When fans think of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays- they think of the Hall of Fame, the greatest names in Cooperstown, the manor of Major League Baseball. Ruth, Aaron, Robinson, Mantle, Mays – these are the names that are revered as the top baseball players the world has ever seen.
In the summer of 1951, Mantle and Mays took their first steps on a major league ball field. That year is forever written in history as the season that two of the greatest outfielders ever to play the game got their start.
Fast forward sixty some-odd years to 2012, and we have two outfielders who are already drawing comparisons to the stoic surnames of Mantle and Mays – 2012, the summer of American League Rookie of the Year Mike Trout and National League Rookie of the Year Bryce Harper.
April 17, 1951- At the ripe young age of 19, Mickey Mantle takes his first steps on the field at Yankee Stadium. The Commerce Comet got a hit in his first at bat, going 1-4 on the day, with an RBI. It was the Hall of Famers first step towards greatness, though it wasn’t a seamless season for the promising young outfielder.
While Mantle had a decent debut, he was later demoted in the midst of his rookie year. Mickey couldn’t get a hit and started doubting he was major league material. He was sent down to the Kansas City minor league club and still wasn’t hitting. He phoned his father expressing his concerns, and Elvin Mantle showed up at his hotel room the night of son’s frantic phone call. Without hesitation, Elvin packed up Mickey’s stuff and was ready to take him home. After a heated father-son discussion, Elvin called the young Yankee a “coward,” and Mickey credits those words as the spark he needed to get back on track. The Mick took his father’s challenge to heart and proceeded to hit pitches all the way back to the Bronx.
While Mickey was warming to the majors, Willie Mays made his debut at the age of 20, on May 25, 1951. The Say Hey Kid went 0-5 in his debut and continued his hitless streak to an 0-12 mark- he totaled only one hit in his first 25 at-bats.
Mays was waning on confidence after his stagnant start. Willie went to his New York Giants skipper, Leo Durocher, begging him to take him out of the lineup, but Durocher knew what he had in his 5-tool rook. Mays’ first hit (though he didn’t collect his second for quite some time) was a memorable one – homering off Atlanta Hall-of-Fame lefty, Warren Spahn. Mays, with the confidence of his manager, stayed with it all season long and put together an award-winning year. This rookie’s resolve resulted in the first of many of Mays’ awards- 1951’s National League Rookie of the Year.
People probably see a little bit of Willie and Mickey in Mike Trout, the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year… but Trout’s debut was in the 2011 season, so how was Trout the 2012 award winner?
According to the MLB Rule Book: “a player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats; (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list).”
Trout got his cup of coffee in 2011, serving a short stint as one of the Angels in the outfield. He had 123 at-bats, a .220 batting average, 27 hits, and 30 strikeouts. He was up with the Halos from July 8th to the 29th, demoted, and called back at the close of the season, August 19th to September 28th. With only 40-days of MLB service, and 123 at-bats, Mike Trouts’ eligibility for rookie status wasn’t jeopardized, and thus 2012 would birth baseball’s AL Rookie of the Year.
Opening Day 2012 was Wednesday, March 28, 2012, and absent were both Michael Nelson Trout and Bryce Aron Max Harper. But, both players were not far out from digging into major league dirt, as they made their first appearances on the evening of Saturday, April 28th.
Like Mays, Mike Trout’s official rookie season didn’t start out as a hit. Trout was 0-9 before doubling off of Twins pitcher Nick Blackburn during his first home game of 2012. That double came on the 30th of March, and Trout didn’t have a monthly on-base percentage (“OBP”) lower than .366 for the remainder of the season. This Jersey boy was major league ready and finished with a storybook season. Trout was voted AL Rookie of the Year, finished second in the AL MVP voting, won a Silver Slugger, and was voted an AL All-Star.
Bryce Harper paved his own path to The Bigs and it was one filled with as much admiration as scrutiny. He was deemed the LeBron of baseball by Tom Verducci and featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a high school athlete in 2009. He left high school early after passing his GED test and spent a season with The College of Southern Nevada (a junior college in Henderson, NV) where he was drafted first overall by the Washington Nationals in the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft. He is a player who is talented beyond his years and who was impatiently waiting to explode onto the scene of pro baseball. Harper’s maturity and talent have been the prospect’s strongest suites, and the 2012 season was where it was on full display.
Harper was a surprise call up on that Saturday night in April while the Nats were on a West Coast road trip. Harper walked out of the tunnel at Dodger Stadium and was slatted to start in right field and bat seventh. In his first at bat he grounded out to pitcher Chad Billingsley. In the fifth inning he flied out to left field. But then, in the seventh, on a 3-2 count – Harper lined a double into center field for his first major league hit.
Harper later slumped in the dog days of summer, but from mid-August to the season’s close was hitting well over .330 on a Nationals team ranked atop the NL Eastern Division. This 19-year-old phenom was as good as advertised, as he was recognized for his achievements by winning NL Rookie of the Year and being voted an All-Star by the fans.
With only one season behind them, we will not be able to judge if Harper and Trout will be Hall of Famers, hit over 500 or 600 home runs, achieve multiple MVP honors, hit for the triple crown, or go down as two of the best to every play ball. But, they came in together – just as Mickey and Willie – and they’ve already got a leg up on the ’51 dynamic duo. They both won rookie of the year, while Mantle lost, ironically, to his teammate Gil McDougald!
That being said- Mantle and Mays will never be duplicated or approached in what they meant to the game.
Yet, we do know this, these four players are something special to the sport, and we need to enjoy the Harper and Trout years to come.
Mantle was a man’s man as much as he was a ladies man. He played through a rare bone disease, osteomyelitis, and rose to the occasion time and time again as the World Series record holder in total: walks, extra base hits, home runs, RBI, runs, strikeouts, and total bases.
Mays took the torch in the era of civil rights and ran with it. He played partially in 1952, and missed the 1953 season because he was fighting for his country in the Korean War. Many argue he is the best to ever take the field with over 3,000 hits, 660 home runs, a lifetime batting average of .302, and defensively recording the most putouts by any outfielder ever, with 7,095- can one really argue against it?
I am thrilled that Harper and Trout are the here and now of Major League Baseball. If they play 18-seasons like The Mick or 22-seasons like The Say Hey Kid, it will be a treat for baseball fans to watch their careers unfold. I wish them both health and prosperity, but most of all, I hope that everyone has taken notice of the historical talent that has taken the field in 2012 – just as it did in 1951.
———-
By: Vance McCullough
[A Response to MLS vs The World, by: Spencer Boothe]
I’d like to offer an American solution to problems with an American league playing an un-American sport as discussed in “MLS vs The World.”
“Repetitively, I have heard people saying that Major League Soccer can become one of the most dominant leagues in the world, but the United States mentality will not allow that. This is due to the MLS foundation. As is the way with every sports league in America, the MLS is built on fairness and equal competition opportunities, such as:
1. Major League Soccer has an annual draft each year where the worst team in the league gets the first draft pick.
2. In the USA, kids are pushed to go to college and get an education.
3. In MLS soccer, teams have a salary cap limit, as well as a cap limit for each player, except for 3 possible designated players.”
The NBA operates with roughly the same rules to maintain competitive balance as MLS and yet they still manage to drag even momma’s boys like Ricky Rubio across the Atlantic and into stardom (if thats what you call being featured in an Adidas commercial with backyard wrestling scenes rather than highlights).
What distinguishes the MLS from the NBA is that the MLS cannot pay salaries competitive with the rest of the world. Is this only because of the rules? No. It’s due to a lack of interest and therefore a lack of revenue produced by the sport. If MLS changed its rules, it would still be subpar.
The MLS is not competitive in America because soccer is not American. We like sports with athletes over 6 feet tall and cheerleaders on the sidelines. We like sports with more than one or two occasions to celebrate per game. Americans spend American dollars on American sports that Americans are good at.
The MLS is not able to compete with the rest of the world despite being located in the largest consumer market in the world. Could the free market be any more clear? To look to a change in governing rules as a solution to the free market not behaving the way we wish is truly American but it is not a solution.
The true American solution to this problem is government subsidizing the MLS. Perhaps this is a platform for the 2016 Presidential Race to elicit Hispanic voters. A successful MLS franchise would create jobs and tax revenue for its host city which are two things every city in America could use more of. If we’re gonna throw money away at industries that the free market won’t support, why not make it something we can all enjoy and take pride in? I would argue that this American solution would create more American jobs, American income, American tax revenue, and American public benefit than most other American government expenditures.
Or perhaps we can all just agree to accept the mediocrity of an American league playing an un-American sport?
———-
By: Brandon Bolen
Yes, it’s true that the Mad Hatter has his flaws (See: Chick-fil-A Bowl). But, his lack of time management skills is easily overcome by some of his stronger traits:
His Clarification Abilities…
His Dedication to the Team, Literally… and Virtually…
His Physical and Mental Health Awareness…
And of Course, His Fashion Sense…
Arkansas- Bret Bielema
Bielema becomes the Arkansas Razorbacks head coach after spending seven seasons at the helm of the Wisconsin Badgers. This hire was widely considered to be the top head coaching hire made this year in the SEC, although many didn’t have Bielema on the Arkansas “short list.” He brings a hard-nosed mentality to Fayetteville, having spent his time prior to becoming a head coach as a defensive coordinator at both Kansas State and Wisconsin. Bielema’s record at Wisconsin speaks for itself – over 60 wins, multiple Rose Bowl appearances, and three Big Ten Titles. Not to mention two wildly successful young NFL stars in Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson and the Houston Texans’ defensive end J.J. Watt. But how will Bielema’s Big Ten success translate to the SEC? As offensive minded as college football is today, the one common denominator in any national title contender remains a stout defense. I think Bielema’s defensive, tough nosed style will be a good fit for Arkansas in the end.
Auburn- Gus Malzahn
After spending three seasons leading the Auburn Tiger offense, Malzahn left the Plains to become the head coach of the Arkansas State Red Wolves. In a move that left some scratching their heads, it may have worked out for the best for both Auburn and Malzahn. Malzahn returns to the Plains after leading Arkansas State to a Sun Belt conference championship and a 9 – 3 overall record in his first and only season as the head coach. As one of the most innovative offensive minds in all of college football, the return of Malzahn and his explosive offense has to be a welcome sight not only for Auburn’s offensive players, but also the Auburn fan base. One would have to imagine Auburn quarterback Kiehl Frazier is especially excited to be reunited with Malzahn. Frazier struggled this past season in a more pro-style offense, but who can blame him? It was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. With Malzahn’s offensive prowess, SEC coaching experience, and proven offensive success, this seems to be a great hire for the Auburn Tigers.
Tennessee- Butch Jones
Butch Jones becomes the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers after a wild coaching search in Knoxville. Jon Gruden, Charlie Strong, and Mike Gundy all appeared on the Tennessee coaching search radar, but after all was said and done former Cincinnati Bearcat head coach Butch Jones is the head man in Knoxville. Jones brings head coaching experience from Central Michigan and Cincinnati where he spent three seasons at each University. He amassed a 50 – 27 overall record with two Big East Championships at Cincinnati and two Mid-American Conference Championships while at Central Michigan. Prior to becoming a head coach, Jones spent his time as an assistant on the offensive side of the ball. He brings an up-tempo, no huddle style of offense that has become extremely popular in college football today. Jones is poised to deliver a spark to the Volunteer team and fan base that they have desperately needed over the past few years. Even though Tennessee may not have gotten their first choice, they undoubtedly got a proven winner in Butch Jones.
Kentucky- Mark Stoops
After another disappointing football season in Lexington, the Kentucky Wildcats parted ways with longtime Wildcat Joker Philips. After a relatively quick coaching search, Mark Stoops was named the head football coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. Yes, those Stoops. Mark is the brother of Oklahoma Sooner head coach Bob Stoops, one of the elite head coaches in all of college football, and also Mike Stoops, the former head coach of the Arizona Wildcats and current defensive coordinator of the Oklahoma Sooners. Mark Stoops comes to Kentucky after spending three seasons as defensive coordinator at Florida State. His success in Tallahassee must have struck a cord with Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart. One has to think with the hiring of Stoops, Barnhart realizes the importance of a strong defense in building a winning program. Despite Kentucky’s recent slide under Joker Philips, the Wildcat football program has had success in the past decade under head coach Rich Brooks, who led the team to 4 straight bowl games during his tenure in Lexington. The task may seem a bit daunting, and some patience may be required, but Stoops seems up to the challenge to turn around the football program in Lexington.
———-
By: Bryant Bean
What if?
What if Texas A&M hadn’t joined the SEC? What if the Heisman Trophy winner had played the 2012 season against predominantly Big 12 opponents? What if?
Well… here’s what if:
Johnny Manziel would have had the single greatest college football season OF ALL TIME.
I’m not the type to make arbitrary statements. I asked myself these same questions and researched the applicable statistics. And then, well… and then I realized…
Johnny Manziel would have had the single greatest college football season OF ALL TIME.
Here’s how…
First, I looked at Texas A&M’s opponents this year and how those opponents did against every other team they played. Specifically, I looked out how many yards and points they allowed in those games.
So, here’s Texas A&M’s 2012 opponents, with the yards they allowed per game (“YAPG”) and the points they allowed per game (“PAPG”):
Opponent |
YAPG |
PAPG |
| Florida | 283.42 | 12.92 |
| SMU | 400.25 | 27.00 |
| South Carolina St. | N/A | N/A |
| Arkansas | 409.92 | 30.42 |
| Ole Miss | 385.00 | 28.50 |
| Louisiana Tech | 526.08 | 38.50 |
| LSU | 296.17 | 16.92 |
| Auburn | 420.50 | 28.33 |
| Mississippi State | 389.92 | 22.42 |
| Alabama | 246.00 | 10.33 |
| Sam Houston St. | N/A | N/A |
| Missouri | 390.67 | 28.42 |
In order to obtain a more applicable statistic, I adjusted the YAPG and PAPG for each of Texas A&M’s opponents. These adjusted statistics remove each team’s game against Texas A&M, so that it gives a more accurate depiction of what the team did against every team other than Texas A&M. So here’s Texas A&M’s 2012 opponents, with their adjusted yards and points allowed per game:
Opponent |
Adjusted YAPG |
Adjusted PAPG |
| Florida | 278.82 | 12.55 |
| SMU | 381.64 | 25.09 |
| South Carolina St. | N/A | N/A |
| Arkansas | 382.09 | 27.91 |
| Ole Miss | 376.29 | 28.36 |
| Louisiana Tech | 512.27 | 36.64 |
| LSU | 285.82 | 16.73 |
| Auburn | 397.73 | 25.18 |
| Mississippi State | 362.37 | 21.00 |
| Alabama | 230.36 | 8.63 |
| Sam Houston St. | N/A | N/A |
| Missouri | 367.37 | 25.64 |
Side Note: Yes- Removing the Texas A&M game from Alabama’s schedule would have lowered their points allowed per game to a nearly unfathomable 8.63 points a game.
Moving on…
Then, I looked at Texas A&M’s actual performance, in yards and points, against those teams in comparison to how many yards and points those teams typically allowed. Here’s Texas A&M’s actual performance against their opponents in 2012:
Opponent |
Yards (Adjusted YAPG) |
Points (Adjusted PAPG) |
| Florida | 334 (278.82) | 17 (12.55) |
| SMU | 605 (381.64) | 48 (25.09) |
| South Carolina St. | N/A | N/A |
| Arkansas | 716 (382.09) | 58 (27.91) |
| Ole Miss | 481 (376.29) | 30 (28.36) |
| Louisiana Tech | 678 (512.27) | 59 (36.64) |
| LSU | 410 (285.82) | 19 (16.73) |
| Auburn | 671 (397.73) | 63 (25.18) |
| Mississippi State | 693 (362.37) | 38 (21.00) |
| Alabama | 418 (230.36) | 29 (8.63) |
| Sam Houston St. | N/A | N/A |
| Missouri | 647 (367.37) | 59 (25.64) |
Next, I had to compare that to how Johnny Football did in each of those games, so here’s Johnny Manziel’s stats, total yards gained and total touchdowns scored, in each game this year:
Opponent |
Manziel’s Total Yards |
Manziel’s Total Touchdowns |
| Florida | 233 | 1 |
| SMU | 418 | 6 |
| South Carolina St. | 252 | 5 |
| Arkansas | 557 | 4 |
| Ole Miss | 320 | 2 |
| Louisiana Tech | 576 | 6 |
| LSU | 303 | 0 |
| Auburn | 350 | 5 |
| Mississippi State | 440 | 2 |
| Alabama | 345 | 2 |
| Sam Houston St. | 367 | 5 |
| Missouri | 439 | 5 |
| Totals | 4,600 | 43 |
Now comes the fun part. I removed all non-FBS games (South Carolina State and Sam Houston State) and determined percentages, which represented (1) Texas A&M’s total yards gained in relation to their opponents average yards allowed per game and (2) Texas A&M’s points scored in relation to their opponents average points allowed per game. The percentage for Texas A&M’s yards gained was 159%, and the percentage for Texas A&M’s points scored was 191%. In other words, Texas A&M gained 59% more yards and scored 91% more points than their opponents typically allowed.
Further, I had to determine Manziel’s total contribution to the offense this year. After dividing Texas A&M’s total offense by Manziel’s total yards gained in each game, and then averaging all of the games to figure out his percentage of contribution per game, I determined that 70.8% of the offense per game was attributable to Manziel. Using the same process, I determined he was also responsible for 47.1% of Texas A&M’s points scored per game.
So, next, I had to apply these statistics to Texas A&M’s schedule if they were still in the Big 12.
If Texas A&M had not made the switch to the SEC, here is what their 2012 schedule* would have most likely looked like:
Opponent |
2012 YAPG |
2012 PAPG |
| SMU | 400.25 | 27.00 |
| Arkansas | 409.92 | 30.42 |
| Louisiana Tech | 526.08 | 38.50 |
| Missouri | 390.67 | 28.42 |
| Oklahoma | 381.36 | 24.82 |
| Oklahoma State | 409.09 | 28.36 |
| Baylor | 509.73 | 38.55 |
| Texas Tech | 367.25 | 31.83 |
| Texas | 417.73 | 28.27 |
| Iowa State | 444.83 | 23.33 |
| Kansas | 466.82 | 34.00 |
| Kansas State | 371.00 | 20.82 |
*I determined this schedule by combining their old projected conference schedule (not including West Virginia or TCU) with the first non-conference games they scheduled (SMU, Arkansas, and Louisiana Tech).
So, I derived a formula for determining Manziel’s total yards gained in each game:
Opponent's YAPG x Texas A&M's Performance % x Manziel's Contribution % = Manziel's Total Yards Gained
For instance, Kansas allowed 466.82 yards per game this year. Plugging that into the formula with Texas A&M’s performance percentage (which for yards we know is 159%) and Manziel’s contribution percentage (70.8%), we get:
466.82 x 159% x 70.8% = 525.51
So, according to my formula, Manziel would have gained 525.51 total yards against Kansas. Similarly, here’s the same basic formula for Manziel’s points per game:
Opponent's PAPG x Texas A&M's Performance % x Manziel's Contribution % = Manziel's Points Scored
Applying these formulas to each game, here’s Johnny Football’s stats for 2012 in the Big 12 (numbers rounded to the nearest hundredth):
Opponent |
Manziel’s Total Yards Gained |
Manziel’s Points Scored |
| SMU | 418* | 36* |
| Arkansas | 557* | 24* |
| Louisiana Tech | 576* | 36* |
| Missouri | 439* | 30* |
| Oklahoma | 429.30 | 22.97 |
| Oklahoma State | 460.52 | 26.25 |
| Baylor | 573.81 | 35.68 |
| Texas Tech | 413.42 | 29.46 |
| Texas | 470.25 | 26.16 |
| Iowa State | 500.75 | 21.59 |
| Kansas | 525.51 | 31.47 |
| Kansas State | 417.64 | 19.27 |
| Totals | 5,781.21 Yards | 338.85 (~56.48 Touchdowns) |
*I did not apply the formula to games Texas A&M actually played this year, I just used Manziel’s actual stats in those games.
Thus, according to my unqualified opinion, and assuming a lot of variables, Johnny Manziel would have had 5,781 yards and 56 touchdowns in 2012 during the 12-game regular season. He would have gained 1,181 more yards and scored 13 more touchdowns than he actually did this year.
But, that’s not all historians include in the stats…
As of 2002, single season records include postseason statistics. So, I’m going to take my assumptions one step (or maybe several steps) further. I think Texas A&M wins every single one of those games. Which, puts them in the National Championship*, playing an undefeated… Alabama. Alabama’s only loss came from Texas A&M, and we removed them from the SEC, remember? And as to how that National Championship game would go, well, we all know what happened when Texas A&M actually played Alabama…
*Yes, I know Notre Dame would be undefeated, but I think the computers would have given the number 2 spot to Texas A&M, placing Notre Dame at number 3, and subsequently, out of the National Championship game.
So, if you add Manziel’s actual performance against Alabama, 345 total yards and 2 touchdowns, that would give Manziel 6,126 total yards and 58 total touchdowns for the 2012 season. With 6,126 total yards, Johnny Football would have broken the record for total offense in a single season, which is currently held by B.J. Symons with 5,976 yards (2003). It would also place him only 4 touchdowns shy of Colt Brennan’s record of 63 touchdowns in a season (2006).
So, in conclusion, if Texas A&M had been in the Big 12 this year, Johnny Manziel would have broken the record for total offense in a single season, won the Heisman, and won the National Championship. In other words…
Johnny Manziel would have had the single greatest college football season OF ALL TIME.
———-
By: Tyler Raborn
The beautiful game. The World’s sport. America’s “communist” game. Fútbol. Soccer. All terms given to the game that is played only with your feet (other than goalkeepers and throw-ins that is). The sport that the majority of countries in the world live and breathe by. The one where countries gauge their success as a country by the results of their national soccer team. The game where every 4 years all the countries in the world compete to see who reigns supreme as the best team in the world. And… the sport that many Americans would love to see just go away.
Soccer is a growing sport in the United States, but it is a sport that many Americans do not understand, support, or even like. More than any other sport in the US, soccer receives scrutiny from the public and is disregarded by many in the sports media business. Despite its struggle for acceptance, the sport is growing in this nation. This is evidenced not only by the recent promotion of soccer by ESPN and the new MLS/NBC TV deal, but it is shown by the increase in Major League Soccer as a league. The MLS began in 1996 with 10 teams and has now expanded to 19 with 3 in Canada. Also, while still not near the level of the NFL or MLB, attendance rankings show that the MLS averages more fans per game than both the NBA and NHL. This makes MLS the 3rd most popular sport in the USA when looking at average attendance per game.
So now that the MLS has improved its stock in the United States, the next step is to improve its stock to the rest of the soccer world. While I do not believe the MLS will ever overtake the NFL or MLB, the league has plenty of room to grow. However, as it sits right now, the MLS is nowhere near capable of competing with the top soccer leagues in the world, and with the rules in place, they never will. Repetitively, I have heard people saying that Major League Soccer can become one of the most dominant leagues in the world, but the United States mentality will not allow that. This is due to the MLS foundation. As is the way with every sports league in America, the MLS is built on fairness and equal competition opportunities, such as:
- Major League Soccer has an annual draft each year where the worst team in the league gets the first draft pick. In international soccer, the teams with the most money sign whoever they want, and the worst teams get the leftovers.
- In the USA, kids are pushed to go to college and get an education. Internationally, clubs sign young players when they are pre-teens, and players play soccer rather than earn an education.
- In MLS soccer, teams have a salary cap limit, as well as a cap limit for each player, except for 3 possible designated players. In international soccer, teams can spend whatever they deem necessary on their team or on a single player- the teams with the most money spend the most on the top players. In MLS the most expensive team based on salary per player is the LA Galaxy with an average player salary of $555,799, while the most expensive team in the world is Barcelona of the Spanish Premier League (La Liga) at $8.68m per player. Further, every team in the English Premier League pays more than the highest paying team in the MLS.
So how can one expect the MLS to compete with the top soccer clubs in the world? Not only are the international teams paying top dollar for the best players in the world, but the MLS is playing with players in a country where most kids grow up dreaming of playing in the NFL, MLB, or NBA. As it stands right now, the MLS has no shot of ever competing with the soccer leagues around the world. The MLS would have to change its fundamental rules completely, and being that the USA encourages equality and fairness in sports, I honestly don’t see that happening.
… Now if the top athletes in the USA played soccer instead of football and basketball, things may change, but that’s a topic for another time.
———-
By: Spencer Boothe
Notre Dame deserves to be in the National Championship game.
Thats it. That’s all it takes. With that simple sentence you’re either disgusted and ready to close this article or you’re mentally fist-pumping, chomping at the bit to show all the “haters” some “truth.” Whether it’s your renewed hatred for Notre Dame, tried and true loyalty, or bandwagon seat that’s been dusted off this year, the relevance of the Irish amplifies the magnitude of this national championship game for a plethora of reasons, and the timing could not be more picturesque.
It seems there is no room on the fence when it comes to Notre Dame– you either love them or you hate them. Their perfect season up until this point has forced the few fence flirters to choose a side and stand by it. Undoubtedly, some of this comes because of the unwavering obsession the media has with covering all things Irish. However, it cannot be denied that Notre Dame embodies one of the most polarizing brands in college football. This is partly due to the media mania that encompasses anything they do. Maybe it’s due to the contract with NBC, easy road to the BCS, or the several other arguably unfair advantages. Possibly it’s those shiny helmets (ask Rick Reilly about those), or Rudy, or the “Win One for the Gipper” speech.
Whether it’s fair (or deserving or whatever word you want to use) or not, Notre Dame has become relevant again this year causing the love and hatred alike to flow that much smoother. And people want to see it. When Notre Dame faced USC with a trip to the ‘ship on the line, ABC’s broadcast was the most watched since the ’06 OSU vs. Michigan game and the fifth most watched on any network since at least 1991. The drama of a backup quarterback replacing the star and possibly spoiling the resurgent Irish’s hopes of perfection was almost too good to be true. Then Lane Kiffin seemingly took the reins and chauffeured Notre Dame right to the BCS National Championship game, but that’s another story.
Likewise, within 32 hours of beating USC, Notre Dame had ticket orders for the championship game from all 50 states, 6 Canadian provinces, UK, Australia, Mexico, and Germany. Then two weeks after defeating USC, their ticket office had received over 100,000 ticket orders… and SunLife Stadium, the site of the BCS National Championship, holds around 80,000 or so.
Let’s set the stage. Entering the ring we have Notre Dame– this storied, resurgent program that’s lost 10 of it’s last 12 bowl games but has seemingly risen from the ashes this year… and waiting on them in the corner pounding its collective fist is Alabama– the closest thing we’ve seen to a college football dynasty in quite some time, as they’re going for their third title in four years.
But what’s so captivating about this particular championship game may not be the fact that it’s two traditional powerhouses in quite different stages of their programs’ life cycle. Sure the media has been eating up that story line, and if you’re like me you’re sick of all the coverage the history of these two programs has been getting. Whether it’s The Bear, Rudy, or Lou Holtz stumbling, fumbling, and mumbling through his memories of the glory days, surely it’s about time to shut up and play some football.
However, what’s most enthralling about this game is the current scope of college football–namely, the implication of the 4-team playoff beginning in 2014. The game we love is on the cusp of it’s foundation shifting, which most agree is a much needed change. I tend to agree with this opinion. Even if the pros do outweigh the cons, a change of this magnitude will most certainly cause some adverse ripples in one way or another.
Amidst this change in the landscape of college football there’s been an underlying argument in nearly every headline or story, especially over the past six years… the SEC vs. everybody else. Even as this season has unfolded it’s boiled down to a heavyweight bout between Notre Dame and the SEC, with others (namely Oregon and Kansas State) being bullied away. The fact is there and cannot be denied: 6 BCS National Championships in a row speak for themselves. But some argue the league receives kingly treatment even when it’s ‘undeserving’ in the BCS, rankings, accolades, etc. It’s extremely tough to even form a case that it’s not the best conference in football, but many seem weary of the success the conference has had and want a change. And they’re getting it. This 4-team playoff will lend more structure to the argument, due to more of it being played out on the field and a decreasing reliance on the computer rankings and polls. The arguing will shift somewhat from the fans and the media bickering whose body of work is more impressive to the committee, which will determine the four teams worthy of a shot at a title.
The best team will be decided on the field, without as much help from computers, which is what we all want and deserve. On the contrary, the regular season will be a fraction less meaningful and the underlying argument will become more watered down as it will be less centered around media and fan rants and force teams to earn their title on the scoreboard.
As we’re on the verge of this change that many have longed for, what better way to send out an era than what we have on our plate this season. I know there’s one more year until the 4 team playoff is inaugurated, but I doubt the story lines will be as rich. Two traditional powerhouses facing off: one that’s become a mainstay, and the other that’s miraculously risen from mediocrity this season. The SEC, in the form of Alabama, will try to bulldoze its way to a seventh consecutive title, while Notre Dame hopes to finish off their miraculous season and avoid becoming just another victim to the SEC tyranny. Whether you love Notre Dame or you hate them, either emotion has undoubtedly been strengthened with their success this year; or maybe you’re exhausted from the dominance of the SEC and can’t wait for the playoff because you’re holding out hope that it will somehow shift the argument back in favor of everyone else.
We’re on the foothills of a mountain of change in college football, and it would be wise to enjoy this seeming climax to the BCS selection era now, in which ratings will be high and points probably at a premium, and then worry about the playoff system and its implications when it comes.
———-
By: Philip Matthews
Hello,
My Name is Dylan White, and I am a bandwagon Heat fan. Admission is the first step in recovery, and while I am fairly confident that excuses are not tolerated, I am compelled to tell you this: It isn’t my fault.
I live in an apartment with two Miami natives as roommates. Obviously, the Dolphins haven’t done anything of substance since Dan Marino, with the short-lived exception of the 2008 Sparano-Wildcat-Fluke. (OK, the current Dolphins team is improving, but lets be honest, no team gets scared when they see Miami on their football schedule. So my roommates have found themselves cheering more heavily for the Heat as the years have gone on. In fact, one of them refuses to sit down while the Heart are playing on TV, because “it’s a luck thing.” Myself, I am from a small town in Mississippi, a state with no professional sports teams. I have been forced to go out searching for “my teams.” Another bleak admission on my part, I probably never watched a full NBA game before I got to college. I’m fairly new to the game, and I never had that one team to cheer for. I often found myself rooting for players, not teams, and more often than not those “players” were Lebron James. That brings me to today – sitting in a house full of Miami Heat fans, no team to cheer for myself, and a Lebron James championship team waving me onto the wagon. And oh, what a comfortable wagon it looks like.
Now that I find myself squarely in the middle of the wagon labeled “Los Heat,” I’m in quite the predicament. As of December 31st my Heat are sitting pretty at 20-8, but to this point they have looked, well, mortal. They have a chance to be off to an even better start than last year, but they have lost games they shouldn’t have, and teams like New York may have the hot hand. But fear not, that is why I am here today. To help all of you other bandwagon fans prepare your arguments against the onslaught of anti-Heat propaganda sure to come your way. I recommend using any number of these arguments in response to any comment made. Oftentimes, in a sports argument context means little. Bandwagon fandom rarely allows for reality. It is really just about getting your point across. If that means yelling these sentences at the top of your lungs while ignoring your friend pestering you with logical counterpoints, then yell at the top of your lungs. Every time our Heat loses a game, believe me, you are going to hear about it. The following are the appropriate responses:
1. “It’s the NBA. The regular season doesn’t mean shit!”
It’s the age-old adage; it just happens to be true. No one in the history of history knows why in the hell the NBA season is so long. Losing a regular season game means very little. Sure, if you lose enough of them you will miss the playoffs or get stuck with a bad seed, but no one game will make or break a season. When a team is asked to play 82 games in the regular season, they are bound to phone a couple of them in. It can’t be helped. No team will ever finish the NBA regular season undefeated. It just isn’t possible for a team to stay physically and mentally healthy enough to win every game. That means when our Heat lose a game to the Washington Wizards, it doesn’t really matter. We phoned it in, and before the season is over, it will likely happen again with one team or another. But in the end everyone knows who the better team actually is.
2. “C’mon man, the only reason you are bragging is because we are the defending champs! Everyone else measures their success on whether or not they can beat us, that shows you just how good we are!”
It is common for other teams to base their legitimacy off of whether or not they beat the Heat. If a team is considered a fraud or real is often determined by the way they play the Heat. Why wouldn’t they? The Miami Heat are the defending world champions. They are the best team in the NBA. It only makes sense that other teams would see that and base their perspective on their ability to play our Heat. And to be honest, that is the way it should be. That giddy fan throwing a win in your face is actually admitting our dominance, just be sure to point it out to him.
3. “Who cares if [insert rival fan’s team] beat us? We played the Celtics 4 times in the regular season last year, and we lost 3. Guess what? We won when it counted! AND we will do it again!”
This is really an extension of number one. Because the season is so long and unimportant, we are bound to lose a game and a fan of the winning team is going to come looking for you. Just remind them of that statistic. The Celtics took 3 of 4 against the Heat in the regular season, only to get beat in the playoffs. We show up to win in the games that count. That is all that matters. Flaunt the fact that we have been beaten before, but we are still playing with a brad new ring on our finger. Next year, we will have two. (It is possible that you jumped on the wagon after Dwayne Wade won their first title without Lebron. If that is the case, you can say 3.)
4. “3 Words: The. Big. Three.”
Everyone knows who the big three are. Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. And while they may not all show up to play in the same game, usually at least one of them is there to carry the team. Just tell them that Lebron can do this. D-Wade can do this. And Chris Bosh can do this. (Yes, I think Chris Bosh looks like a meerkat. I think that because he does.) Eh, leaving Bosh out of the discussion may not be a bad idea.
And if all else fails…
5. “F%@& off. Los Heat! Soon to be back-to-back-champs!”
For that overly enthusiastic friend who refuses to let up with all of his “reason,” this is the last resort. It is pure rhetoric. There is no argument involved, no point to be made, only blind faith in our team. It is a self-awareness of all of the above arguments combined with a lack of caring if anyone else sees the brilliance in them. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says or thinks, only what you know – the Heat will win it all. Again.
———-
By: Dylan S. White
Sports Righting 