Tuberville blasts ESPN, BCS

[Tribefan]

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Tuberville speaks out against BCS system, ESPN

By Mike Tankersley
Montgomery Advertiser

Join the club, Alabama and Georgia. And Virginia Tech is welcome, too.

That was the message Monday from Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, who spoke at the Montgomery Quarterback Club's noon luncheon two days after watching his team's 13-game SEC winning streak come to an end at Baton Rouge.

Tuberville, whose team was shut out of the BCS national title game last season, was asked if he thought the same thing might happen to an SEC school again this year. That got him started on the Bowl Championship Series system and the national media, particularly ESPN.

"It's done," Tuberville said. "The national media, led by ESPN, wants to see Vince Young vs. Matt Leinart in the championship game. It's going to be those two teams unless Texas or USC get upset.

"Last year, they wanted to see the two Heisman Trophy quarterbacks, Jason White and Leinart. After six or seven games, we were out of it.

"If four teams are undefeated at the end of the season, there should be a playoff. There should've been one last year. But it's decided already. I don't like it."

Tuberville spoke out sharply against ESPN and the influence it wields on the college game. He said the opinions ESPN hosts and analysts put out on the airwaves each week tend to shape the opinions of fans and media people around the country.

And he's not at all happy about that.

"ESPN has gotten so much power lately, it's kinda scary," Tuberville said. "And most of their analysts are coaches who haven't won any games. That's why they're there. I think you know who I'm talking about.

"And Lou Holtz gets on there and talks about what a team has to do win that game, and the guy couldn't beat anybody in our conference. These guys will come talk to you and look you straight in the eye and tell you something, then they'll get on the air and say something else.

"ESPN, I'll tell you, I don't have much to do with them anymore."

Tuberville told the audience that when he got to his office Sunday after attending church, he heard a noise from the practice field. He checked it out and saw that it was John Vaughn, who was kicking by himself off a tee.

"I guess he was kicking out his frustrations," Tuberville said, referring to Vaughn's five missed field-goal attempts Saturday night. "He's sick about it. He's a good kicker. He just had one of those nights. We all have them. And you'll never hear or read about this, but the wind on that field was swirling. It was a guessing game as to where to kick the ball. But he'll recover."

Tuberville said he paid close attention to the Auburn players after the game. He hated losing the game, but what he saw from his players afterward inspired him.

"You find out a lot about people in a situation like that," he said. "I sat back in the locker room and watched John (Vaughn), and every player on that team came by and said something to him. You travel with 70 players, and every one of them went by and talked to him.

"I don't mean they just patted him on the back. They all went up to him and sat down and talked to him. I was very proud of that. That kid was upset."

Tuberville thinks his team grew up a little while battling LSU on the road.

"When you do lose, you want it to affect your players," Tuberville said. "There weren't five words said on the entire plane ride home, and that was a long trip. It affected our guys."

[putter]

He is definitely correct about ESPN wielding too much power. They control everything! :rolleyes:

[colgate13]

He is definitely correct about ESPN wielding too much power. They control everything! :rolleyes:

Well, they are in Bristol, CT. EAST COAST BIAS!:p

[Ivytalk]

What a jerk. Hey, Tommy, win the key SEC games (like LSU) before you start b*tching about the BCS. Get a new FG kicker, a better running back,a pass rush... :rolleyes:

[griz37]

What a jerk. Hey, Tommy, win the key SEC games (like LSU) before you start b*tching about the BCS. Get a new FG kicker, a better running back,a pass rush... :rolleyes:

Isn't that exactly what he did last year?

[Tribefan]

Isn't that exactly what he did last year?

I agree. He did exactly that last season. Some of this is whining. But even Joe Paterno called the BCS "basically stupid" a few weeks ago as well.

This will be a fun bowl season. With all of these polls and undefeated teams there could be three different champs. The AP Champ, the BCS Champ and a Master Coaches Survey (huge joke) champ. This is getting to be like boxing.

[89Hen]

"The national media, led by ESPN, wants to see Vince Young vs. Matt Leinart in the championship game. It's going to be those two teams unless Texas or USC get upset."
While that may be true as far as that's what they want, but I just don't see how the computers wouldn't have VT and UGA/Alabama as 1 and 2 if they win out. Both have much higher ranked opponents than UT and USC from here out, plus they have a 12th game against another ranked opponent.

[putter]

The weak Pac-10 could be USC's undoing. They have already beaten Oregon which is doing well but they also beat Arizona St which was supposed to be good and now is 3-4. Their remaining games will not help them with SOS so they could easily slip out of the top 2, even 3.

[TexasTerror]

The weak Pac-10 could be USC's undoing. They have already beaten Oregon which is doing well but they also beat Arizona St which was supposed to be good and now is 3-4. Their remaining games will not help them with SOS so they could easily slip out of the top 2, even 3.

Pac-10 may be weak, but the Big XII is weaker. The Big XII title game may actually hurt the Longhorns compared to the ACC title game which could pit VaTech against another top 10 squad, Florida State...

[GSUBass]

The BCS is a joke..I hope that we have 4 undefeated teams at the end of the season. Last year we had 3 undefeateds...BCS changes some things, and hopefully this year we'll have 4 undefeateds. It's like I-A football is calling out for a playoff system, by trying to screw up the BCS at every turn.

[Cocky]

The BCS is a joke..I hope that we have 4 undefeated teams at the end of the season. Last year we had 3 undefeateds...BCS changes some things, and hopefully this year we'll have 4 undefeateds. It's like I-A football is calling out for a playoff system, by trying to screw up the BCS at every turn.


I thought there were four last year SC, OK, AUB, and Utah.

[Baldy]

Congrats to Tommy T. Nice set of cajones, BTW. :D

[blukeys]

Congrats to Tommy T. Nice set of cajones, BTW. :D


I'm with Baldy. The BCS is an attempt to quell the calls for a playoff system, which the bowls don't want. It is inadequate. A BCS set up in I-AA would have left numerous National Champions out of the Title game. 2002 Western Kentucky, 2003 Delaware, 2004 James Madison to name a few. Anyone who wants to go back further is free to do so.

[griz37]

I think in 2001 Montana would been in the BCS I-AA title game anyways along w/2000 but we wouldn't have had all those sweet home playoff games, so F*@k the BCS.

[Marcus Garvey]

What the BCS gives coaches and fans is a target for their angst over the lack of a playoff. This system is no better than what was in place before. In fact, it's marginally better because they now at least wait until ALL regular season games are done before issuing bids. In years past, the TV people and bowl execs would pick the teams before Turkey Day. Anyone remeber an 8-3 UVA team in '90 playing in the Sugar Bowl? They were 7-0 and ranked #1 when invited, but the Sugar Bowl jumped the gun. The Cavs lost 3 of their last 4 to end the season.

I wish the TV people like ESPN would stop the hypocrisy and just recognize the BCS for what it is: A system meant to keep the big-time bowl money among the major conferences (and Notre Dame). Crowing an undisputed national champ is a distant secondary goal of the organization. After all, if it was about a National Champ, we'd already have a playoff.

[catamount man]

What the BCS gives coaches and fans is a target for their angst over the lack of a playoff. This system is no better than what was in place before. In fact, it's marginally better because they now at least wait until ALL regular season games are done before issuing bids. In years past, the TV people and bowl execs would pick the teams before Turkey Day. Anyone remeber an 8-3 UVA team in '90 playing in the Sugar Bowl? They were 7-0 and ranked #1 when invited, but the Sugar Bowl jumped the gun. The Cavs lost 3 of their last 4 to end the season.

I wish the TV people like ESPN would stop the hypocrisy and just recognize the BCS for what it is: A system meant to keep the big-time bowl money among the major conferences (and Notre Dame). Crowing an undisputed national champ is a distant secondary goal of the organization. After all, if it was about a National Champ, we'd already have a playoff.

AMEN!!! The ESPN/BCS mentality sucks and is another reason to loathe I-A football. Wait, not all I-A football. I actually enjoy watching the games of the non-BCS schools more than I do the BCS conferences.

GO CATAMOUNTS!!!

[Marcus Garvey]

AMEN!!! The ESPN/BCS mentality sucks and is another reason to loathe I-A football. Wait, not all I-A football. I actually enjoy watching the games of the non-BCS schools more than I do the BCS conferences.

GO CATAMOUNTS!!!

When you think about it, ESPN is the BCS! The BCS's main enabler is ABC, who gets exclusive TV rights to all 4 games. ESPN and ABC are both subsidiaries of Disney, and they work very closely together......
Conspiracy theorists unite!

[TheValleyRaider]

I thought there were four last year SC, OK, AUB, and Utah.

Actually, there were 5. Boise State was undefeated during the regular season as well.

[GeauxLions94]

But even Joe Paterno called the BCS "basically stupid" a few weeks ago as well.

JoePa's like "Uncle Leo" from Seinfeld. He's old, he gets confused :rolleyes:

[GeauxLions94]

Tuberville speaks out against BCS system, ESPN

He's right about the ESPN wielding too much power, but then again so do most cable channels.

While TeleTubby's at it, maybe he should have a few words with Roy Kramer, the former SEC commish who came up with the BS, I mean BCS :rolleyes:

[putter]

My question is this: Why after all the conference championship games are finished can't I-A have a playoff system with the top 8 teams? The final two can play in the NC game in whatever bowl's year it is. The two semi-final losers can play in two other bowls and the two quarter-final losers get a bowl etc. etc. etc. Doesn't seem that hard to me and would still keep people's interst and money in the bowl system.

[eagleskins]

The best two conferences are the big 10 and the ACC. If would put a one loss Penn State or Miami team in the title game over an undefeated SEC team.

[89Hen]

A BCS set up in I-AA would have left numerous National Champions out of the Title game. 2002 Western Kentucky, 2003 Delaware, 2004 James Madison to name a few. Anyone who wants to go back further is free to do so.
In 2003 neither Delaware NOR Colgate would have been in. It certainly would have left UMass out of 1998 at 8-3. In 1997 Villanova would have been in the title game at 11-0 and #1 and they lost first round as did Tennessee State in 1999.

[Marcus Garvey]

My question is this: Why after all the conference championship games are finished can't I-A have a playoff system with the top 8 teams? The final two can play in the NC game in whatever bowl's year it is. The two semi-final losers can play in two other bowls and the two quarter-final losers get a bowl etc. etc. etc. Doesn't seem that hard to me and would still keep people's interst and money in the bowl system.

I'll be the Devil's advocate here:

The NCAA will have to approve of a playoff, just the same as they need to "sign off" on bowls. If the NCAA gets involved, then the non BCS teams will demand that all TV money from the playoffs be split up among all conferences and that they get a "fair" shot. If you're in a BCS conference, then you're much better off sticking with the flawed system that guarentees you more money by virtue of splitting it with fewer teams.

Also, there are other considerations. For the BCS bowls, a team's allotment of tickets is something like 10-15,000. The current system gives the fans who buy those tickets a few weeks to make travel arrangments (airfare, hotel, rental car, etc...). The Basketball tourament alots far fewer tickets to the teams involved. Those who manage to get tickets are usually fans that are able to make such arrangements on very short notice (i.e., pay more $$$$$).

That's why the Bowl comittees don't like the idea of using their bowl games as neutral playoff sites. If I were on the Fiesta Bowl comittee, my job would be too look out for what's in the best interest of the Fiesta Bowl and Tempe (soon to be WBF Phoenix, or as they call it: Glendale). I'd rather keep the current system, which I know works (from the comittee's POV) than risk something never tried before.

[Cocky]

Actually, there were 5. Boise State was undefeated during the regular season as well.

Are they I-A?

[Tribefan]

That would be yes and they played a close game with 10-1 Louisville in the Liberty Bowl and lost.

[Tribefan]

TT had the stones to go on the Dan Patrick show today. I didn't hear it but a friend of mine did. This was the way he heard it:

"They both agreed that CFB needs a playoff, that coaches shouldn't be voting in the BCS polls and that Auburn should've had a shot at the NC last year. The warm fuzziness ended there.

Then Dan came at him hard; he accused TT of 'biting the hand that feeds CFB', took offense that he would call out Lou Holtz and the Gameday crew, and opined that TT's real beef was with the college chancellors, not the Worldwide Deciever.

TT countered that ESPN still has too much power and that lazy pollsters tune into Gameday to get their info, hear the fellas give their schtick, then cast their votes. He also said that there shouldn't even be any voting until a few weeks after the season starts.

All this vitriol, plus several deftly-placed plugs for VaTech by DP, made for a very spirited 10 minutes of radio..."

[ISUMatt]

As I look at a betting site, there ALREADY is a line on the USC/Texas matchup in the Rose Bowl... USC -5 BTW

[LacesOut]

I appear to be in the small minority in that I could care less about the BCS and a playoff for I-A football. I like the bowl games (the big ones). If there are two National Champs, so be it. If there is controversy every year, so be it. It's been that way for quite some time and it's never bothered me in the past, and it won't bother me in the future.

[blackfordpu]

I agree. He did exactly that last season. Some of this is whining. But even Joe Paterno called the BCS "basically stupid" a few weeks ago as well.

This will be a fun bowl season. With all of these polls and undefeated teams there could be three different champs. The AP Champ, the BCS Champ and a Master Coaches Survey (huge joke) champ. This is getting to be like boxing.

It will end up like that until they adopt a playoff system.

[grizband]

Are they I-A?
Yes, Boise State is I-A. They were a member of the Big Sky conference until 1995, and are now a member of the WAC conference. Between 2000 and 2004, they had a record of 54-9, with three 1 loss seasons.

[Russ B]

lazy pollsters tune into Gameday to get their info, hear the fellas give their schtick, then cast their votes.

That isn't ESPN's fault!

[walliver]

lazy pollsters tune into Gameday to get their info, hear the fellas give their schtick, then cast their votes.


Where do the lazy I-AA pollsters get their information?