Still Dreaming Of A Playoff

I'll admit, the 2010 BCS Championship game between Alabama and Texas at the Rose Bowl was pretty entertaining.  Alabama's defense was so impressive it almost looked like they had too many men on the field - they were that fast and quick.

Texas, unlucky with star quarterback Colt McCoy going down with an injury early in the first, made quite a valiant comeback with a little used backup quarterback.  Pretty daunting task for a freshman not expected to play though prepared all week in practice to be ready, to be thrown into a national championship game before close to 100,000 people and national audience. But I have to hand it to the Longhorns, they made a game of it and battled back and had a chance to tie it or even win it in the final minutes but a key turnover, again by the excellent Alabama defense, won it.

After all this, I still would like to see a playoff.  Of course, utilize the bowl facilities, etc.  But there are way too many bowl games and teams with 6-5 records qualifying.  It gets very watered down.

I'm not thinking about a 64-team tourney like basketball, but even just an eight-team playoff.  Who wouldn't like to see the winner of the Boise-TCU game take on last night's winner.  One of the arguments of the old guard and supporter of the bowls is that it would take time away from the student-athletes.  Really?  Aren't there already bowl games all month long in December?  Aren't teams playing on Saturday?  I do like the big games and understand the money involved, but tell me the ratings wouldn't be through the roof? I get tired of having a champion determined by a computer as the BCS does.

It works for every other sport - even Division I-AA.

In closing, in 1999, UMass was the 12th seed of the I-AA playoffs.  If a champion was determined as it is by the BCS, the Minutemen wouldn't have a shot at a title.  Instead, they proceeded to knock off the higher seeds and beat the top-seed and No. 1 team in the tournament for the championship.

Just a thought. 

Happy New Year

With all of the joy and the feeling of starting fresh with a new year upon us, 2009 will remembered by those we have lost and those we welcomed.  The full circle of life was never more evident as we lost a dear member of our family, Nana Bonnie, last January. She lived a wonderful life and was an inspiration to all of us.  There isn't a day that goes by that we all think of her and smile.  She will always be in our hearts. 

Though with the loss of Nana, we welcomed to the world Liam Dennis Sullivan in August.  Upon immediately seeing Liam at 7:40 a.m. on August 4, 2009, a vision of Nana Bonnie instantly came to mind.  He is an angel and a most wonderful gift for us all. 

Here's to a happy and healthy 2010 for all.