Won't change the writing in USC's record books. Their claiming 11 NC, including 2003. Trying to talk someone out of such a claim, based on the setup in 2003, would be futile. If you got the AP in 03, would you?
I'll answer this. LSU has several National Championships that we don't claim. Why because they weren't the official National Championships. 1908, 1935, 1936
But the question was and is, would you count the 2003 AP title if it was bestowed on your team? These sportswriters love you. Want to show you how much they believe in you. You gonna let them down?
I would accept the title but still accept that the AP was not part of the BCS system put in place and agreed to by all the coaches/programs in the NCAA. We didn't count the others as official NCs so why would we start now.
2003 or early 1900's doesn't matter it's the same thing they weren't the official National Championships back then for us and they aren't now. Other teams from that period of the early 1900's, Bama cough cough accepted those National Championships that LSU doesn't claim. So, I guess our standard of what is an acceptable National Championship is just different than some others.
That's amazing, you've spent a lot of time telling us how much success depends on mere perception. You've explained how such perception could have cost a team such as Auburn the NC in 2004. So how should Auburn have felt if they received the AP trophy after being left out? Even a Bama fan might get this one right. Yep, your perception of the award is different than the one I hold. Most years the kindest thing you can say about the process is that it's a matter of who you like. Before and after the BCS, there have been dual champions. The world survived.
This of course would be your argument, you have like what 25 of these not National Championship honors that you boast about. Thats the difference between LSU and Bama and some other schools like USC. We claim what is real, some others will claim whatever is thrown their way, and sometimes twice.
Why do we have to go through this every year? There is no officially recognized national championship in FBS football. Why? Because the NCAA refuses to sanction one. If you look on the crystal football it won't say "NCAA Div. I FBS National Champion," it reads "BCS National Champion", because the BCS is the body that recognizes the winner of the "championship game" to be the national champion. Technically, if a national news agency or publication dissents and declares another team national champion, then it is a national championship. How valid is the claim? Depends on the situation and who you ask. Should the BCS champion be "the" national champion? I think most people would say yes. The USC situation came about because they wanted to change the rules of the game that they agreed upon after the fact when the outcome didn't favor them. And unfortunately several coaches (Lou Holtz included) decided to go along with it and violate their own agreement in the final poll. USC has a more valid claim since the AP was part of the BCS at the time. Had the AP withdrawn from the BCS prior to 2003, USC's NC would probably have less legitimacy, but they can still claim a NC. The NCAA could clear all this up and simply declare the BCSNC winner the NCAA national champion, but nothing generates viewership and interest like a good controversy (see 2003 and 2004).
