Big Ten should hire SEC scheduler

[Scioto]

Before getting to the substance of my post, I want to make clear what follows in the next paragraph is in no way an excuse for that inexplicable loss that Ohio State suffered Saturday night in Happy Valley. Despite what some OSU fans say, the blown PI call also wasn't the reason. Note the team and coaches don't blame the ref; rather, themselves. It was the O line (primarily the right side) getting blown up by a 4, occasionally 5, man rush all night long. It was the inexplicable special teams blunders (blocked punt and blocked field goal within minutes of each other in the 4th quarter, but don't forget the missed PAT in the first). It was Curtis Samuel being OSU's leading rusher with only two carries for 71 yards (and the first carry came mid-way through the third quarter and went 74 yards to the house, and he gets his name called one more time). Is it the wrong routes being called or WRs just can't get separation or the power spread? I think it's probably all three. It's the 128th youngest team in FBS, but I thought we'd see that type of performance in week 2, not week 8. Etc. Etc. The only good things to come from this weekend are (a) Franklin will get an extension, (b) I took the carry permit class with my wife yesterday and shooting 100 rounds is cathartic, and (c) I was still able to point out to my Michigan fan neighbor friend the last 15 years of OSU v UM history at the bus stop this morning. Buckeyes have their season still in front of them, I never thought this young team would go undefeated, but they better get some stuff fixed.

With that introduction out of the way, what would you Bama, Vols, or Gator fans say if your favorite team had to stay at a Ramada Inn the night before playing LSU or Georgia or Ole Miss? What if they had to hold their walk through in said ram-it-inn's parking lot? That's State College, Pennsylvania folks. If it's on your bucket list, be sure to take your camper with you. Bobby Knight warned everyone about this and was against Penn State being allowed into the conference for this reason. Bama fans, if you played UT at night and the next week played LSU at night and both those teams had byes before they played your Crimson Tide, would you be on the phone to Birmingham this morning? Vols fans, same for a game at Arkansas followed by at UF and both teams had byes before they played your Vols? Not excuses, but come on man!

 

[TeamMainStreet]

:cry: :lol:

 

[Zulu]

You surprised me, OHVATN; when I read the title of the thread, I assumed you were going to be blasting the SEC for either the eight game conference schedule, the late season "Cupcake Saturday," or both. I guess we can save that one for later. oke:

Bama, Vols, or Gator fans say if your favorite team had to stay at a Ramada Inn the night before playing LSU or Georgia or Ole Miss? What if they had to hold their walk through in said ram-it-inn's parking lot? That's State College, Pennsylvania folks.

Bama DID play at PSU in 2011. I have no idea what their accommodations were, and I realize it's not the same as having to do it every other year. State College sounds like the Big-10 version of Starkville, which is an apt name for the town. FWIW, I know that the last time Auburn played at Miss State, they actually stayed 90 minutes away, in Tuscaloosa of all places (on campus, even!). It was surreal seeing the Auburn players leaving the Capstone Hotel to board the team buses for Starkville. Looking at the map, Harrisburg looks to be about 90 minutes from State College. Maybe OSU needs to take a lesson from the Barners and stay outta town.

Bama fans, if you played UT at night and the next week played LSU at night and both those teams had byes before they played your Crimson Tide, would you be on the phone to Birmingham this morning?

Bama had a somewhat similar setup last year. A&M (away) and UT (home) back-to-back with both coming off byes, then a week off followed by LSU who was also coming off a bye. I thought it was BS then, and I'm sure Bill Battle was on the phone to Birmingham when that schedule came out.

As far as the consecutive night games, I don't think you can blame that on the conference. It's my understanding that, as part of the TV contracts, the networks get to pick kickoff times to maximize ratings. So I think your gripe there is with CBS and ESPN.

 

[Scioto]

You surprised me, OHVATN; when I read the title of the thread, I assumed you were going to be blasting the SEC for either the eight game conference schedule, the late season "Cupcake Saturday," or both. I guess we can save that one for later. oke:

Bama, Vols, or Gator fans say if your favorite team had to stay at a Ramada Inn the night before playing LSU or Georgia or Ole Miss? What if they had to hold their walk through in said ram-it-inn's parking lot? That's State College, Pennsylvania folks.

Bama DID play at PSU in 2011. I have no idea what their accommodations were, and I realize it's not the same as having to do it every other year. State College sounds like the Big-10 version of Starkville, which is an apt name for the town. FWIW, I know that the last time Auburn played at Miss State, they actually stayed 90 minutes away, in Tuscaloosa of all places (on campus, even!). It was surreal seeing the Auburn players leaving the Capstone Hotel to board the team buses for Starkville. Looking at the map, Harrisburg looks to be about 90 minutes from State College. Maybe OSU needs to take a lesson from the Barners and stay outta town.

Bama fans, if you played UT at night and the next week played LSU at night and both those teams had byes before they played your Crimson Tide, would you be on the phone to Birmingham this morning?

Bama had a somewhat similar setup last year. A&M (away) and UT (home) back-to-back with both coming off byes, then a week off followed by LSU who was also coming off a bye. I thought it was BS then, and I'm sure Bill Battle was on the phone to Birmingham when that schedule came out.

As far as the consecutive night games, I don't think you can blame that on the conference. It's my understanding that, as part of the TV contracts, the networks get to pick kickoff times to maximize ratings. So I think your gripe there is with CBS and ESPN.

No gripe about the night games, but Gene Smith better be on the phone to Delaney about the back-to-back AWAY games vs teams coming off byes. That's my gripe.

Have you ever been to Harrisburg? I have. Not sure that it's much better than State College, but it's probably equivalent to Jackson, MS, having been to both state capitals.

Now about that 8 game conference schedule and "cupcake Saturday," which we refer to as chicken-that-rhymes-with-it Saturday, ........ Oh forget it.

 

[Mudbone]

Totally unfair!! Loss shouldn't count! An away game against a team coming off a bye at NIGHT!! Staying at the ramada? Was it raining?? Vermin, that you?
:lol:

 

[TeamMainStreet]

Does Ramada Inn offer free Wi-Fi, HBO and complimentary breakfast?



If not then I agree. Outrageous I tell ya. :smash:

 

[Scioto]

Totally unfair!! Loss shouldn't count! An away game against a team coming off a bye at NIGHT!! Staying at the ramada? Was it raining?? Vermin, that you?
:lol:

Now now. I never said anything that this loss was actually a win did I?

Come to think of it, it was raining, hard. And it was windy. Downright swirly. Hmm ...... On second thought .......

It was also well under 60 degrees. Low 40s to be exact. You could see the players' breath. Aren't SEC schools allowed to declare mutual victory when it gets cold? :lol:

 

[Scioto]

Does Ramada Inn offer free Wi-Fi, HBO and complimentary breakfast?



If not then I agree. Outrageous I tell ya. :smash:

It is "Happiness in Happy Valley" but no HBO and NO FREE BREAKFAST!!!!

 

[Scioto]

You surprised me, OHVATN; when I read the title of the thread, I assumed you were going to be blasting the SEC for either the eight game conference schedule, the late season "Cupcake Saturday," or both. I guess we can save that one for later. oke:

Bama, Vols, or Gator fans say if your favorite team had to stay at a Ramada Inn the night before playing LSU or Georgia or Ole Miss? What if they had to hold their walk through in said ram-it-inn's parking lot? That's State College, Pennsylvania folks.

Bama DID play at PSU in 2011. I have no idea what their accommodations were, and I realize it's not the same as having to do it every other year. State College sounds like the Big-10 version of Starkville, which is an apt name for the town. FWIW, I know that the last time Auburn played at Miss State, they actually stayed 90 minutes away, in Tuscaloosa of all places (on campus, even!). It was surreal seeing the Auburn players leaving the Capstone Hotel to board the team buses for Starkville. Looking at the map, Harrisburg looks to be about 90 minutes from State College. Maybe OSU needs to take a lesson from the Barners and stay outta town.

Bama fans, if you played UT at night and the next week played LSU at night and both those teams had byes before they played your Crimson Tide, would you be on the phone to Birmingham this morning?

Bama had a somewhat similar setup last year. A&M (away) and UT (home) back-to-back with both coming off byes, then a week off followed by LSU who was also coming off a bye. I thought it was BS then, and I'm sure Bill Battle was on the phone to Birmingham when that schedule came out.

As far as the consecutive night games, I don't think you can blame that on the conference. It's my understanding that, as part of the TV contracts, the networks get to pick kickoff times to maximize ratings. So I think your gripe there is with CBS and ESPN.

And now back to you Zulu, you should double check, but I think that was Alabama's last home and home non-conference match-up and last non-conference game outside of the South.

 

[baddnole]

:rotf:

Totally unfair!! Loss shouldn't count! An away game against a team coming off a bye at NIGHT!! Staying at the ramada? Was it raining?? Vermin, that you?
:lol:

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Scioto]

Hey baddnole where have you been? Have you seen Vermin?

 

[huntinkev]

If I'm not mistaken, TN had to stay an hour and half from collage station. I don't know if they held their walk through in their stadium or at a high school. I know a few years ago TN had to stay somewhere a couple hours from venue and held their walk through at the local high school of where they were staying. And, then there was the year TN flew into LSU on game day, played game and flew out and didn't even stay.

 

[Mudbone]

Totally unfair!! Loss shouldn't count! An away game against a team coming off a bye at NIGHT!! Staying at the ramada? Was it raining?? Vermin, that you?
:lol:

Now now. I never said anything that this loss was actually a win did I?

Come to think of it, it was raining, hard. And it was windy. Downright swirly. Hmm ...... On second thought .......

It was also well under 60 degrees. Low 40s to be exact. You could see the players' breath. Aren't SEC schools allowed to declare mutual victory when it gets cold? :lol:

Lol!! U know I'm just oke:
I wish osu woulda killed em. Cjf is a punk. He stole all of vandy recruits when he left. He did vandy wrong. He was treated like royalty here and he crapped on the whole organization when he dipped.

 

[wayne]

(c) I was still able to point out to my Michigan fan neighbor friend the last 15 years of OSU v UM history at the bus stop this morning.

Who rides the bus nowadays?

 

[TNRifleman]

Sounds like Urban needs to fire the team hotel scheduler. Why wouldn't they stay at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, Marriott Toftrees Resort, Carnegie Spa or Nittany Lion Inn. All great hotels within a couple miles of the stadium. Down a notch from that there are multiple Hilton and Marriott hotels like Hampton Inn and Courtyard.

 

[Scioto]

(c) I was still able to point out to my Michigan fan neighbor friend the last 15 years of OSU v UM history at the bus stop this morning.

Who rides the bus nowadays?

I don't know. Fourth graders?

 

[Scioto]

Sounds like Urban needs to fire the team hotel scheduler. Why wouldn't they stay at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, Marriott Toftrees Resort, Carnegie Spa or Nittany Lion Inn. All great hotels within a couple miles of the stadium. Down a notch from that there are multiple Hilton and Marriott hotels like Hampton Inn and Courtyard.

Perhaps booked by 107,000 Penn Staters? Alternatively, they may have in 2014 when said staff of hotel pulled the fire alarms at 4 am or 2012 when Penn State fans started blowing air horns at 3 am. It's a lovely place.

 

[gator-n-buck]

Looks like the SEC can afford better hotels..... :rotf:

https://www.google.com/amp/www.sbnation ... id-verizon

 

[Woodman]

Before getting to the substance of my post, I want to make clear what follows in the next paragraph is in no way an excuse for that inexplicable loss that Ohio State suffered Saturday night in Happy Valley. Despite what some OSU fans say, the blown PI call also wasn't the reason. Note the team and coaches don't blame the ref; rather, themselves. It was the O line (primarily the right side) getting blown up by a 4, occasionally 5, man rush all night long. It was the inexplicable special teams blunders (blocked punt and blocked field goal within minutes of each other in the 4th quarter, but don't forget the missed PAT in the first). It was Curtis Samuel being OSU's leading rusher with only two carries for 71 yards (and the first carry came mid-way through the third quarter and went 74 yards to the house, and he gets his name called one more time). Is it the wrong routes being called or WRs just can't get separation or the power spread? I think it's probably all three. It's the 128th youngest team in FBS, but I thought we'd see that type of performance in week 2, not week 8. Etc. Etc. The only good things to come from this weekend are (a) Franklin will get an extension, (b) I took the carry permit class with my wife yesterday and shooting 100 rounds is cathartic, and (c) I was still able to point out to my Michigan fan neighbor friend the last 15 years of OSU v UM history at the bus stop this morning. Buckeyes have their season still in front of them, I never thought this young team would go undefeated, but they better get some stuff fixed.

With that introduction out of the way, what would you Bama, Vols, or Gator fans say if your favorite team had to stay at a Ramada Inn the night before playing LSU or Georgia or Ole Miss? What if they had to hold their walk through in said ram-it-inn's parking lot? That's State College, Pennsylvania folks. If it's on your bucket list, be sure to take your camper with you. Bobby Knight warned everyone about this and was against Penn State being allowed into the conference for this reason. Bama fans, if you played UT at night and the next week played LSU at night and both those teams had byes before they played your Crimson Tide, would you be on the phone to Birmingham this morning? Vols fans, same for a game at Arkansas followed by at UF and both teams had byes before they played your Vols? Not excuses, but come on man!

Oh...Look, I drew a picture of how much I care about their misfortune.

 

[gator-n-buck]

:tu:

 

[farmin68]

Totally unfair!! Loss shouldn't count! An away game against a team coming off a bye at NIGHT!! Staying at the ramada? Was it raining?? Vermin, that you?
:lol:

That's funny right there. :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Scioto]

Before getting to the substance of my post, I want to make clear what follows in the next paragraph is in no way an excuse for that inexplicable loss that Ohio State suffered Saturday night in Happy Valley. Despite what some OSU fans say, the blown PI call also wasn't the reason. Note the team and coaches don't blame the ref; rather, themselves. It was the O line (primarily the right side) getting blown up by a 4, occasionally 5, man rush all night long. It was the inexplicable special teams blunders (blocked punt and blocked field goal within minutes of each other in the 4th quarter, but don't forget the missed PAT in the first). It was Curtis Samuel being OSU's leading rusher with only two carries for 71 yards (and the first carry came mid-way through the third quarter and went 74 yards to the house, and he gets his name called one more time). Is it the wrong routes being called or WRs just can't get separation or the power spread? I think it's probably all three. It's the 128th youngest team in FBS, but I thought we'd see that type of performance in week 2, not week 8. Etc. Etc. The only good things to come from this weekend are (a) Franklin will get an extension, (b) I took the carry permit class with my wife yesterday and shooting 100 rounds is cathartic, and (c) I was still able to point out to my Michigan fan neighbor friend the last 15 years of OSU v UM history at the bus stop this morning. Buckeyes have their season still in front of them, I never thought this young team would go undefeated, but they better get some stuff fixed.

With that introduction out of the way, what would you Bama, Vols, or Gator fans say if your favorite team had to stay at a Ramada Inn the night before playing LSU or Georgia or Ole Miss? What if they had to hold their walk through in said ram-it-inn's parking lot? That's State College, Pennsylvania folks. If it's on your bucket list, be sure to take your camper with you. Bobby Knight warned everyone about this and was against Penn State being allowed into the conference for this reason. Bama fans, if you played UT at night and the next week played LSU at night and both those teams had byes before they played your Crimson Tide, would you be on the phone to Birmingham this morning? Vols fans, same for a game at Arkansas followed by at UF and both teams had byes before they played your Vols? Not excuses, but come on man!

Oh...Look, I drew a picture of how much I care about their misfortune.

Ah that's so sweet. You cared enough to share your art class project with me. I'm all warm and fuzzy. You made my day. I hope your day is filled with rainbows and unicorns.

 

[Woodman]

Before getting to the substance of my post, I want to make clear what follows in the next paragraph is in no way an excuse for that inexplicable loss that Ohio State suffered Saturday night in Happy Valley. Despite what some OSU fans say, the blown PI call also wasn't the reason. Note the team and coaches don't blame the ref; rather, themselves. It was the O line (primarily the right side) getting blown up by a 4, occasionally 5, man rush all night long. It was the inexplicable special teams blunders (blocked punt and blocked field goal within minutes of each other in the 4th quarter, but don't forget the missed PAT in the first). It was Curtis Samuel being OSU's leading rusher with only two carries for 71 yards (and the first carry came mid-way through the third quarter and went 74 yards to the house, and he gets his name called one more time). Is it the wrong routes being called or WRs just can't get separation or the power spread? I think it's probably all three. It's the 128th youngest team in FBS, but I thought we'd see that type of performance in week 2, not week 8. Etc. Etc. The only good things to come from this weekend are (a) Franklin will get an extension, (b) I took the carry permit class with my wife yesterday and shooting 100 rounds is cathartic, and (c) I was still able to point out to my Michigan fan neighbor friend the last 15 years of OSU v UM history at the bus stop this morning. Buckeyes have their season still in front of them, I never thought this young team would go undefeated, but they better get some stuff fixed.

With that introduction out of the way, what would you Bama, Vols, or Gator fans say if your favorite team had to stay at a Ramada Inn the night before playing LSU or Georgia or Ole Miss? What if they had to hold their walk through in said ram-it-inn's parking lot? That's State College, Pennsylvania folks. If it's on your bucket list, be sure to take your camper with you. Bobby Knight warned everyone about this and was against Penn State being allowed into the conference for this reason. Bama fans, if you played UT at night and the next week played LSU at night and both those teams had byes before they played your Crimson Tide, would you be on the phone to Birmingham this morning? Vols fans, same for a game at Arkansas followed by at UF and both teams had byes before they played your Vols? Not excuses, but come on man!

Oh...Look, I drew a picture of how much I care about their misfortune.

Ah that's so sweet. You cared enough to share your art class project with me. I'm all warm and fuzzy. You made my day. I hope your day is filled with rainbows and unicorns.

oke: Just having some fun with ya...

 

[Zulu]

... but Gene Smith better be on the phone to Delaney about the back-to-back AWAY games vs teams coming off byes. That's my gripe.

He should have been the day the schedule came out. That's his job. In defense of your schedulers, that may have been the best they could do. I've worked in a complex scheduling position before (not athletic scheduling, but something at least as complicated) and I feel for them; it's like taking three different mixed up jigsaw puzzles and trying to put together a single picture -- the pieces just don't fit together. Sometimes the best solution is to let somebody get screwed over. It sounds like it happened to OSU this year. If they're any good they'll spread the pain around in the future.

Have you ever been to Harrisburg? I have. Not sure that it's much better than State College, but it's probably equivalent to Jackson, MS, having been to both state capitals.

Yes, several times, but never for an extended stay. Our layover hotel is a Westin or something similar, so I'm pretty sure they could have found something better than the Ram-a-dam-a Inn if Urban was willing to make a bit of a bus ride.

And now back to you Zulu, you should double check, but I think that was Alabama's last home and home non-conference match-up and last non-conference game outside of the South.

Yes, Penn State was Alabama's last home-and-home non-conference series. Ever since then they've played their non-conference power-5 game in one of the neutral field kickoff games, which has so many advantages they'd be crazy to turn down the invitations. They have played kickoff games and postseason games against non-conference opponents in Dallas, Phoenix and Miami, which are all outside of my definition of the "South," but I don't think that's the point you were trying to get at.

Now about that 8 game conference schedule and "cupcake Saturday," which we refer to as chicken-that-rhymes-with-it Saturday, ........ Oh forget it.

Why don't we save that argument for the offseason? No matter how right I am, I'll never get you to agree with me anyway

 

[Scioto]

Hey Woodman, I can't embed another quote in a quote. It's all in fun and to oke: and :rotf:

On the rare occasion that I might get mad, it's by this Gator fan by the name of Rick. :lol:

 

[Scioto]

... but Gene Smith better be on the phone to Delaney about the back-to-back AWAY games vs teams coming off byes. That's my gripe.

He should have been the day the schedule came out. That's his job. In defense of your schedulers, that may have been the best they could do. I've worked in a complex scheduling position before (not athletic scheduling, but something at least as complicated) and I feel for them; it's like taking three different mixed up jigsaw puzzles and trying to put together a single picture -- the pieces just don't fit together. Sometimes the best solution is to let somebody get screwed over. It sounds like it happened to OSU this year. If they're any good they'll spread the pain around in the future.

Have you ever been to Harrisburg? I have. Not sure that it's much better than State College, but it's probably equivalent to Jackson, MS, having been to both state capitals.

Yes, several times, but never for an extended stay. Our layover hotel is a Westin or something similar, so I'm pretty sure they could have found something better than the Ram-a-dam-a Inn if Urban was willing to make a bit of a bus ride.

And now back to you Zulu, you should double check, but I think that was Alabama's last home and home non-conference match-up and last non-conference game outside of the South.

Yes, Penn State was Alabama's last home-and-home non-conference series. Ever since then they've played their non-conference power-5 game in one of the neutral field kickoff games, which has so many advantages they'd be crazy to turn down the invitations. They have played kickoff games and postseason games against non-conference opponents in Dallas, Phoenix and Miami, which are all outside of my definition of the "South," but I don't think that's the point you were trying to get at.

Now about that 8 game conference schedule and "cupcake Saturday," which we refer to as chicken-that-rhymes-with-it Saturday, ........ Oh forget it.

Why don't we save that argument for the offseason? No matter how right I am, I'll never get you to agree with me anyway

No argument to be had Zulu. I hope the SEC keeps its 8 game conference schedule. In this CFP era, one of these years soon the November cupcake game is going to bite you guys.

 

[Zulu]

No argument to be had Zulu. I hope the SEC keeps its 8 game conference schedule. In this CFP era, one of these years soon the November cupcake game is going to bite you guys.

Too bad, I was really looking forward to that discussion. Personally I think there will have to be a seismic shift in perceived strengths of schedule before the cupcake games hurt the SEC enough to keep the champion out of the playoff. On the other hand, I think there's a much greater probability that the 9 game conference schedule could produce a 2-loss Big-10 champ, which, facing 0 or 1 loss champions from the other Power-5, could find themselves on the outside of the CFP looking in.

The good thing is, this will play out on the field, and maybe sometime in the next few years one of us will be able to tell the other "told-you-so."

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

Bama fans, if you played UT at night and the next week played LSU at night and both those teams had byes before they played your Crimson Tide, would you be on the phone to Birmingham this morning?

No! We would not be whining. We would be winning and moving onto the next win. oke:

 

[Mudbone]

Bama fans, if you played UT at night and the next week played LSU at night and both those teams had byes before they played your Crimson Tide, would you be on the phone to Birmingham this morning?

No! We would not be whining. We would be winning and moving onto the next win. oke:

We?? I Assume by your statement you travel with the team and are a factor in the outcome of the games.
What's your role champ?

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

Bama fans, if you played UT at night and the next week played LSU at night and both those teams had byes before they played your Crimson Tide, would you be on the phone to Birmingham this morning?

No! We would not be whining. We would be winning and moving onto the next win. oke:

We?? I Assume by your statement you travel with the team and are a factor in the outcome of the games.
What's your role champ?

ALABAMA RTR!