College Football 2013 Season

[Tupac Shakur]

I think that it is undeniable that a greater number of teams in the playoffs will in SOME WAY devalue the regular season. ... Now arguments can be made either way, but to claim that an increase in teams in a playoff (from the 2 of the BCS) won't devalue the regular season in some way is being ridiculous.

QFT

I don't understand why this relatively straightforward point has proven to be so controversial here.

[-Jrabbit]

Because it's pure supposition based on personal bias?
Because claiming it will change things "in some way" is vague and meaningless?

In one scenario, a nation of colleges each plays ~12 games in hopes of being magically named one of the best two.
In the other scenario, a nation of colleges each plays ~12 games in hopes of being magically named one of the best four.

I really don't see how this change "in some vague yet undeniable way" diminishes the importance of any given regular season game, or the regular season as a whole.

[Ming]

Again... please say what the actual devaluation will be... I haven't seen one real good thought yet from anybody that actually addresses the question and not some other point.
ONE MORE TIME.
HOW WILL A FOUR TEAM PLAYOFF MAKE THE REGULAR SEASON GAMES LESS MEANINGFUL THAN A TWO TEAM PLAYOFF.

One could actually argue that the regular season games will actually mean more since they could make the difference in you being one of the four teams.

[rah]

I could see how a 16 team playoff could devalue the regular season, but with only 4 teams, I just don't see it.

[Ming]

Heck... even an 8 team playoff that includes the 6 BCS conference champs and 2 Best conference champs from the other 5 mid majors would not "devalue" the regular season.
Be the champ of your conference or shut up. It would really make the regular season games important - you couldn't have two teams from the same conference, so it's really important that you win your conference.

And frankly, if you can't even win your own conference, you have no business having a claim to the national championship.

We are only talking about 8 out of 120 teams that would make the playoffs, unlike the much higher percentage of the NFL, which "somebody" likes to moan about all the time.

[Guynemer]

That's the problem Ming--this proposal makes it all but certain that at least one non-conference champ will be in the playoffs. You think, however the teams are chosen, they're going to end up with only conference champs? **** no.

Which means, not only non-conference champs, but rematches as well.

[Ming]

I'm not claiming that whatever they eventually plan on doing is the right way... or, which way is best. My opinion is that the current system sucks... and having only two teams have a crack at it each year also sucks. When the plan is finalized and approved, we can all do our usual IT SUCKS...

But, I'm still waiting for somebody to actually come up with a real argument on why a four team playoff will make the regular season games any less meaningful than the current crap.
Tupac has been harping that BS line since before the beginning of time, and has yet to come up with any real argument that addresses that actual point.

[SlowwHand]

Don't hold your breath.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Because it's pure supposition based on personal bias?
Because claiming it will change things "in some way" is vague and meaningless?

In one scenario, a nation of colleges each plays ~12 games in hopes of being magically named one of the best two.
In the other scenario, a nation of colleges each plays ~12 games in hopes of being magically named one of the best four.

I really don't see how this change "in some vague yet undeniable way" diminishes the importance of any given regular season game, or the regular season as a whole.

Seriously? Can you not see how adding playoff teams may make finishing the season at your absolutely best less of an incentive? Say you are the only undefeated team in the country and go into the final game of the season. Wouldn't it make sense to rest a few starters considering you know you'll be in Top 4 even with a loss? Or doesn't it make it more likely that a 1 loss team will win the "national championship"?

Do you remember the arguments against adding an additional Wild Card team in baseball?

[rah]

Or doesn't it make it more likely that a 1 loss team will win the "national championship"?

To me that's the beauty of a playoff. Even if the eventual "national championship" team has a loss, every other team in the playoffs will have lost a game so at worst they'll have the same number of losses. Granted if you allow a lot more teams into the playoffs we start having to have 2 lose teams involved. I would prefer keeping the playoff team count at 4 so it's very unlikely that this will happen.

[Imran Siddiqui]

To me that's the beauty of a playoff. Even if the eventual "national championship" team has a loss, every other team in the playoffs will have lost a game so at worst they'll have the same number of losses. Granted if you allow a lot more teams into the playoffs we start having to have 2 lose teams involved. I would prefer keeping the playoff team count at 4 so it's very unlikely that this will happen.

That's a tradeoff you will accept, but can't you see how it even so slightly devalues the regular season if a 1 loss team gets to face off for the championship against a 0 loss team - esp if they are both from the same conference?

[rah]

No. Especially since it happened this year anyway. But I would propose conference Champions only to avoid that. I think that would increase the value of the regular season knowing if you don't win your conference, no chance for you. And I think with a 4 team playoff, that's three games that will help you forgot about that other team that didn't win their division. Bubble teams that don't make march madness whine but after a few rounds of play, everyone forgets them.

Most importantly, I miss New Years day when a few of the games meant something. Two playoff games that day would make me plan to spend my day in front of the TV, like when I was younger.

[Tupac Shakur]

But, I'm still waiting for somebody to actually come up with a real argument on why a four team playoff will make the regular season games any less meaningful than the current crap.
Tupac has been harping that BS line since before the beginning of time, and has yet to come up with any real argument that addresses that actual point.

Jesus Christ, you really are a ****ing ******. Are you really going to continue demanding a "real argument" after I already provided a concrete example based on historical evidence which clearly demonstrated that the results of more regular season games would have been negated by a four-team playoff than the two-team BCS?

This has become extremely tiring. It would be really nice if you would either shut the **** up or counter my argument with a coherent justification for why you believe a four-team playoff is preferable to the BCS despite its greater impact on the regular season. I fully expect, however, that you'll continue to make a complete ass out of yourself by whining for "real arguments" whilst completely ignoring the ones already provided...

[Tupac Shakur]

Seriously? Can you not see how adding playoff teams may make finishing the season at your absolutely best less of an incentive?

I'm starting to believe that they honestly can't understand it, which boggles my mind.

[Ming]

Jesus Christ, you really are a ****ing ******. Are you really going to continue demanding a "real argument" after I already provided a concrete example based on historical evidence which clearly demonstrated that the results of more regular season games would have been negated by a four-team playoff than the two-team BCS?

Jesus Christ, you really are a ****ing ******. Yes I'm really going to continue demanding a "real argument" after you have provided or proved nothing. A rematch doesn't take away a loss or win from a previous game... it doesn't change the excitement or sense of loss the players and fans felt during and after the first game... It doesn't make that game more meaningless.

This has become extremely tiring. It would be really nice if you would either shut the **** up or counter my argument with a coherent justification for why you believe a four-team playoff is preferable to the BCS despite its greater impact on the regular season.

You still have no argument or ANY kind of coherent justification except for your rantings and insults. Last year, was a classic example. The BCS pretty much made the regular season meaningless for every conference except one. Being the champion of your conference meant absolutely nothing... all of their games didn't really matter. Great system.

I fully expect, however, that you'll continue to make a complete ass out of yourself by whining for "real arguments" whilst completely ignoring the ones already provided...

I fully expect, however, that you'll continue to make a complete ass out of yourself by making crap up, insulting people that don't agree with you, and providing no real arguments whilst completely ignoring the ones already provided...