The Best Team Not To Win It All Debate, College Football Edition – Dominance Did Not Dominate For One Day

September 1, 2009

Read Bleacher Fan’s argument that the 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes were the best team not to win a championship this decade. Read Sports Geek’s argument that the 2004 Auburn Tigers were the best team not to win a championship this decade.



Winning means everything, right? The realistic goal for most teams in college football is to win enough games to reach one of the numerous bowl games on the docket. However, for some teams, the ultimate goal for the season is to not only win the conference, but also compete in and win the BCS national championship game. One team that did not reach the top of the mountain this decade was the 2005 USC Trojans.

The Trojans came into the 2005 season absolutely loaded. They returned reigning Heisman trophy winner and quarterback Matt Leinart along with running back Reggie Bush, who would win the Heisman trophy at the end of 2005. The Trojans won the national title the previous season, and they returned 14 starters from the 2004 team including running back LenDale White, wide receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith, and linebacker Darnell Bing. They came into the season on a 22 game winning streak. It should also be noted that while they had no impact on the team that year, the recruiting class for that season featured future NFL draft picks quarterback Mark Sanchez, and linebackers Brian Cushing and Ray Maualuga.

The coaching staff, in addition to head coach Pete Carroll, featured future college football head coaches in current Tennessee Volunteers head coach Lane Kiffin and current Washington Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian.

Southern Cal totally dominated the regular season. Before playing Texas in the national championship game, there was talk that USC belonged in the discussion of the greatest college football teams of all time. Why wouldn’t they be? USC won nine games by at least 17 points. They scored over 50 points an eye-popping seven times during the regular season.

The 2006 Rose Bowl promised to be one of the best college football games we would ever see. The Texas Longhorns had a fine season in their own right. Led by Heisman trophy runner-up and quarterback Vince Young, the Longhorns had run through their schedule with relative ease as they also scored over 50 points on seven different occasions. That included an absolute 70-3 annihilation of Colorado in the Big 12 championship game.

Most pundits, though taking nothing away from Texas, expected the Trojans to cap off an undefeated season with a victory over the ‘Horns. But Young had other plans, essentially putting his team on his back and willing them to a 41-38 victory. He accounted for 467 total yards in the game. I vividly remember watching the game in my living room with buddies and thinking during the game that we were watching something special. As a fan of high scoring games, it is, without a doubt, the best college football game I have ever watched.

Looking back, I still am not sure how that USC team lost. It was loaded. So many stars on one team. They just happened to play against Texas when Young had the game of his life. It seems impossible to not name the 2005 USC Trojans as the greatest college football team of the decade not to win a title.

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Posted by Loyal Homer

The Definition of Great Debate, College Football Edition – Turn On the Swag

July 9, 2009

Read Bleacher Fan’s argument that professional success defines college team greatness and Sport Geek’s argument that great is determined by statistical dominance.



First off, thanks to our friends at the Orlando Sentinel for indirectly giving us the idea to debate the definition of greatness for a college football team. Andrea Adelson wrote an article about the 2001 Miami Hurricanes defining them as the Team of the Decade. That got The Sports Debates thinking (I know what you’re thinking… here we go again). What defines the greatness of a college football team?

I really struggled with this topic. I knew immediately that I wasn’t going to argue that greatness is defined solely by the number of NFL players on the team. There are so many variables that go into that, so I could not really agree with arguing that. I think the two-headed monster of Chris Leak and Tim Tebow at quarterback for the 2006 Florida Gators was the key to that team winning the championship. But, Leak is not in the NFL (he actually plays in the Canadian Football League), and who knows what the future holds for Mr. Tebow.

I believe that the greatness of a team is defined by the attitude/swagger it shows while performing on the field. The great teams already have a big advantage over their opponents because they can intimidate them. To borrow a phrase from Bleacher Fan, “It is not what you win, but how you win it, that qualifies you for greatness!” Perhaps that quote defines greatness in college football. It apparently defines it in tennis! Maybe these “great” football teams are hard hitting and extra physical. Maybe they are explosive. Their dominance is evident when they walk on the field – while they walk on the field. Let’s take a look at some national championship teams over the past 20 years.

The 2001 Miami Hurricanes, which Ms. Adelson discussed in her article, were great. Why were they great? They had swagger. The “U” had an aura. Sure, they had nice guys on their team like Ken Dorsey, but they also had strong figures on the team like Jeremy Shockey, Jonathan Vilma, Ed Reed, and Phillip Buchanan. That was a dominant team with strong personalities on both sides of the ball.

The 2004 USC Trojans had swagger also, but in a different way. They were so explosive that they could make another team believe they had a two touchdown deficit before they even walked on the field. Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, and then-freshman Dwayne Jarrett, led the quick strike offense. The Trojans were always a serious threat to score from anywhere on the field. Looking back, the 55-19 dismantling of the Jason White-Adrian Peterson Oklahoma team in the Orange Bowl helped build this team’s reputation.

Perhaps the most impressive team Loyal Homer saw growing up was the 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers. I recall them steamrolling everyone they played, including an 62-24 thrashing of the Florida Gators in the championship game. Tommy Frazier was the driving force behind this team with Tom Osborne’s powerful option-rushing attack. Remember Frazier? I sure do. I bet Sports Geek and Bleacher Fan do as well. This team was dominant. They averaged over 53 points and 400 yards rushing per game. They beat four teams who finished ranked in the top ten that year by an average score of 49-18. Wow! Their smallest margin of victory all year was a 14 point victory over Washington State. That team definitely had swagger!

These are three championship winning teams I remember vividly from the last 20 years. And looking at all three, I remember them because they had the “IT” factor. These three teams defined their greatness with their swagger! They turned their swag on!

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Posted by Loyal Homer

The Definition of Great Debate, College Football Edition – Made From the Best Stuff on Earth

July 9, 2009

Read Loyal Homer’s argument that swagger defines great and Sports Geek’s argument that statistical dominance defines great.



Recently, our friend Andrea Adelson at the Orlando Sentinel posed a question to her readers: Which college football team in the last nine years would currently ranks as the “Team of the Decade?”

There have been some outstanding teams over the past nine years, including the 2005 Texas Longhorns, the 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes, the 2004 USC Trojans, and Adelson’s pick, the 2001 Miami Hurricanes.

During our production meeting last week we here at TSD discussed the merits of her list, and out of that discussion came an interesting debate topic for us…

What is the best criteria by which to measure the success of a college football team?

Sports Geek will argue that statistical dominance is the key (big surprise), and Loyal Homer will argue that swagger and attitude are what separates the men from the boys.

For me the answer is much simpler than stats or attitude. It all boils down to talent and success of the players at the next level, the NFL.

Keep in mind, we’re not debating what it takes to be a good college player, we are talking about choosing the “BEST” team, and just like gourmet meals are made from the best ingredients, the best team is made up of the best players.

Statistics and swagger are good, but they are merely by-products of talent, and they don’t always tell a true story. For example, the 2004 National Champion USC Trojans didn’t even crack the top-10 in total offense. You know who did? The Toledo Rockets and the Bowling Green Falcons, both out of the Mid-American Conference. Does that mean that the MAC actually had two schools that were better than USC that year? I don’t think so.

As another example, who was the best running back from the class of 2005? I bet you said Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush, didn’t you? (That’s okay, so did I.) But, he wasn’t statistically the top rusher of the year. He was actually third behind DeAngelo Williams of Memphis and Jerome Harrison of Washington State.

Surely, then, he was at least the top scorer of 2005, right?! Wrong again. In this little statistic, he doesn’t show up until eighth on the list. In fact, he wasn’t even the top scoring running back for his own school! That title actually belonged to LenDale White.

My point here is that statistics can be misleading, or that quality is more important than quantity. What is not misleading is the ability for a player (or a group of players) to consistently do what needs to be done in order to remain competitive for extended periods of time, at ANY level of competition.

Think about the teams I mentioned above as some of the best from the past decade. What made them all great was the fact that they were populated by the best players of that time. The 2001 Hurricanes had Ed Reed, Jeremy Shockey, Andre Johnson, Clinton Portis, and Kellen Winslow Jr. The 2002 Buckeyes had Maurice Clarett (ahh, what could have been), A.J. Hawk, Michael Jenkins, Chris Gamble, Mike Doss, and Will Smith. The 2004 Trojans had Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Lofa Tatupu, LenDale White, and Eric Wright. The 2005 Longhorns had Vince Young, Selvin Young, Limas Sweed, Brian Orakpo, and Justin Blalock.

These players dominated in college, and (with the exception of Clarett) moved on to successful NFL careers as well, and those names only make up a fraction of the total number of NFL caliber players who contributed to the success of those respective teams. In fact, as Adelson point, the ’01 Hurricanes actually sent 38 players from the roster to the NFL, including 17 first-round picks! It’s no accident that this team became National Champions.

It isn’t about blowing out an opponent by 50 points, dominating total passing yardage, or having the flashiest plays. The one common thread that each of these teams shared is TALENT. They had the best players in the right positions to make the plays needed to win.

Think about the Texas vs. Ohio State game of 2005. In that game, The Ohio State Buckeyes were driving late in the game and were ready to go ahead by 10 points. Unfortunately for the Buckeye faithful, Tight End Ryan Hamby (who?) ended up dropping a sure touchdown pass from Quarterback Justin Zwick (who?) in the endzone, and the Buckeyes had to settle for a field goal, giving them only a six point lead.

In response, the Longhorns (led by the superior talent named above) were able to march down the field and take the lead from Ohio State with only 2 minutes left in the game, thanks to a TD pass from Vince Young to Limas Sweed. That touchdown ended up being the difference maker as the Longhorns would close out that game and go on to defeat the USC Trojans in the National Championship game later that year.

What made the difference? The Longhorn talent was able to execute under pressure where the Buckeye players could not. Texas didn’t dominate the game statistically, they just did enough to win the game, and at the end of the day, that’s ALL that matters.

The best teams are the ones that are made up of the best players… end of debate!

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Posted by Bleacher Fan

The NCAA Recruiting Rules Debate – The Verdict

June 17, 2009

Read the Loyal Homer and Sports Geek’s opinion.



Well, nobody ponied up with the Krispy Kremes, so don’t blame me if you don’t like the verdict!

Before I declare the winner I have to get something off my chest – I do not like the current state of the NCAA one bit.

I can tolerate professional sports organizations – like the NFL, MLB, or NBA – working loopholes and angles to try and gain a competitive edge. I can tolerate multi-million dollar deals to bring in high-priced talent. These are legitimate businesses that are entitled to do what they can to try and make as much money as the market will tolerate.

The NCAA is NOT, however, a business. It was commissioned by President Teddy Roosevelt in response to the numerous injuries and deaths resulting from the game of football at the time. The purpose was to establish a governing body that would create and enforce rules to protect the players and the games. The NCAA is FAILING in that mission right now. Vacating wins is the most foolish and useless punishment that I have ever heard! Who cares that Alabama’s 2005 football record is going to be altered?! That’s not a punishment.

I like Sports Geek’s sentiment that punishments should be leveled at coaches and boosters. To take it one step further, they should also be leveled against the PLAYERS! Is Reggie Bush suffering for his violations? How about O.J. Mayo, or Derrick Rose? Do you think ANY of them care at all about what happens to their respective universities?

Before you can change the behavior, you have to change the mindset. Don’t give me the excuse that O.J. Mayo was just a kid getting money shoved in his face, and that he didn’t know any better, or that he was being taken advantage of. If someone shoved a sack full of cash in my hand for something that was against the rules when I was a 17 year-old kid I would have known EXACTLY what I was doing. Give the students, coaches, and boosters a reason to think twice before taking part in that activity.

Maybe I’m an idealist (or an idiot). To me college athletics are supposed to be about the spirit of competition. As a fan, I take pride when The Ohio State University shows up on a Saturday and routs “that school up North” (6 years and counting!!!). I like to think that it’s because the guys on the field believe in their team, and enjoy the majesty of the greatest rivalry in college football. I like to think that the players on MY team want to be a part of the history that is Ohio State vs. Michigan. I DON’T want to think that my team just has better cash, cars, and no-show jobs.

All ranting aside, it’s time to announce the winner…

SPORTS GEEK!!!!!!

While I disagree with Sports Geek’s sentiment that these student-athletes are being exploited (I don’t see Derrick Rose suffering for having been “exploited”), the argument does raise a very important point – the rules are not the problem.

I do not agree with Loyal Homer’s argument of winning at all cost. I think, in the interest of competition, rules have to be created and adhered to. The same principles that govern a successful business can apply just as effectively in collegiate athletics. That is, the idea that FAIR competition ultimately breeds success. Fair competition is what allows two people, teams, or organizations to evaluate and determine which side is better.

Loyal Homer does raise a valid point, though… ARE there any clean programs out there? The more I hear of these violations, the less I can comfortably believe in the idea that there are.

Last, I want to thank Sports Geek and Loyal Homer for coming on the show!

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Posted by Bleacher Fan

The NCAA Recruiting Rules Debate – Does the NCAA Need Recruiting Rules?

June 16, 2009

Read Sport Geek and Loyal Homer’s opinions.



Psst…

Hey…

I can hook it up so that you can meet Sports Geek face to face! Exciting, isn’t it?! I KNOW! Well, I can make that happen for you. All YOU have to do is commit to reading our site every day for the next year. If you can do that for us, I can make your WILDEST dreams come true!!!

Okay, maybe meeting Sports Geek isn’t one of your wildest dreams (sorry to crush your ego, Sports Geek), but it seems like there’s been a lot of recruiting wheelin’ and dealin’ going on in the NCAA lately, and I just felt like joining in on the fun!

The NCAA has been handing down penalties to some of the major sports programs in college athletics. Allegations of recruiting violations are flying around, and someone’s going to lose an eye if people don’t start being more careful!

Let’s run down the NCAA recruiting drama of the past few weeks:

  1. Men’s Basketball Coach John Calipari and the Memphis Tigers – Calipari is currently under investigation for “knowing fraudulence or misconduct” on a player’s SAT exam from the 2007-2008 season. It is believed that the player in question is current Chicago Bulls star point guard Derrick Rose.
  2. Tim Floyd resigns from USC – Under allegations of bribery in the recruiting of current Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo in 2007, Tim Floyd decided to step down from his position as the head coach of the USC Trojans Men’s Basketball Team.
  3. The Alabama Crimson Tide must vacate football wins – Following reports that student-athletes – from 16 different athletic programs within the University of Alabama – participated in a textbook scandal, several punishments were leveled on the Crimson Tide. The most severe of these penalties is reserved for the football program, which will be force to vacate 21 wins from the 2005 season through the 2007 season. The school is also being placed on probation until June of 2012.

While those have been the most recent examples of excitement stemming from recruiting violations, let’s not forget some of our favorites. We have The Ohio State University’s spree of 13 reported violations during the 2007-2008 school year. Is it just me, or did people magically forget about the alleged recruiting violations regarding New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush at USC. (It’s beginning to seem like USC running backs can even get away with murder, right O.J. Simpson?!… thanks for that one Nick!)

Whatever your violation of choice, it seems there is a recruiting violation on the market for everyone right now. With all of these violations, we here at TSD World Headquarters began asking ourselves :

“Should the NCAA even BOTHER with these recruiting rules anymore?” (nice segue, huh?!)

With the seemingly constant barrage of new violations, claims of bribery, no-show jobs, free textbooks, SAT cheating, two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese… sorry, I lost control for a moment…

Anyway, with all the reports of violations, it begs the question of whether or not these rules serve their intended purpose. So, our crack squad of debaters has assembled here at TSD, and we intend to find out!

Sports Geek will argue that, yes, the rules do still serve a very valuable purpose.

Loyal Homer will argue that, no, the NCAA shouldn’t even bother with these rules because they aren’t being followed anyway.

With that, the debate begins (although the ruling can be bought for a dozen Krispy Kreme’s!).

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Posted by Bleacher Fan

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