Oh how the mind goes.
Thinking I’d missed all of Saturday’s title jousts except the Quack, I was going write about it being Comeuppance Saturday, not Championship Saturday.
I was going to lede with a c d take on T.S.
This is the way the season ends/ This is the way the season ends/ This is the way the season ends/ Not with a bang but a whimper
Which of course I threw in anyway, even if it doesn’t actually apply.
Because, I double checked my predictions to realize I’d nailed the Friday night games. Boise State. Jax State. Army.
And that my memory of picking Iowa State was brain lock. I’d picked the victorious Sun Devils. Along with Oregon.
But did misdiagnose the MAC, Ohio won, and the SEC, Georgia won, and whatever the league that Marshall is in, because they beat the home team I picked, Louisiana.
So, while not great by any standard, going 5-3 wasn’t all that awful.
So, in advance of the CFP, and that time of the year when we’re implored to put mayo on our Pop Tarts — meh — I feel good about my best year ever.
66-25.
* * * * *
Indeed I watched the CFP selection show.
Came away with two thoughts.
Really glad SMU made it over the Crimson Tide.
And, where is Seth Davis now that we really really really need him?
Because ESPN dragged out the reveal of the field and matchups for more than half an hour.
Davis, bless his heart, is the dude who annually on The Real Selection Sunday always cuts off the chit chat, and says, “Let’s get to the bracket.”
* * * * *
UNLV lost the Mountain West title game to Boise State.
Then lost coach Barry Odom to Purdue.
Scott Frost was tabbed to return to the sidelines at Central Florida.
Let’s hope for them and him it doesn’t turn into a kind of Petrino 2.0 situation.
Speaking of second chances. Still waiting to see if Rich Rod gets another go round in Morgantown.
They could do worse.
* * * * *
Was going to take a somewhat deep dive into the CFP matchups and possible scenarios. And the bowls.
But, like a Pied Piper, Scott Hanson is calling my name.
More soon.
— c d kaplan
Ok I’ll bite and dare to criticize the Culture Maven aka Seedy K on two fronts .. the easiest first…talk about burying the lede..
1) How can any sentient being be content and be “Really glad SMU made it over the Crimson Tide.”? It’s not about Bama OR SEC – it’s simply WRONG that the CFP isn’t set up exactly the same way as the greatest event in sports / March Madness ! It’s about SEEDING SEEDY K- there’s no way that SMU or INDIANA for that matter deserves to be ahead of other teams from a STRENGTH of SCHEDULE standpoint –
I am certain the CFP Committee will rectify their seeding issue next year but how can it be that the seeding isn’t 1-12 just like March Madness – why does Texas as a #5 seed have easier path than #1 seed Oregon ? #nonsensical
2) While it’s positively admirable you went 66-25 for your best year of public prognostications- have you analyzed those same 91 games from an ATS metric ? No one says it’s easy by any metric but before you hurt your arm from patting yourself on the back from a “straight up win or lose” stat where many games are blowouts it would be interesting to see how your picks fared from the metric that especially in today’s sports betting “over the top” environment is the true measure.
Also I left out the other massive flaw in the current CFP format / it’s perfectly logical to give the champions of their conferences a place in the top 12 but why reward them doubly by giving them an Automatic Bye – why do Bosie State and Arizona State deserve or get the additional perk of an Automatic Bye ? That too needs fixing -is Arizona State better than Penn State or Texas etc ?