Who Knew that Football was Like Ice Dancing?

It's November and the College Football season is coming to an end. Right now there are three premier teams that are undefeated. The way the system is set up, one of these teams will be S.O.L... why? Because the way they determine a national championship is mind boggling. It brings to mind the former Ice Dancing System. Where basically the only way you could ever win was to be a Russian Team.. You had to wait years for your turn and even then it was almost impossible to break through. Why? Well because it was a judging system held in secret. No one really understood how and why decisions were made.

For years people, men especially, have mocked Ice Dancing.. saying it isn't really a sport because well it's judged and it's subjective. Tell me how is it different from the current system BCS system? How can they decide upon a top team when it's biased? When you can loose out as number one because you lost a game LAST year? When it depends on opinions, polls and some really sketchy computer programs that no one understands. And of course a system that does everything possible to ensure a SEC team gets in the top two? Makes me wanna scream in some man's ear.. hey buddy.. guess what? If we go by your definition.. football isn't a sport.. It's JUDGED.

"The polls themselves are an unquestioned mess. Through the years they’ve proven to be ripe with bias, confusion, groupthink and voters of weak credentials. Coaches regularly admit that media relations directors and secretaries fill out their ballots. Since no coach has the free time to watch any game not involving next week’s opponent, this may actually be a good thing.

The polls also lack a set list of criteria for voters to follow – is it more important how you win, who you beat, how you lose, where you win, etc.? It’s up to whatever each individual voter decides, which adds subjectivity to the subjectivity.

That’s where “style points” come in, which, much to Kelly’s chagrin, tends to be awarded to teams that put up big offensive numbers and sizable margins of victory."

Sound familiar? Yeah me too.. sounds an awful lot like the ice dancing rules of old.

 "figure skating was formerly judged on a 6.0 scale. This scale is sometimes called "the old scale", or "old system". Skaters were judged on "technical merit" (in the free skate), "required elements" (in the short program), and "presentation" (in both programs). The marks for each program ran from 0.0 to 6.0 and were used to determine a preference ranking, or "ordinal", separately for each judge; the judges' preferences were then combined to determine placements for each skater in each program. The placements for the two programs were then combined, with the free skate placement weighted more heavily than the short program. The lowest scoring individual (based on the sum of the weighted placements) was declared the winner."

What's a girl gotta do to get a playoff?

Top soccer team booted from playoffs for strange technicality

I was completing my normal routine this morning.. Reading my emails, responding to posts and comments on Bodice Rippers, talking with my BR associate, reading Dear Abby (every day since I was a kid.. can't help myself) and cruising through Yahoo News..

I admit, I like Yahoo News because it not only informs me of important stuff but tells me what other people consider important. Believe me I rarely agree with what they think but I do find it fun. Today I found a rather interesting article about a Soccer Team that was disqualified from the playoffs. The picture shows the team all decked out in their uniforms posing for what I can only assume is their yearbook picture. You are SUPPOSED to feel sorry for them. I find that while I do feel bad for the girls, they didn't do anything wrong, I have to agree with the decision.

The team, which is one of the best in the State of NY and who could conceivably win the state championship was disqualified because it played one too many regular season games. This is a newer rule as it is only two years old.. But that should be a reason why they actually are aware of it. It is not as the title implies a strange technicality, it was a rule that has been enacted for a specific reason. And the people who scheduled games for this team screwed up. Obviously, by playing one more game than the rest of the teams gives them one more chance at working together in a game environment. Fine tuning their team work and learning just a bit more about each other.

The school petitioned the State athletic board for a dispensation, fortunately they were turned down. Sorry girls, yes you are one of the best and you should be playing in these championships BUT don't blame the State. It wasn't the State that broke the rules. They didn't create it to hinder you.. it was in place in plenty of time for your schedulers to be aware of..

Part of athletics, the part parents today like to forget, is learning to work within the rules.. If you hit a ball between these lines you may advance to a base or two or three, if you shoot a ball while standing outside these lines, you get extra points, if you pitch a ball between the shoulders and knees and directly over the plate that is a strike!! There are rules for a reason.. life has rules, mommy and daddy don't get to go to your boss and make him change the reasons why you have to go in on Wednesdays, or how much you make.. No you have to do it yourself, these are the rules..

I hate the need to "FIX" everything for our children.. well not the need we all have that inside us, but rather the action of actually doing it. Ask any of the Beasties and they will tell you from an early age I expected them to fight their own battles, follow the rules and respect others.. So far they are pretty great kids/adults so I think I have done the right thing..

you can find the entire article I am speaking of Here