FINALLY!  A "Tell It To Tim" I can blog about.

Y'all have seen me here with the NFL Picks blog entries, but my true passion is College Football.  How much do I love it?  Well, would you....

 - Fly from DFW to Seattle watch a Pacific-10 Conference game (USC-Washington), even though the team you root for (LSU) is in the Southeastern Conference? (September 2007)

 - Wear LSU gear to the above Pac-10 game, illiciting stares from practically everyone there, and jeers from some USC fans who didn't care for LSU or the SEC?

 - Call your parents from Greece (knowing the seven-hour time difference) and ask them to put the TV on to tell you what the score of the Florida-Georgia Game is? (October 2007)

 - Set your Wake-up Time in your hotel in Paris, France to check the Auburn-LSU game score, then rush to get ready for your flight after that because you spent time hollering so loudly you almost woke up the entire hotel after finding out LSU won in Overtime?  (October 2005)

Okay, enough.  You can see the passion.  Or the craziness.  Speaking of which, let's talk about the Bowl Championship Series (BCS)....

First:  Tim, it's NOT "a computer" that produces the rankings.  I love ya, but get that fact straight.

The rankings, which, by the way, are compiled, produced and posted for release right here in the Metroplex for the BCS by the Irving-based National Football Foundation, are actually a composite score of averages from three sources:

1.  Harris Interactive Poll - A human-based poll administered by a "panel" of former college athletes, coaches, administrators, and curent and former media.  

2.  USA Today Coaches' Poll - A human-based poll administered by a "panel" of current college coaches.  That's right, the coaches vote for teams, including their own.  (Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops did not vote in this week's poll, nor did his brother, Arizona Coach Mike Stoops, citing the need for impartiality.) 

3.  Six different computer models - The six computer ranking providers are Anderson & Hester, Richard Billingsley, Colley Matrix, Kenneth Massey, Jeff Sagarin and Peter Wolfe. Each computer ranking provider takes a team's Strength of Schedule (whether they are playing quality teams or cupcakes to get their wins) within their formulas.

The highest and lowest of those averages are dropped, therefore, only four of the six computer models are used for each team's computer-based average for any single week .

Each source above counts for one-third of a team's BCS score, which then are totaled and arranged in descending order from first to last.

In other words, it's an average.  Of an average.

Those of us who crunch numbers for a living (present company included) will tell you right off that doing this is extremely wonky.  When you cook numbers down in this fashion, you don't get a true apples-to-apples comparison of the data segments you're looking for. 

ESPN College Gameday this past Saturday profiled all of the computer ranking providers except Wolfe, who declined to be interviewed.  They aren't your typical computer geeks.  These guys like sports, and just add their love for math to it.  One is a Medical Doctor (Wolfe), one is a speechwriter who works in the DC Beltway (Anderson of Anderson and Hester), and one is a retired business consultant with no formal college education (Billingsley).

Here is the link to that segment:   http://videos.espn.com/m/video/21537069/behind_the_bc
s_rankings.htm?pageid=14063  

The most notable of the providers is Sagarin, who has been at this the longest.  His rankings on many sports are found in USA Today.  http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt08.htm <
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Second:  While everyone don't like that this system is how we determine an in-essence Mythical National Champion, it's better than where we were 10-20 years ago.  The system gets things right much more than in the past.  And the top two teams according to the system get to play in a Championship Game.

Third:  The current BCS rulemakers (the college and university leaders, the commissioners of the conferences, and the media providers, of which Fox are included) love the system because it places a greater emphasis on the Regular Season.  And the system retains all of the traditional Bowl Games we know and love.

Every game matters.  Every game counts.  Lose, and possibly miss out on the chance to play for the title.  There is a playoff-like atmosphere every week. 

That kind of environment can make you do things like fly to Seattle to see teams from another conference (USC were ranked #1 and LSU #2 at the time), call parents from 7500 miles away to check on scores, or wake up an entire hotel in France.  Although I don't know anyone who has done anything like that.  Do you?

Even a matchup between Louisiana Tech at Hawaii in Mid-September means something in the BCS Standings to someone in West Virginia or Nebraska.  Look at Saturday's Oklahoma-Oklahoma State Game.  Played in Late November, in Primetime, during Sweeps, on Thanksgiving Weekend.  Usually Saturday Night programming doesn't amount to much, but it did to many this past weekend. 

With a $17 Million payout, (and for a second team from the same conference, an additional $4.5 Million) you want to know whether your team will get to a BCS game.  The Baylor-Texas Tech Game on Saturday was just as important as the Bedlam Game (OU-OSU).

Baylor.  This is NOT, REPEAT, NOT a typo.

Baylor.

When were THEY last relevant to anything concerned with College Football?  Mike Singletary's time, you say?

They have a dynamic and talented Quarterback now, and nearly pulled off the upset in Lubbock.  In fact, had they won, Texas would have been declared the Champion of the Big 12 South Division, and we wouldn't be having this debate over Texas and OU.  That's how relevant Baylor were to the BCS this year.

Bowl Games are still important in the eyes of many - even the Independence Bowl in Shreveport gets some love, because cities will have an influx of tourist fans and athletes to spend money there.  Companies like PetroSun will have an outlet to advertise.  The networks will have an outlet to advertise programming and products. 

Fourth:  The aforementioned school administrators don't want Football Season to carry on into the Spring Semester, citing the need to protect the student-athletes.  Therefore, the season has to end in Early January.  So this system will remain in place until at the earliest, 2015, based on the contracts and agreements signed this year.

Barack Obama, on Election Day, even argued for a playoff, which I thought was shrewd and very cool of him.  But even after he takes office, he stands a much better chance of reaching Peace Accords with Iran, Pakistan, and North Korea, and improving relations with Venezuela, Syria, and Cuba, than he does of changing the BCS into a playoff.

Will it ever change?  Maybe.  But not right now.  So we have to enjoy it as best as we possibly can until then.  On January 7 of this year, I certainly did, when LSU won it all.

Okay everyone, this is your time to chime in.  Discuss and debate. Tell It To Tim.

2008 Championship Final Standings

OFFICIAL 2008 CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
EXPRESS JET PRO MODIFIEDS
1. 5 JC Umscheid, Alvarado , TX.
2. 26 Robert Slezinsky.
3. 22 John Paul Kliewer, Boerne , TX.
4. 19 Marc Madison, Tioga , TX.
5. 78 Greg Baber, Uvalde , TX.
6. 48 Rick Wycough, Richardson, TX.
7. 44 HE Naumann, Del Valle , TX.
8. 7 Tuffy Hudson ,
9. 42 Juston Long
10. 9 Ian Webster, Spring, TX.

---

OFFICIAL 2008 CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
EXPRESS JET PRO MODIFIEDS
1. 5 JC Umscheid, Alvarado , TX.
2. 19 Marc Madison, Tioga , TX.
3. 98 Jay Guthrie , Dallas , TX ,
4. 42 Juston Long ,
5. 13 David Rose ,
6. 48 Rick Wycough, Richardson, TX.
7. 88 Larry Hughes , TX.
8. 06 Nichole Torrez ,

Hope everybody's had as blessed a holiday weekend as I have.  We enjoyed time with out-of-town friends and experienced, for the first time, the joy of a daughter returning from college for Thanksgiving.  She even brought along a couple of friends.  Wow,  what  a festive full house.

    Anyway,  I hope you'll tune in for Sports Sunday at 10pm this week.  We have tons to talk about with Everson Walls, the former Cowboy great.  Everson's an old FOX 4 friend, as he spent several years as an analyst on our expanded broadcasts.  He's been best known in recent years as the man who so unselfishly donated a kidney to his friend Ron Springs.    We'll talk lots of Cowboy football and,  I suspect touch on some of the more important things in life with Everson as well.

SPORTS SUNDAY AT 10PM ON FOX 4!

Terrell Owens said "they unleashed me" after his 213 yard receiving performance last Sunday against San Francisco.  On Thanksgiving day the Cowboys unleashed their defense against the Seattle Seahawks.  I know that the Niners and the Seahawks are bad teams but the victories gave the Cowboys a  much needed confident boost.  You have to admit the seven sacks by the defense were impressive.  Let's see now what the Boys can do in the month of December.  The whole season depends on them doing well.  I think they will as long as everyone is "unleashed".

HEY ! ......YOU GUYS over there with the mutt....CARRY YOUR AZZ BACK HOME WITH THE WORST RIVALRY LOSS IN 111 YRS (48-0 IN 1898) ......CHEAP SHOTS, DIRTY PLAY,  A BACK UP QB, AND A HOST OF TAUNTING WON'T STOP THE REAL MC COY. ( even the second string embarrased y'all) GUESS THE ECONOMY WAS TO TIGHT THIS YEAR TO PAY FOR THIS ONE AYE BOYS? THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DISRESPECT IN HOME OF THE BIG MAC! !  THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU MESS WITH THE BULL, YOU GET THE HORNS . HOOKEM BABY! ! 49-9! !

My buddy Keith was sandbagging last Friday night at Careciple -- our monthly Bible study and fellowship get-together with church friends.  I asked him how deer hunting was going -- and he poor-mouthed it.  To hear him tell the tale he didn't have much of a chance of putting any venison in the freezer this year.  Oh, he told me dejectedly, he'd seen some deer but not ones he'd want to shoot.  He was planning to go back and hunt a few more days, beginning at a friend's place and then he'd hunt his own property south of San Angelo for a couple more.  He was almost sure, he told me, that this year just wasn't going to be very productive.  Long sigh.

Of course, a couple days later I get this picture from him.

Now my buddy's biggest problem will be talking his lovely bride Lois into letting him get another mount for the house.  I think she's about to draw the line - if she hasn't already.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Rich 

First of all I want to say to everybody...Happy Holidays....And have a safe Thanksgiving......And what better holiday to watch football.....Eating..and watching my Boyz play.....A good Combo.....I went 4-2..last week...Romo...is getting better....Is a short week....and here are my picks......

1.) Eagles over Cardinals.......... Is getting worse in Philly...but they will turn it around at home agianst the Cards....It will be to late...but a win is a win....

2.) Cowboys over Seahawks........ I've been waiting for this game....I want the Cowboys to murder these Hawks..for what they have done to us 2 years ago.....I want Romo to throw 5 TD's......I want the D....To get 5 to 7 sacks.....I want them to suffer.......

3.) Steelers over Patriots....... Matt Cassel you're 400 yds streak ends this sunday.....For Sure....

4.) Texans over Jaguars....... Houston....Wins.....!

5.) Chargers over Falcons....... Chargers You Have To Beat The Falcons.....If You Want A Chance At The Playoff Spot......

6.) Giants over Redskins....... Sorry Redskins...you dont win this game....Is not going to happen....Eli....he is the Real Deal.....

Short Week,......We have to win.....Next...We got the Steelers.......But we will be ready for them.....HAPPY THANKSGIVING.......

Friends:

       Mr.Jerry Jone$...  you know what you got to do. Get in- line  with the rest of the bums who are asking for money to be bailed out. GM, Ford, and don't forget AIG. 

          I don't even know what 350 million dollars looks like?

Dude, it’s just not that good. Until the moron on the Segway shows up, whereupon it turns awesome.

Can a moron spinning out into donuts provide four and a half solid minutes of entertaintment? Yes. click on graffic also

TO gets a big day...offense struggles. Marion played his heart out, again.

Defense was scary at the beginning, but settled down. Big plays were good.

Anyone but me concerned for the running game and overall offense.

Seattle looks like they can be taken.  The next four after that are big games against some quality teams.

We will see how bad this team wants to win.

Tell me what you think...

   Given my prognostication track record, it's not often that a Cowboy game goes pretty much the way I predict it will.  But Sunday morning,  I called Dallas 34, SF 20.  I missed the point spread by one,  with the 35-22 Cowboy win.

   Of course,  Terrell Owens grabs the headlines from this one.  T.O. was mouthy during the week.  On NFL network,  questioning the way he's used in this offense.  Then Sunday, he goes out and has a 213 yard day.  His touchdown catch/run showed that Owens is still one of the strongest receivers in the league.

    I defend T.O. a lot.  I thought signing him was a good idea.  Still do.  But to come out AFTER A WIN,  and complain about the way your offense is structured?  That shows no class.   And there's no way that Jason Garrett changed one thing in the Dallas gameplan based on any Owens interview.

    T.O. remains a talented player.  Even in his mid-thirties,  Owens is a special weapon for an offense.   The Cowboys are fortunate to have him.  They're even luckier that a couple of grown-ups work in important positions supporting him.  Tony Romo and Jason Garrett refuse to play T.O.'s game.   They take the high road.   Even after 200 yard receiving games,  Owens should try the same road sometime. 

Cowboys up 22-6 at the half in a game that could have been a whole lot closer than it is.

  Headlines:  T.O. is on the receiving end of two big plays..one of them a 75 yard touchdown..the other a 35 yard completion that helps set up another TD.  Rookie tight end Martellus Bennett with a one yard reception for that score.

   Bennett will be mocked by teammates for his "unusual" touchdown dance.   The rookie TE is scheduled to be in studio with me tonight on Sports Sunday at 10.

   When Carlos Polk blocked a punt out of the back of the end zone for a safety,  it was the first time a Cowboy had done that since Ike Holt in 1992.

   Tony Romo has hit on a couple of deep balls.  But Troy Aikman is correctly pointing out that the ball is still leaving Romo's hand funny on some throws.   The pinkie's still affecting him.

   Dallas is getting it done without a running game.  Marion Barber's been a non-factor, much to the demise of my struggling fantasy team,  which is in danger of being totally humiliated by FOX 4 weather guesser Ron Jackson