During the holiday season, I thought I'd write a quick blog about the four major sports teams in Chicago (except for the Cubs, you must have won a title in the last 100 years to be considered a "professional team") and what each team should "give" (trade, cut) and one player each should "receive" (sign, acquire) Making these moves will ensure a joyful year ahead.
White Sox--> 24 hours ago I would have said signing John Danks was the highest priority. Given that Kenny got this done today, the Sox need some help in the outfield and third base. The Braves just happen to have soured on Martin Prado. The guy hits for average, can play multiple positions and is still only 28 years old. Get it done Kenny. As for the guy who I'd give away, Carlos Quentin. The guy has a world of talent, but it constantly hurt and is way to inconsistent to be counted on in the middle of the line-up. Trade him while he still has some value Kenny.
Bulls--> Pax and Forman signed D-Rose to a 5 year extension yesterday which was HUGE for ensuring success in Chicago. Next step should be to trade for O.J. Mayo. Even after signing Rip Hamilton, Rose still needs a secondary scoring option. Mayo, 24 years old, has the ability to create his own shot and would fit in great at the 2/3 spot in the bulls line-up. Kyle Korver needs to go. He never plays defense and he has a decent game once every four games. Send him on his way.
Bears--> This should be obvious...SIGN A DECENT BACK-UP QUARTERBACK!!!! Shaun Hill is an experienced QB and has played in a number of different systems. He's a consistent QB who won't curl up like a baby (Hanie) when he's inserted into the line-up. Hill is a free agent at the end of the year. Get it done. For the Christmas season, Angelo needs to send Roy Williams packing. I can't even count the number of times he's juggled a ball or flat out dropped it. He's worthless and should have been cut after week 3 (Bonus pick-up...sign Brandon Lloyd. Great route runner and has a history with Jay from Denver)
Blackhawks--> Overall the Hawks have been playing great all season long. One good addition would be Bobby Ryan from Anaheim. He could add some additional scoring and power play support on the two top lines for the Hawks. The Ducks have fallen out of the race and Ryan out of favor. As much as it kills me, Dave Bolland has been a disappointment this season. Marcus Kruger has been playing really well at Center and Bolland has gradually lost playing. Trade him why he still has some value and see if you can get a 3rd line defense man in return.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Why Tebow is (Still) Overrated
Tim Tebow. Odds are you've heard of him. Heck, if you haven't heard of him you've probably been on the moon or been undercover for the last two months. His fathead ranks as the #1, #3, and #10 best sellers this year. He has a whole website dedicated to his "touchdown prayer" . Saturday Night Live did a rather hilarious skit His team has gone 7-1 (before today) since Tebow took over for Kyle Orton. Tebow has always been a winner at every level. At Florida, he won the Heisman as a sophomore, national title as a junior, and went 13-1 as a senior, including a Sugar Bowl victory over Cincinnati.
After all of these accolades, wins, awards, and records, there were two very distinct sides in regards to the fans of Tim Tebow: You either loved him or hated him. Similar to the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, or A.J. Pierzynski. He was a very, very good college player. The offense Urban Meyer ran for him suited his talent. He was never a good passer. He threw for only 21 touchdowns his senior season and during his first three years at Florida, he was only a 65% passer. Most people thought that his skills couldn't translate to the NFL (see Eric Crouch, Vince Young, and Pat White).
I'm not questioning Tebow's running ability. I think he could be fullback similar to Mike Alstoff or a beefy running back a la Mike Tolbert. A rare blend of size and speed. But a quarterback? I think not. Going into the 2010 NFL Draft there was a disagreement even amongst "experts"
Tony Dungy said that he would take Tebow in the top 10 of the draft and the first quarterback taken (Sam Bradford went #1 that year)
Mel Kiper said that he couldn't be a full time quarterback and projected him as as second/third round pick
Denver took him 26th overall and Tebow saw limited playing time, going 1-2 as a starter. Kyle Orton was the starter opening the 2011 season but was benched at half time during week 5 with Tebow coming in to relieve him. The rest, they say, is history: Down 15 with less than 5 minutes to go against Miami, only to come back and win in overtime. A fourth-quarter drive against the Chargers to win on Thursday Night Football. He followed that up with 2 straight come-from-behind wins against the Vikings and Bears. Following the game against Chicago, Denver was 7-5 and sitting atop the AFC West.
After considering all this, I've come up with one realization. Tebow is a BAD quarterback and all of this LUCK will catch up to him. Similar to a rookie baseball player who mashes the stuffing out of the ball for the first week he's in the bigs, only to be never heard from again after the opposition figures out the hole in their swing.
On the season, Tebow is a 48.5% passer. 48.5%!!!! That is by far the worst in the NFL this season. The NFL is a passing league and you've got to put some fear in the opposition that you can actually beat them down the field. In week 7 against Kansas City, Tebow went 2-8 for 69 yards. That's only the fifth time in the last 31 years that a QB has thrown 2 or fewer passes and won the game. In week 14 against the Bears, Tebow did not complete a pass in the second and third quarters. In all but two games this season, Tebow completed fewer than 14 passes.
Like I said before, Tebow is a great runner, but he's not a quarterback. Over the long haul, he can't sustain his putrid play through 3 quarters only to pull a rabbit out of his hat at the end of the game. He has an awkward, slow, delivery. Tebow's only thrown two interceptions this season, but that's only because some of his passes are so horrible that there's not even a defender anywhere nearby.
Remeber Vince Young? He took the league by storm with his combination of running and throwing in Tennesee after dominating at Texas. Where is he now? Backing up Mike Vick in Philadelphia. Vick, on the other hand, is the sole exception to the rule. He is a freak of an athlete and he has a rocket for an arm. Tebow is built like a linebacker, but plays a quarterback on the field.
America loves Tebow. America loves a good story, especially about someone who is as likable as Tebow. Every sentence includes at least one reference to Jesus or God. With some of the wins that Tebow has pulled out, it makes you wonder if there is some higher power at work. Eventually people will look past all the window dressing and see what I've seen ever since his sophomore year at Florida:
Tebow's act will be fun for a year, but by this time next season, he will be either on the bench or fans in Denver will be calling for Brady Quinn because opponents will figure out a game plan that will stop Tebow in his tracks. Similar to the wildcat in Miami. Enjoy this ride while it lasts Tebow fans, the end is in sight.
After all of these accolades, wins, awards, and records, there were two very distinct sides in regards to the fans of Tim Tebow: You either loved him or hated him. Similar to the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, or A.J. Pierzynski. He was a very, very good college player. The offense Urban Meyer ran for him suited his talent. He was never a good passer. He threw for only 21 touchdowns his senior season and during his first three years at Florida, he was only a 65% passer. Most people thought that his skills couldn't translate to the NFL (see Eric Crouch, Vince Young, and Pat White).
I'm not questioning Tebow's running ability. I think he could be fullback similar to Mike Alstoff or a beefy running back a la Mike Tolbert. A rare blend of size and speed. But a quarterback? I think not. Going into the 2010 NFL Draft there was a disagreement even amongst "experts"
Tony Dungy said that he would take Tebow in the top 10 of the draft and the first quarterback taken (Sam Bradford went #1 that year)
Mel Kiper said that he couldn't be a full time quarterback and projected him as as second/third round pick
Denver took him 26th overall and Tebow saw limited playing time, going 1-2 as a starter. Kyle Orton was the starter opening the 2011 season but was benched at half time during week 5 with Tebow coming in to relieve him. The rest, they say, is history: Down 15 with less than 5 minutes to go against Miami, only to come back and win in overtime. A fourth-quarter drive against the Chargers to win on Thursday Night Football. He followed that up with 2 straight come-from-behind wins against the Vikings and Bears. Following the game against Chicago, Denver was 7-5 and sitting atop the AFC West.
After considering all this, I've come up with one realization. Tebow is a BAD quarterback and all of this LUCK will catch up to him. Similar to a rookie baseball player who mashes the stuffing out of the ball for the first week he's in the bigs, only to be never heard from again after the opposition figures out the hole in their swing.
On the season, Tebow is a 48.5% passer. 48.5%!!!! That is by far the worst in the NFL this season. The NFL is a passing league and you've got to put some fear in the opposition that you can actually beat them down the field. In week 7 against Kansas City, Tebow went 2-8 for 69 yards. That's only the fifth time in the last 31 years that a QB has thrown 2 or fewer passes and won the game. In week 14 against the Bears, Tebow did not complete a pass in the second and third quarters. In all but two games this season, Tebow completed fewer than 14 passes.
Like I said before, Tebow is a great runner, but he's not a quarterback. Over the long haul, he can't sustain his putrid play through 3 quarters only to pull a rabbit out of his hat at the end of the game. He has an awkward, slow, delivery. Tebow's only thrown two interceptions this season, but that's only because some of his passes are so horrible that there's not even a defender anywhere nearby.
Remeber Vince Young? He took the league by storm with his combination of running and throwing in Tennesee after dominating at Texas. Where is he now? Backing up Mike Vick in Philadelphia. Vick, on the other hand, is the sole exception to the rule. He is a freak of an athlete and he has a rocket for an arm. Tebow is built like a linebacker, but plays a quarterback on the field.
America loves Tebow. America loves a good story, especially about someone who is as likable as Tebow. Every sentence includes at least one reference to Jesus or God. With some of the wins that Tebow has pulled out, it makes you wonder if there is some higher power at work. Eventually people will look past all the window dressing and see what I've seen ever since his sophomore year at Florida:
Tebow's act will be fun for a year, but by this time next season, he will be either on the bench or fans in Denver will be calling for Brady Quinn because opponents will figure out a game plan that will stop Tebow in his tracks. Similar to the wildcat in Miami. Enjoy this ride while it lasts Tebow fans, the end is in sight.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
The Decision: Pujols Edition
Thursday morning, the news hit the wire: Albert Pujols was leaving St. Louis and signing with the LA Angels. While I am not a Cardinals fan, I am a baseball fan, and this was the biggest story of the off-season and the best player to hit the free agent market since Alex Rodriguez in 2001. Having recently moved to St. Louis, the local newspapers, radio, tv, and co-workers have discussed the pros and cons of signing Pujols. Some said the Cards needed to sign him at all costs. Some said only if the price was right. And others were more than happy to move on without him. I'll try and put a spin on "El Hombre's" decision and outline how it affects each party involved.
Angels The Angels got the big bat they needed to go with a star-studded rotation and talented, but aging, line-up. They missed out on Carl Crawford and Mark Teixera in past years, but weren't going to lose out on the biggest fish this year. Did they overpay? Probably, but if that's what it cost to have Albert trade in the Birds on the Bat for a Halo, Moreno shouldn't be second guessing himself. The Angels immediately become the favorite in the AL West, especially after stealing CJ Wilson from the division rival Rangers. Cardinal fans know what Albert brought to the city in St. Louis, and he will do something similar in LA. In addition, Pujols is tied to the organization for 10 years after the contract is of. Don't think the Angels won't milk every ounce out of Albert to bring in free agents and make public appearances to recover at least part of the $254 million they'll pay him through 2021.
PujolsA majority of Cardinal fans, and baseball fans were shocked that Pujols actually left St. Louis. Most thought his plan was to get the Marlins and Angels to submit offers to drive of the offer from the Cardinals front office. If all the stories you hear are true, Pujols had lots of reasons to accept the Angels offer. 10 years $254 million was at least 1 year and $30 million more than he was offered in St. Louis this week. This was 5 years and $134 million more than he was offered earlier this fall as well. Number two, he can take some wear and tear off his body by playing some DH. Sure he will always be remembered in St. Louis as the guy who won 2 world series, 3 MVP's, and only finished outside the top 5 in MVP voting once in 11 years, but LA presents a new challenge, a bigger market, and warmer weather in the off-season. Albert always talked about loyalty, but it's apparent that wasn't what is was all about. And I quote Dwight Schrute from the office:
"Would I ever leave this company? Look, I'm all about loyalty. In fact, I feel like part of what I'm being paid for here is my loyalty. But if there were somewhere else that valued loyalty more highly, I'm going wherever they value loyalty the most."
Well spoken Mr. Schrute.
Cardinals The cardinals are in a decent position even after losing Pujols. Allen Craig should slide into right field in May or June following off-season surgery. Berkman will move to first. Another option would be to call up the Angels and see if Mark Trumbo is available. It would be a hard pill to swallow, but Trumbo can hit and the Angels have a backlog of first baseman after Kendrys Morales returns in 2012. The red birds will get Adam Wainright back, hopefully a full season of World Series MVP David Freese, and given the have about $20 million left in the budget for the forseeable future, they should have an opportunity to sign a big bat this season (Beltran, Cuddyer) or next season (Quentin, Ethier, Hamilton).
All that being said, there are some odd facts in the Pujols decision. While Southern California is warm, it is also VERY expensive. Assuming the Cardinals best offer was $21 million per year, Pujols would have to get at least $31 million to account for the cost-of-living difference between LA and St. Louis. Pujols signed for $26 million per year. Even a non-business person can tell you that Albert is potentially earning LESS money in Cali than in Cardinal nation. This is without factoring in the additional taxes he'll be paying in Schwarzenegger-Ville.
The second, last, and most alarming point is Pujols' decrease in production in the last few years. From age 23-29, Pujols had a WAR (Wins above replacement) between 8 and 10 every year. (For reference, WAR measures the numbers of wins a player adds to his team compared to an average replacement player). This was the best in baseball over that stretch. In 2010, his WAR was 7.5. In 2011, his WAR was 5.5. According to Dan Szymborsk from ESPN, here is King ALbert's projected WAR through 2021:
2012: 6.6
2013: 5.7
2014: 5.1
2015: 4.3
2016: 3.5 (For reference, Nick Hundley added 3.4 wins for the Padres last season)
2017: 2.8
2018: 2.1
2019: 1.4
2020: .7
2021: .2
As you can see it goes down pretty fast after the first 5 seasons. Could the Angels win 5 rings? Not likely, but if Pujols even wins one in LA, no one will worry about the money. There are lots of discussions on if Pujols is actually 32, and we may never know. The Angels paid what they had to in order to get the Hall-of-Famer and the Cardinals couldn't match it.
Can you imagine a scenario in which the Angels and Cardinals face-off in the World Series in the next few years? I can, and what a spectacle that would be.
Angels The Angels got the big bat they needed to go with a star-studded rotation and talented, but aging, line-up. They missed out on Carl Crawford and Mark Teixera in past years, but weren't going to lose out on the biggest fish this year. Did they overpay? Probably, but if that's what it cost to have Albert trade in the Birds on the Bat for a Halo, Moreno shouldn't be second guessing himself. The Angels immediately become the favorite in the AL West, especially after stealing CJ Wilson from the division rival Rangers. Cardinal fans know what Albert brought to the city in St. Louis, and he will do something similar in LA. In addition, Pujols is tied to the organization for 10 years after the contract is of. Don't think the Angels won't milk every ounce out of Albert to bring in free agents and make public appearances to recover at least part of the $254 million they'll pay him through 2021.
PujolsA majority of Cardinal fans, and baseball fans were shocked that Pujols actually left St. Louis. Most thought his plan was to get the Marlins and Angels to submit offers to drive of the offer from the Cardinals front office. If all the stories you hear are true, Pujols had lots of reasons to accept the Angels offer. 10 years $254 million was at least 1 year and $30 million more than he was offered in St. Louis this week. This was 5 years and $134 million more than he was offered earlier this fall as well. Number two, he can take some wear and tear off his body by playing some DH. Sure he will always be remembered in St. Louis as the guy who won 2 world series, 3 MVP's, and only finished outside the top 5 in MVP voting once in 11 years, but LA presents a new challenge, a bigger market, and warmer weather in the off-season. Albert always talked about loyalty, but it's apparent that wasn't what is was all about. And I quote Dwight Schrute from the office:
"Would I ever leave this company? Look, I'm all about loyalty. In fact, I feel like part of what I'm being paid for here is my loyalty. But if there were somewhere else that valued loyalty more highly, I'm going wherever they value loyalty the most."
Well spoken Mr. Schrute.
Cardinals The cardinals are in a decent position even after losing Pujols. Allen Craig should slide into right field in May or June following off-season surgery. Berkman will move to first. Another option would be to call up the Angels and see if Mark Trumbo is available. It would be a hard pill to swallow, but Trumbo can hit and the Angels have a backlog of first baseman after Kendrys Morales returns in 2012. The red birds will get Adam Wainright back, hopefully a full season of World Series MVP David Freese, and given the have about $20 million left in the budget for the forseeable future, they should have an opportunity to sign a big bat this season (Beltran, Cuddyer) or next season (Quentin, Ethier, Hamilton).
All that being said, there are some odd facts in the Pujols decision. While Southern California is warm, it is also VERY expensive. Assuming the Cardinals best offer was $21 million per year, Pujols would have to get at least $31 million to account for the cost-of-living difference between LA and St. Louis. Pujols signed for $26 million per year. Even a non-business person can tell you that Albert is potentially earning LESS money in Cali than in Cardinal nation. This is without factoring in the additional taxes he'll be paying in Schwarzenegger-Ville.
The second, last, and most alarming point is Pujols' decrease in production in the last few years. From age 23-29, Pujols had a WAR (Wins above replacement) between 8 and 10 every year. (For reference, WAR measures the numbers of wins a player adds to his team compared to an average replacement player). This was the best in baseball over that stretch. In 2010, his WAR was 7.5. In 2011, his WAR was 5.5. According to Dan Szymborsk from ESPN, here is King ALbert's projected WAR through 2021:
2012: 6.6
2013: 5.7
2014: 5.1
2015: 4.3
2016: 3.5 (For reference, Nick Hundley added 3.4 wins for the Padres last season)
2017: 2.8
2018: 2.1
2019: 1.4
2020: .7
2021: .2
As you can see it goes down pretty fast after the first 5 seasons. Could the Angels win 5 rings? Not likely, but if Pujols even wins one in LA, no one will worry about the money. There are lots of discussions on if Pujols is actually 32, and we may never know. The Angels paid what they had to in order to get the Hall-of-Famer and the Cardinals couldn't match it.
Can you imagine a scenario in which the Angels and Cardinals face-off in the World Series in the next few years? I can, and what a spectacle that would be.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Why Matt Forte won't play again this season...even if he's physically able to
Chicago Bear nation all held their collective breathe around 12:30 on Sunday afternoon when Matt Forte took the ball from Caleb Hanie around the left end and was hit awkwardly on his knee by a Kansas City defender. Forte immediately clutched his knee and Bears fans feared the worst...a torn ACL. He walked off the field under his own power but was ruled out for the game shortly afterwards. Rumors swirled that Forte had indeed torn knee ligaments but that night news came out that the Bears franchise running back had just sprained his MCL and should be back in 2-4 weeks in time to hopefully save the Bears playoff aspirations. He may be physically able to play as soon as week 15, but I highly doubt we will see him again before the 2012 season...even if he is able to play.
History has proven time and time again that running backs have an extremely short life in the NFL. The most recent estimate is 2.6 years. Once a player is drafted, they play under a rookie contract for four years before being a restricted free agent. Forte is on the fourth and last year of his rookie deal and has been wanting, and deservedly so, a contract extension. Over the first 3.5 years of his career, he has averaged 1,500 yards from scrimmage 9 total touchdowns. Pretty good numbers right? His base salary over that time frame totaled $3.78 million. Meanwhile, the Bears paid Chester Taylor $7 million in 2010 for 267 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.
Many players have held out (Chris Johnson) and have gotten paid the big bucks ($30 million) and then put up a goose egg for most of the year. Others have played and acted like a disinterested baby (DeSean Jackson) and have turned his own team against him. Matt Forte knew his importance to the Bears offense and overall success of the team (46% of his teams offensive yards run through him). He didn't cry or whine and just went out and put his career and well-being out on the line for the sake of the team assuming the Bears would give him the extension he deserved.
The Bears haven't and Forte nearly had a career ending injury on a simple draw play. Fans give players a hard time for looking out for themselves, but football players, especially running backs, have to look out for #1. If I'm Matt Forte, I don't play until my knee is 110% healthy to ensure I don't put my career at unnecessary risk. Bears fans don't want to hear this but I can definitely see Forte's perspective. Say he comes back week 17, gets hit the wrong way on a not completely knee and his career ends at age 25 with slightly less than $4 million in the bank.
Come the off-season, Forte will either get the franchise tag, good for about $10 million, an extension, in the $20 million range, or get traded to him a team who will give him that extension. Forte went out on risk for the Bears, and now it's time to look out for the most important person in his life. Himself.
History has proven time and time again that running backs have an extremely short life in the NFL. The most recent estimate is 2.6 years. Once a player is drafted, they play under a rookie contract for four years before being a restricted free agent. Forte is on the fourth and last year of his rookie deal and has been wanting, and deservedly so, a contract extension. Over the first 3.5 years of his career, he has averaged 1,500 yards from scrimmage 9 total touchdowns. Pretty good numbers right? His base salary over that time frame totaled $3.78 million. Meanwhile, the Bears paid Chester Taylor $7 million in 2010 for 267 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.
Many players have held out (Chris Johnson) and have gotten paid the big bucks ($30 million) and then put up a goose egg for most of the year. Others have played and acted like a disinterested baby (DeSean Jackson) and have turned his own team against him. Matt Forte knew his importance to the Bears offense and overall success of the team (46% of his teams offensive yards run through him). He didn't cry or whine and just went out and put his career and well-being out on the line for the sake of the team assuming the Bears would give him the extension he deserved.
The Bears haven't and Forte nearly had a career ending injury on a simple draw play. Fans give players a hard time for looking out for themselves, but football players, especially running backs, have to look out for #1. If I'm Matt Forte, I don't play until my knee is 110% healthy to ensure I don't put my career at unnecessary risk. Bears fans don't want to hear this but I can definitely see Forte's perspective. Say he comes back week 17, gets hit the wrong way on a not completely knee and his career ends at age 25 with slightly less than $4 million in the bank.
Come the off-season, Forte will either get the franchise tag, good for about $10 million, an extension, in the $20 million range, or get traded to him a team who will give him that extension. Forte went out on risk for the Bears, and now it's time to look out for the most important person in his life. Himself.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Why Oklahoma State-LSU is the BEST match-up
There has been a lot, and I mean A LOT, of discussion on the BCS system and if it is the best way to determine a national champion in college football. The funny thing is that it is the ONLY sport that uses a computer to determine it's championship game. Wouldn't you think at least one other sport would do this if it was a feasible option? There have been some great games created by this system (2008, 2010), but also some yawners (2006,2007, 2009). Now, I'm 100% in favor of a playoff system in college football, but that is a blog for another time. Here's why I think that Oklahoma State, instead of Alabama, should play LSU in the B(C)S title game.
Look at some of the schools Oklahoma State has beaten this year: Texas, Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma. Their one loss was at Iowa State in double over-time a day after the Cowboys women's basketball team plane had crashed and killed multiple members of the staff. Now voters shouldn't take that into consideration, but it is worth noting.
Alabama has beaten Penn State, Arkansas, and Auburn, while losing at home vs LSU by 3. It's clear that Oklahoma State has played (and beaten) better teams than Alabama. In short, OSU has beaten 5 top 25 teams while Alabama has only defeated 2. OSU has beaten 7 teams going to a bowl game and 'Bama has only beaten 3...THREE!!!
The last point, is that we've already seen LSU-Alabama. It was November 5 and it was a pitcher's duel of a game. 9-6 LSU on a late field goal. Do we really want to see that match-up again? While I agree that the voters should vote on who are the best TEAMS, I truly think OSU is a better team. What happens if 'Bama beats LSU this time around? Is Alabama the actual national champion? LSU can claim they've already beaten the Tide once, so technically, there should be a tie-breaker.
Back in 2004, LSU defeated Oklahoma in the BCS title game. The coaches were forced to vote LSU #1 in the country, even though 3 coaches actually voted for USC, who beat Michigan State in the Rose Bowl. Even though USC was ranked #1 in both the AP and Coaches Bowl at the end of the season, the compuer matched up LSU and Oklahoma. The result was a split national title (which USC later forfeited) and much confusion on who was actually the champion.
In short, the Cowboys should be playing for the national title due to a better schedule, better wins, and the fact that Alabama already had their shot. Will the BCS make it right? We'll see at 7:15 CST tonight on ESPN.
Look at some of the schools Oklahoma State has beaten this year: Texas, Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma. Their one loss was at Iowa State in double over-time a day after the Cowboys women's basketball team plane had crashed and killed multiple members of the staff. Now voters shouldn't take that into consideration, but it is worth noting.
Alabama has beaten Penn State, Arkansas, and Auburn, while losing at home vs LSU by 3. It's clear that Oklahoma State has played (and beaten) better teams than Alabama. In short, OSU has beaten 5 top 25 teams while Alabama has only defeated 2. OSU has beaten 7 teams going to a bowl game and 'Bama has only beaten 3...THREE!!!
The last point, is that we've already seen LSU-Alabama. It was November 5 and it was a pitcher's duel of a game. 9-6 LSU on a late field goal. Do we really want to see that match-up again? While I agree that the voters should vote on who are the best TEAMS, I truly think OSU is a better team. What happens if 'Bama beats LSU this time around? Is Alabama the actual national champion? LSU can claim they've already beaten the Tide once, so technically, there should be a tie-breaker.
Back in 2004, LSU defeated Oklahoma in the BCS title game. The coaches were forced to vote LSU #1 in the country, even though 3 coaches actually voted for USC, who beat Michigan State in the Rose Bowl. Even though USC was ranked #1 in both the AP and Coaches Bowl at the end of the season, the compuer matched up LSU and Oklahoma. The result was a split national title (which USC later forfeited) and much confusion on who was actually the champion.
In short, the Cowboys should be playing for the national title due to a better schedule, better wins, and the fact that Alabama already had their shot. Will the BCS make it right? We'll see at 7:15 CST tonight on ESPN.
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