Words cannot describe how angry I am today. Seriously, I am pretty fed up with how things went in Columbus last night. I am sick of the Pac-10, the SEC, and the Big 12. Schools like USC have the best teams money can buy, and that probably is not far from the truth.
You did not see a championship team playing on that field last night. Matt Barkley, who is the USC quarterback currently, did not do jack shit against Ohio State last night. Sorry folks, he had a terrible game, and the fact he may have led one single decent drive in the entire 60 minutes of regulation does little to instill confidence that this is a great player.
And yet the TV commentators are putting this kid up for sainthood. Excuse me while I adjust my eye sight, because they played a terrible game from where I was sitting in the stands.
If you can barely beat a Big 10 team in the current state that it is in, then you will not beat an SEC team, because Florida likely will be going again to the BCS Championship this year. And despite whatever grudges I have against Florida, there is nothing more that I would like to see than USC be humiliated in a championship game. Plain and simple, I want them to be embarrassed and humiliated and sent back to Los Angeles where they can stay and rot for all I care. I hope to God they get to the BCS title so they can be knocked on their asses.
Now, a couple things I would like to see in the Big 10 this year. Some are realistic, some are only remotely possible:
A strong, fast, and competitive Michigan team needs to arrive. Rich Rodriguez is bringing his game from West Virginia where they had a very fast and very strong playing style. Regardless of my own personal feelings toward Rodriguez, I know he is a good coach. When he gets his own people onto that team (and we are starting to see that), I hope to see a much more competitive Michigan team, that in turn will make Ohio State and the rest of the Big 10 more competitive.
Penn State needs to move up in the rankings and stay in contention for the national title, even if it means Ohio State having to lose to them in Happy Valley. I love Ohio State with a passion, but I also realize Ohio State is no longer in contention (barring some miracle). The Big 10 needs a national title, and if means OSU has to lose to Penn State so the Big 10 has a shot, then I am okay with that.
Love them or hate them, I want Notre Dame in the Big 10 conference. Notre Dame is a good fit for the conference, and in time I believe they will become national contenders again. Additionally, with 12 teams in the Big 10, you have the possibility for an additional championship game, which means our champion is not going to be cold an extra week like we are now going into a bowl game. Several different proposals are out there on how it can be done, but frankly it would make the Big 10 Conference more competitive in the long run.
Eventually, I think it is going to happen, but it is just a matter of when. Until then, I will keep looking forward to Notre Dame’s decision to join.
Bowl games. It goes without saying we need to win bowl games, and to continue losing these bowl games makes the Big 10 less legitimate. I know it may be hard to do when there are draft prospects on the rosters, but our teams have to give 110% to beat the hell out of those other teams that are down South and out West.
Smashmouth football. We are supposed to be the physical conference, so we need to play hard and hit harder. Take a lesson from Pittsburgh or Baltimore—that is how you knock people around. This is not the pro’s, but it wouldn’t hurt to follow those examples of how we need to hit. Wisconsin has some pretty big guys, as does everyone else in the Big 10, and we are capable at playing at this level. If you are going to tackle someone, you have to make them feel it, and that is what we need to do. Show some dominance for a change.
Finally, if you are at the 40 yard line and have a shot at making a field goal to put you beyond a 7 point margin, you take the field goal, you DO NOT PUNT! Let me repeat myself here, because that is very important. When the game is on the line and you need to get beyond 7 points because you are currently ahead by 5 points, you DO NOT PUNT! TAKE THE FIELD GOAL! Sorry Coach Tressel, but that was far too conservative a move. I respect you a lot and think you are a great coach, but you did not do the greatest job coaching last night.
That is all for now. Please give some feedback if you feel the need.
Alex Mangie
The Mang
Candidate for Canfield Trustee and Conservative Capo of Youngstown
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