World Cup fever is all over America right now so I am sure everyone couldn’t care less about the NCAA trials or the off season action. The excitement soccer fans are experiencing with the world cup will be the same felt by college football fans when the playoffs start. While the world cup is going on, we have Les Miles taking on the golf world, the NCAA being compared to the “cartel,” and the media keeping the “SEC hype machine” alive and well.
Plenty of news coming out of the court room to keep your news feed filled — as if you are paying attention. The NCAA is now using some mathematicians and economists to defend their case against not paying athletes. They have even polled America and 7-out-of-10 Americans do not want to see college athletes paid. After testifying, it looks like the B1G is in line to compensate the “student” athletes with a salary, but are they only doing this because it looks like their hands are tied?
It will all come down to how the judge rules and then we go from there. Me? I am still with the don’t-pay-them crowd. The NCAA does need to wake up and do better with their “student” athletes.
Now — if you are tired of the courtroom drama then turn your attention to the putting green. It looks like Les Miles is improving his golf game during the off season. Usually we hear about arrests and suspensions from his direction about this time of year, but it is good to see he and his players are playing nice and enjoying the off season. Les Miles is media gold, and I am sure a lot of schools would want him as their coach. I wonder if Michigan might make a run at him if Brady Hoke does not turn things around quick?
I have figure out why the SEC is so great and powerful. Yes, the SEC won 9-of-the-16 BCS championships, but that is besides the point. The SEC is only great because the media makes it great. I have not been able to get through any college football website without them hyping how great the conference is. Have they forgotten that FSU beat Auburn just a few months ago?
I think it’s time the media takes a break from giving love to just one conference, and it is time to spread the “media attention” wealth. Do they not realize football is played in other places besides the southeast? Have they seen the other players that will be competing for the Heisman this year and are not at an SEC school? Time for some love for everyone else.
For example, Oregon has Marcus Mariota in position to break a bunch of Duck records. This is also Oregon’s best chance to win the National Championship before they have to begin reloading. Then there is Braxton Miller, at Ohio State, who led them to a 24-game win streak. Ohio State is also in position to be in the playoffs this year and make some noise. Urban Meyer does not take losing lightly and will lead Ohio State back with a vengeance this year. Plus, let’s not forget about Oklahoma. They are the same team who made the “unbreakable” Alabama SEC defense look invisible. Trevor Knight made his case for Heisman this year along with Oklahoma by being in the National Title talk.
The media says the SEC will most likely put 2-3 teams in the playoff every year, but how great would it be for the SEC to knock itself out of the playoffs this year and have a non-SEC playoff. Now that will make for great headlines. Or dull headlines, depending on who you want to promote.
With all of that behind us, let’s see what we have to look forward to in the first week of the upcoming season. First, I think a big-small game that is not getting a lot of attention is between Boise State vs Ole Miss. It will be Boise State’s first game since the Chris Peterson era. We will all get to see if the Broncos are still the Giant Slayer they once were or will fans in Boise need to reevaluate their expectations? The last time Boise State played an SEC team, they smacked them in the mouth and rode right over them. I think the results will be a little different this time. Ole Miss is looking to make some noise this season and what better way to start it off then roughing up Boise State.
Watching those highlights makes me just love college football even more. I hope by the end of the summer, the game we have all grown to love is not destroyed by lawyers, new laws and greed. One thing we have to appreciate is that college football brings so many people so much joy and excitement. I hope everyone involved keeps this in mind as the (NCAA) trials continue. We will cover some more Week 1 match ups along with keeping you informed of all the college football news.
NATIONAL NEWS:
1. NCAA trial information
2. Top units returning
3. UNLV is back
4. College football mailbag
5. Notre Dame to the SEC
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Jeff Hostetler may not have won a Super Bowl with the Giants ( though his uncle of the same name did). He has been an obsessed college football fan living in Florida ever since the Gators beat FSU in the Sugar Bowl to earn the UF’s first national championship.
Ever since Jeff has immersed himself in everything possible related to college football. He enjoys watching, writing, playing, and otherwise obsessing over all things football. A graduate of the University of Florida, he brings a perspective to FishDuck free of our extreme green & yellow homerism glasses to look at the current landscape of collegiate athletics.