The media's college football preview coverage, summed up in ten questions

College football is shifting into overdrive, preparing for the long haul until January. Every day, you can't spend five minutes on the internet or TV and not find something new previewing the 2009 college football season.

Sports Center now has a daily segment dedicated to kickoff week, while the sports pages are buzzing.

So, let's say this preseason stuff was wrapped up into ten questions. What would they be? Let's find out.

10. Isn't Tim Tebow great?

9. Who's better, Terrelle Pryor or Superman? (Trick question, Pryor is Superman)

8. Will Oklahoma ever win another BCS bowl?

7. Is the Big East still playing football?

6. Who is this year's Utah/Boise State?

5. How bad does the Big Ten stink?

4. How many SEC teams won't go undefeated?

3. Isn't Florida great?

2. Should we just give the BCS National Title to Florida now? I mean, they're going to get it anyway. Why bother even playing the season?

1. Isn't Tim Tebow great?

Did I forget any? I'm sure I did, but you get the idea.

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Wednesday Linkage is channeling the rage

I swear there will be much more original stuff coming in the next few weeks. It's a pretty dead time in terms of actual team news. You see, although we bloggers are becoming a more integral part of sports and news, we're still generally not accepted as worthy of "access" to the news makers. So, no spicy interviews with the players, or inside reports from Holuba Hall.

But, we do have plenty of link dumping and the like to hold you over until crunch time arrives. (This Saturday is the official two week mark) And to go along with my theme of griping about the main stream media, I'm leading off today's linkage with a gem from a fellow Penn State blogger.

• The Nittany Line totally rips into the Clarion News's Ryan Pugh.

"Usually when I see a writer (of the paid variety) put out something stupid I just chuckle and move on but occasionally I read something that is so perverse that I have to point it out, after all these people are getting paid for this garbage."

This one is kind of close to my heart, being a former local news assistant editor. So I can appreciate what TNL is complaining about.

• There is No Name on My Jersey had some words about a certain SI.com columnist's references to a "resurgent" Penn State.

"If the Lions win the Big Ten for a second straight year (and 3 out of the last 5) and are in the hunt for a national title, we can stop talking about "a resurgent" PSU rising from the dead and start talking about the Lions consistently being on the prowl for National Titles."

We've had our own differences here at ZN with Stewart Mandel. So, here's a big old thumbs up to TINNOMJ.

• Happy Hour Valley seems to be stuck in the same link-dump-hell boat we are here.

• Nittany Whiteout reminds us that Penn State does have a basketball team. And hey, wouldn't ya know it, they're not too bad! 2010 NCAA Tourney or Bust, Baby!

• Black Shoe Diaries is actually writing original content. (I would hope so, with three writers over there) So, this week, they're going over the top five reasons for hope and worry.

• In the Big Ten blogging world, The Daily Gopher likes Penn State more than Ohio State (barely) in its week one BlogPoll ballot.

• MGoBlog's mailbag is always fun.

• Black Heart Gold Pants seems to have gotten a bad case of "Zack Attack." But, this strain has apparently mutated into a Hawkeye-friendly state.

See you all tomorrow with First Look '09: Indiana Hoosiers! And remember to get your votes in for Ohio State's win total poll.

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Derrick Williams at the NFL Combine

◊ How fast can he run? How high can he jump? How many times can he bench a couple-hundred pounds?

Those questions are all supposedly answered over the course of a few days, which we call the NFL Combine. College football's finest athletes– in the eyes of the NFL scouts –are invited to work out in front of coaches and staff, with a chance to plant a final, hopefully good impression in their minds.

I was out of town, and couldn't keep up on the nitty-gritty of the combine this past week and weekend, so I only heard bits here an there. One thing that stuck out to me was one NFL Network commentator's analysis on Derrick Williams and his poor 40-yard dash times. Williams ran a 4.58 and a 4.67.

"Williams has been suffering a bit from the flu, but [those 40 times] are sure to hurt his draft stock a bit," he said.

I don't usually watch the NFL Network, or the NFL for that matter. So I don't know who it was, as they didn't show their faces or give names. Understandably, it was all about the players.

Still, I was shocked to hear his "expert" analysis of Williams' performance. Maybe I just don't understand how pro football scouting works. Do NFL teams really base much of their draft decisions on this event? I hope not, and from what I hear, they don't.

Ah, but the NFL Network wants you to believe otherwise. If we were to gauge the amount of combine coverage, compared to the amount of coverage dedicated to equally important draft events, like schools' pro days, it would seem that the combine is second only to the draft itself.

Back to Williams. He ran the 40, against his agent's advice, with a considerable bout with the flu. The scouts knew he had the flu. Everyone in the world knew he had the flu, mostly due to the sports networks' ridiculous amount of coverage. So then when Williams turns in a few very poor 40 times, everyone acts surprised?

I'm not going to defend Williams. He needs no defending. Nor will I suggest the television coverage should be "nicer" to the players. Sports is not a nice business, and I understand that.

It would just be refreshing to see more than just a hand full of "experts" think about what they say, before they say it. Did two poor 40 times, while suffering the flu, really hurt his draft stock among the NFL teams that are seriously interested in him? Probably not.

Have most NFL teams been spending every waking moment analyzing four years worth of game tape from Williams'– and the rest of the combine invitees –college careers? I would say definitely. The television coverage, and the NFL Network commentator I'm using as an example, are essentially dumbing down the draft process.

Why? Are they trying to lure in a few non-die hards, by making coverage more novice-friendly? That's a pretty poor angle to take. And not only that, but by doing so, the coverage is making the NFL teams look like they're half-assing their way to the draft decisions. They don't.

Many folks poke fun at the college recruiting season, saying how it's just a show, or how most of the prospects don't pan out. I find it ironic that we don't hear so much from that crowd once the NFL Combine rolls onto our screens.

I find that the lead up to the NFL Draft is one of the most ridiculous displays of sensationalist sports media coverage you'll find anywhere in the world. That doesn't exclude the combine.

Williams might be struck twice, though, with the same over-hype hammer.

Coming out of high school, he was rated the No. 1 recruit in the nation. Who created that ranking? The media, not the players or college coaches. Now that his college career is over, he's regarded in the media– the same media that vaulted him to the top of the rankings –as somewhat of a bust.

As we near the NFL Draft, Williams is again a victim of an unfair, if not unjust media. We all know it's not fair, and that it will never be so. But how much the media has played a role in Williams' career is astounding. Coming in, he was up. Now, he's down. Next month, he could go up again, all in the eyes of studio analysts.

So what does any of this mean? Well, for Williams, all he has to do is play his game. He once said that he is "driven by greatness." That classic quote must stick in his mind the rest of his career. Drive is an intangible trait many of the biggest draft busts lacked. If Williams can maintain it, he'll be fine.

For the NFL Combine and the draft. It means nothing. It's still the most profitable entertainment business in the country, and will continue be so. Unfortunately, the sports media has gone right along with it, under the cover of journalism.

So as we watch our college players find new homes in the NFL, just keep in mind that things are never what they seem, especially through the eyes of the media.

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Penn State weathers media storm

◊ Things could always change without notice, but doesn't it feel like Penn State has come out of the main stream media onslaught in one piece?

For more than a year, we were bombarded with accusations that Joe Paterno had lost the team, that players were getting in trouble with the law on what was made to seem like a daily basis. It was a horror movie, one that wouldn't end. If it wasn't news from the crime blotter, it was endless questions about how the team could possibly win without an experienced quarterback, or underachieving receivers, or the zero chance of winning in Columbus.

Yes, from the spring of 2007, right through the end of 2008, Penn State was college football drama at its nastiest, right down to the total hatchet job by Outside the Lines. But no more. At least, we hope.

Just look at the MSM blogs. Bruce Feldman's "Top 10 winter soap operas" this offseason: No Penn State. Stewart Mandel's "10 offseason storylines to watch": No Nittany Lions there either. Even Dennis Dodd's blog "Dodds and Ends" lacks a single tidbit about Penn State, anywhere. Go ahead, do a "Find" and search for "Penn State." Zip.

However, let me stress again, we could very well wake up tomorrow to a glaring Google Alert. But even with that chance of bad news at the click of your mouse, I'm optimistic. Penn State took the punches, and are almost stronger because of it. Joe Paterno has proven nearly everyone in the MSM wrong, period. Sure, they'll never admit it, and they shouldn't have to. The MSM gets paid to entertain us. Unfortunately for Penn State fans, horror movies are just as entertaining to people as feel good flicks. But this movie is rolling the credits, and the audience is filing out of the theatre.

Penn State has finally turned the page. Let's hope there's no going back.

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USC/Rose Bowl update, Dec. 29

Just a quick rundown of issues we're looking at right now, regarding the Rose Bowl and USC Trojans:

• For kicks, here's a photo of the "Team Visit" to DisneyLand...


On with the update.

• At the Press Enterprise (CA), Gregg Patton is hoping for a little more thrill out of the 2008 Rose Bowl.

"Theoretically, Penn State is an atypical Big Ten team. It has speed and can match up with mercurial Pacific-10 teams. Evidence is its September crushing, 45-14, of Oregon State, the only team to conquer USC."

He wrote that while he can't root for Penn State, he really wishes the Lions put up a good fight. I hope it's much more than just a good fight.

• I thought this was a good read, as Scott Reid of the Orange County Register gives his readers a little Penn State background. Remember, this is a slow news cycle for the non-diehards out there. Reid writes about what it was like for Penn State recruits five years ago, during the "dark times."

"On A.Q. Shipley's recruiting trip to the University of Virginia in the fall of 2003, Cavaliers coaches hit the kid from Western Pennsylvania with an all-too-familiar sales pitch for leaving the state: Joe Paterno was done ... as out of style as his high water khakis … ancient history... Yet here are the Nittany Lions (11-1) back in another big New Year's Day game, ranked No. 6 and Big Ten champions taking on No. 5 USC (11-1) in the Rose Bowl, a last-second Iowa field goal away from playing for Paterno's third national title."

Yup, three national titles. That's one and a half more than Pete Carroll. Oh yeah, and Paterno's had four more perfect records, too.

• What's the one thing every Penn State fans is hoping for right now? Why, to know that USC is overlooking Penn State. Not likely, says Adam Maya of the OCR's USC blog.

"USC’s 35-3 victory against Ohio State this season gave him a 5-0 record against the conference. Carroll, however, shrugged off the notion there is a stylistic difference in play between the conferences working to his team’s advantage. “That’s Woody and Bo,” said Carroll, referencing former longtime Ohio State coach Woody Hayes and Michigan coach Bo Schembechler. “That’s’ the old days. It’s not like that anymore.”

Why would it even be an advantage to USC in the first place? Actually, if you look at it, USC is playing they exact style of "Big Ten" football that the national media now loathes: strong defense, and a good enough offense.

• The Pennsylvania media has left much to be desired lately. But then again, everyone is just reaching for stories to kill time. How many features on these teams can we take? Jeff McLane at the Philadelphia Inquirer offers another look at the differences (as if we all didn't know this by just watching one episode of Entourage) between LA and the Northeast.

"Many of the Trojans downplay their status. But there aren't many programs that can call Will Ferrell a team mascot. The funnyman has teamed with Carroll for a few pranks. Carroll, of course, is a star in his own right. With his movie star looks, he could have had Tom Cruise's career - or Jimmie Johnson's... Penn State has a star of its own in Joe Paterno. The difference is that Paterno never had a nose for the West Coast. The Nittany Lions have been portrayed as country bumpkins by some of the L.A. media. That's probably not fair, although Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor once called State College "too country."

He just had to bring up Terrelle Pryor. Is the "Greatest Recruit in the History of Football" even relevant until next September? Oh, and what the hell was with this line: "Carroll, of course, is a star in his own right. With his movie star looks, he could have had Tom Cruise's career - or Jimmie Johnson's." Movie star looks? Ooookay, Jeff.

• On the Buckeye front, I thought this message board post was interesting enough, since Ohio State was crushed by USC in September. The author writes about how Ohio State could end up ranked ahead of USC in the final polls.

"#6 Penn State vs. #5 USC (Rose Bowl). We need USC to beat Penn State. It would be much easier to justify us jumping Penn State than us jumping USC (can you imagine the media [censored]storm if we beat Texas, Penn State beats USC, and we end up ahead of USC despite our identical records and USC's 35-3 win over us?). It would be easy to negate Penn State's close win over us in The Shoe by pointing that they won the game mainly due to a mistake made by a true-freshman QB late in the game. Conversely, all the "We didn't have Beanie" and "we used two QBs" arguments for the USC debacle won't cut it for justifying us being ahead of USC should Penn State pull the upset. But, if our defense can shut down Penn State, I think USC's can, too."

Yet again, I'll remind everyone of why it's inexcusable to give USC more credit for its Ohio State win, than the credit Penn State gets for its Ohio State win. Boy, don't you Buckeyes feel special right now?

• Jumping into the World Wide Leader for a moment, Ivan Maisel had what ESPN considered back-page kind of story (they'll do anything to bury a story that tries to prove the Big Ten woes are completely fabricated) that's definitely worth the read. It's too bad his bosses don't believe in fair and balanced journalism anymore. Well, the lead said it all.

"If Penn State played in any other league, the question would never be asked."

Maisel could have just written that one sentence, and the argument is over. Too bad no one else understands that.

• Just because I couldn't let this one slide, I'm throwing in a blog post from neo-con Bob McCarty.

"Due to the fact that there are seven — count ‘em, seven — Big 12 Conference teams involved in college football bowl games between Dec. 29 and Jan. 8, I decided to include all of their games as well as all of the BCS bowl games in my predictions this year."

Ok, now bear with me on this one. Here are his predicted scoring totals for all the Big XII teams in the bowls: 37, 29, 41, 17, 60, 56, 42. That's an average of 40 points per game for the defense-optional conference. Even if we take out the high/low (Nebraska's 17 and Texas Tech's 60(!) against Ole Miss) it actually goes up to 41 points per game! He also thinks USC will beat Penn State.... wait for it... 39-6. Maybe he should just stick to saving America. Although, if he's as good at conservative blogging as he is writing about college football, maybe he should stop that, too.

Quick Outs:
• USC tailback Stafon Johnson returned to practice after sitting out the last workout before the break because of a kneecap injury. Johnson had no problems running straight ahead and said that by the end of the practice week... receiver Damian Williams, who suffered a shoulder injury against UCLA on Dec. 6, practiced but doctors have not cleared him for contact. Williams, the Trojans' leading receiver, does not expect to be cleared until game time... safety Kevin Ellison did not practice because of a knee injury he aggravated against UCLA. Carroll said the Trojans would prepare with Will Harris as the starter... Fullback Stanley Havili* did not attend practice because of a flight delay, Carroll said. He's been suffering from an ankle injury, and is uncertain for the Rose Bowl.

*Just a note on Havili. During Saturday night's post-game (following the Emerald Bowl), Mary May opened his yap. I really was hoping he would say something intelligent about the Rose Bowl... nope. After Lou Holtz went on his customary pro-Penn State/JoePa rant, May countered with the "playmakers" USC will throw at the Lions. One of those guys who will lead USC to victory, according to May... Stanley Havili. That's right, he's going to magically heal his ankle, gain full strength and tear up Penn State's defense.

I guess those injury reports are tough to read.

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And when, exactly, did the Big Ten ask for your advice?

Sean Jackson, a CFN blogger, had a coherent (that was about it) write up on how the Big Ten can be better in 2008. Now, I won’t get into the fact that he’s just one of the many talking about the Big Ten as if it’s the MAC or even the Big East circa 2004. Jackson just made some fundamental mistakes in his assessment of the conference going into 2008, mistakes which should have been, at the very least, addressed by CFN before publishing the article.

“It’s essential that the Big Ten establishes a tone early in the season especially for the younger teams such as Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State. If the younger teams can develop confidence from the beginning of the year, it’ll make the Big Ten much more competitive. If not then history will repeat itself.”

Young? I’m not one to defend those two other teams from Michigan, but to lump Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State in the “young” category is just not correct. Penn State may return as many as 18 starters for 2008, and many more with starting experience. The Lions have an upperclassmen-laden depth chart this fall, and Jackson clearly gives away his failure to do even minimal research by labeling Penn State as a “younger” team in the Big Ten.

Michigan’s defense is shaping up to be one of the better in the conference in 2008, with the entire line returning, an excellent leader in MLB Obi Ezeh, two returning starting corners, and two safeties with starting/meaningful experience.

The Spartans return EIGHT starters on offense, including fantastic back Javon Ringer and signal caller Brian Hoyer. Meanwhile, the defense has six starters coming back, and three more with starting experience. I’ve even called for Michigan State to finish third in the Big Ten this year!

“For the past two years it’s been Ohio State, then Wisconsin and Michigan dueling for second. Illinois emerged last year as a pleasant surprise adding a fourth team to the mix, but from then on it gets ugly pretty quick. Want to prove the media wrong? Want to field teams in the BCS that will compete? Then the core of the conference needs to get better. Teams need to start challenging and keeping up with Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Illinois, in order to make this conference better.”

Has Jackson even watched a Big Ten football game the past two seasons? If I remember correctly, Illinois was 2-10 the year before last, and 2-10 the year before that! He also falls into the pack mentality by failing to recall that the past two seasons, Big Ten BCS teams have played USC twice, Florida, and LSU. I’m not so sure any other conference would do much better against those opponents. The only team that proved it deserved a shot against those two eventual national champions was USC, who’s still (as much as we’d like to ignore it after Vince Young tore them apart in ’05) in the middle of an incredible dynasty of dominance.

Just try to tell me that Oklahoma (which was blown out by Big East “weakling” West Virginia) should have played LSU last year, or Virginia Tech, or even Kansas (which lost to Missou) or Missouri (which lost--twice--to Oklahoma). USC was the only other choice to play in the BCS National Championship Game, and while they probably could have beaten LSU, the Trojans lost to Stanford at home, so the voters never would have gone for placing them ahead of Ohio State. And if you want to take the “voter-bias” point further, West Virginia should have also been given serious consideration, but because of the largely false assumption that the Big East can’t compete, the Mountaineers were left out.*

I don’t think that I’m as upset at Jackson, as it seems. It’s just this snowballing effect since Ohio State lost the 2007 national championship to an LSU team that was supposed to win it from the beginning. Jackson and CFN are just the latest to fall victim to this black hole of sensationalism in college football. There’s nothing wrong with the Big Ten. The SEC isn’t faster than holy hell. USC is still the best football team over the last six years. And don’t worry, next season the media will latch onto something else that will have one half of college football fans whining, and the other half cheering. If everything was so easily explained in this sport, why would any of us even care to watch?

*I won't include Illinois in this part of the conversation, due to the fact that the Rose Bowl goons made the horrible decision to invite the Illini to Pasadena last season. Yeah, the team was January-bowl good, but not hey-let's-play-USC good. The Big Ten should have only had one BCS representative in 2007, period.

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Here's My Story

A (very brief) look at the man behind the blue and white Web page.

Even, after spending a good several months writing professionally, I won’t be the first one to say I’m a “veteran” journalist. But I did learn a few things. One, that a common “work week” is never less than 50 hours; Two, that people will absolutely hate your guts; Three, that people will then turn around and be your best friend, when it suits their agenda; Finally, that no matter how hard your work, or how good you are at what you do, you’ll never make a lot of money being a journalist. Don’t take that the wrong way. Writing books, making TV appearances and giving a speech or two to a group of students will always grab you some extra dough. But unless you’re working at ESPN, SI or other major sports news outlets, you’re not going to have a lot of time to do those other things I mentioned.

There is a funny aspect to all of this. Like most other careers in a capitalist economy, the more you make, the less you do. It’s no different in sports journalism.

When you’re trying to make it for yourself in this business, you’ll do anything to get your name out there. That means you’ll cover anything, any time, anywhere, usually with little or no reward, other than logging one more clip into your record. I wasn’t willing to do that. No; not after seeing people like Jeff Rice and Jenny Vrentas go from The Collegian to lucrative careers with the CDT and Newark Star-Ledger, respectively. Don’t get me wrong. I like them. I’ve never met them, so I don’t have anything to go on, but I don’t care either way for them. To me, they’re just products of the system we’re in.

I was a music major through my sophomore year at PSU. I then realized that you have to be wealthy to be a music major. I wasn’t wealthy, so I switched to a major that required little financial burden—journalism. Yes, that magical discipline, in which you only need a note pad, a pen, and maybe a digital recorder for $49.95. Compare that to what I needed to start my music performance major: Instrument (Euphonium), $5,500; Instrument maintenance/equipment, $300; Sheet Music, $50 per week; and most costly of all, practice time: 6-8 hours per day, minimum. You can’t hold a part-time job when you’re stuck in the basement of Music Building II for 40 hours per week. So, I switched.

It was a really good feeling when I graduated only one semester late. I could even say I graduated in the year I was supposed to. But that joy was short lived. I was soon working for my father (home improvement business), helping one of his friends flip a house in Paramus, NJ. (Remember, at that time, the housing market was still OK.) Meanwhile, other students were working for papers, news stations, and other actually journalism jobs. When Jeff Rice first started at the CDT, getting the PSU football beat the moment he stepped into their building, I realized my dream was doomed. I would never become PSU’s beat writer in the home-town paper every fan reads on game days. Oh well, poor me.

So I got a job with a paper in VA to pass the time. My beat was local government and civic events (basically homeowners’ associations meetings and grand openings of prestigious businesses like SUBWAY). The closest I got to covering sports was a few higher-profile high school games in the area, as the paper didn’t even really have a sports page outside of what I threw together as an experiment. My now-fiancé graduated from PSU in 2005, and was already down here teaching, which all worked out for us job-wise in the end.

Then I got real sick from my Crohn’s Disease, needing a Laparoscopic Ileocolic Resection at Mount Sinai in NYC. So I was out of work from the paper, with no health insurance (I was still on the company’s “probationary” period, which meant no benefits yet) and no income for more than a month. That was fun. Now, $75,000 later and still not back up to my starting weight of 162 lbs before the summer, I’m at a new job working for Loudoun County Public Schools. Unfortunately, one of the worst things for Crohn’s Disease is stress, and being a no-name journalist comes with a lot of that.

That’s where this blog comes in. I know, I took the longest possible route to get to my point, sorry. The beauty of today’s society is that anyone can strike gold at any point. No, I’m not going to quit my job and try to live off of Zombie Nation. That’s just plain idiotic. But why kill myself so that maybe, just maybe I get my résumé noticed by some paper or station in PA that needs a PSU beat reporter? Unless you’re someone like Rice or Vrentas, or don’t want any kind of life outside of your budding career, you’re doomed down the path I once thought promising.

This leads me back to the “system” we’re in. There are a few necessities that will land you the sports-writing job of your dreams: start early, and get in good with the right people. I cannot stress that first point enough. That’s actually my whole point. I didn’t start early enough. I remember walking into the Collegian offices in James Building for my interview/tryout. I said I wanted to cover PSU football. I’m surprised they didn’t just burst out laughing at me right then and there. The two editors at the time basically told me that I wasn’t next in line to cover PSU football, so I had no chance. Nice. So that’s how real newspapers are run, seniority over performance? Maybe I was working in another universe, but performance is everything in journalism. Apparently, the Collegian’s “club” mentality takes the former approach.

What was once a nice little writing career crashed and burned (partially my fault, but mostly not). So now I’m left with a regular 40-hour-per-week job and a nifty little sports blog on the side. That doesn’t exactly put me above the dozens of other whipper-snappers who think they know more about PSU football than the next guy. But I’ll be the first to admit that being a sports writer isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s very nice to dream of working for the ESPNs, SportsIllustrateds and CDTs of the world, but we have to remain grounded and realistic. Yes I would still take one of those jobs in a heart beat. I’m not that much of a hypocrite. Joe Paterno has told the media a thousand times that he stays in it because it’s fun. Being a sports writer is no different. I wasn’t having fun at a local paper in northern VA. So I got out. I might try to get back in someday, maybe if I end up in PA. But for now, I’ll just leave it to the ones who are willing to sacrifice so much to make it in that world.

*Well, you made it to the end. Thanks for reading.

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Pat Forde: (BCS) Ambulance Chaser

I'm not sure if he was super busy celebrating with his SEC lovers, or if he was completely plastered when he wrote it; ESPN's very own Pat Forde managed to write an article about the BCS Championship Game losers, Ohio State, that had no coherence, no journalistic restraint, and definately no bipartisan view of college football whatsoever. I know, that's his job--create Web site hits and (ESPN) talk show banter. But this article went way over the line between educated opinion and drunken redneck rant.

"Because next year's BCS National Championship Game will be played in Miami, and the Ohio State Buckeyes aren't invited. Especially if the Southeastern Conference champion is invited."

Gee, thanks Pat, you've already managed to taint next season's (mythical) national champion. Tell you what, let's just say, for one season, the Big Ten has to play in the FCS. Then, if you feel like it, you can "let" the Big Ten back into the tree house. In fact, let's just go all out and say, "Until further notice, the SEC champion will be proactively given each and every national title, regardless of record or bowl win. Likewise, all past SEC champions will be retroactively awarded each and every national title ever given in the history of college football." Oh, but I almost forgot, "The Big Ten conference champion, until further notice, will have to go sit in the corner until they learn they suck."
Let's get back to the point. I will now quote Pat's article, and follow each excerpt with actual facts which completely blow up Pat's feeble attempt at a point.

"Nobody wants to see it a third time. Give Ohio State credit for consistently being very good -- but until Jim Tressel's team proves it can step up to the highest level of competition and actually stay on the field with an SEC opponent, stay away.
When the program's bowl record is 0-9 against the SEC, the evidence is overwhelming."

Pat, if the highest level of competition is the SEC, then why aren't they their own super-mega-football bowl subdivision? In case you didn't realize, James Laurinaitis and Chris Wells weren't on John Cooper's squad that lost to South Carolina, or Earl Bruce's teams in the '80s. So all but last season's loss to Florida are irrelevant. Go look at the Big Ten's overall record versus the SEC. You're probably too lazy to look it up, so it's: But LSU plays in the absolute toughest conference in the nation.

"Been there, overcome that -- three times, in fact. They were down 10 against Florida and Auburn and Alabama. All SEC opponents, not coincidentally."

Florida lost to Michigan, Auburn lost to South Florida, and Alabama--drum roll please--lost to SunBelt powerhouse LOUISIANA-MONROE. Oh yeah, Florida lost in Orlando, Auburn lost in Auburn, and Alabama lost in Tuscaloosa. Louisiana-Monroe lost to 2-10 North Texas.

"The Big Ten, by contrast, has been the baby's crib. Ohio State has coasted through that league 15-1 the past two seasons, only to collapse in the face of an SEC champ with a lower BCS standing and a worse record."

Just who gives the SEC champ that lower BCS standing? Did the entire Ohio State team get to vote LSU below them? Last I checked, it was the writers and coaches voting LSU lower than Ohio State. Last I checked, Ohio State never demanded they belonged in the title game. Last I checked, if LSU didn't sustain so many key injuries, they would have been No. 1 all season long and undefeated. And last I checked, LSU was ranked No. 2 in the preseason, and Ohio State was No. 10. So are you really that surprised that LSU won? You shouldn't be. Or are you acting surprised for ratings and readership?
I should know better. I should expect this from a writer like Pat, though.

"The Buckeyes have achieved just enough the past two seasons to rise to a level where they're incompetent."

Please, Ohio State's rise was only possible with the clatter of the sports writers' keyboards and the ranting into the microphones. The media has no one to blame for this second consecutive BCS bomb, but themselves. This time, it was Pat Forde chasing after the ambulance, on its way to clean up after another BCS train wreck. He saw the opportunity to pounce on a situation, offering an opinion which is in almost direct contradiction of what he had said prior to the game. From his pre-bowl Forde-Yard-Dash:

"The Buckeyes lead the nation in total D, while the Tigers are third. LSU has had time to heal a lot of battered bodies, perhaps most importantly that of defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, who has been dragging himself through the last half of the season on a bad leg. His matchup against star Buckeyes tackles Kirk Barton and Alex Boone will make the trenches well worth watching. But it's on the perimeter where LSU should have the edge with a similar speed advantage to what Florida enjoyed last year. Hard to see Ohio State QB Todd Boeckman (four interceptions, zero touchdowns his last two games) making enough plays to beat LSU.

Dash pick: LSU 27, Ohio State 14."

Pat seemed pretty damn sure LSU would win by a large margin. So what's so surprising to him? If he knew LSU would win, then fine. But don't come out a day later and then go on a tangent saying how horrid the Buckeyes and the Big Ten are--a day later, when Pat could smuggly compose his article knowing the game's final score. There was not one hint of "I told you so" in the article, something you would come to expect from a person who believes in what they write. But after all, it's all Ohio State's fault. The Buckeyes should have told the BCS, "No, I think we'll pass this season. We want to go to the Rose Bowl instead." Shame on you Ohio State. Shame on you Jim Tressel. How dare you, wanting to compete for a national title. The voters and the coaches begged you, pleaded that you don't bully them into voting "Ohio State: No. 1." Pat Forde is a leader, a man among boys when it comes to chosing who should play in the national championship, and we should all bow down to him. For it is he who should be the sole dictator of college football, and no petty minion should dare question his word, especially if that word says the Big Ten sucks balls.

"And he should know not to bring that weak Big Ten stuff back to the BCS National Championship Game again next year."

Well, I guess Ohio State AD Gene Smith has no choice. The Buckeyes should just drop their football program. They don't deserve to play the game. Ohio State, you can just take your toys and go home! You're not my friend anymore, and you can't come to my birthday party, either!

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