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Topic: Bowl Season Blues

Topic: Bowl Season Blues

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Paul Graham
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Member Since: 1/18/2005
Location: The Plains, OH
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Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/7/2015 8:32:37 PM

I'm not sure if I'm the only one who feels this way...but IMHO the whole bowl game thing has lost its luster.

For one, half the teams in the MAC now make a bowl game. Which is completely ridiculous. And beyond that, it seems as though we are converging on a scenario where we (the MAC) only play non-P5 teams in bowl games. This is driven by nothing but $$$ and is not in the interest of fans or players.

Another issue...is there any post-season advantage to winning the MACC? BG plays Georgia Southern and we play Appy State. But didn't Appy State finish with a better record and beat Georgia Southern? So how does that work exactly?

Let me put it to you more directly: we have been relegated to a lower division. Until we can generate more cash for bowl games, and since the games exist solely to generate cash, we will only play non-P5 teams.

Fine. Whatever. But then, what is the point of winning the MACC if your bowl outcome is the same as the 5'th best team in your conference?

I'd be fine with the relegation, but that seems like a kick in the crotch to a team like BG that should be finishing the season off with a bang.

This whole system has been slowly reimagined in the interest of creating content for ESPN and cash for everyone involved...of course modulo those that play the game!

Well anyway, I won't be watching any of these stupid exhibition games. You don't have Paul Graham to kick around any more, because, gentlemen, this is my last post until 2016. Maybe!

Pataskala
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/7/2015 10:34:47 PM

Paul, I was feeling somewhat the same. Then I thought about 1997. We were 8-3. And stayed home. And 2000. We were 7-4. And stayed home. Because there were a handful of bowls and about all were controlled by the snob conferences. The smaller bowls aren't so much for the fans as they are for the kids. They get to suit up one last time this season, or ever. The big bowls are mostly for the big conferences to rake in some money, although I read that FSU lost money when they played NIU in the Orange Bowl. But I really don't watch the big bowls anymore. Some of the more fun matchups are in the smaller bowls because, by and large, the kids are playing for love of the game and their school.

We will get by.
We will get by.
We will get by.
We will survive.

Bcat2
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/7/2015 11:02:25 PM

Paul Graham wrote:

Paul, so are you in for some Tickets for Kids this year?

"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men." JFK

bshot44
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 9:47:51 AM

Paul Graham wrote:

Totally agree with pretty much all of this....

ESPN is the driving force for a ton of this nonsense...

But as far as the importance of winning the MACC...look no further than Houston.

If Ohio goes out and takes care of business year in and year out...and then wins the MACC....they have a shot at a NY6 bowl game.

Had Toledo not gagged vs. WMU that last regular season game, they might have been in line for that NY6 game (even with the NIU loss on their resume)

Ohio will never win a national title...but there is hope they can play in a NY6 bowl game someday.

And that will only happen if they win the MACC.

That's why I place emphasis on winning MACC....because it creates a little relevancy on a national level to OUr program....and places us in position to break thru into a NY6 bowl game someday. It'll never happen if we continue to finish 5-3 and 2nd place in the East division

Mark Lembright '85
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 10:26:08 AM

I think bshot44's spot on as to the relevance and importance of the MACC. Plus its the championship of the league Ohio's a member of, so why not try to win it.

I know I'm different and I really understand why most people find a lot of these bowls irrelevant. I'm just the opposite-I love the bowl season! I like the pageantry of it, the fan enthusiasm, the fact that most of the teams see it as a reward, etc. I'm pretty much a bowl junkie. I'd watch every single game on TV if I could.

doubledribble
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 10:47:27 AM

Paul, I feel sorry for you and any other of the "glass is half empty" gang that populate this board! You will be missing out on some very good football, and some good times by not joining in the fun of the bowl season ! The "glass half full" Bobcats will be having a ball in and around Montgomery for sure! Some great golf courses very reasonably priced within 45 minutes of downtown, some great sports bars and places to eat around the downtown area, the 110 in a downtown parade Friday night.....and I have not gotten to game day yet !
App State is a very good football team, with probably the best offense we will see all year. (BG hard to beat, but App is very explosive also)
We are a big underdog in this match-up, but it will be interesting to see how we play. Our kids and our staff turned our season around after a very tough three week stretch and it is awesome to see them rewarded with this opportunity to play in another bowl game! Bobcat fans will be there to Stand Up And Cheer. Change your mind, come on down to the pep rally and parade Friday night, rock out with the 110 as they play "Sweet Home Alabama", and let me guess, maybe "Long Train" ! I will buy the first round to help cheer you up !!

Last Edited: 12/8/2015 10:50:15 AM by doubledribble

SWBC
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 11:02:41 AM

I agree there are too many bowls now and their worth is watered down somewhat. However, at the very least, the advantages are:

15 more practices than those that don't go bowling.
One more game than those that don't go bowling.
Television exposure which those that don't go, don't get.
Lots of attention, special activities, and a "swag bag" of stuff for the players.

Regarding the Camellia bowl:

App. State will be a TV draw since it's their first bowl game.
Close enough for many Bobcats to drive to.
Inexpensive hotels compared to larger cities. (especially since the App. State fans had several days advantage to get their reservations and the expensive downtown hotels were sold out by the time Ohio accepted.)
Saturday evening time slot (as has already been mentioned)
Quality opponent.

How's that for Half Full.

bshot44
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 11:13:25 AM

Totally agree. We were an above average 8-4 football team. We deserve an average bowl game vs. another above average football team from another average conference.

When Ohio starts going 11-1 and winning the MACC and then getting placed vs. Utah State or some other mid-major....then we have reason to complain.

For now...this is the reality.

8-4 in the MAC gets you a Camellia Bowl...or Quick Lanes Bowl...or GoDaddy Bowl.

11-1 gets you a NY6 Bowl Game....

I'd much rather be in the Camellia Bowl than the not-going-to-a-Bowl that Kent is headed for.

But I'd much rather be 11-1 and in a NY6 bowl than the Camellia Bowl.

We got what we deserve after a so-so 8-4 season.

Let's enjoy it and hopefully pick up a nice win...

GoCats105
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 12:05:33 PM

Sure, Houston won their conference and made the NY6 for the non-P5, but I'm beginning to wonder what the value of that even is now. It will generate more money for the conference and school in general, but from a competition standpoint the game basically means nothing in the long term.

I'm almost inclined to believe that the Group of Five should start their own 4-team playoff.

Last Edited: 12/8/2015 12:06:07 PM by GoCats105

Paul Graham
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 12:12:17 PM

GoCats105 wrote:

I'm almost inclined to believe that the Group of Five should start their own 4-team playoff.

That's the only way to return some competition and excitement to this.

OhioCatFan
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 12:12:46 PM

Heard some talking heads discussing an eight game playoff with the best G5 team getting one slot. This might make too much sense to actually ever happen.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

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bshot44
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 12:17:55 PM

GoCats105 wrote:

It's of the same value that bowl games are to WVU or Texas A&M or Arizona....or any other team.

Playing in a NY6 Bowl game is the next best thing to making the CFB playoff. Yeah, for some school...you might not see the benefits because you're there so often (i.e. Notre Dame, Ohio State, Stanford, etc)....

But ask NIU if they benefited from their Orange Bowl...

Or if Boise State benefited from their multiple BCS bids...

Or TCU

Making these games can only help your program. You don't think there's a benefit of Ohio playing in the Fiesta Bowl rather than the Camellia Bowl?

That's like saying, what's the value of Ohio making the NCAA Sweet Sixteen when they can just play in the CBI.

Silly to not see the benefit of a NY6 bowl game...

You don't think recruits wouldn't look at Ohio differently if they made a NY6 game....

Showing that Ohio or any other G5 school can compete on that level puts them a few steps higher than their competition.....you reap more benefits and your program grows.

Last Edited: 12/8/2015 12:20:32 PM by bshot44

Robert Fox
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 1:36:54 PM

GoCats105 wrote:

I'm almost inclined to believe that the Group of Five should start their own 4-team playoff.

Now that would be interesting.

GoCats105
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 1:45:17 PM

bshot44 wrote:

GoCats105 wrote:

That's not what I'm saying at all. Of course I see the value of it when it comes to recruiting, program prestige, school notoriety, etc.

My point is more geared towards the competition aspect of this thing. It doesn't mean anything outside of the small world of Ohio. Sure some college football writers and experts will remember that one time Ohio played in a nice bowl game that didn't mean anything on a national landscape.

Until the Group of Five are actually included in the College Football Playoff, there will technically be no meaning to the postseason competitively from a certain point of view. Financial aspects and marketability are a totally different animal. There's tons of value in that.

Last Edited: 12/8/2015 1:55:35 PM by GoCats105

shabamon
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 1:56:00 PM

16 team playoff
10 automatic bids to conference champions (MAC, C-USA, etc. included too)
6 at-larges

Play as many rounds as the big boys want at the higher seeds' home stadiums.

Somewhere in late October, my enthusiasm for college football snuffs out. I don't make it a point to watch any games not featuring Ohio because Ohio is not connected to the bigger picture. It's not like basketball where your November non-con game against Tennessee State, even in a 20 degrees of Kevin Bacon sort of way, is still connected to the national championship.

Make a 16-game playoff, and my personal college football viewership will skyrocket.

bshot44
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 1:56:57 PM

GoCats105 wrote:

bshot44 wrote:

GoCats105 wrote:

Respectfully disagree.

I think this a great way to get your name on the national landscape.

You think there are more people that know who Boise, TCU & NIU are...even UCF after BCS bowl games?

I think there is great value on making it.

It's a huge feather in your cap if you're striving for national relevance or exposure.

Ohio hoops is still benefiting from Sweet 16 exposure.

These things help more than your giving credit for

GoCats105
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 2:07:47 PM

bshot44 wrote:

GoCats105 wrote:

bshot44 wrote:

GoCats105 wrote:

As popular as those schools are, they are still no where near closer to playing for a national championship (TCU excluded because they are now in the Big 12). Boise State got as high as #2 one year but they blew their chance and that might be as high as any G5 team gets again. The system is designed to exclude schools like Ohio, save for the one spot in a rotation bowl game.

Now, I agree those schools are more popular because of what they achieved. It doesn't make them any closer to being on the same scale as Power 5 schools. Unless Boise and NIU make a jump to a bigger conference, they'll be on the outside looking in just like Ohio.

That's why the Memphis argument would have been so intriguing had they gone undefeated this season. Had they went 13-0 with a win over Ole Miss, Navy, Houston and Temple (x2) they technically should have been ranked higher than Alabama since Alabama lost to Ole Miss at home. Would they have been? Probably not.

L.C.
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 3:13:04 PM

I don't like the idea of a separate G5 playoff at all. That just would prove that the G5 is it's own class, somewhere below the P5. What I'd rather see is more bowls that pit upper tier G5 teams against P5 opponents, and then as the G5 won some, it would emphasize that there is an overlap between the P5 and G5. That, of course, is exactly what the G5 don't want, which is why we see all these bowls pitting G5 against G5, and P5 against P5.

�We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.� ― Epictetus

Pataskala
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 3:16:08 PM

OhioCatFan wrote:

Heard some talking heads discussing an eight game playoff with the best G5 team getting one slot. This might make too much sense to actually ever happen.

This year's "G5" team under that scenario probably would've been 8th-ranked Notre Dame (I don't think they're considered "P"5 for playoff seeding purposes, but they don't get a G5 access bowl slot because they can't be a conference champion). But I can just imagine the uproar if 18th-ranked Houston would get in the playoff ahead of, say, an 8th-ranked FSU. I remember Rece Davis putting that "end of civilization as we know it" tone in his voice and look on his face when 15th-ranked NIU got into the Orange Bowl under the BCS regime. When NIU shattered the glass ceiling in 2013, there was this sudden rush for a playoff.

We will get by.
We will get by.
We will get by.
We will survive.

GoCats105
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 3:54:16 PM

Pataskala wrote:

OhioCatFan wrote:

Heard some talking heads discussing an eight game playoff with the best G5 team getting one slot. This might make too much sense to actually ever happen.

The argument for the Playoff came way before that. It was probably when Urban Meyer's Utah team went unbeaten. But the crap really hit the fan when both TCU and Boise State got in. So what did they do? Made them play each other, which was complete bull.

Last Edited: 12/8/2015 3:54:37 PM by GoCats105

TheBobcatBandit
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 4:10:54 PM

shabamon wrote:

+1 I have always thought 16 would be the right amount for the playoffs. 4 is way too few. 8 wouldn't be bad but I would rather have 16, any more than that is too many,

bshot44
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 5:41:48 PM

GoCats105 wrote:

bshot44 wrote:

GoCats105 wrote:

bshot44 wrote:

GoCats105 wrote:

Totally agree that Boise and NIU will realistically never play for a title.

But don't you think their appearances in those BCS games has had a positive affect on their programs?

You don't think nationally they're given a little more of a pass based on what they've done in the past?

If it was Boise and they finished 13-0 this year, you don't think they would have been given serious consideration for a spot? Probably more so that out-of-nowhere Memphis.

You aren't suddenly going to just show up on the national CFB landscape...but win your league and make a few NY6 bowl games....suddenly some doors that were previously shut will potentially open.

I'm not saying being in P5 leagues doesnt make it easier.....but if you can't be...being a consistent G5 powerhouse and going to NY6 games I think would have a pretty positive affect on your program.

It did for Boise...and for NIU. They're better for it.

And I would say, as unrealistic as it really still is, they're hopes for a national title are more realistic than other G5 schools with no history of playing in BCS bowl games.

But again, you're right....G5 teams have little to no hope of playing for a title...but they still have a place on the national landscape

It's a process..and one that could take 10+ years (i.e. Boise) but they've proven you can aspire to be at least in the conversation

Last Edited: 12/8/2015 5:56:13 PM by bshot44

ytownbobcat
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 5:51:04 PM

I have an unexpected "blah" feeling about our bowl game.

I think it is because the game itself doesn't have any intrigue for me.

Not a natural rival in any way or an interesting intersectional opponent like Utah State or even ECU had some pop because we had a history with them.

The date and time are not good for me because I'am flying most of that day.

Montgomery isn't on my bucket list. St Pete , New Orleans spoiled me.

So I really want us to win and play well. The synapses are not firing for this one.

I attended games this year in Moscow, Minny, Akron, Buffalo, Dekalb and Athens and I love this team.

TWT
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 6:39:47 PM

Paul Graham wrote:

Another issue...is there any post-season advantage to winning the MACC? BG plays Georgia Southern and we play Appy State. But didn't Appy State finish with a better record and beat Georgia Southern? So how does that work exactly?

Let me put it to you more directly: we have been relegated to a lower division. Until we can generate more cash for bowl games, and since the games exist solely to generate cash, we will only play non-P5 teams.

The MAC to keep its tie-in with the GoDaddy Bowl was forced into requiring its champion play in the game. The MAC was losing the game in Detroit and was down to Boise and Mobile at the moment so the conference was captive for a moment. This was before the creation of the Camellia Bowl and the 5 tie-ins the MAC has now. Next time around from what I've heard the MAC is going to play the ACC in St. Louis instead of Mobile or Montgomery. Less travel costs and a P5 tie-in.

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

TWT
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RE: Bowl Season Blues

Posted: 12/8/2015 7:03:02 PM

L.C. wrote:

There is an issue for access at the top for the MAC but it was also a problem for the MAC to have its better teams be able to play a quality G5 conference teams in a bowl game. The MAC started in Mobile playing CUSA #4, then had the Detroit bowl that would get filled on the other side by a 6-6 team. Last year CUSA #1 and MAC #1 were matched in Boca Raton. This year the AAC #2 and MAC #3 are in Boca Raton and the MAC #2 and MWC #3 are in San Diego. MAC #4 (Ohio) is playing SBC #2 in Montgomery. The MAC is taken care of pretty good now in the bowl selection process.

Last Edited: 12/8/2015 7:05:16 PM by TWT

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

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