Give me Trojans-Buckeyes over a Missouri-West Virginia snoozefest
Dodd: Give me Mizzou-Mountaineers
It looks we could have Missouri against West Virginia in the national championship game.
One word: Sueee!
|
|
| John David Booty and the Trojans are coming off a huge victory over Arizona State. (US Presswire) |
Relax, people. It's a joke.
The West Virginia mascot is the Mountaineer. He carries a rifle and wears a coonskin hat. Why not go for the stereotype trifecta, Mountaineer dude, and date your sister?
Then we have Missouri, one of the best journalism schools in the world. Another reason to hate this potential matchup: There would be a million writers like Missouri alum and friend Dennis Dodd cheering in the press box.
In fact, Dodd is going to tell you why this game would be great. I want to see this game as well, but not for the same reasons as my man Dodd, one of the best college writers around.
I want to see this game because it would be the least anticipated and most undesirable title game in modern college football history. It would be so unwanted by most of the country that it could finally be the spark to force the arrogant snobs and fat-cat sheiks that run college football to start a playoff system.
So while Hicks vs. Hee-haws would be dreadful to watch, we should all root for it because it could change college football for the better.
This isn't the snooty writer looking down his nose at the non-traditional programs. West Virginia has been a solid program for 20 years. You don't get more traditional than that.
You can also truly respect the accomplishments of Missouri and West Virginia -- and I do -- without thinking they belong in the national championship game. So before you Tiger and Mountaineer fans flame the message boards and dream of me in a body bag, relax. What your teams have done is highly admirable.
  Whose side are you on? Freeman: I want OSU USC Dodd: Give us Mizzou and WVU Total Votes: 42,700 |
That doesn't mean, however, that your teams belong in a title contest.
No, my argument for disliking this potential game is not elitist.
My argument is much simpler. By the end of the season West Virginia and Missouri won't be the two best teams in the country. Southern California and Ohio State will be. In fact, they probably are now. Even Georgia is better than the Mountaineers and Tigers right now.
The Trojans are the most dangerous team in the nation. While they came nowhere close to the ridiculous preseason talk that they might be the best team ever (remember?) they have still developed into the quickest, toughest and baddest group in college football.
You have to admire the heart and dedication of Jim Tressel and an Ohio State program lambasted by the University of Florida last year but still in position to make another championship run. It takes a lot of guts to do what Tressel has.
Ohio State and USC are not just better teams, they're better stories. Yeah, you read that correctly. Better stories.
|
|
| Despite two losses, Mark Richt's Bulldogs might be the best team in the nation. (US Presswire) |
If this cruddy game does happen this is what we'll see in the coming weeks.
A million stories about how this is good for football because of the freshness of the two teams. My underwear is also fresh, but nobody wants to see it.
You'll hear about the high-scoring offenses. You'll hear about Missouri winning the Border War. You'll hear all kinds of writers trying to tell us this is a good thing because it's two newcomers despite West Virginia being about as new as the wishbone offense.
And you know what will happen next?
The states of Missouri and West Virginia will watch the game and no one else will. Crickets won't chirp; they'll be too bored. They'll snore.
The television ratings will rival those of the Pat Sajak Show.
America will yawn.
Good.
Then maybe college football will do the right thing and go to a playoff system. Finally. Thankfully.
Go ahead, Missouri and West Virginia followers. Call me names. Call me the bad guy.
I'm just stating what the rest of the country is thinking.
