Because it's fun (and easy)

Remarks by Bill Hancock for the Football Writers Association of America:
First, I want to thank Tony Alba and his partner, recovering journalist Andy Bagnato, and Kristin Pflipsen and their entire staff for the tremendous job they have done this week. And it's also important to posthumously thank architect Edward Bowes, who designed the Camelback Inn back in the 1930s.

Who?

But mostly, I want to thank you for your kindness during the year. Although I left the newspaper business many years ago, I still feel like a member of this fraternity and you have allowed me to do that. This is where I belong.

Yeah... Welcome back, bud.

The state of the BCS? It is healthy and strong. The first year of a new cycle is always an exciting time as we begin a relationship with a new television rights holder and with the bowls. And we look forward to the next three years under this agreement.

Healthy? Yes, thanks for asking. We had a major scare in December, but thanks to a spoon full of Sugar (Bowl), we made it.

In the past few weeks, I have received dozens of calls and e-mails from folks who have said, "Congratulations & the BCS got it right again."

Hi, Mike. Hi, Jim.

Of course, they are calling because tonight's matchup is the one that folks want to see. But for me, "the BCS got it right" has a different meaning.

The BCS got it right because University of Tulsa student-athletes, from my part of the country, were able to visit the USS Arizona memorial and museum. It was the first trip to Hawaii for many. For some, it will be the only time -- only because of a bowl game.

Thank goodness that a flight from Oklahoma to Hawaii is cheap. We wouldn't want to spend more money than what we could possibly recoup.

An(d), the BCS got it right because Kansas State students were able to visit New York City. Many for the first time and some probably for the only time. Maybe some of us take trips to Times Square for granted, and Yankee Stadium for granted, and we are wrong to do that. The BCS got it right because those students had the experience of a lifetime -- only because of a bowl game.

Or, maybe, because of the undisclosed gifts that awaited the players in New York. I know I love me some undisclosed gifts when I land in a city. Xbox? Why, yes.

Other athletes toured civil rights museums, greeted soldiers returning from war, and visited hospitals to visit with sick children.

And it seems that some of us have forgotten what it was like to be 19 years old. And to have someone older and wiser quietly and discreetly create an experience for us and then step back and watch us enjoy it. That's what the keepers of the game have done by preserving the bowl system. The university presidents and conference commissioners will not lose sight of the fact that college football is not professional football. This game is played by students. And it has cherished traditions that cannot simply be tossed aside.

I remember being 19. I was a freshman at a technical college. No adult created an experience, only to stand back and watch me enjoy it. We had to find a creepy guy just to buy our beer, we weren't going to let him hang around to watch us drink it.

I knew the BCS got it right when I saw the happiness on the faces of celebrating athletes from schools like Florida International and Syracuse and Washington and San Diego State after their bowl victories. And did you see those TCU players dancing and hugging and dashing around the field? Winning their bowl game was way more than simply a great way to end a season -- it moment that will be etched into their hearts forever.

I knew the BCS got it right when Boise State's kicker missed one against Nevada, only to drop to his knees because he cost his school (and conference) millions of dollars. Sure, they got to win a bowl game. Sure, their season was pretty good, finishing with only one loss a season after going undefeated and being forced to play in a non-championship BCS game. Make the kick, make millions. Miss the kick, make thousands. But, either way, you won't win any crystal.

Of course, we know that some people want something different. I appreciate their feelings. But I have to believe that most of those people don't realize they would snatch those opportunities away from the students. But please don't kid yourselves --i t would happen.

Name a sport with a multi-team playoff that also has a second vibrant neutral-site post-season event. Even though a few bowls probably would survive in a playoff era, certainly the athletes in the playoff would not have a bowl experience. A great part of college tradition would die, and that would be a shame.

I still remember the old days, when New Year's Day meant everything to a college football fan. No, the athletes that would play in a playoff game would miss the bowl experience. Maybe if you could work it out to where they got a 360 AND a PS3 -- and promised not to send them to Detroit -- they'd get over it.

The teams would fly in for their games and they'd fly out afterward. For the 7 or 15 schools that lose, their season would be over. No celebration. No bowl-week memories.

So, the memories of staying a week in Boise would trump a few days of being in Birmingham? Well, I suppose if you were Ball State, but I bet Boise State or TCU would take a trip to Bama any day.

And I certainly understand the lure of filling out a bracket, kicking up your feet with a bag of Tostitos and a jar of queso and enjoying the excitement of a four-week playoff from your sofa at home.

A bracket?! Surely you don't work for the NCAA while mentioning filling out a BRACKET, for crying out loud! That might insinuate that people are gambling on an amateur sport! Oh, you don't work for the NCAA? Really? So, there really is no real national champion? Well, what the hell are we doing here?

But is that in the best interest of the students, whose voices too frequently get lost in this debate?

Also lost on the players: The check that, "is in the mail."

Listen to Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, on his bowl experience: "We had a blast. If they got rid of the BCS and the BCS bowls, then a lot of teams would not be able to have opportunities like we have had the last couple of years."

By "a lot of teams," McElroy means, "Any non-SEC conference team that has the misfortune of losing a game."

And listen to Oregon State coach Mike Riley: "I like the opportunity for a lot of teams to have a successful season and to get a chance to go to a bowl game. We don't need to limit that to whatever the playoff deal is."

Because nothing says successful quite like finishing 6-7, 3-5 in Conference-USA and fighting to a nail-biting 52-24 loss in the New Mexico Bowl.

And what about the many avid fans who love going to bowl games? Many plan their family vacations around their school's trip to a bowl. Would they go to Miami one week, then to Pasadena, then to Phoenix?

If you can afford a last-second trip from Wisconsin to Pasadena in early January -- with your family -- I don't see multiple trips being an issue. Unless, of course, you gave up six months of beer money to do so.

I talked to a Fort Worth man who proudly told me that his grandfather played for SMU in the 1936 Rose Bowl. Can you imagine someone 60 years from now, telling a stranger that his granddad played in the 2025 first-round game between Troy and Wisconsin in Madison?

I remember a friend telling me how pissed his dad was when an undefeated BYU was awarded the 1984 national championship over one-loss (and one-tie) Florida. Thank goodness this will never again be an option.

In a playoff, there would be no week in the sun.

Well, that would mean one of two things: 1. There would be SEVERAL weeks in the sun, or, 2. There would be home games awarded and maybe Wisconsin, Oregon, Virginia Tech and UConn would host first round games. Bummer.

As the people responsible for life on campus, it's the job of university presidents and commissioners to look out for the best interest of the student-athletes -- and that means preserving the regular season and protecting America's bowl tradition and experience.

Does that mean that Delaney can argue that the regular season is too important for the Suspended 6, and we could see them on the field in week one? I hope so.

I am disappointed, but not surprised, by the childish invective from a few undertakers who throw stones but are accountable in no way for the future of the game and for the athletes' experience. But you know that words like cartel, commies, corruption and criminal when used to describe the BCS event are just plain silly. At its heart, the BCS is a group of schools collaboratively doing what is in the best interest of their students. And for the game.

"Although I am fully in favor of the BCS 'cartel' being termed 'corrupt,' let me add my own 'C' word to the list: Comical.'" - Jim Souhan, Star Tribune.

And, for goodness sake, what kind of corrupt cartel would create an arrangement where TCU can win the Rose Bowl? The Horned Frogs played in the Granddaddy of Them All solely BECAUSE of the BCS. And Boise State was THIS close to playing in tonight's game. The BCS is fair, and this year -- more than ever -- proves it.

My definition of "THIS close" must be wrong. I see it as a missed field goal in a national semifinal. Mr. Hancock sees it as a closer-than-expected, edge-of-your-seat 56-17 win by Auburn in the SEC title game, or a last-second, 17-point Civil War-win by Oregon.

I have enjoyed keeping our side of the debate respectful, in keeping with the dignity of higher education. And I will continue to do that. After the unthinkable event in Tucson, I pray that we all re-assess our attitude toward each other.

Did he really just pull the political-assassination-attempt corollary card? Yeah, dignity and respect all the way.

I understand that short memories have applied a coat of white-out to the happiness that greeted the BCS when it was first implemented 14 years ago. Nearly everyone wrote the same thing: At last, the BCS brought college football what it had long been missing: a guaranteed match-up of the top two teams in a bowl game.

Not "white-out," sir, rather another page. The "integrity" of the B1G 10/Pac-10 match up in the Rose Bowl has been compromised. I'm sorry if you feel that the TicketCity Bowl may be in jeopardy.

Please remember the great benefits of the BCS.

How could I forget? The SEC is crammed down my throat every. Single. Day. For six months. Funny thing is, I don't really mind. Those kids can ball. My issue is that I have to put up with a schedule that makes the Super Bowl seem like it's played the Thursday after the conference title games.

You know the numbers, but it is important to place them on the table once again: the top two teams met in bowl games eight times in 58 years before the BCS. Since then? 13 of 13 by BCS standards, and 10 of 13 by the media poll, including the last seven years in a row. Those facts are impossible to ignore.

You know what else is impossible to ignore? You, sir. You are still making this up as you go along. You have already irreparably changed the course of college football. You have changed how you determine your No. 1 and No. 2. You have allowed a 12th game, and not because of concern for player safety. Some conferences have a 13th game. Occasionaly, two teams play 14 contests. That's NFL territory. You have allowed cheats and liars to play in your games. This, sir, I cannot ignore. (Sorry, back to the tongue-in-cheek.)

And please hear this: the BCS has sparked the rise of new competitors who have stormed into the upper level of college football over the past few years. Boise State, TCU, Hawaii, Central Florida, Oklahoma State, Connecticut, Oregon, Nevada, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, Louisville, Stanford and Wake Forest are just a few.

These teams have certainly gone up a tax bracket or two, there is little doubt about that. If they paid taxes, that is.

This horde of new schools at the top table has been good for the game There is a new populism never before imagined. A new equity that could not have been envisioned just 10 years ago. New hope that previously was inconceivable. New national fervor for a game that some believed had reached its zenith, but whose potential now seems unlimited -- a tree growing to the sky.

Equity is right. Ten years ago Miami, Oklahoma and Ohio State were kings. Now, after some trouble, they are trying to get back into the spotlight. Ten years from now, when they're winning again, we'll talk about how Auburn is building itself back into a national power after the crippling sanctions brought to them in 2013 -- long after Cam Newton has left, and immediately following Gene Chizkik's departure for the NFL.

How has the BCS done this?

It is very simple: by providing unprecedented access to the top-tier bowl games, by maintaining the focus on the regular season and by enhancing the entire bowl system that provides a foothold for programs on their way up.

Bill Snyder at Kansas State talked about how he used the incentive of playing in a bowl game to almost literally bring the Wildcats up from "worst" to "first," and said it very well: "Where the bowl system helped Kansas State go tells me if they had 100 bowls, they would probably be of value to a lot of programs throughout the country."

ESPN just crapped themselves.

In conclusion, I want to ask you to remember that college football really is national treasure. We are very lucky to cover it, administer it, play it, coach it and play b-flat clarinet in its marching band.

I don't think there's anything else in the world to match the passion that we have in college football. Maybe World Cup, but maybe not.

World Cup: Boring, but billions watch it. BCS: Usually anticlimactic, but billions are spent on it.

I had the great pleasure of visiting with former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien at the Fiesta Bowl. He was overwhelmed by the pageantry and the passion. A few years ago the top man at Wimbledon attended the Orange Bowl. I think neither one of them had ever seen anything quite like it.

A Canadian and a Brit walk into a college football game, hosted by Bill Hancock. The Brit, confused, asks "What is this game?" "Why, it's football," Hancock says. "Um, no it's--," the Brit starts before being interrupted by the Canuck. "It's AMERICAN football," says the Canadian. "It's a brutal combination of rugby, international football, mixed martial arts and drunken chess." This further confuses the Brit, but he thoroughly enjoys himself anyway. At halftime, the Brit asks Hancock if he could possibly export the game to England. "I'm not so sure," Hancock says. "Well, we pay our academy foot- I mean, soccer players very well. In fact, there are few opportunities around the world for a young man to make as many pounds at such a young age as he does here. Many use it as a way to help out their families, many of which are poor." Hancock glares at the Brit. After several awkward seconds, Hancock tells the man, "We don't pay these young men." The Brit is astonished. "But they are talented kids who deserve a cut of what they provide." With that, Hancock is incensed. He tells the Brit that he is no longer welcome at a college football game, but that he can finish watching this one in order to preserve the integrity of the hosting party.

Tonight's atmosphere will be awesome. I suggest that you visit the field for just a minute before the national anthem to take in the whole scene.

And then, in the wild party after the game, one group of athletes will hold the crystal football aloft. They will be celebrating for the sheer joy of reaching a lifetime goal.

But without even realizing it, they will be rejoicing for those other 68 groups of students who were able to savor the bowl experience this year. When they lift that crystal football, they will be symbolically lifting up the collegiate model. They will be celebrating the game of college football that is thriving in no small part because the BCS got it right.

Because they received $500 in free gifts! Or they left Oregon for sunny Pasadena -- for 10 DAYS! Or the coaches just earned several thousand dollars in bonuses that they don't have to share! Because, not matter what the future says, we all know Auburn won the vacated title! Because, no matter what the future holds, asking for money to play, beating your girlfriend or selling your trophies has no bearing whatsoever on the integrity of the game that you and this country loves. The BCS has figured out what every other money printing business has: Integrity is like the Gimp. He's around, but kept in a small, dark cage only to be summoned when the weary and suspicious show up. Of course, that's better than being Honesty. He's been buried under mountains of cash for 14 years.

My NCAA FB playoff

For this exercise, we'll use next year's conference set-up with this year's (mostly identical, some theoretical) standings. Work with me.

Rules:
-12 teams, 11 games, 5 weeks, 1 champion...Millions of winners (that's us fans, by the way).
-AQ conferences with a title game (ACC, Big 10, Pac-12, SEC) will receive a 1st round bye for their champion. The other AQ conferences (Big East, Big 12) do not get a bye, but will host a first round game.
-Take the four, AQ conference title game champs and seed them 1-4.
-Pick six at large teams to play four quarterfinal games with the other two AQ teams. AQ teams get a home game and will be seeded No. 5 and No. 6. Seed the remaining four with No. 7 and No. 8 receiving home games. For now, we'll keep the current maximum of two teams per conference. (Sorry, Sparty.)
-The winners of those games will be reseeded -- seriously, I cannot stand any playoff system that does not reseed; it's friggin' ridiculous. They will play the No. 1-4 seeds. That would give 4 quarterfinal games that could be played at the now-BCS sites. (Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Orange.)
-Semifinals would be alternately played between one east (Orange/Sugar) and one west (Rose/Fiesta) location.
-The National Championship location would be up for bid much like the Final Four or Super Bowl.

Using the above stipulations, and with myself as a one-man selection committee, here is what this year could look like. (Again, using the 2011 conference set-up.)

First round games - Saturday, Dec. 11:
#12 Boise State at #5 Oklahoma - Sooners get a rematch of an epic Fiesta Bowl at home. Who doesn't watch this game? My pick: OU.
#11 Missouri at #6 UConn - Hey, not every game can be Instant Classic worthy. My pick: Mizzou.
#10 Arkansas at #7 TCU - Mallett vs. Frogs D. Yeah, I'd tune in. My pick: TCU.
#9 Ohio State at #8 Stanford - Could've been a great game, but I would bet the Suspended 6 would no get to play in a playoff system. My pick: Stanford.
Byes: #1 Auburn, #2 Oregon, #3 Wisconsin, #4 Virginia Tech

Quarterfinals - Saturday, Dec. 18:
#11 Missouri vs. #1 Auburn, at Sugar Bowl - See: Mizzou/UConn description above. My pick: Auburn.
#8 Stanford vs. #2 Oregon, at Rose Bowl - See: Oct. 2. My pick: Oregon.
#7 TCU vs. #3 Wisconsin, at Fiesta Bowl - See: 2010 Rose Bowl. My pick: TCU.
#5 Oklahoma vs. #4 Virginia Tech, at Orange Bowl - Interesting with both teams playing much better of late, but coming from BAD conferences. My pick: OU.

Semifinals - Saturday, Jan. 1:
#7 TCU vs. #1 Auburn, at Sugar Bowl - They don't make Cam Newtons in the MWC. My pick: Auburn.
#5 Oklahoma vs. #2 Oregon, at Rose Bowl - Big Game Bob? Missing since 2000. My pick: Oregon

National Championship Game, Presented by Mark Cuban - Monday, Jan. 10:
#2 Oregon vs. #1 Auburn, at Cowboys Stadium (Because if this was open for bid, there is no way Jerry Jones lets it slip away.)

So, there you have it. We get the same matchup, but with 10 other games thrown in for good measure. Two non-AQ teams get their shot, and four of the Big 6 get their two teams in.

Sure there are problems. Teams with a bye may bitch about the money that the lower seeds get by hosting a playoff game. Maybe they can pool the money made from the first two rounds and split it proportionately to the byes/winners and the first round losers? You could make the case that Boise State does not belong with one loss in a non-AQ conference. (If that is the argument, however, either the two-team limit would have to be waived, or another ACC/Big East team would have to get in. No one wants that.)

Why, hello 2011. You look nice.

I love ranking things. I love lists. I loved 2010.

Brett Favre's collapse. The Twins making us shake our heads. Gopher football making us bury our heads. U hoops making us raise our heads. Wracking our brains as we try to figure where, when and for whom Kevin Love will be traded. The Wild giving us headaches from working so much overtime in order to afford tickets. Yes, 2010 was awesome. But if there is anything I love more than rankings and lists, it's predictions. It's everything in one, and 2010 has nothing on the 2011 I see coming. 

January
Oregon and Auburn play the greatest BCS title game in history. In a rare act of vigilance, the NCAA refuses to allow the third overtime to be played because they'll be out of town until August and a returned trophy clutters their mailbox. The championship is given to Ohio State after Big 10 commissioner Jim Delaney and Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan lobbied for the award. "These kids had no idea they weren't playing for a championship," OSU AD Gene Smith said.
Hoolahan, nodding, remarked, "These kids deserve to play in this game, and the integrity of the Sugar Bowl depends on it being a game with national championship implications."

Butch Davis, former head coach at the University of North Carolina, is hired for the same position by the Denver Broncos. When asked about the controversial hire, Broncos owner/chairman/CEO/president Pat Bowlen remarked, "Butch has been a very successful head coach for many years. After our last hire, we wanted a guy with professional head coaching experience and Butch fits that profile. From Miami to Cleveland to Carolina, Butch has proven he can handle guys who make more money than he does."

February
The New England Patriots win their fourth Super Bowl, but will catch Spy Gate-level heat for their 66-13 beat down of Philly. Tom Brady, who earns Super Bowl MVP No. 3, insists during his post game interview that there were "a few points we left on the field." Shortly after the game, Danny Woodhead, who had two touchdowns for the champs, is arrested for minor consumption. Pats head coach Bill Belichick said he will cut Woodhead. "We're not going to spend hundreds of dollars to pay a guy's fine when we can replace him for $18."

Michael Vick announces his wish to continue playing for the Eagles in the future. "This organization is known to take risks," he said. "They took a chance on me, and I'm willing to take a chance that this year wasn't a fluke, that this O-line will hold up, and that coach Reid doesn't decide to throw it 60-times a game."

March
The University of Dayton nearly sells out its arena for the four first round games of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. "We were just short of 6,000 for day one, and just over for day two," NCAA president Mark Emmert said. "Do the math. This arena seats 13,000-plus and for us to nearly get there was a great show of support from the people of Ohio." Emmert, who has held his post for less than a year, sees great things ahead for the tournament. "The 96-team thing is still lingering, but it's not a priority," Emmert said. "There has been some talk about 256, but that leaves 90 teams still out. I think, once we figure out how to deal with those other teams, the tournament should encompass all of college basketball." When asked about incorporating Division 2 and 3, Emmert smiled but refused to comment.

The University of Minnesota wins two games in the Tournament prompting AD Joel Maturi to give Tubby Smith a 10-year, $55 million contract extension. The deal reportedly includes a $10,000 buyout if Smith leaves before 2012. Some criticized the move, citing Smith's up-and-down tenure as Gophers coach. Others think Smith won't make it to a Minnesota summer. "There is no truth to the rumors about me moving to Indiana, UCLA, Memphis, Tennessee or any other downtrodden traditional power or warm weather locale," Smith said while shopping in Bloomington. "My house is too small, that's why it's on the market."

April
Duke wins its fifth national title with a spirited 89-54 come-from-behind win over Syracuse. "I thought we were done," Duke head coach Mike Kryzewski said of his team's early 2-0 deficit. "But you've got to hand it to these kids. They refused to quit. They refused to give in."

With the first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select Jim Harbaugh, head coach, Stanford University. In what can only be seen as a show of complete disrespect, Harbaugh was not in attendance. Reached later for comment was caught off-guard. "I just didn't anticipate this. I was out scouting in central California and I got a phone call," he said. "Really, I'm just happy to be back in the NFL. I was a late first-rounder the first time and that was nice. But this? This is great." Asked about his draft absence, Harbaugh was forthcoming. "I was scouting in central California. I heard about a quarterback out there so I thought I'd take a look," Harbaugh said. "He looks good, but might need another year. If he drops we might take a chance on him."

May
Kansas City was mathematically eliminated from the playoffs on the 6th. The Royals become the third team this year to know their September 2011 fate. KC joins the Pirates, whose postseason plans were doused in early April, and the Mariners, who made it to May 1 before bowing out. "We'll continue to fight. There is still a lot of fight in these guys. We'll play Royals baseball for the rest of the ye--," manager Ned Yost said before nodding off.

Despite a .184 batting average, and a career low 0 home runs, Derek Jeter leads the league in All-Star votes. "It's still early," Jeter said. "We're still 40-some games from the break, but it's a nice honor. I would love to play, but if some young whipper-snapper leapfrogs me, well, that's how the cookie crumbles."

June
Albert Pujols is signed to the most lucrative contract in MLB history, one that should keep him a Cardinal for life. "I'm very happy to say that I'll be in St. Louis for the remainder of my career," Pujols said.

Ernie Els fails to follow up his 1997 U.S. Open title at Congressional Country Club with another at the Blue Course in Maryland. Tiger Woods, who was two shots back after Thursday's first round, won by six strokes. "I know Ernie has owned this course in the past," Woods said. "But I own this tour. Seriously, I've just finished negotiations and will take my seat as owner/operator/chair of the PGA tomorrow."

July
Giving up future All-Star catcher Jose Montero and a host of others, the New York Yankees have acquired Albert Pujols from the Cardinals. "We're two games back," NY GM Brian Cashman said. "We needed to make a move."

Terrelle Pryor, Dan Herron, Mike Adams, DeVier Posey, and Solomon Thomas declare for the NFL's supplemental draft. All will forfeit any remaining college eligibility, but their future is unknown. The supplemental draft is not ordered solely on record. Instead, teams go by clusters of wins, starting with six or less. Still, Pryor and Co. are unfazed. "At least I'll get to play ball soon," Pryor said of his five game suspension at Ohio State. When asked about violating coach Jim Tressel's trust by vowing to return to school and then applying for the "second" draft, Pryor asked his own question. "How much money does he make? A few mil? Yeah. I got $2,500 for items I possess but only 'own' after I leave school. Well, consider my uniform, helmet, Sugar Bowl MVP and locker up for sale because I'm done with it. What does Tress do? Look at Rivals Top 100, make some phone calls and call plays from his dusty Paul Brown playbook?"

Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, who leads the AL in homers and average, was placed on the 15-day DL with back stiffness and headaches. "We'll take things one day at a time," said Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire. "I see no reason he shouldn't be back and ready to go by mid-November."

August
The annual NFL Hall of Fame game is canceled along with the first two weeks of the preseason schedule. While it is doubtful a full slate of NFL games is possible, commissioner Roger Goodell is optimistic. "If the union signs tomorrow, we can still get in 18 games, and all would count," Goodell said. Despite rising concerns with injuries, Goodell remains focused on the longer season. "By week 18 players don't know what city they're playing in let alone why they play gladiator for a bunch of billionaires."

Tom Brady's oldest son, John, is grounded indefinitely after "falling" into his daddy's planted left leg. Celebrating his third birthday, John allegedly "slipped" on some wrapping paper and, while falling, turned his body into Tom's knee. Reacting accordingly, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell took action and mandated that all wrapping paper be pulled from the shelves.

September
With the NFL unable to sign free agents, a soon-to-be 42-year old quarterback signs with the Las Vegas Locomotives. "I don't know what will happen this year. No one does," said a smiling Brett Favre. "But I do know that I will do my best to bring a championship, or at least a few wins and a lawsuit, to the desert."

After Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks to the brink of a NBA Finals berth, LeBron James has forced his way out of Miami and into Madison Square Garden. "This has nothing to do with Miami as a city. The fans are the best in the league," James said. "This has nothing to do with DW's Finals MVP, or CB sleeping through the playoffs, they're the best teammates ever. This is about what I should do. The poll on my website said I should go to New York, so I'm taking my talents to the Big Apple."

With a 10-game lead in the Central, the Twins rest their lineup and roll out Sept. call-ups for their final nine games.Asked about doing a similar thing last year, and then flat-lining against the Yankees in the playoffs, Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer showed little worry. "Concern? No, there's none of that. No matter what, we'll get to hang another championship banner at Target Field next year."

October
The Yankees fire Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi hours after winning the World Series. "This team was built to win in four or five games, not seven," said Hank Steinbrenner, channeling his father's ghost. Whispers about the team's dissatisfaction with Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez have swelled to a near roar. Steinbrenner thinks he has a solution. "They just need to take Derek's lead. They need to learn how to be a Yankee. Twice I caught Albert with a goatee. That just won't stand."

Fox, that media giant that mixes cartoons, football and baseball with reruns of classic sitcoms, has been airing static since mid-August. A representative who declined to be named said the NFL work stoppage has taken the network down with it. "We really don't know what to do. Joe Buck just sits in a corner eating bon-bons and drinking Diet Rite. He sounds less coherent than Troy Aikman right now."

November
With a gutty second half, Iowa clinched a spot in the inaugural Big 10 title game in Indianapolis. The Hawkeyes will face Wisconsin to determine the conferences' Big 10 Rose Bowl participant. The winner will take on USC, who will be without head coach Lane Kiffin who last week signed a contract to coach the NFL's Houston Texans. "It should be a good game," Badgers head coach Brett Bielema said. "Indiana will finally get to see some D-I football."

The NFL and the players union came to an agreement on a new CBA effective immediately. The new deal includes an 18-game schedule, an 80% salary cut for players, a rookie wage scale that starts at 3-years/$10,000 per year and sole discretion for coaches to play "injured" players. No part of any contract can be guaranteed, with the lone exception that all holdouts will result in automatic breach of contract with a 100% buyout of remaining dollars. Player will not be able to sign with new team until length of said contract runs out. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell could not be reached for comment, but an owner, speaking off the record, said Goodell was prepared for a long lockout. "He told all the owners that the NFL had stashed billions waiting for this day. There was no way he wasn't going to win. He threatened to sue every player, even with no grounds. It didn't matter. He has the power and money to bury whomever and whatever he wants."

December
Undefeated Florida was left out of the BCS title game due to Oklahoma and Oregon running the table as well. Asked about his alma mater being dissed, former Gator Tim Tebow remained tight-lipped about the slight. "I have nothing to say about that," Tebow said before his Broncos hit the practice field.

In tragic news, Bill Hancock, executive director of the BCS, was killed when the plane he was on was struck by lightning. The investigation is ongoing, but some eerie details have emerged. "The bolt came from the ground, and only Mr. Hancock's window was hit," said a Denver firefighter speaking on anonymity. "One witness said the flash came from INVESCO Field."

Every. Game. Matters. (Kind of.)

Mark Cuban wants to fund a playoff. He says that the BCS is “an inefficient business where there’s obviously a better way.” That better way would involve Cuban putting $500 million into an account and paying teams every five years assuming they are open to, and accept, a playoff bid. There had to be a quick rebuttal from the BCS before this got any legs. Executive director Bill Hancock tried to shoot it down.

"Given how much support our current system has among university presidents, athletics directors, coaches and athletes, I don't think any amount of financial inducement will make people abandon" the BCS.

Well, what else was he supposed to say? He could have stopped at "university presidents" because that's who really matters. AD's are going to follow the company line, especially when their salary is tied to the man in the bigger office. Coaches are tied to AD's and are hence tied to presidents. Players probably don't give a damn, unless the playoff format means they no longer get to take home a PlayStation 3 from some random December bowl game.

But when I hear about the popularity of the game being at it's highest point, I kind of chuckle. Yes, it probably is. But it has room to grow. Heck, a playoff might get it back to being more popular than the NFL. Seriously. The NFL has the sports world cornered from August to February. But think of the NBA vs. college hoops. There are fans of one or the other, and fans of both. There are more and more people leaving the NBA, and basketball in general. But no one leaves March Madness. When the brackets are announced, the hard core fans must move over to make room for that one guy that always touts his alma mater. The die-hards must acquiesce their beer money to the secretary that always seems to win the pool by picking mascots and jersey colors.

This is all a round about way of saying, Who cares about the regular season (more on that in a second)? Who cares if a playoff ends bowl games (it won't)? Who cares? Fans do.

Before I get to the regular season, I have to say this: The BCS has been better than I ever expected it to be. They've had a fair No. 1 vs. No. 2 match up more often than not. But the argument for most people isn't that it doesn't work, it's that it doesn't ALWAYS work. Auburn has been spurned before. Boise State, TCU and Utah have been spurned. Michigan State will get the honor of watching UConn play in a BCS bowl when the Huskies lost three more games than Sparty, and to far inferior teams. Cuban is right, there is simply a better way.

Now, about that pesky regular season. Bear with me.

I took a gander at the 2010 regular season and noticed something. Games pretty much start to not matter in week five or six. (Going on history, I used the following formula to disqualify teams: BCS conference teams were out with their second loss, except for SEC teams (designated with a +) who were out after a third loss. Non-AQ teams (designated with a ^) were out after their first loss. Any team that lost to an FCS school (designated with a *), at any point, were out.)

There are 120 teams in FBS football (66 AQ, 54 non-AQ), so follow the countdown to important games. To the results!

Week 1 (Sept. 4), 28 of 120 teams were eliminated:

^Akron, ^Arkansas State, ^Bowling Green, ^Colorado State, ^Eastern Mich., ^Hawaii, *Kansas, ^Lousiana-Lafayette, ^Marshall, ^Memphis, ^Miami (OH), ^Middle Tenn. State, ^Navy, ^New Mexico, ^North Texas, ^NIU, ^Rice, ^SMU, ^Southern Miss, ^San Jose State, ^Toledo,

^Tulsa, ^UAB, ^UNLV, USC (bowl ban), ^Utah, ^Western Kentucky, ^Western Michigan

64 of 66 AQ teams alvie; 28 of 54 non-AQ left

Week 2 (Sept. 11), 20 of 92 teams were eliminated:

^Army, ^BYU, ^Cent. Michigan, ^Buffalo, ^Ball State, ^Florida Atlantic, ^Florida International, ^Idaho, ^Kent State, ^Louisiana Tech, ^Louisiana-Monroe, ^New Mexico State, ^Ohio, ^Troy, ^Tulane, ^UCF, UCLA, ^UTEP, Virginia Tech, ^Wyoming

62 AQ teams alive; 10 non-AQ teams alive

Week 3 (Sept. 18), 15 of 72 teams were eliminated:

^Air Force, Cincinnati, Connecticut, ^East Carolina, ^Houston, Louisville, Duke, Iowa State, Minnesota, ^Nevada, Notre Dame, North Carolina, San Diego State, Washington, Washington State

51 AQ teams alive; 6 non-AQ teams alive

So, after three weeks of football, more than half of the 120 teams have been eliminated from BCS title game aspirations. For 63 teams, the whole "every week matters" really means the first month or so. Moving on.

Week 4 (Sept. 25), 10 of 57 teams were eliminated:

Arizona State, Cal, ^Fresno State, +Georgia, Georgia Tech, Oregon State, Pitt, Purdue, ^Temple, Wake Forest

43 AQ teams alive; 4 non-AQ teams alive

Week 5 (Oct. 2), 10 of 47 teams were eliminated:

Boston College, Clemson, Illinois, Penn State, Rutgers, +Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech, +Vanderbilt, Virginia

33 AQ teams alive; 4 non-AQ teams alive

Week 6 (Oct. 9), 7 of 37 teams were eliminated:

Baylor, Colorado, Indiana, +Kentucky, Miami (FL), South Florida, Texas A&M

26 AQ teams alive; 4 non-AQ teams alive

After six weeks, there are 25-percent of teams with title hopes. For 30 teams, the next six to eight games are VERY important. For 90 teams, it's all about playing out the schedule and beating a rival while recruits are on campus.

Week 7 (Oct. 16), 6 of 30 teams were eliminated:

+Florida, Maryland, Michigan, +Mississippi, NC State, Syracuse

20 AQ teams alive; 4 non-AQ teams alive

Week 8 (Oct. 23), 4 of 24 teams were eliminated:

Iowa, Kansas State, Northwestern, West Virginia

16 AQ teams alive; 4 non-AQ teams alive

Week 9 (Oct. 30), 1 of 20 teams were eliminated:

Florida State

15 AQ teams alive; 4 non-AQ teams alive

Week 10 (Nov. 6), 5 of 19 teams were eliminated:

Arizona, Missouri, Oklahoma, +South Carolina, ^Utah

11 AQ teams alive; 3 non-AQ teams alive

Week 11 (Nov. 13), 1 of 14 teams were eliminated:

+Mississippi State

10 AQ teams alive; 3 non-AQ teams alive

Week 12 (Nov. 20), 1 of 13 teams were eliminated:

Nebraska

9 AQ teams alive; 3 non-AQ teams alive

Three weeks to go, and a whopping 10-percent of teams have title hopes. This is exactly what the BCS wants. Late season games with championship implications. If only...

Week 13 (Nov. 27), 3 of 12 teams were eliminated:

+Alabama, ^Boise State, Oklahoma State

7 AQ teams alive; 2 non-AQ teams alive

Week 14/Conf. Title (Dec. 4), 0 of 9 teams were eliminated:

7 AQ teams alive; 2 non-AQ teams alive

Wow! What an exhilarating ride those conference championship games were. The SEC was the only one with any impact on the BCS standings, and that was for all of a half. Maybe. Same goes for the Pac-10. No title game, but a rivalry game. Nice. For a half. Maybe.

Week 15 (Dec. 11)

7 of 9 teams were eliminated:

+Arkansas, Michigan State, +LSU, Ohio State, Stanford, TCU, Wisconsin

2 AQ teams alive (Auburn and Oregon); 0 non-AQ teams alive

Now that's what I'm talking about! So many teams came into the final week of the season with a chance to go to the title game, and there were so many upsets that it all worked out. The BCS has done it again! I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over the joyous applause, what did you say? There was only one game in week 15? Army/Navy? How is that possible? TCU obviously played and lost, or else they would still be alive, and it's obvious that's not the case.

Cam's haul

Cameron Newton's season was (is) one for the ages. He led the country in quarterback rating (188.2), 3.2 points higher than Boise State's Kellen Moore), was 10th in TD passes (28), 10th overall and 2nd in rushing yards for a quarterback (1,409) behind Oregon RB LaMichael James (1,682) and Michigan QB Denard Robinson (1,643) and was 2nd in TD rushes (20), behind James (21), and tied with Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick and NIU RB Chad Spann.

He led the SEC in rushing yards, rushing TD, total offense and scoring, and was 6th in all-purpose yards. Yes, it was a magical season.

On Thursday night, Newton collected three awards for his 2010 performance: the Davey O'Brien Award as the best quarterback, the Walter Camp Award honoring the player of the year and the Maxwell Award for the outstanding player of the year. Of course, this is all a run-up to Saturday's victory lap, Heisman in hand.

There has been a little chatter about voters dropping Newton on their Heisman ballot -- or leaving him off altogether -- as punishment for his father's actions demanding payment for his son's commitment. That may well happen, but Newton not winning -- and winning big -- is about as likely as TCU playing for a national title. Ain't. Gonna. Happen.

Of course, the NCAA could have taken care of all of this by declaring Newton ineligible. Or, rather, keeping him ineligible instead of reinstating him only hours after they snatched his season away. The NCAA was protecting the athlete, and punished the crime by restricting his father's access to the program. Yawn.

I, for one, cannot wait for ESPN's latest "30 for 30" installment set to air immediately after the Heisman ceremony. The topic? The SMU program of the 1980s and their subsequent "Death Penalty" for a pay-for-play scandal. (As an aside, do you know who split time with Eric Dickerson in the "Pony Express" backfield? Craig James, father of locked-in-a-closet Adam James.)

I'm sure there will be some hand-wringing about the placement of the show, but considering the events of the last season I think it's fantastic. Imagine a live read promo toward the end of the Heisman presentation. Chris Fowler: "Thanks for joining us tonight, and a final congratulations to Cam Newton on a phenomenal season, the Heisman trophy and closing a loophole the NCAA hoped would never be exposed. Stay tuned for 'Pony Excess,' chronicling the SMU program of the 1980s that helped expose payments to student-athletes as a problem and the subsequent penalties that killed the program and restored college football to the pure and innocent game that you see today."

One can wish.