The CSN Way: A New Definiton of "Woofed"

[CSN-info]

http://www.digandbark.com/prodimages/decals/woof.gif

By Chuck Burton, The CSN Way Columnist

http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/skins/andreas_01/img/CSNWay.JPG

Right after the playoff selection show, one of the first tasks of any FCS columnist that is worth their salt in their analysis of who got “woofed".

The term came from the great national FCS columnist David Coulson in 2002, who coined the term (a more generic form of Ralph Wallace’s “Wofforded") in this very column before moving to the Sports Network, home of the Walter Payton award and the most widely accepted FCS Top 25 poll. It was named after the aforementioned Wofford Terriers, who in 2002 were skunked from a postseason bid after posting a resume that many thought was worthy of an at-large selection.

Oddly enough, with a bunch of bubble teams going down in the final weekend it’s very, very difficult to come to a consensus as to which team was “woofed". But after watching the NCAA selection show on ESPN News, it looks like the fans of FCS football were the ones “woofed” this year.

Read more ... (http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/index.php/2009/11/23/the-csn-way-a-new-definition-of-woofed?blog=5)

[crusader11]

Great article. It is so true.

[TypicalTribe]

Couldn't agree more. TV coverage was pathetic. As for the committee, they definitely got the teams right but seedings and pairings could have been better.

[Poker Alan]

Probably the most accurate article I have read, from Chuck.

[Silenoz]

I'm almost glad I don't have cable. I would have been pissed

[JMUNJ08]

Agreed we were woofed xthumbsdownx

ESPN bowl season is a joke anyway. How many games do they show where 10,000 people show up for a game in Cali between the Big East and ACC? Horrible and no one cares.

FCS people will at least WATCH their games and its a big deal as we have a PLAYOFF system. If the media really wanted to push the BCS, they would make a BIG deal about our awesome playoffs year in and year out. How everyone has a chance to get in.

[McNeese75]

It’s funny to read that the committee justified seeding Montana as the No. 1 seed since they were undefeated, and then turn around and have South Carolina State - a team that only lost to FBS South Carolina - play a team who lost to McNeese State.

xrolleyesx It was a decent read except for his snipe at the Cowboys (prick!!) xthumbsdownx

[SpeedkingATL]

Excellent article. I agree that it's a tough break for SCSU to have to travel to Boone again instead of hosting a deserved home game that would draw a good crowd. That said, the SCSU fans were some of the nicest and most knowledgable fans to come to Kidd Brewer last season and they will travel well. I understand that the Traveling 100 Band (hope I got the name right) is coming as well so we can have a battle of the bands as well as two really good football teams.

Hard to disagree with any of the 16 teams selected and there isn't one team that sticks out as being "woofed" this year.xhurrayx

[19Duke97]

Why does it seem ESPN is more interested in covering HBCU/D2/D3 teams than the FCS playoffs? Is this a political statement or do they figure nobody really cares abt FCS playoffs? The grammar is brutal in this article though, I found at least 4 mistakes.

[MacThor]

It’s funny to read that the committee justified seeding Montana as the No. 1 seed since they were undefeated, and then turn around and have South Carolina State - a team that only lost to FBS South Carolina - play a team who lost to McNeese State.

xrolleyesx It was a decent read except for his snipe at the Cowboys (prick!!) xthumbsdownx

I don't think he was sniping the Cowboys; he could have just said a team that went undefeated in FCS had to travel to a team with an FCS loss.

[seattlespider]

Excellent article. Hard to argue with anything in there.

[Wildcat80]

Agree an excellent article. Wish Comcast or Foxsports would step up and take interest in FCS playoffs.

[henfan]

The FCS Catholic Championship Game isn't such a bad idea.xthumbsupx

Villanova has been far more of a rival of Holy Cross than is UNH, as much I would have also liked to see HC-UNH. In fact, prior to dropping its program, HC played VU often throughout the '60s and '70s. They've played VU nearly twice as often as UNH over the years.

In the end, the PSC probably saw an opportunity to pair up two old time rivals, both Catholic schools, both within large media markets. Besides, if they paired up UNH & HC, some other team would have to fly into Philly anyway. It's not as if flying UNH somewhere (in this case LC) would have been drasticly less expensive for the NCAA than flying Team X into Philly to play VU.

Another missing piece of the equation: how competitive was HC's bid to host?

[kdinva]

Why does it seem ESPN is more interested in covering HBCU/D2/D3 teams than the FCS playoffs? Is this a political statement or do they figure nobody really cares abt FCS playoffs?.....
You watch: soon ESPN will have a full one-hour selection show for D-3 women's golf and rowing..xnonox

[WMTribe90]

Few things here. Agree on the coverage. It was insulting.

Agree that Montana probably doesn't deserve the #1 seed, which should have gone to either SIU or Villanova, Montana #3 and UR #4. But, the comittee seeded the right teams,so hard to quivel over the exact order, when the differences are slim.

Disagree with the article on SCST. I agree with the sentiment that it would have been nice for SCST to host a game given the gameday atmosphere. However, SCST was less a victim of the committee and more a victim of geography and circumstance.

First off, the author suggests WM as a first round opponent for SCST, but the drive from Williamsburg to Organgeburg is well over 400 miles and not a reasonable bus trip, especially when two other teams (ASU and Elon) are well within range. Secondly, sending a higher ranked WM with a better resume to SCST, would have been an injustice to WM.

SCST is just unlucky to be in ASU's backyard, the one at-large that could outbid them to host.

Committee could have sent WM to ASU, but is it really fair to pit #5 against #6 in the first round just so SCST could host Elon?

Nope, I commend the committee for turning down a potential payday at SCST and making the most logical and fair first round matchups possible. Their set-up balanced the brackets east to west and evenly distributed the BSC and CAA teams, still limited travel, and didn't woof anybody horribly from a competition standpoint.

Nothing personal against SCST, they were just in an unfortunate (geographical) position. I'll be routing for them on Saturday, but they weren't woofed.

[bluehenbillk]

I didn't take it personally, it's just a wake-up call to people as to how the masses think of FCS football.

[CrunchGriz]

It’s funny to read that the committee justified seeding Montana as the No. 1 seed since they were undefeated, and then turn around and have South Carolina State - a team that only lost to FBS South Carolina - play a team who lost to McNeese State.

xrolleyesx It was a decent read except for his snipe at the Cowboys (prick!!) xthumbsdownx

With one sentence he manages to piss off the fanbases of three storied FCS/I-AA teams - Montana, Appalachian State, and McNeese State. Nice work!

[SumItUp]

At 10-1, and with one of the top-grossing football teams at the FBS level, I was genuinely excited to see Buddy Pough’s team host a first-round game this year.

FBS?? Maybe it is just a typo, but that is the kind of thing that bothers me about reporting on the FCS.

That was a good article. Unfortunately to most football fans and football media in the country, there is no difference between FCS, Division II & Division III.

[WileECoyote06]

Why does it seem ESPN is more interested in covering HBCU/D2/D3 teams than the FCS playoffs? Is this a political statement or do they figure nobody really cares abt FCS playoffs? The grammar is brutal in this article though, I found at least 4 mistakes.

Well ESPN/ESPNU has a deal with the MEAC (and the CIAA), so of course they are going to get to be on television and thus also generate better media coverage.

[WrenFGun]

Personally, while I appreciate the nod to UNH at Holy Cross, I really don't have any sympathy for South Carolina State. While I realize their facilities are better than UNH, UNH has had numerous teams deserving of a home game based on merit and did not receive one. While I agree that it would've made more sense to have William and Mary travel to Appalachian State and SC State host another team, I think the comittee went by the letter of the law and chose the closest regional opponent for App. State. W&M certainly benefitted.

[DetroitFlyer]

9-2 Dayton.... If a 9-2 PL team is at least in the discussion, a 9-2 Dayton or a 9-2 CCSU should be there as well.... I did not include a 10-1 Butler as three of their wins were against Division III schools.

[WileECoyote06]

Personally, while I appreciate the nod to UNH at Holy Cross, I really don't have any sympathy for South Carolina State. While I realize their facilities are better than UNH, UNH has had numerous teams deserving of a home game based on merit and did not receive one. While I agree that it would've made more sense to have William and Mary travel to Appalachian State and SC State host another team, I think the comittee went by the letter of the law and chose the closest regional opponent for App. State. W&M certainly benefitted.

App State wasn't a seed, so I think that point is moot. From what was stated in an article by The State (Columbia's regional newspaper), SCSU purposely submitted a minimal bid, because they were afraid there would be low attendance because the students were going home. SCSU only has a shade over 4,000 students. Those 17K a game weren't coming from mostly from them. Their concerns stemmed from App only getting 13K during their first round game against SCSU last year, despite averaging 20+ K over the season. Also concerns about FBS rivalry weekend games that weekend (Clemson-USC is in Columbia at noon).

I honestly don't know how you can look your team in the eyes and say you flubbed up like that. http://www.thestate.com/sports/story/1032934.html

[Bogus Megapardus]

9-2 Dayton.... If a 9-2 PL team is at least in the discussion, a 9-2 Dayton or a 9-2 CCSU should be there as well....

Why? Last I looked, the PL still has three teams in the top 25.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Why? Last I looked, the PL still has three teams in the top 25.

Even better - none of those PL teams didn't lost to a D-II, either. :D

[crusader11]

9-2 Dayton.... If a 9-2 PL team is at least in the discussion, a 9-2 Dayton or a 9-2 CCSU should be there as well.... I did not include a 10-1 Butler as three of their wins were against Division III schools.

I can always turn to your posts for a good laugh.

[BDKJMU]

I don't think he was sniping the Cowboys; he could have just said a team that went undefeated in FCS had to travel to a team with an FCS loss.

When that 10-1 team comes from a weak league that has gone 0-9 or whatever it is in the playoffs this decade that makes just as much sense if not more than than pairing them with an 8-3 or 9-2 team from a stronger conference.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Even better - none of those PL teams didn't lost to a D-II, either. :D


I can always turn to your posts for a good laugh.

I was just baiting here, guys . . . xrolleyesx

[mistersykes]

E$PN coverage was insulting. I emailed them to complain, but I doubt that will do much good. I agree that its good that no team was truly Woofed. We will all get to decide it on the field. There were some surprises, but at least they got the teams right!

[AshevilleApp]

BCS Guy to ESPN Director - "Hey, let's limit the coverage to the FCS playoffs, I mean they have a playoffs that work and we wouldn't want any more of that "playoff" mumbo-jumbo coming from our fans. I mean especially when we are likely to be stuck with 4-5 undefeated teams this season!"

[Reign of Terrier]

Wofford should have made the playoffs that yearxbawlingx

I know this had nothing to do with the thread but I had to get that off my chest

[Houndawg]

SIU got woofed being the #1 team and getting the #3 seed.xnodx

[Ivytalk]

ESPN blew it big time. Great analysis by Chuck!