Access change makes Rose Bowl like others

Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com's story on changes towards the Rose Bowl and the BCS. Enjoy…

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Here in Big Ten country, we've grown up believing that the Rose Bowl is different from all other bowls. It's special. It's in a class of its own. There's no shortage of reasons why: longevity, history, tradition, pageantry. Heisman Trophy winners and Hall of Fame coaches. Unforgettable plays and finishes. Or, you can simply watch the sun set over the San Gabriel Mountains during the second half of a Rose Bowl game. That's all the evidence I need. The Rose Bowl also has stood out from the other bowls because of its ties to both the Big Ten and the Pac-10. The relationships with the bowl tick off fans from other parts of the country as well as some media members, but they're treasured by the two leagues. As the 2010 football season dawns, it's important to remind everyone that access to the Rose Bowl is changing during the next BCS cycle (2010-2013 seasons). Beginning this fall, the first time the Rose Bowl loses the Big Ten champ or Pac-10 champ to the BCS title game, it must take a team from a non-automatic qualifying conference if that team earns a BCS berth. This can only happen once during the BCS cycle, but it's likely. Ready for TCU-Iowa in the Granddaddy? What about Boise State-Oregon State? "The commissioners felt like if the other bowls are in position every year to have non-AQ team, the Rose Bowl should be in a similar position," BCS executive director Bill Hancock said. "The Big Ten, Rose Bowl and Pac-10 agreed, 'We need to share.'" Sharing the Rose Bowl? Somewhere, Bo and Woody might be shaking their heads. But that's the way it goes these days. Scott McKibben hadn't taken his post as executive director of the Tournament of Roses committee when the access change took place, but he backs the new policy. "If we believe in the bowl system and the BCS and where that all is headed for our future, we really felt like we needed to participate in that also," McKibben told me this week. "It allows an opportunity for a team that might not in a typical year [be selected] to come to the Rose Bowl. Our feeling is, 'Hey, if it's good for college football and good for the bowl system, we certainly want to support it.'" Was there any resistance, specifically from the Big Ten? Hancock never saw any in a public forum. McKibben said commissioners Jim Delany (Big Ten) or Larry Scott (Pac-10) haven't brought up the access change during McKibben's nine months on the job. We might only find out how the leagues really feel the first time a non-BCS team heads to Pasadena. This much seems clear: the days of the Big Ten nudging a 9-3 Illinois team ranked 13th in the final BCS standings toward Pasadena might be over. At least for this BCS cycle. "College football is an ongoing evaluation process, as we learned," McKibben said. "Do I feel this is probably something that will go on into the future? I would say yes. But do we know for sure? No. We'll know more after we finish the [current] cycle and we sit in a room and talk about it."

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USC's attempt to please NCAA could be trouble for Lane Kiffin - Andy Staples - SI.com

I could not resist, especially after so many appropriate Godfather references...


USC's attempt to please NCAA could be trouble for Lane Kiffin - Andy Staples - SI.com

Tony Gerdeman of The-Ozone.net: Weeks One Through Four

I always enjoy reading Tony Gerdeman's columns on the-ozone.net, especially during football season. Gerdeman has written up an analysis of upcoming games this season. Enjoy.

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2010 Football Season Viewing Primer - Weeks One through Four
By Tony Gerdeman

It's the middle of summer and we're all busy. Those honey-do lists keep on coming, but that doesn't mean there isn't football to look forward to, and if you don't know what the future holds, it makes it nearly impossible to procrastinate properly. So what we've decided to do is give you a weekly primer for the entire college football season so that you can properly assess and set your honey-do deadlines.

For example, if you're not all that into the matchups in week six, just tell your wife, “Honey, I'll have the garage cleaned and the bonus room finished and painted by October 9th.” Then when October 9th finally gets here, you can go ahead and do your chores on that Saturday because you've determined that you can afford to miss that day's football.

This primer also works for RSVPs and weddings. Got a wedding invitation? Scroll down and see who's playing and whether or not your spouse is going to be flying solo while you're staying home with a case of the 12-hour football flu.

There are other uses for this primer as well. Possibly even jury duty depending on the judge. The possibilities are only as limited as your imagination. Enjoy!

Week One – September 4

National Game of the Week -Boise State vs Virginia Tech (Landover, MD) (Monday September 6).

One way or another, a team that is annually talked about as a championship possibility will see their hopes come crashing down just like they deserve to be.

Underrated Game of the Week - TCU vs Oregon State (Arlington, TX)

With a Beaver win, we could spend the entire year not having to hear about non-BCS schools' and their chances of playing in the BCS Championship Game. Of course, we'll instead have to hear about how unfair it is that one loss effectively eliminates them.

Overrated Game of the Week - North Carolina vs LSU (Atlanta, GA)

This game will be 7-3 at the half, and it won't matter who has the seven because a defensive score in the second half will ultimately win the game for somebody. Probably LSU.

Big Ten Game of the Week - Connecticut at Michigan

For me, there aren't many more intriguing games in the non-conference schedule than this one. If Michigan loses, it's over.

Other Games of Note

Southern Mississippi at South Carolina (Thursday); Washington at BYU; Pitt at Utah (Thursday); Marshall at Ohio State (Thursday).

It will be interesting to see the Big Ten Network's ratings following the Ohio State game. I'm expecting their best numbers ever. Better break out that checkbook, Rotel!

Week Two – September 11

National Game of the Week - Penn State at Alabama

These two teams have a bit of a history, and it has nothing to do with Joe Paterno and Bear Bryant being the same age.

Underrated Game of the Week - Florida State at Oklahoma

It's only July and I'm already buying into the Seminole hype. “Buy high, sell low”, I always say.

Overrated Game of the Week - Georgia at South Carolina

An SEC East game that doesn't feature Florida or a yapping Lane Kiffin? Yawn.

Big Ten Game of the Week- Miami at Ohio State

The only reason this wasn't the National Game of the Week is because Miami just doesn't have enough history behind it. Though Kirk Herbstreit will tell you the one way to negate history is with swagger. But it takes an awful lot of swagger to counter history. Though swagger and speed trump history. Unless, of course, history also has speed or swagger. It's like the Rock, Paper, Scissors of ESPN analysis. History beats Swagger, Swagger beats Speed, Speed beats History.

Other Games of Note

Oregon at Tennessee; Michigan at Notre Dame.

There are few rivalries I enjoy more than Michigan vs Notre Dame. It's a three-and-a-half hour misery party every year. Somebody on that field is always unhappy. It's like having a schadenfreude IV drip. Along with a schadenfreude patch and some schadenfreude gum.

Week Three – September 18

National Game of the Week - Iowa at Arizona

This game will sneak up on Iowa fans like a cat stalking imaginary prey. Then somebody will sneeze and the cat will go tearing off upstairs. I don't know who's who in this analogy. I think Ricky Stanzi might be the sneeze though.

Underrated Game of the Week - Clemson at Auburn

I understand if you don't care about this game, but I want to see Tajh Boyd at quarterback for Clemson against a defense that hates playing defense.

Overrated Game of the Week - USC at Minnesota

I admire Tim Brewster for his unmitigated gall in scheduling this game, but couldn't he have just taken a holier-than-thou shot at Michigan like Mark Dantonio always does instead?

Big Ten Game of the Week - Notre Dame at Michigan State

I can't remember the last time this game wasn't entertaining. I'll guess 1982.

Other Games of Note

Florida at Tennessee; Baylor at TCU; Nebraska at Washington; Georgia Tech at North Carolina; BYU at Florida State; Ohio at Ohio State.

Well, if Derek Dooley wants to make a splash at Tennessee, then beating Florida would be a 30-meter belly smacker with subsequent broken ribs and liquified sternum.

Week Four – September 25

National Game of the Week - Alabama at Arkansas

I've already called this game as a loss for Alabama, so I'm sort of hitched to this puppy now.

Underrated Game of the Week - Stanford at Notre Dame

You know Jim Harbaugh is gonna pop off at some point.

Overrated Game of the Week - West Virginia at LSU

To me, LSU is West Virginia with a new porch and trampoline in the side yard that ISN'T homemade.

Big Ten Game of the Week - Temple at Penn State

Yeah, it's a pretty bad week in the conference, though this could be Al Golden's audition for Joe Paterno's job in 2017.

Other Games of Note

South Carolina at Auburn; Oklahoma at Cincinnati; Miami at Pitt (Thursday); Oregon State at Boise State; Eastern Michigan at Ohio State.

Just think, if all goes well, the Oregon State – Boise State game won't even matter.