Utah Utes for National Champs

As far as I can remember, this will be the first post on this blog that strays from the description above. It's not about the Cowboys, and it's not about the NFL. It is, however, about football.

I just read Rick Reilly's most recent Life of Reilly column on ESPN.com, and I completely agree with him. His argument is that Utah should be this year's college football national champions, regardless of the outcome of tonight's BCS Championship game.

Now I don't follow college football very closely, and I understand the arguments about Utah being in a "weaker conference" than the other contenders for the national championship. Still, the Mountain West this year was pretty tough. As Reilly points out, Utah defeated four ranked teams this year. They also absolutely clobbered Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. No one else. NO ONE ELSE went undefeated. I know that sometimes there are college teams that go undefeated in the regular season and people think they're worthy of a BCS title game appearance, and then they get beat in a different BCS bowl because even though they were undefeated, their competition had been so-so (I think I'm remembering a recent Hawaii team... but again, I don't really follow college football). That wasn't the case with Utah this year. And even if it was, it irritates me to think that you've got a team full of kids who didn't lose once. NOT ONCE. And still they'll end the season ranked third or fourth or fifth. What more can you ask of the kids on that team? If you win every game you play and still don't have a shot at a national title, I'm not a big fan of the system. You can argue all you want on some abstract grounds that Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, USC, and others are better football teams, and that they might beat Utah... but that argument just doesn't hold enough water with me. Why? Because all of those teams -- wait for it -- LOST. Maybe they lost to a great team. Maybe they lost a close one. Maybe they shouldn't have lost except for that one crappy play. But they lost. Utah didn't. Crown 'em.

coaching

As Peter King reported to Bob Costas, it looks like Jerry Jones really will stick with Wade Phillips for next season, and after that there will likely be some coaching giants available for Jones to consider. For the 2010 season it looks like Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren, and Bill Cowher will all be options, and Tony Dungy is a "maybe." Interesting note: that season's Super Bowl will be held in the Cowboys' new stadium. Could the home team be playing there?

the commenters

After reading articles on ESPN.com and SI.com, I often end up skimming a few of the comments left by readers at the bottom. I wish I didn't, but I get sucked in. I find it really quite amusing. Everyone who posts on those stories is a trash-talker. No matter what the article is about, the comments are about whose team is better. Everyone's team is "the best in football" and everyone else's is terrible and should fire everyone. It's so dramatic. It's so stupid. No one makes intelligent comments. No one knows how to spell, how to use punctuation, or how to form a simple sentence. There's a really small part of me that wants to post about how stupid everyone is for posting, and how stupid everyone is not just for posting, but for the contents of their posts... but then I realize that I'd be just like them. Just by reading the posts I'm closer than I'm comfortable with.

Shanahan?

So Jerry Jones has apparently remained steadfast in his decision not to fire Wade Phillips, but I'm hearing (technically, reading) increased chatter about the possibility of former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan finding his way to Dallas. It looks like that possibility will almost certainly have to wait until 2010, though. Shanahan has suggested that unless he gets a "perfect" opportunity somewhere, he'll sit out for a season. Wade Phillips will be in the last year of his contract this season, so maybe...

If I controlled the universe (meaning: If I were Jerry Jones), I'd let [Cowboys' offensive coordinator] Jason Garrett take a head coaching position somewhere (ironically, Denver is talking to him regarding just that), demote Wade Phillips to defensive coordinator (where he belongs... he doesn't have the mentality of a head coach, in my  humble opinion), and hire Shanahan. Additionally, I'd BACK OFF. The reason why it's still hard for me to see Shanahan working for Jones is that Shanahan had pretty much sovereign control over his Broncos for 14 years. He ran the team. He was the GM and head coach. Jerry Jones is not the kind of owner to cede that much power to anyone. He wants his fingers in everything. He wants to be the negotiator of trades, and the final say on draft picks. I'm not sure the two would jell.

Your thoughts?

Funny story

This morning on the way to church we were listening to ESPN Radio (we're not heathens). I heard a really really funny story that I will now relate.

They played a clip from a recent Mike & Mike in the Morning radio show where Mike Greenberg told the story. He was in the bathroom with Mike Schlereth and the two were carrying on a conversation when Schlereth stepped up to the urinal to "do what you go to the urinal to do." Greeny said, "You're a tough guy, Schlereth. What's it like to be tough? How does it feel?" Schlereth proceeded to unfasten his pants, and drop his pants and his underwear down to his ankles. They were in a public restroom where anyone might just walk in. Schlereth responded, "See that? No one will say a word. That's what it's like to be tough."

I laughed really really hard.

I have read a lot over the last few days about the current NFL playoff system and it seems that many people think a change needs to be made. The controversy surrounds whether or not division winners should get automatic home playoff games. This conversation grows mostly out of the fact that the 12-4 Colts, a wildcard team, have to visit the 8-8 Chargers, the AFC West champs, for tonight's game. Similarly, the 11-5 Falcons (wildcard) have to travel to Arizona to face the 9-7 Cardinals (NFC West champs).

The headline article on sportsillustrated.com yesterday and today is by Peter King, who argues that while division winners should get automatic playoff bids, teams should be seeded by their record.

I'd love to hear more thoughts on this topic. What are your opinions? I won't leave you in the dark about mine: I like the way it is. If you want a home playoff game, win your division. Period. If you're lucky enough to be in the crappy NFC or AFC West, you just might finish the season with a so-so record and a division championship. That's life. Indianapolis won't complain. They'll just fly to San Diego (for the second time this season) and beat the Chargers (for the second time this season) because they're the better team.

Tell me what you think.

2009 opponents

Although the "whens" of next season haven't been determined yet, all of the "whos" have. In case you're unfamiliar with the scheduling rationale, here's a quick explanation. The current setup makes it so that every team plays every other team at least once every four years, and plays in every stadium at least once every eight. Each year all of the teams in a given division play all the teams in one other same-conference division, and one other different-conference division. Those eight games, plus the six games in their own division make up 14 games. The last two are played against teams in each of the two remaining same-conference divisions who finished at the same place in their division. If that's all confusing, our example of the Cowboys should help sort it out.

Next season the Cowboys will play their regular division schedule (2 each against the Eagles, Giants, and Redskins) which totals 6 games. They'll also play the NFC South (Panthers, Saints, Falcons, Buccaneers) for 4 more. They'll play the AFC West (Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders) for 4 more, which brings us to 14. Finally, they'll play the Seahawks and the Packers (each team, like the Cowboys, finishing this season third in their respective divisions). Does that make sense?

In addition to all of this, we know where Dallas will play these games.

The Cowboys will play home (in their brand new stadium) games against the Eagles, Redskins, Giants (as usual), Falcons, Panthers, Seahawks, Raiders, and chargers. They'll play away games at Eagles, Redskins, Giants (as usual), Saints, Buccaneers, Packers, Chiefs, and Broncos.

(In case you didn't catch that last team, I'll specifically point out that Dallas will play right here in Denver next season. I plan to try very hard to get tickets to that game).

That's all I wanted to say.