Jan 7 | BCS National Championship | Alabama

[gkIrish]

It's bullshit that it's on a Monday. The ratings would be even better on a Saturday. Anyone who is "out" on that Saturday is going to be watching at a NCG party.

Hence why the ratings will be better Monday. Less parties, more tv sets

 

[ThePiombino]

It's bullshit that it's on a Monday. The ratings would be even better on a Saturday. Anyone who is "out" on that Saturday is going to be watching at a NCG party.

Think about the logic of your argument on a ratings level. 20 people at a party = 1 view.

 

[greyhammer90]

I understand that they use this logic, but I hate it because of the lack of "real-life" logic that is used in measuring "viewers". It leads to situations like this. "Oh more people are going to watch on Monday because those people will watch it on their tv's instead of watching it at a friends house, in which case they are not actually "viewers"". It's a really archaic system that needs retooling. When you're purposefully scheduling something to keep customers from making it an "event" or "party" thats sole purpose is to be centered around your product, there is something shaky or stupid about your measuring system.

 

[illmatic630]

The NFL has had playoff games on Saturdays AND Sundays, so Monday is really the only free day for maximum ratings.

 

[ThePiombino]

The NFL has had playoff games on Saturdays AND Sundays, so Monday is really the only free day for maximum ratings.

A valid point. As huge as the NCG is, the BCS knows better than to go up against the NFL, especially during playoffs.

 

[philipm31]

This is the reason why it is on a Monday. Because MNF is over by then too so the entire timeslot is all CFB's

 

[chicago51]

It is smart not to take on the NFL.

However, if a college football game could go head to head with an NFL playoff game and win it would be the national championship with Notre Dame.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Every fanbase has a few unrealistic zealots who are too sensitive. I'd be surprised if Lou didn't pick ND if they were facing the NFC All Star team. Lou's great! Gotta love him, and he & Mark May are hilarious battling with each other. I've enjoyed discussing the game with you guys so far and just about all you seem reasonable and knowledgeable. You probably have your lunatic fringe too, but I haven't met any of them so far.

Huh? What?

 

[chicago51]

Anyone think the bowl season is too drawn out and the gap between the end of the regular seaon and the championship game is too long?

What other sport waits a month after the season to play their championship.

I do understand the benefits of the bowl game (travel experience for the players, extra practices, etc). Does it have to this drawn out though?

If the bowl season was not so drawn out you wouldn't have to worry about all these coaching changes till after the bowl game.

Note: I understand the issues with final exams and holidays as well but I just think a month wait is too much.

 

[chicago51]

Every fanbase has a few unrealistic zealots who are too sensitive. I'd be surprised if Lou didn't pick ND if they were facing the NFC All Star team. Lou's great! Gotta love him, and he & Mark May are hilarious battling with each other. I've enjoyed discussing the game with you guys so far and just about all you seem reasonable and knowledgeable. You probably have your lunatic fringe too, but I haven't met any of them so far.

Mark May is picking Temple over ND week 1 in 2013.

 

[ThePiombino]

Anyone think the bowl season is too drawn out and the gap between the end of the regular seaon and the championship game is too long?

What other sport waits a month after the season to play their championship.

I do understand the benefits of the bowl game (travel experience for the players, extra practices, etc). Does it have to this drawn out though?

If the bowl season was not so drawn out you wouldn't have to worry about all these coaching changes till after the bowl game.

Note: I understand the issues with final exams and holidays as well but I just think a month wait is too much.

30-something bowl games and no overlap in broadcasting. It's all about the $$$

 

[Irish#1]

A valid point. As huge as the NCG is, the BCS knows better than to go up against the NFL, especially during playoffs.

As big as the NFL is, this game would blow away most NFL playoff game when it comes to ratings, but the network wants it on a Monday to have the least amount of competition as possible.

 

[Irish#1]

Every fanbase has a few unrealistic zealots who are too sensitive. I'd be surprised if Lou didn't pick ND if they were facing the NFC All Star team. Lou's great! Gotta love him, and he & Mark May are hilarious battling with each other. I've enjoyed discussing the game with you guys so far and just about all you seem reasonable and knowledgeable. You probably have your lunatic fringe too, but I haven't met any of them so far.

Every fanbase has their crazies. This surprised me though because this guy is a mod on the forum and has been very unbias in his statements even saying the Tide could lose the game yet he let Lou get him worked up.

I do have a question for you.

Why are all of the Tide fans saying "give Saban a month to prepare and he'll beat you everytime"? I think this would apply to most any good coach. What makes up their reasoning?

 

[Irish#1]

Anyone think the bowl season is too drawn out and the gap between the end of the regular seaon and the championship game is too long?

What other sport waits a month after the season to play their championship.

I do understand the benefits of the bowl game (travel experience for the players, extra practices, etc). Does it have to this drawn out though?

If the bowl season was not so drawn out you wouldn't have to worry about all these coaching changes till after the bowl game.

Note: I understand the issues with final exams and holidays as well but I just think a month wait is too much.

I used to love the old days. New Years Day started with the Cotton Bowl, then you had the Sugar Bowl with Rose Bowl coming on about the 4th quarter of the Sugar Bowl. The roset finished right before the Orange Bowl started. The Fiesta wasn't as big as the Cotton back then. All of the other bowls were over and done before New Years Day.

 

[RallySonsOfND]

Mark May is picking Temple over ND week 1 in 2013.

Because we will have a national champions' hangover still!!

 

[CTIDANDREW]

Every fanbase has their crazies. This surprised me though because this guy is a mod on the forum and has been very unbias in his statements even saying the Tide could lose the game yet he let Lou get him worked up.

I do have a question for you.

Why are all of the Tide fans saying "give Saban a month to prepare and he'll beat you everytime"? I think this would apply to most any good coach. What makes up their reasoning?

Because he has proven it 3 times in the last six years. Whereas, Brain Kelly hasn't proven it at all(yet). Saban is probably the worst coach to give over a month of preparation. Guy is insane when it comes to game planning(as most coaches are)... I mean for the love of god..LSU didn't get across the 50 until the 2nd half last year. Going to take our Oklahoma game and more to beat these guys.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Because he has proven it 3 times in the last six years. Whereas, Brain Kelly hasn't proven it at all(yet). Saban is probably the worst coach to give over a month of preparation. Guy is insane when it comes to game planning(as most coaches are)... I mean for the love of god..LSU didn't get across the 50 until the 2nd half last year. Going to take our Oklahoma game and more to beat these guys.

That has more to do with Miles' failure than it does with Saban's genius. The Mad Hatter seemed to think that a few option plays which were successful against the Tide earlier in the year would be sufficient to beat 'em again.

No surprise, Saban was ready for it the second time, and Miles had no back-up plan. Not to mention LSU was going through a lockerroom mutiny at the time.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Forde is the first mainstream CFB analyst I've read picking us to win the title game:

BCS Championship Game (38), Jan. 7, Notre Dame vs. Alabama

Who has momentum: The Fighting Irish are undefeated, and it doesn’t get any hotter than that. The Crimson Tide regrouped after a Nov. 10 loss to Texas A&M to win three straight and make the game.

Who has motivation: Everyone.

Who has cooler helmets: Classic matchup, but the edge goes to the Golden Domes.

Who wins: Notre Dame 23, Alabama 21. The Irish shock the world. They have the defensive front seven to battle with the powerful Crimson Tide offensive line and running backs. If the secondary can keep freshman Amari Cooper from going wild (not a small if), Alabama will not be able to roll up and down the field. Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson has improved as the season has gone along, and he has the mobility to stress the great ‘Bama defense. Just a hunch, but the SEC’s run is done.

 

[KPENN]

Forde is the first mainstream CFB analyst I've read picking us to win the title game:

He's been loving him some ND lately.

 

[CTIDANDREW]

That has more to do with Miles' failure than it does with Saban's genius. The Mad Hatter seemed to think that a few option plays which were successful against the Tide earlier in the year would be sufficient to beat 'em again.

No surprise, Saban was ready for it the second time, and Miles had no back-up plan. Not to mention LSU was going through a lockerroom mutiny at the time.

Valid points. McCoy getting hurt in Alabama's other victory should also be noted. However, I can see why Alabama fans find him invincible given this much time. It somewhat reminds me of what mass media was feeding everyone before the Patriots vs Giants. Belichick and Brady were a 3-time super bowl winning machine. Giants were 12 point underdogs, no one believed they had a chance. Here's to hoping Toma becomes our David Tyree. Not many on the team deserve it more.

 

[Jebediah Springfield]

Valid points. McCoy getting hurt in Alabama's other victory should also be noted. However, I can see why Alabama fans find him invincible given this much time. It somewhat reminds me of what mass media was feeding everyone before the Patriots vs Giants. Belichick and Brady were a 3-time super bowl winning machine. Giants were 12 point underdogs, no one believed they had a chance. Here's to hoping Toma becomes our David Tyree. Not many on the team deserve it more.

If the game is like the Giants Vs Pats, I will have a heart attack before its over lol

 

[CTIDANDREW]

If the game is like the Giants Vs Pats, I will have a heart attack before its over lol

So very true. Pitt Overtime X10!

 

[ickythump1225]

Forde is the first mainstream CFB analyst I've read picking us to win the title game:

From the same article:

Gratuitous Gruden Rumor: Since excellent sources say Chris Petersen is a done deal at Wisconsin – because, really, when you turn down programs like USC and Notre Dame, you’d naturally crawl to Madison – that frees up Gruden to go after his dream job in Boise.

That made me laugh for a good 2 minutes.

 

[RallySonsOfND]

My favorite 'Gruden Rumor' was Alabama's. That they would play 2 home games in Tampa every year to please the Gruden family. lol

 

[zbikowski88]

Bob Wieneke ‏@BobWienekeNDI
Pac-12 refs for #ND game against #Bama, per Birmingham News.

 

[Bishop2b5]

Every fanbase has their crazies. This surprised me though because this guy is a mod on the forum and has been very unbias in his statements even saying the Tide could lose the game yet he let Lou get him worked up.

I do have a question for you.

Why are all of the Tide fans saying "give Saban a month to prepare and he'll beat you everytime"? I think this would apply to most any good coach. What makes up their reasoning?

Hard to explain that one if he's been as unbiased and reasonable before as you say. Maybe just having a bad day.

As for your question, obviously every good coach can prepare well given a month. Saban's just better at it than probably anyone else because he's so friggin' obsessive about details and breaking down film, and will put more effort into it than any other coach I've ever heard of. Doesn't guarantee he'll beat you, but it means he'll know every tendency, formation, nuance, weakness, and everything else to the nth degree.

 

[Bishop2b5]

That has more to do with Miles' failure than it does with Saban's genius. The Mad Hatter seemed to think that a few option plays which were successful against the Tide earlier in the year would be sufficient to beat 'em again.

No surprise, Saban was ready for it the second time, and Miles had no back-up plan. Not to mention LSU was going through a lockerroom mutiny at the time.

We're still scratching our heads over Miles' lack of a gameplan last Jan. How do you show up with EXACTLY the same plan you used 2 months earlier and not expect the opponent to have figured it out, and then you have NO plan B at all??? It's like Miles just went on vacation and said, "Oh, why bother?"

 

[scUM Hater]

Bob Wieneke ‏@BobWienekeNDI
Pac-12 refs for #ND game against #Bama, per Birmingham News.

Thank god it won't be big ten officials.

 

[NDinMich]

Bob Wieneke ‏@BobWienekeNDI
Pac-12 refs for #ND game against #Bama, per Birmingham News.

Will it be the same Pac-12 officials that handed the game to ND when Stanford was about to go in for the winning score?

 

[chicago51]

My Assessment of the Saban Factor in Alabama Bowl Games since the 2008 season

Utah JAN 2009: Bama gets blasted by a spread offense with a true dual threat QB. Makes a late rally but loses by 2 scores.
Saban Impact: Negative

Texas JAN 2010: McCoy gets hurt on the first series. Texas backup after a rocky period of getting settled in is able to move the ball against the Bama D and throws for a couple of TDs. Bama wins behind superior ground game.
Saban Impact: Neutral

Michigan State JAN 2011: Bama absolutely demolishes an 11-1 Big Ten. Note: The Big 10 outside of Ohio State stinks and Ohio State stinks too sometimes. Saban Impact: Positive

LSU JAN 2012: Bama comes out with a great game plan throwing the football against LSU. Although they have to settle for a lot of FGs they get the LSU D off balance. On defense they complete shutdown LSU, partially because Les Miles offense is predictable as was mentioned.
Saban Impact: Positive
Les Miles Impact: Negative

I think this would show Saban is really good but not some god-like force. The 08 and 09 bowl games where nothing that should go down in college football lore. Last year's game was compounded by bad coaching from LSU.