Movin' to Miami, gonna eat a lot of ORANGES

Apparently, not very many people agree with Tim and me that Kansas deserves a shot at a national title. Well, Howard Schellenberger, Florida Atlantic's head coach, voted Kansas second. You may remember Schellenberger from his bizarre one year stint at Oklahoma in the 90s (when OU stunk - that was weird wasn't it?), but he also built the Louisville and Miami football programs, which is a good thing I guess.

I'm not angry about KU not playing for a title; the point wasn't that KU was one of the two best teams, but that the system is arbitrary and stupid, and that everyone would love to have a playoff. I give up though, this is what we have. KU has smart people that know how the game is played, and they can schedule with the BCS in mind. Next year, KU goes to South Florida in September, and will play Texas and Oklahoma. That's plenty, now they just have to win all those games.

But the system is stupid right? Last night the Patriots pulled out a late win to clinch a place in the "Super" Bowl, likely against Dallas. Other potential match-ups are the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers, which would showcase two of the better quarterbacks in the league; the San Diego Chargers have grabbed control of the AFC West and will likely face the Seahawks, though a game with a fellow AFC team like the Jaguars is possible. See how stupid that would be? Oh well.

KU got a great deal. The Jayhawks are going to the Orange Bowl, a game that means a ton to its fanbase, is played in primetime all by itself on January 3rd, and is in fabulously warm Miami. One of my first memories of KU football was at an ESPN Thursday night game against Cal back in 1992. When KU scored early in the game, oranges flew out of the stands and onto the field, as (very optimistic) KU fans were hoping for a Big 8 championship and the automatic trip to the Orange Bowl (KU finished 8-4 winning the Aloha Bowl, the only bowl Glen Mason was allowed to attend for some reason). For some reason, the Big 12 champ now goes to the Fiesta Bowl, and the ACC champ goes to Miami. Nothing is sacred.

I know Mizzou fans are screaming (more than usual at least) that KU completely benefited from this "screwed up" system. I have seen Mizzou fans posting on the Miami Herald website, on Virginia Tech football message boards, the Kansas City Star, and of course their own and KU message boards. They're all screaming about KU's fraudulent selection to the Orange Bowl. You guys are retarded. Mizzou's beef isn't with Kansas (any more than usual at least), who at 11-1 deserves to be in. Your beef is with the stupid BCS, just like everyone else. Illinois is in the Rose Bowl, and MU beat them head-to-head. Yes, MU also beat KU, but Illinois has 3 losses! Three! They're Texas Tech with a win over an overrated Ohio State (but I repeat myself). West Virginia is the biggest bunch of chokers in the world, why are they in over Mizzou? Winning the the Big East gets an automatic bid? Why, because they beat UConn and Rutgers?

Besides, once you steal an election in Kansas that determines whether or not that state will allow people to own other people, which then leads to several years of bloodshed in that state, as well as a massive war throughout the continent, you have to wait at least 200 years before bitching about your football team being shafted by Kansas. So, come back in 2070 Mizzou fans.

Why did the Orange Bowl select Kansas? I don't know. Why did Robert E. Lee abandon his brilliant defensive war at Gettysburg and send a massive frontal assault across a mile of open ground against a superior Union force that had the high ground? Why did Hitler invade Russia knowing that Napoleon tried the same thing, and despite being the most brilliant military mind in Europe, had his French Army utterly destroyed? Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor when the key to the US Navy, its aircraft carriers, were safe and out at sea? I don't know why these things happen, I'm just grateful that things worked out for the best.

I'm tired of Mizzou though. It's as if KU fans are obsessed with Mizzou, without regard for their own team, and vice versa (hahaha my blog is called Missouri Sucks I'm obsessed hahahah). KU is going to a great bowl. Mangino gets a month with his team, which is just gold. They have a great chance to build huge momentum to take into spring practice and into next year. With the Border War game at Arrowhead, and a huge game with #3 Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl, KU will have gained a ton of experience in playing big games at neutral sites in front of a nationwide television audience.

I watched Mangino's television show last week, after the Mizzou game, and came away feeling great about the team. Mangino was clearly not happy. He's not sitting on 11-1. He's scheming about how to beat Mizzou. It has to kill him that he's lost the big game two years in a row. He repeated a few times that KU just wasn't able to get pressure on Chase Daniel, which killed KU. He knows he doesn't have the defensive line that he needs, and I bet he fixes that by next year.

So we have a month until the game. We'll look at Virginia Tech, we'll look at the past season, and probably some recruiting. There's also some basketball going on I think, so maybe we'll cover that as well.

BCS BS

Guest blogger Tim told you this would happen with this post. He knew this would happen. He was so worked up about it, he had to volunteer a long post about the Ohio State nonsense. I'm sure the fact that he is a Michigan alum has nothing to do with his feelings on the Buckeyes.

This BCS crap makes me angry. When it was other schools getting the shaft, I didn't really care as much. Sure, maybe last year Michigan deserved another shot, but they lost to Ohio State. Auburn was undefeated in 2004, as was Utah. But I watched Southern Cal, and they seemed to be the best team.

That's why this is insane. People all over the country watch the games and write articles and blogs on who they think is the better team. This happens in every sport. All sports have so-called power rankings and endless speculation by sportswriters.

But in college football, those opinions determine the championship. Do I think Georgia or LSU would beat Kansas? Honestly, yes. I think they would be too much for the Jayhawks. But I want to see the game so I know Georgia is better. This isn't some hypothetical discussion where we're comparing the 1985 Bears to the 1989 49ers. These teams exist! They are all sitting around right now! We could, you know, get them on airplanes, sell tickets, and have them play each other!

Where is the tradition poll posted?

The greatest thing is Kansas gets hosed. Usually there's a good excuse to exclude the team the voters don't think should win the title. There are two other teams with one loss, for example. Or, there are three or more undefeated teams, so the people can pick who they want. But this year, KU will just get flat out ignored. What, KU has one-loss and plays in a BCS conference? We don't care, screw you.

But KU hasn't played anyone! This is true. But KU's loss was to top 10 Mizzou at a neutral site. Side note: nice job against Oklahoma! Really broke my heart to see you fall down like that after your fine victory and classy celebrations last week in Kansas City.

Ohio State gets a free pass, because they have history. What the fuck is that? Is this Europe? We don't have inherited titles here in America, oh Lord Tressel of stink Columbusland. Since Archie Griffin went to OSU, they get ahead of KU in line? Gale Sayers will come to your house Archie and kick your ass.

For the record, here's Ohio State's schedule:

Win over Youngstown State (7-4 - Gateway Conference) 38-6
Win over Akron (4-8 - MAC) 20-2
Win @ UW (4-8) 33-14 (currently winning at Hawaii)
Win over Northwestern (6-6) 58-7
Win @ Minnesota (1-11) 30-7
Win @ Purdue (7-5) 23-7
Win over Kent State (3-9 - MAC) 48-3
Win vs Mich State (7-5) 24-17
Win @ Penn State (8-4) 37-17
Win vs. Wisconsin (9-3) 38-17
Loss to Illinois (9-3) 28-21
Win @ Michigan (8-4) 14-3

The wins @ Michigan, vs. Wisconsin, and @ Penn State are at least as good as any win KU has. I think Ohio State should be in the title game, against KU. Can't say KU deserves to be in over Ohio State, but can't really say that Ohio State deserves to be in over KU either.

Which win really separates Ohio State from Kansas? @ Penn State? Come on. Would Penn State go to Stillwater and win? Would Wisconsin? Who knows?

Play it off you morons. It'd be the biggest deal ever. I promise. 8 teams, 16 teams, don't care. You'd have 7 games that matter, rather than one title game and a bunch of consolation bowls like now. Take the 6 conference champs (Big 12, Big East, Big 10, ACC, PAC 10, SEC), and two at-large. There'd still be plenty to write about loser writers. Who gets the at-larges? Hawaii? Kansas? Georgia? Missouri?

Sadly, it'd probably be Florida picked. The best 3-loss team in the history of football.