goal is to put #1 vs. #2, and they've done that as well as anyone. The NCAA Tournament, however, is a more fun overall product. In terms of just the championship, though, the BCS is better IMO.

 

[RedStar]

No doubt.

I will say this. The BCS is the best championship that I can think of, but March Madness is the best sporting event. The BCS' goal is to put #1 vs. #2, and they've done that as well as anyone. The NCAA Tournament, however, is a more fun overall product. In terms of just the championship, though, the BCS is better IMO.

Exactly, and I don't understand why the national media can't understand that. For whatever reason they want everything to be the same.

 

[mulletover]

Very good points, something I think many of us have come to recognize.

One thing to add, particularly with college athletics, the Bowl system is very good for all the teams involved. Not only does more than one team get to go out on a winning note, 60+ teams and schools get to go to a bowl and get the money that goes with it. If it wasn't for the money that those schools get from going to the bowls, teams like Boise St. and TCU wouldn't have half the programs they do. It makes every game count and rewards the teams who were good throughout the year. It just makes every game matter that much more.

The big money's in the BCS bowl games. The SEC who qualifies 2-teams received 22 million to be dispursed 13 ways, 1 for each school and one share for the conference. Then on top of that each team making a bowl game that provides receipts which result in a balance between $1,500,000 and $3,999,999, retains $1,000,000 plus a travel allowance as determined by the SEC Executive Committee. The remainder's then remitted to the Commissioner who divids it into 13 equal shares, with one share to the Conference and one share to each member institution. What makes this revenue sharing system so profitable is the SEC had, for example, 10 teams in bowl games last year. The only downside is this system pays the same money to Alabama as they do Vandy. It fairly well known Bama spends more money to produce a better product while Vandy....well, I'll stop here it's an argument for another day so I digress.

By the way the title to this thread, (B)est (C)hampionship in (S)ports. Coincidence?

 

[SHCRollTide]

You make very valid points and I agree the BCS does do the best job of consistently getting the top teams in a spot to play for a national title. However the top teams in other sports have the same opportunities to play for a title as well just in a another format. Duke, Kansas, Ohio State they all had their shot at the title in March Madness this year as well as being rewarded for their regular season by being no .1 seeds and having the easier road to the Final Four. I agree with everything you said but for example Duke had every opportunity to repeat as National Champions and they just didn't get it done. I see your point by saying Butler and UConn weren't the best teams in the nation but they did what they had to do to get the job done. Duke,Kansas,Ohio State did not. Bama might of been better than Oregon last year but Alabama couldn't take care of business when it mattered the most.

 

[glasscutter256]

Wow. I can't believe there are this many BCS proponents! I've been a BCS defender since all the complaining started years ago. I don't think its perfect, but as said previously, its the best format to find a #1. The only way I'd be open to a "playoff" is if the top 3 or 4 teams were all undefeated. Then a plus 1 makes sense. My fear is that peope will want to open it up to 8 then 16 then 32 teams. I don't see how making a playoff system will make the finances any better either. More people will travel and show up for one big game than 4 or 5 playoff games. Financially, bowl games make the most sense (cents) also. I'm sure once football comes around and the BCS doesn't work out perfectly, lots of these fence riders will want the playoff again.

 

[crimsonaudio]

I complain about the BCS, but it's the best solution in sports, imo.

 

[TideFan in AU]

Some of us have been screaming this to the top of our lungs for years. I'm glad a lot people are seeing how a playoff can really work on a lesser sport instead finding out after they have already screwed up college football. If the BCS had a plus 1 system in case of the top 3 (or 4) teams are all undefeated it would be as close to a perfect system as you are going to get, IMO.

 

[VT89]

The NHL has the best championship.

Best trophy by far, and easily the most grueling and tough postseason for a team to win.

 

[derek4tide]

The NHL has the best championship.

Best trophy by far, and easily the most grueling and tough postseason for a team to win.

Very true.

 

[GMacFan]

While I agree that the BCS is the best system for crowning a champion, at the the end of the year the Packers were definitely the best team IMO. They didn't have the best season, but at the end of the season they would have beat anyone. Pittsburgh was one of the few teams I think could have gave them a game, so it was a pretty good Superbowl. But, remember, Green Bay destroyed the Falcons and the Bears, two teams with much better records (the Falcons were the number one seed). Sometimes teams come together in the middle or towards the end of the season, and I'm fine with those teams in the Superbowl. After watching Green Bay play Atlanta and Chicago, would you really want one of the those teams to go to the Superbowl over Green Bay. I'd rather see the two hottest teams at the end of the season play each other, but that's just me.

 

[GrayTide]

Not as good as the Alabama/AU game IMO.

 

[Redwood Forrest]

Nascar has a chase. It was established to bring "excitement" to the final ten races. Excitement = TV ratings. The NCAA tourny seems to me to be of the same mold.

 

[TideFan in AU]

Nascar has a chase. It was established to bring "excitement" to the final ten races. Excitement = TV ratings. The NCAA tourny seems to me to be of the same mold.

Yes, I agree why NASCAR did it, but we also see what it caused. It allowed a team to test more and focus on the 10 "Chase" tracks, and its allowed Jimmy Johnson to dominate like no other. JJ would have only won 2 championships under the old format. NASCAR's ratings and attendance has plummeted due to their so called exciting finish. Yet another reason to leave CFB the #$%^ alone!

 

[Tide1986]

Yes, the BCS does the best job of crowning a champion. Nevertheless, I like/enjoy the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl much more. I'll watch the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl no matter who is playing. I watch very few college bowl games, and I selectively watch the BCS Championship -- very few match-ups are interesting/competitive in my opinion.

 

[bamanut_aj]

College Basketball tournament crowns a 'National Champion'. The BCS has always sought to seek not only a "National Champion", but also has sought out the best two teams in football to play for the National Championship.

A playoff system that includes "best of" series is better than a one-and-done tournament, but I will still take the BCS set up.

Arguments against the BCS include:

"it's arbitrary and based on human opinion" - so is the NCAA tourney....HUMANS select the teams, and HUMANS seed them

"it's exclusionary, whereas the NCAA tourney is inclusionary" - and that's a 'good' thing? 68 teams really deserved a shot at being the National Champ? Well, actually, in the basketball format, why not? Again, basketball isn't really looking for the best team, they're looking for the hot team. They're looking for fun and excitement, so why not include every team?

The BCS, again, has always been about finding the 'best' team in football and crowning it the Champ. I like that format better.

 

[Greater Crimson]

While I agree that the BCS is the best system for crowning a champion, at the the end of the year the Packers were definitely the best team IMO. They didn't have the best season, but at the end of the season they would have beat anyone. Pittsburgh was one of the few teams I think could have gave them a game, so it was a pretty good Superbowl. But, remember, Green Bay destroyed the Falcons and the Bears, two teams with much better records (the Falcons were the number one seed). Sometimes teams come together in the middle or towards the end of the season, and I'm fine with those teams in the Superbowl. After watching Green Bay play Atlanta and Chicago, would you really want one of the those teams to go to the Superbowl over Green Bay. I'd rather see the two hottest teams at the end of the season play each other, but that's just me.

This. This. This. This. This. I can't believe some of the responses I'm reading! I would think a Bama board of all places, after the way y'all dismantled Mich St, would be singing this. There are 2 reasons the BCS doesn't crown a true champion.

1) Green Bay Packers - it might have took them the entire first half of the season to become great, but like this man said, there is no denying they were the best team by the end of the year. Yes, the system is set up so that every regular season game is like a playoff game. But this takes away a huge part of the sport, which is allowing a team to get better over the season. I remember saying right after the Iron Bowl ended that I would still take y'all to win it all in a playoff.

2) TCU- if TCU played the way the played in the Rose Bowl, and Auburn and Oregon played the way they played in the NCG, TCU would have beat either of them by 20. You can't say Auburn was the true champion last year because they didn't have to beat TCU.

Comparing what would happen in a college football playoff to what happened in the NCAA tournament is silly, unless you're calling for a big playoff. 16 is even too much. We as college football fans need to come together and call for a small playoff, with small obviously being the key word. By keeping it small, every regular season game is still important, and then the best teams get to play it out on the field.

Oh, and here's to seeing y'all in NOLA!