Best suggestion I've seen for expanding the playoffs without actually expanding the number of games

Discussion in 'The Tiger's Den' started by islstl, Dec 3, 2017.

  1. el005639

    el005639 Founding Member

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    then might as well get rid of the conference championships all together...
     
  2. Bengal B

    Bengal B Founding Member

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    Not only all pro sports but also all college sports other than football. March Madness ane the tournament leading to the College World Series are great viewing for the fans and keep us talking about the sports.
     
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  3. Rouxleaux

    Rouxleaux Do I get bonus points if I act like I care?

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    yea I don't get the argument of devaluing the regular season with a playoff scenario. Frankly the whole point of a playoff situation is to try to take bias out. Before it was the prom king and queen going at it for the crown (essentially a popularity contest as it were). I do agree it is still essentially that but you figure you get the best several teams and let them play for the whole thing you will by default get the best team in the country. To me you need at least 6-8 teams in, if number 1 and 2 are really 1 and 2 then they will be there at the end.

    Why is it that we use the playoff system in ever other sport including lower tier college football and highschool football. That all seems to work pretty well. Yea yea I know there will be people griping but let them play it out on the field. I dont like some talking heads with their own biases telling me who the 2, or now 4 best teams are.
     
  4. Guido Merkins

    Guido Merkins Founding Member

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    A 6 team playoff with the 5 Power Five conference champs plus one at large team would be a very good system and only add one more game. Bama would still be in under this system, though.

    As much as we all hate to admit it, Bama gets the benefit of the doubt because...they are good. They get through most regular seasons with 1 or fewer losses almost every year. You aren't gonna design a system that keeps them out until people start to beat them.

    As far as this season, the only way to show the committee they were wrong is to beat them. Clemson has the team to do it and they should. They are better than Bama. But just like 2011, you can't claim they don't belong if you crap the bed when you play them. You have to beat them. Make the committee think twice next year before giving them a spot.
     
  5. CajunlostinCali

    CajunlostinCali Booger Eatin Moron

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    Difference being that basketball and baseball can be played every other day without subjecting players to burnout or injury. Football being the collision sport it is can only go 5 or 6 days between games at best. The bracket would be it's own season for football.
     
  6. Bengal B

    Bengal B Founding Member

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    In not talking about 64 teams. Talking about 8. Only 2 teams play 1 more game than the rest. In Louisiana high school finalists end up playing 15 games. In Texas 16.
     
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  7. asignupe99

    asignupe99 Founding Member

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    8 teams adds one game. It's when you play it that matters. I do agree that you have to be cautious and these guys are technically not perceived as fully grown men, but many of them could be playing upwards of 24 games a year in the NFL. Not likely, but possible. 4 preseason games, 16 regular season games, and possibly 4 playoff games including super bowl if you're not a top 2 seed. It keeps the bowl structure in place. Just adds a week of intrigue to see who the final four should be. I'm not universally opposed to 6 teams with the top two getting the bye. But the top 2 can be so subjective too. 1-3 this year all have an argument for being #1. Gotta go past 4 though.

    With perception being so important, both of the teams playing and the committee selecting, you have to be sure you don't have mistakes. I know it won't be perfect, but you have less of an argument for an 8 seed than you do for a 4 seed. I'm not saying Bama didn't deserve the 4th spot, but I can't unequivocally say that Ohio St. or USC didn't either, despite their one really bad loss each. The irony is, if LSU had beat Bama and won the west by virtue of the tie-breaker with Bama/Auburn winner, then beat Georgia for SEC championship, the narrative would've mostly been on this team PT (post Troy) and it would be in that top 4. When you pair and seed you hope for the best a team can give. I cannot say that Ohio St and USC can't compete with the rest of those teams when they're all playing their best ball.
     
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  8. Rouxleaux

    Rouxleaux Do I get bonus points if I act like I care?

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    I personally am not really for keeping them out (with the exception of this time b/c they shouldn't really be there; I hate to say it but USC should have gotten in really). I say make them earn it and not just that 1 game a month away that you can prepare for. Fight through the gauntlet and prove you are the best.
     
  9. lsu-i-like

    lsu-i-like Playoff advocate

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    The world is gray. Plus ND.
     
  10. Winston1

    Winston1 Founding Member

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    Not all conferences are equal or close every year. Likewise the situation varies every year so that one strict formula can’t be used. DOES ANY DOUBT THE BEST 4 TEAMS WERE SELECTED THIS YEAR? Every year so far? It’s the flexibility of the selection criteria and a necessary faith that the committee is doing its best to select the best most deserving teams for the playoffs. I can live better with that than giving a poor team a shot just because they lucked into a conference championship.
    Finally there are rarely more than 4 teams worthy of being in the playoffs. Make being selected a meaningful award. Conference championships will still be there
     
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