Bowl Things Thread

[SKell82155]

and they pocketed the 20 million. They are not in a conference, and they schedule lightweights in order to get in the CFP. That doesn't seem to work anymore. You can't make the finals, if you can't make the CFP. So instead of playing for a championship, the fans have sour grapes and excuses this year. As we know the old adage in sports is "what have you done lately". I am sure ND is having this tantrum to bully the committee for the next few years, but this year they won't be able to see J. Love's at least one more time. I was at a restaurant yesterday during the selection show. NJ is a heavy ND fandom. It was quite quiet and lots of anger. I laughed as my team wasn't considered when a couple years ago, we were in the tourney of four and not 12. Of course I don't have the entitled attitude from the 1930s. ND played when there wasn't the media as there is today to get a real analysis of who is the better teams. It was based on brand reputation and to the dismay of today's ND fans, brand rep sure didn't work yesterday. They are considered based on their record and strength of schedule. They should keep it to themselves and go to their forums to vent. That, sadly, is how we handle the end of the season. At least our team will show up to play one last time. I just don't know who will play. We will have more practices to get young players ready for next year though. That is a good thing. Yes, I have been driven to apathy this year, but next season is in preparation. Go Cats one more time. My ND friends can't say that.

Definetly don’t agree with you on your take about ND.
Are the B12 teams that opted out of the bowl also considered to have sour grapes and excuses ?
The players took a vote & they decided not to play- what business of that is yours ?
I think one reason they haven’t gotten into a conference is because until this last realignment, conferences were more regionally restricted as was recruiting. ND on the other hand has to recruit from coast to coast & being in a regional conference would probably inhibit that, imo.
As far as schedule, schedules are made a couple of years in advance I believe? ND this year played 6 ACC teams, 2 SEC teams, 2 Big10 teams as well as the Navy team UC is playing in a bowl game, Boise St who has been decent over the years.
Ohio State played 4 dumpster Big10 teams along with Grambling St & Ohio U !
Indiana started with ODU, Kennesaw St & Indiana St for crying out loud. I don’t wanna hear anything about schedule.
ND got screwed this year because of ESPN bias for the SEC.

[bearcatbret]

ESPN and all sports agencies have bias for the B1G and SEC. What do we have right now in the CFP? 3 SEC teams, 3 B1G teams, 1 ACC and 1 Big 12. It is about who controls the TV money (ESPN and FOX). In response to comments about Big 12 teams not playing, they are without coaches. There have been some great bowl games this season and those teams had nothing to prove other than they can win. ND no longer has the TV audience that it once had. The MAC actually has had a good showing this year.

[SKell82155]

I would love for the committee to send ND a message and not select them for the CFP. However, it is all about money and I suspect that ND brings a large audience to TV.

Why are people so concerned whether ND is in a conference or not ? I’m a UC fan but have rooted for ND all my life.

[leo from jersey]

Why are people so concerned whether ND is in a conference or not ? I’m a UC fan but have rooted for ND all my life.

In today's playing field for the National Championship things have changed. Without a conference ND gets more money from bowl games and tv contracts as they don't have to share. They also work with NBC for the best TV times. This is a recruiting tool as few noon games where recruits have a hard time making it.. Without a conference they can hand pick their schedule. This has resulted in weak opponents and next year only 3 road games. How many playoff teams will ND be playing next year. They play 3, Navy BYU, Miami with only Miami considered top 10 or 15.. Compare that with the Big and SEC. No conference championship game means an extra week of rest and preparation before the tournament begins. They often get to make their rules on minor things while a conference team has to go along.AS you can see, it is an easier road to the playoffs when you don't have a conference making your opponents, making game times, home//away games, not having to split TV money etc. The playing field is not equal. Of course, what have they won regardless of having the soft path.