2004-2005 NCAA football Preview

[PiEp299]

In my opinion, a playoff is the only way to truly solve who's #1. This new BCS system sucks. There is no SOS and they still allow a team who doesn't win their own conference(whether they play a conf. champ. or not) to play in the championship game.

Every conference should have a championship game, make the independents join a conference, take the winners of the conference chamionships plus the next 5 highest ranked teams by the BCS and play a playoff. Scrap "Bowl Week" which is actually a month. Take the bowl sites now and make them sites for the playoff games. Take the top 3 bowls by revenue and rotate the championship game among them. 4 weeks, real national champion. If that's too much playing for 1 team, then scrap all but 1 out of conference game, play 8 conference games(rotation similar to the SEC and Big XII). I don't think 13 games for the champion is too much.

By the way...Jeremy Bloom ruled inelligible by the NCAA for receiving endorsement money to fund his training for the next Winter Olympics. NCAA needs to be revamped and quick.
NCAA = gestapo.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by PiEp299

By the way...Jeremy Bloom ruled inelligible by the NCAA for receiving endorsement money to fund his training for the next Winter Olympics. NCAA needs to be revamped and quick.
NCAA = gestapo.

If they boot Bloom and allow WR #1 in from USC, they'll look pretty bad.

It doesn't look good for Williams.

[PiEp299]

Agreed. Especially with their inability to actually look out for the well being of the student athlete.

[amycat412]

Originally posted by ktsnake
If they boot Bloom and allow WR #1 in from USC, they'll look pretty bad.

It doesn't look good for Williams.

I am of 2 minds on the Williams thing. Of course, the hardcore GO USC fan in me wants him back. He is phenomenal. Also, sititng out a year and the damage to his career that could possibly do... does not seem fair when all he did was follow the lead of Clarett, once Clarett had been told it was OK for an underclassmen to declare himself for the draft.

The other side of me, the side that BLEEDS Cardinal and Gold, says *&^% Williams. He made a lot of disparaging comments about USC, our team and Los Angeles as he danced out of town on his way to the draft. We're deep, we don't need him to do well. And how will him coming back now affect the morale of the team? Coach Carroll has asked him not to practice, as the team needs to prepare for life without him.

lol So basically, I can't decide how I feel about him coming back or not coming back. Seems unfair to not allow him back if he's satisfied all the requirements. Seems unfair to allow him back when he did not want to be there in the first place and the players who are there WANT to be there.

[KSig RC]

Originally posted by ktsnake
I am unapologetic in my OU homerism.

You just have to approach me from that angle and accept it.

If your dad started dragging you to games as soon as you could understand the concept of "first down" and "Barry Switzer is God", you'd understand

haha, dude, no worries - my first Iowa football game was at age 4, and i still have the tiny little chuck long jersey I wore on that fateful day in 1985. All good, I was just dicking w/ you.

Originally posted by ktsnake
Yeah, I won't lie. Last year, the Big XII had a horrible OOC record. But look at the matchups. It was primarily the weak sisters of the Big XII vs. good teams from other conferences. Except in Texas' case. And I can't apologize enough for them. They're kind of a disgrace to the conference as a whole -- losing to Arkansas and Wazzu... vewy bad.

The other matchups had Kansas KANSAS (who is like Vandy of the SEC basically) playing against NC State. Yeah, of course they got rolled. The LSU-OU game was at least VERY close, came down to the last play in fact. That was at least respectable.

The big 8 is solid, don't get me wrong - they're not as good as, say, Kirk Herbstreit (who goes out of his way to deny his big10 roots on espn, it seems) says every weekend, but my point was that the 'grand pageantry' of the title game is BS. It is used often to show the two as "power conferences" when the SEC and Big8 milk that last weekend for every cent it can garner - honestly, b/c of all that, I don't really value any whining about the additional 'hard' game added to the schedule.

My point: if you're going to utilize the loophole in the 11-game rule to get that extra game, then you reap the negatives along with the (primarily monetary) rewards.

[valkyrie]

Hey, if Oklahoma loses a bunch of games, will y'all stop talking about them?

[starang21]

Originally posted by KSig RC
You are SUCH an OU homer, dude

Amy/other USC apologists: USC is notorious for weak scheduling, and they have been since the last time they were good, in the 80s. Carroll has even made reference to 'warming up' on some patsies, and keeping his team's travel down (ie mostly home games) to try to 'keep them fresh' for later in the season.

If USC loses a regular-season game, it will be a total upset.

Here's a secret, guys - unlike the last 2 seasons, the calendar doesn't allow for 12 games this year - everyone gets a bye week! actually two! Unless you're playing in the kickoff classic, or at hawaii! Most teams just take it at the beginning! And you OU/Nebraska/Texas jokers: you did it to yourselves, wanting that big chunk of dollar revenue from the title game you always thought you'd be playing in - Baylor sure as shit didn't care.

Don't cry when you play in a conference title game - you made your bed, now lie in it. It's a silly idea, and it does very little, in my mind, to further the SEC or Big 8 (there will be NO big xii references anymore, i decree) as the supposed 'powerhouses' of the planet.

And TOLEDO?????

Shut up - Remember when Miami(OH), supposedly the best team in the MAC, got steamrolled against Iowa, the 3rd-best team in the Big10? The mid-majors have never consistently performed in bowl games against big-league opponents, why would they perform in some cockamamie version of the 1AA playoffs?

The BCS is imperfect, but it's better than the alternative (for right now).

Starang - they didn't do away w/ strength of schedule entirely, IIRC, but they DID eliminate the "margin of victory" qualifier and increased the factor of polls in the final tally.

naw, i'm not saying they did...the point is that since strength of schedule has a diminished role in the equation....folks are definitely more prone to have cake teams on their schedule since they won't be hurt by a weak schedule. shit.....if i was carrol, i'd put loyola marymount on there for good measure, just to beef up my stats and stuff like that.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by starang21
naw, i'm not saying they did...the point is that since strength of schedule has a diminished role in the equation....folks are definitely more prone to have cake teams on their schedule since they won't be hurt by a weak schedule. shit.....if i was carrol, i'd put loyola marymount on there for good measure, just to beef up my stats and stuff like that.

I guess fans out in SoCal would put up with that.

Kind of sad for a program that claims to be #1.

For all we know, he could be Mack Brown revisited, squandering the best talent in the nation.

But considering he plays third tier teams all year, we'll never know.

[amycat412]

Originally posted by ktsnake
I guess fans out in SoCal would put up with that.

Kind of sad for a program that claims to be #1.

For all we know, he could be Mack Brown revisited, squandering the best talent in the nation.

But considering he plays third tier teams all year, we'll never know.

Actually most of the SC fans I know would rather have us playing a tough schedule. But, I am not the coach or AD, so I don't know what they are thinking beyond those precious tv dollars.

I think tho, we should give the so-called experts their due when our program is ranked #1 in EVERY poll. That said, what is that ranking based on? LAST SEASON. lol Only the coming weeks and months will tell whether we can live up to that or not.

[amycat412]

And I will make the preemptive post before someone else does.

A USC Player is being investigated in a sexual assault case from a party on campus on Sunday night. Player was in attendance at a party where an assault supposedly occured. He has not been accused of the assault of the woman that is his friend, but was there when it happened. He has been removed from practice for discplinary reasons. He is a starter. Who he is is not being released currently, which I think is smart. That is all that is known so far.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by amycat412
And I will make the preemptive post before someone else does.

A USC Player is being investigated in a sexual assault case from a party on campus on Sunday night. Player was in attendance at a party where an assault supposedly occured. He has not been accused of the assault of the woman that is his friend, but was there when it happened. He has been removed from practice for discplinary reasons. He is a starter. Who he is is not being released currently, which I think is smart. That is all that is known so far.

Carroll should hire Gary Barnett as a PR consultant.

[Kevin]

Sexual assault alleged

Sources: USC tailback Dennis investigated


By Scott Wolf
Staff Writer


USC starting tailback Hershel Dennis is at the center of a police investigation for an alleged sexual assault that occurred early Monday morning in an off-campus apartment.
Dennis was removed from practice Tuesday morning for disciplinary reasons, according to USC coach Pete Carroll, although the Los Angeles police department released a statement Tuesday afternoon acknowledging an investigation was under way.

"LAPD's robbery homicide division rape special section is conducting an investigation into an allegation of sexual assault that may involve a member or members of the USC football team," the statement read.

"The alleged assault occurred in the early morning hours of August 16 in the city of Los Angeles."

Although the statement did not specifically mention Dennis, numerous sources confirmed the junior tailback is the focal point of the investigation.

Sources said the incident took place at a small party Sunday night, and involved a female friend of Dennis. According to multiple sources, the alleged victim did not formally accuse Dennis but remembers that he was at the party while she was being sexually assaulted.

"It's very, very early for us. I don't know what's going on with it," Carroll said. "We'll fully cooperate and help out in every way. I don't have any information at this time."

Asked whether Dennis was suspended, Carroll said, "We'll let you know more later. We keep our issues in-house."

As of Tuesday, Dennis was being punished for rules violations, including breaking curfew.

The day began normally enough, but sources said Carroll was informed of the police investigation Tuesday morning and then took Dennis out of practice before the session ended.

"It was disciplinary," Carroll said after the morning practice.

Most players were surprised by the news, and many did not hear about it until Carroll mentioned it at an afternoon team meeting.

"He's our starter. It's another blow to the team but we have to sort it out," defensive end Frostee Rucker said.


Defensive tackle Manuel Wright, who also played with Dennis at Long Beach Poly High, said: "I don't really know anything, I hadn't even heard about this."

Carroll said he was hopeful the situation would not bother the top-ranked Trojans, who open the season Aug. 28 against Virginia Tech.

"There's distractions in every direction. They continue to come forth. All situations can affect the team. It's how you deal with them. It just depends on what the situation is," Carroll said. "Mike Williams (turning pro), the No. 1 rankings, there's always stuff you have to do."

The alleged incident took place during a time when USC players were supposed to be observing a strict curfew. The team scrimmaged at the Coliseum on Sunday night and returned to campus at about 10:10 p.m.

Players returned to their apartments and bed checks were conducted at 11 p.m.

Although USC splits the tailback position between three players (Dennis, Reggie Bush and LenDale White), Dennis started all 13 games last season and rushed for 661 yards with four touchdowns. His best game was an 85-yard effort in the season-opening game at Auburn.

Dennis is known as a solid-if-not-flashy tailback, who doesn't generate the publicity or highlight-reel plays that made Bush and White so popular last season.

[AlphaSigOU]

Originally posted by valkyrie
Hey, if Oklahoma loses a bunch of games, will y'all stop talking about them?

NEVER!!!!

BOOMER SOONER!!!!

[KSig RC]

Originally posted by ktsnake


"He's our starter. It's another blow to the team but we have to sort it out," defensive end Frostee Rucker said.

Frostee! Excellent!




PS - OU fans can talk, but NO ONE ELSE: if you take them out of the Big8 . . . you have the Big East. Like, today's Big East, not the "miami/vt" big east. Think about that, sportsfans.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by KSig RC
Frostee! Excellent!

PS - OU fans can talk, but NO ONE ELSE: if you take them out of the Big8 . . . you have the Big East. Like, today's Big East, not the "miami/vt" big east. Think about that, sportsfans.

So, what, are you saying that A&M, Texas, Nebraska, K-State, Okie State, Mizzou and Texas Tech are on the same plain of mediocrity that Syracuse, Va Tech, West Virginia, Boston College, Pitt, etc. are on? I'd have to say that the Big XII is a few notches up.

The Big XII South is probably the toughest division in NCAA DI in my opinion. My very, very biased opinion

(for those of you not in the know, that's OU, Texas, A&M, Okie State, Texas Tech and Baylor. Any of those guys are pretty serious threats with the exception of Baylor, but under Morris (former coach at Kentucky), they are definitely improving -- they knocked of Colorado last year.

But the Big XII/Big 8 is nothing like Miami and the 7 dwarves were last year.