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As a Texan, I take football very seriously. At times, my devotion to the game borders on the obsessive, just ask my wife about the superstitions regarding my Cowboys’ game routine. However, I have no shame in admitting my interest in football, at least on the professional level, is isolated to one team–the Dallas Cowboys. If the outcome of a NFL game doesn’t directly impact my Cowboys, the game does not exist in my world.

The last sixteen Super Bowls have been especially tiresome. Not only have they involved teams not named “Cowboys”, but they also have seen the Super Bowl morph into a virtual exhibition game ensconced within a four-hour commercial (more on that tomorrow). Indeed, Cowboys preseason games excite me more than Super Bowls XXXI-Super Bowl XLV.

Needless to say, Super Bowl XLVI does not move the needle at all for me. The Giants and Patriots? No thanks, I’d rather watch the sport the rest of the world calls football instead. This year, the only thing I look forward to about Super Bowl week is to see what bits the boys from the little Ticket will pull on the national media gathered at media row.

So, while most Americans gather together Sunday afternoon for Super Bowl parties, I will be hosting my own with a unique spin.

Instead of showing Super Bowl XLVI, I will be showing Super Bowls XXVII, and Super Bowl XVIII, time permitting, which I have preserved on VHS. At my party, there will be no Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Wes Welker, or Victor Cruz. It was time of a much purer NFL, one that had yet to be defiled by Brandon Jacobs and where the best tight end in the league was a simple cowboy from Wyoming.

Even the halftime entertainment at my Super Bowl party will better than those hosting traditional Super Bowl XLVI parties. You have Madonnna? Please, I’ll see your Madonna and raise you the King of Pop. That’s right, my Super Bowl party not only includes America’s Team winning their 3rd and 4th Super Bowls respectively, but also Michael Jackson’s halftime performance from Super Bowl XVII.

My prediction for Sunday–Cowboys over the Bills 52-17 and Troy Aikman as your MVP.

Continue reading »]]> On September 16, 1978, I was born into this world and on that day I became a Cowboys fan. By the time I was two, I had my first Cowboys jersey, Danny White. Throughout my childhood, Danny White was a hero of mine. At the time, I was too young to understand that he failed to live up to the expectations of Cowboys fans. All I knew was that he was the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys–America’s Team, MY team. In my eyes, that put him on the same level with my dad and Tom Landry.

Danny White never won a Super Bowl. To this day, many Cowboys fans still consider White to be an underachiever. Fans often compare Tony Romo to White. Indeed, in the five minutes I listened to calls on the Cowboys radio post-game this evening, I heard two callers make the argument, “Yeah, Romo showed guts leading this team back today, but he will always be like Danny White…” True Cowboys fans know what that means, he’ll never be Troy Aikman or Roger Staubach (or even Don Meredith).

It’s this type of simplistic, over-reaction from Cowboys fans that drives me crazy. All last week, all we heard about in Dallas was how Tony Romo lost another one, even after I showed that it was the lack of a running game, NOT Romo’s mistakes, that cost the Cowboys the game against the Jets.

It got me to thinking about the mindset of football fans, Cowboys fans specifically, many of whom seem to draw conclusions on a play-by-play basis.

One thing I admire about baseball fans is their ability to analyze the game on a marathon  like scale. If a team loses 4 or 5 consecutive games, if a batter is stuck in 0-20 rut, if a pitchers loses consecutive outings, baseball fans are slow to overreact, choosing instead to evaluate their favorite team or player over the course of 162 games.  While Cowboys might not have the benefit of a 162 game season for evaluation, I do think a majority of Cowboys fans could learn a lot from their temperance. Even the Landry led Cowboys and the Triplets experienced unproductive halves, bad games and fell short of their ultimate goal on occasion.

Continue reading »]]> Watching Oklahoma take on Florida State tonight, I was filled with the same emotion I always am anytime I watch a Bob Stoops coached team–anger. I can’t argue against his results, but it’s the method that Stoops chooses, and others like him, that drives me crazy.

Tom Landry will always be the coach I measure other football coaches against. I’m biased, but I think everyone will agree that Landry coached the game with class and dignity and aimed to keep football pure in everything that he did. He was the “man in the hat”, always dressed in a suit. He was tough, but stoic, and rarely let his emotions be shown to the public.

Stoops represents the new breed of coaches–brash and arrogant. Men who run up and down the sidelines yelling at players and coaches. He doesn’t wear a suit; he doesn’t wear a fedora. His staff is filled with a bunch “rah-rah” guys who seek to resurrect their glory days, long since passed, on the field.

Continue reading »]]> As we approach the 3 year anniversary of Geoausch.Com, I continue to search for ways to improve the site and provide interactive content for the readers of this blog. Indeed, one of the greatest pleasures of running a blog is the opportunity to interact with people across the globe, either through the comments section or via e-mail. However, I know that for every reader that e-mails me a question or leaves a comment, there are probably 10 readers who come to this site with a specific question in mind, and leave without asking.

For this reason, I love reviewing the search engine terms that navigate readers to my site. Often, these are worded as questions and give you a good idea of what questions readers have when the come to this blog. Over the past few years, I’ve noticed several questions continue to lead people here and I know the answer will not be found here–until now.

As a new feature to Geoausch.Com, I will periodically publish questions that continue to direct readers here, in which the answer may be difficult to find.

Let’s begin with the two questions that have lead more people here than any others:

Why was David Smoak fired? This question refers to a radio broadcaster who made his name for himself with KTBB radio in Tyler, Texas, where he hosted a sports talk show. During the Fall, Smoak’s program dealt almost exclusively with high school football, earning him a reputation throughout the state as the “king of high school football”.

In July 2009, Smoak unexpectedly resigned from his position with KTBB and immediately rumors began to fly. On July 15, 2009, I posted a small note regarding Smoaky’s announcement, leading to Geoausch.Com’s busiest day–traffic wise–to that point in it’s young life. Almost immediately, my Inbox began to fill with e-mails from readers who  presented a wide range of conspiracy theories, include some that speculated Smoak was forced out of his position.

Two years later, the question, “was David Smoak fired?”, continues to bring readers to my site.

Answer: Simply put, no, he was not fired. As I mentioned in the 2009 post, I consider Smoak to be a mentor, so I refuse to deal with unsubstantiated rumors. All of the facts show that Smoak resigned from his position at KTBB.

What is the structure/format of the Texas high school football playoffs? I’ve written extensively on this blog about Texas high school football, both as a sport and a cultural phenomenon, so it doesn’t surprise me that searches involving Texas high school football direct a lot of traffic to my site. In fact, I have received a couple of e-mails from students in other parts of the country who have actually used this site as a source for research papers on the subject. I guess what is surprising is that in all my writing, I have never answered questions regarding the set-up of the Texas high school football on the site.

Answer: The University Interscholastic League (UIL) governs most high school sports in the state of Texas, including football. The UIL divides all schools playing 11-man football into five (5) classifications by enrollment–1A through 5A, with 5A featuring the largest schools in the state. Class 1A & 2A are broken into two divisions–Division 1 & 2–from the start of the season. Class 3A-5A break into Division 1 & 2 at the start of the playoffs. Class 3A-5A are broken into 4 Regions (Region I-IV), and each Region is further broken up into 32 districts (District 1-32),normally consisting of 6 or 8 teams. Class 1A-2A have a similar set-up, except with only 16 districts in both Division 1 & 2. In other words. there are 16 districts in both Class 2A Division 1 & 2–32 total districts in 2A combined.

In Class 4A & 5A, the top 4 teams make the playoffs. The two qualifying schools with the largest enrollments go to Division I and the two qualifying schools with the smallest enrollment go to Division II. So you have 2, 64 team, playoff brackets, consisting of 6 rounds, in 4A and 5A. Each of the six rounds is named–Bi-District, Area, Regional, Quarterfinal, State Semifinal and Finals.

In Class 3A, the top 3 teams from each district make the playoffs, with the largest qualifying school advancing to Division I, while the other two teams compete in the Division II bracket.  The Class 3A, Division II playoffs function in the exact same fashion as the 4A and 5A playoffs–64 teams, 6 rounds. The Class 3A, Division I, playoff features 32 teams and 5 rounds.

In Class 1A & 2A, the top 3 teams in each district, in each division, make the playoffs–48 playoffs teams in Division 1; 48 teams in division 2. The top team in each district–the district champion–gets a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The other 32 teams compete in the Bi-District round. Starting in the Area round, the playoffs on the 1A and 2A level resemble the Class 5A, 4A and 3A-DII playoffs.

Continue reading »]]> So your coming to the D/FW Metroplex for the big game and you want to taste a little bit of the local cuisine? Not surprisingly, Tex-Mex heavily defines the local flavor and there are a ton of restaurants that offer both Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican foods, but how do you know which ones to try? Let’s start with a few of my favorites:

Mia’s Tex-Mex – 4322 Lemmon Ave., Dallas, TX 75219

A perfect place to taste some of Dallas’ best Tex-Mex and take in a little local football history. Rumor has it, this was Tom Landry’s favorite restaurant in town and, ironically, it’s the same restaurant where Jerry Jones had a “secret” meeting with Jimmy Johnson before firing Landry and hiring Johnson. On the outside, the little yellow building doesn’t look like much, but once inside, the walls are covered with signed photos of Dallas sports legends. Be sure and try the brisket tacos, you will not be disappointed. Mia’s also gave rise to the next two establishments on my list.

Taco Diner – 4011 Villanova St., Dallas, TX 75225 and 3699 McKinney Ave. Dallas, TX 75204

Mi Cocina – 77 Highland Park Village Dallas, TX 75205 and 3699 McKinney Ave. Dallas, TX 75204

Taco Diner and Mi Cocina are both offsprings of Mia’s. Both have several locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, but for the purpose of this piece we will focus on the two nearest to downtown Dallas. Taco Diner focuses mainly on traditional Mexican tacos (don’t expect ground beef and crispy taco shells here), but they feature some traditional favorites as well, including fajitas. Mi Cocina has a little bit broader menu, but the recipes are almost identical to Taco Diner.

If the weather is nice, you have to go to the West Village (McKinney Ave.) location and dine on the patio. Here, Taco Diner and Mi Cocina are positioned directly across from one another and you can watch people dinning at both spots and watch the “beautiful people” of Dallas take in some shopping.

If you’re looking for a more family-friendly atmosphere,  the Mi Cocina in Highland Park Village and the Taco Diner in Preston Center (Villanova St.) are where you will want to go.You’ll still probably be able to spot a few local or national celebrities.

Chuy’s - 4544 McKinney Ave. Dallas, TX 75205

What makes Chuy’s unique is their strong reliance on green chilies, including their amazing green chilie salsa. Almost every dish features some unique sauce or item prepared with green chilies, and as such, you can expect a little bit extra flavor. As with all of the Tex-Mex restaurants covered, margaritas are the drink of choice, but they also feature a wide selection of Mexican and Texas beers that will surely bring out the flavor. Bring some extra money and take home a souvenir t-shirt with you.

Dallas offers a lot more than merely Tex-Mex food, we also offer some fine Italian restaurants as well.

Gordo’s - 8220 Westchester Dallas, TX 75225

If you’re an out-of-towner, Gordo’s might be hard for you to find, as it nestled in what appears to be a back alley of a local shopping center, but don’t let that keep you from sampling the food. Gordo’s features the best traditional Italian plates in town, at a very reasonable price. I personally recommend the shrimp scampi sauteed in lemon butter Chardonnay sauce, served over capilini. In the mood for something lighter? Try their Greek or Mediterranean Salads. Be sure and ask for a wine list, as they offer several well-priced wines to compliment every meal on the menu.

Campisi’s Egyptian Lounge – 5610 E. Mockingbird Ln. Dallas, TX 75206

There are several Campisi’s locations sprinkled throughout the Metroplex, but there is only one Campisi’s Egyptian Lounge and it’s the one you will want to sample. Don’t let the name fool you, Campisi’s is all about Italian cuisine. The Mockingbird location features a Tuesday night spaghetti special that is extremely popular, especially among the college kids from nearby SMU. The spaghetti is good, but my personal choice at Campisi’s is their pizza.

Snuffers – 8411 Preston Rd.  Dallas, TX 75225

What’s that you say? You’re in town for a football game and want some football food?

If hamburgers and hot dogs are what you want, check out Snuffer’s, which offers traditional American favorites served in a sports bar atmosphere. Snuffers is known for their cheedar fries. In order to get the full Snuffers experience, be sure to get them fully loaded with bacon, chives and jalapenos.

Good Eats – 3888 Oak Lawn Ave. #101  Dallas, TX 75219

If you want to taste some authentic Texas food, stroll into Good Eats. Many critics, including myself, consider their Chicken Fried Steak to be the best in town, but not everything on the menu is deep fried. In fact, I prefer many of their grilled items, including their grilled catfish, mesquite grilled  chicken and Cajun grilled chicken. As with most restaurants in town, you’ll want to begin with some chips & salsa.

You might be thinking to yourself, since this is Texas, shouldn’t their be some BBQ joints profiled? Dallas has some good BBQ restaurants, like Dickey’s and Sonny Bryan’s, but I would stop short of calling them great. If you really want some great BBQ, you will need to venture way outside the city limits into more rural areas. If that’s your thing, allow yourself about an hour and half travel time and go East on I-20. Once you enter the Piney Woods, you will discover some of the best BBQ in the world, including my personal favorite, Bodacious.

Next up, let’s take a look at the downtown and Uptown areas of Dallas, including where to go and how to get around.

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As we inch towards Super Bowl XLV, I felt it would be nice to start a series aimed at those who may coming to the Metroplex for the “big game.” A lot of the articles I have read about Dallas have focused on the usual tourist hot spots–the Sixth Floor Museum, Southfork Ranch, the West End, etc. If those areas interest you, by all means go and enjoy, but I want to give you a guide that will provide you with a little deeper look and allow you to experience Dallas as a native.

First, let’s clear up some of the “geographic confusion.” Inevitably, you will hear people refer to the area as the Metroplex, North Texas or just Dallas. The Super Bowl will be played in Arlington; Fort Worth will host ESPN as well as other festivities and Dallas will feature the NFL Experience and tons of parties. If you want to experience the true Super Bowl experience, you will have to venture outside the Dallas city limits. Over the past few years, it’s become common to refer to the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area as “North Texas,” which is a bit inaccurate considering there are certainly areas much further north in the state. One local sports media personality  has gone so far as to label our land as the “Chicken Fried Nation,” but that too fails to adequately describe the D/FW area. Personally, I prefer the term “Metroplex”.

While we’re at it, let’s clear up some other common misconceptions. First, boots are optional, even though, in the Metroplex, they are permissible even in business formal environments.  Second, we have a lot more to offer in the way of nightlife than gentlemen clubs, as I will attempt to describe in more detail in another post in this series. Finally, you’re going to need something other than a horse to get around. The Metroplex encompasses over 9,000 square miles; D/FW airport alone is larger than the island of Manhattan. This is not a city where you can survive without a car.

With that out the way, let’s get down to business.  First, as you pack for your trip, remember to pack for changing weather conditions. It might be in the 70′s one day and the next you’ll wake up to a foot of snow, so you’ll want to prepare. If you haven’t already booked your trip, a few things to keep in mind. Consider flying into Love Field, as opposed to D/FW. More than likely this means flying with Southwest, but you avoid the hassles of heavily-congested D/FW and you’re just a few minutes from the heart of the city. Even though the Metroplex  is spread out and events will be taking place all over, Dallas is going to be your best bet for a home base. Indeed, the bulk of the posts in this series will begin with the assumption you will be lodging in Dallas during your stay.

So what makes Dallas such a great place for the Super Bowl when compared to more exotic locales like Miami and New Orleans? Everywhere else, it’s just football. Here it is a way of life. It’s not just the Cowboys we love. Yes, they have provided us with many great Super Bowl memories, but Texans, and Dallas-ites specifically, love football on all levels, whether it’s Pee Wee football, the Friday night lights of high school football, the great rivalries on the college level or, of course, the NFL.  You would be hard pressed to find another city in  America where football is ingrained more in the DNA of its citizens than Dallas.Combine that with the greatest stadium the world has ever seen and you’re in store for a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.

So, come on down. Order yourself up a skillet of sizzling fajitas, get a frozen margarita (invented here) or a cold Shiner Bock beer, and let’s start with a look at your dining options while in the Metroplex.  Just remember, when you “cross that ol’ Red River hoss, Bob Wills is still the king!”

Super Bowl XLV: A Vistor’s Handbook to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex

Part I:  Dining in Dallas

Part II:  Downtown and Beyond

Continue reading »]]> Cowboys fans, including myself, expect “greatness.”

Over the years, we have been spoiled by one of the most successful sports franchises. We are not accustomed to being mediocre and we have a hard time accepting it when that may really be the case. So, we look for excuses.

The coach sucks. The quarterback isn’t serious enough. The owner’s ego gets in the way. We run too much. We throw too much. Etc.

Some of those statements may be true, but none of them address the team’s real issue–talent.  Simply put, the Cowboys are what their record indicates, a slightly better than .500 team.

Depending on how you look at it, this team is in the bottom portion of the top quarter of teams in the league or the top of the second quarter of teams in the league. To expect “greatness” out of this team, as presently constructed, is foolish.

Could another coach get more out of this team? Perhaps, but not much. Even Coach Landry or Jimmy Johnson would have struggled to win 10 or 11 games with this unit and as much as I love those two coaches, neither of them would have won a Super Bowl with this roster.

Even in the watered down version of today’s NFL, depth is vital to a title run. While the starting 11 on both sides of the ball match-up well with the top tier teams, it’s the lack of depth that brings this roster down. No where was this more evident than when DeMarcus Ware suffered his injury and was forced to leave the game. It’s impossible to fully replace Ware, but the gap between starter & backup at outside backer is so extreme on this team that it’s almost impossible to make any sustainable compensation for the loss.

We see this disparity at almost every defensive position. Without a doubt, the biggest difference between the Cowboys and the serious contenders is this disparity.

The good news is that the Cowboys are close enough to the contenders that they can enter the conversation with one good off-season. This begins with compiling a list of your core players to keep and a list of expendable parts and suitable replacements.

Let’s end the debate right now, Tony Romo is a legitimate championship caliber quarterback and Miles Austin and Roy Williams are your #1 & #2 receivers respectfully. It would be nice to add another great receiver through free agency. All is well on the tight end in front, Jason Witten is the best in the league and I’m convinced that Marty B will continue to develop.

On the offensive line, Flozell Adams’ skills as a lineman no longer outweigh the liability of his mental issues–he needs to go. I would recommend turning to free agency to find a suitable replacement and use our first round draft pick to add some depth behind the rest of the line.

In the backfield, I like what Marion Barber and Tashard Choice bring to the table, but I don’t believe either one can handle the load on their own. In spite of his ability to make “big plays,” I have not been that impressed with Felix Jones. Sure, he is fast, but the “big plays” have been few and far between. I think that his stock around the league is still high enough that you could snag a third or fourth round pick away from some unsuspecting team for his services and turn that draft pick into more offensive line depth.

On the defensive side of the ball, the most glaring weakness is at linebacker. When the Cowboys turn in their helmets and shoulder pads at the end of this season, I pray to God we don’t ever see Bobby Carpenter in a Cowboys uniform again. I have yet to hear anyone who covers this team justify his existence on the roster. In an ideal world, I would love to see us use our first round draft pick and get Alabama’s Rolando McClain. However, I doubt he will be around when the Cowboys pick and that’s why I recommended going for offensive line depth. I’m convinced that either in free agency or in the draft, we can find a more capable back-up and nickle backer than Carpenter. I think Brooking, Spencer, James and Ware are more than capable of being part of a championship caliber defense. The same goes for the front three.

In the secondary, depth is the biggest concern. Orlando Scandrick has taken a step back this year and Alan Ball, God love him, just doesn’t have what it takes to play the position at a high level in this league. This is another area I would focus on in the off season.

Finally, Wade Phillips has done about all he can do here. It’s time Jerry showed him to the door and thanked him for his service. On the way walking Phillips out of Valley Ranch, Jerry needs to stop by Jason Garrett’s office and hand him his walking papers as well. He is not the coach this team needs.

If you really want to find a common thread between the recent Cowboys teams that have struggled during the month of December look at the system. The Dallas Cowboys have NEVER won a playoff game playing a 3-4 defense. The fact that this team still uses it is blasphemous. Until they win a playoff game with the 3-4 defense, the possibility of a “3-4 curse” must be considered legitimate. Though it might set the franchise back another year in building towards a legitimate championship threat, I really do think Jerry Jones should consider courting a 4-3 coach and return this franchise to its defensive roots.

Be prepared to be beaten down by the sports media in this town continuing to talk about the “December swoon.” Be prepared to listen to them pour all the blame on Wade Phillips and question the toughness of this team. Be prepared to answer back with, “you know what, this team is playing just about the way they should.”

Continue reading »]]> At Monday’s Wade Phillips’ press conference, CBS 11 sports reporter Steve Dennis asked the Cowboys’ coach if he considered his team “winners.” By virtue of owning a winning record, this Cowboys team is, by definition, a “winner.” Of course, “winning” can mean a lot of different things. Dennis posed this question to Wade Phillips to drive home a tired Dallas media talking point–the dreaded “December swoon.” While the Cowboys have enjoyed success September through November under Phillips’ watch, they have not performed well when the season really matters–December and beyond.

In and of itself, this is fine. The Dallas market is flooded with sports media personalities, some good and some bad. If a member of the media wants to talk about the same generic talking points, he has the right to do so, but it makes for very boring radio, TV or print. However, what makes Dennis’ question different is the pattern he has established for himself.

In the summer, he made our “Bottom 5 Dallas Sports Media Personalities,” where we described him as “loud, obnoxious, and pompous,” descriptions we stand by to this day. As part of the best TV sports team in the market, it appears that Dennis feels threatened by his compatriots and seeks to stand out anyway possible. He does this by making himself part of the story, which is exactly what happened with this one.

In addition to his duties at CBS 11, Dennis also hosts “The Keith Brooking Show” on Sunday mornings on their sister station KTXA 21. Somehow, footage of the taping for the upcoming episode was leaked to the media. In the opening, an upset Keith Brooking (Cowboys linebacker) confronts Dennis about his questioning of Wade at the Monday press conference. Evidently, Brooking and other members of the Cowboys team felt that Dennis’ question implied that their team was full of losers. Dennis handles himself very well and seeks to explain his question more thoroughly, but the entire clip I heard was extremely tense.

Tonight, I tuned into the 10 PM news on CBS 11 and when it was time for sports who do I see prancing around the Cowboys locker room but Steve Dennis. They framed it as a segment showing how the Cowboys team is rallying around their coach and using the media as motivation for a successful December, but again it appeared that Dennis was trying to make the story about himself.

I do not know Steve Dennis personally. He may be a great guy for all I know. I only know the Steve Dennis I see on TV and hear on the radio and when I see or hear that Steve Dennis, I scratch my head and ask, “who does Steve Dennis think he is?”  If I could pass along any advice to him, it would be this:

When people tune into a Wade Phillips press conference, they do so to hear Wade Phillips talk about the Cowboys, not to hear Steve Dennis.  When people tune into watch sports on the local news, they do so to catch the latest on their local teams, not to see the local reporter injecting himself into the center of a story. If Mr. Dennis wants to be the center of a program, get your own radio show or start your own blog. Until then, report the news and stay out of it.

Continue reading »]]> For all your BCS related questions, click here.

For the next month, football will dominate water cooler and cocktail chatter. A lot of that talk will center around the BCS games. This year’s slate of BCS bowl games features Ohio State and Oregon in the Rose Bowl, Georgia Tech and Iowa in the Orange Bowl, Florida and Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl, Boise State and TCU in the Fiesta Bowl and Alabama and Texas squaring off in the BCS National Championship Game. While Alabama and Texas will play for title, the Fiesta Bowl match-up of TCU/Boise State seems to be generating the most discussion.

Both teams enter the game undefeated and ranked in the top 10. The two teams faced each other last season in the Poinsettia Bowl, which turned out to one of the most exciting games of the 2008-2009 season. By all indications, this will be one hell of a game. However, most Fiesta Bowl talk focuses on the controversy rather than the game itself.

Both teams play in non-automatic qualifying conferences and both had much bigger aspirations heading into the BCS selection. As members of the non-automatic qualifying conferences, the knock against both TCU and Boise State is that they lack the strength of schedule of the teams from the six BCS affiliated conferences. Never mind the fact the Boise State posted a dominating victory over Oregon, who plays in BCS bowl game this season, and TCU posted three wins over three top 25 teams.

TCU and Boise argue that they are willing to play any team, any time, any where, but many traditional powers refuse to play them for fear of losing. They felt that the in the BCS they would be afforded the opportunity to play one of the traditional powers, at a neutral site, in a prime-time, made for national television environment.   TCU even had faint hopes that they could be selected to play for the national title, but at worst given a shot to play Florida, Georgia Tech or Iowa. Instead, TCU and Boise State were paired together–two non-automatic qualifiers squaring off in a meaningless game.

It reminds me of jobs where they require you to have experience before applying, but there is no way to get the experience when all the related jobs require experience. For example, in order for an actor to make a living, he or she must be a member of Actors’ Equity Association. Almost all professional theaters in the United States are Equity affiliated and you must be a member of the union in order to perform. In order to join the union, you must have performances in Equity houses under your belt. Of course, there are exceptions to these rules, just like TCU and Boise State are the exceptions in the BCS, but in most cases the rule apply.

In order for schools like TCU and Boise to prove that they are worthy of BCS bids and legitimate national title contenders they need to prove themselves against BCS schools. The BCS denied this opportunity to these two schools out of fear of the BCS affiliated schools being embarrassed by the non-automatic qualifiers.

Some experts feel that TCU and Boise State deserve each other. Colin Cowherd, one of ESPN’s generic radio personalities, made the statement on his Monday program that TCU and Boise State should be happy to just be invited to the BCS, that TCU had “cankles” and didn’t deserve a big time BCS bowl game because they didn’t sell out all of their home games.

This is obviously flawed logic. A team’s fan support is not an indicator of the quality of their program. If we extended this logic to the NFL then the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings, the top two teams in the NFC, should not be allowed the right to play in the Super Bowl even if they win the NFC. Both the Saints and Vikings are small market teams and have had trouble selling out home games over the years. Indeed, the Vikings feared they would have to blackout home games this season until they signed Brett Favre.

The BCS fears schools like TCU and Boise State having success, because the more success these programs have, the more irrelevant the BCS becomes.