Rooting For The Enemy
December 17th, 2007 Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Last week I was visiting a friend in DC about a week and a half ago to take in what eventually turned out to be a terrible Bears performance at FedEx Field. The two of us were riding the train to the stadium when I couldn’t help but over hear a conversation taking place right behind me. There was a woman decked out in her Florida attire and was passing the time by proclaiming her Gator pride. Her ranting began by stating Tim Tebow as the clear choice for the Heisman award (which proved to be true), then it turned into a lecture of SEC supremacy, and how the conference as a whole has had 5 teams ranked consistently for the better part of the last five years. Obviously annoyed I had to put up listening to her for about fifteen more minutes and was relieved to finally get off.
In my estimation it would be safe to say that in many ways I was listening to the average SEC fan, and as much as I hated hearing the woman go on and on, I had to admit one thing. She was right.
To be honest everything I heard wasn’t anything new. I mean all season we have been subjected to two major themes: 1. The SEC is the hands down best conference in college football. 2. Your team will never be considered the best team in the nation unless your team is USC or in the SEC. We all have heard it before but until that instant I finally realized how much I am fed up, and as much as it pains me, it has affected how I want to the National Championship to go.
The Southeastern Conference and its following has slowly turned into the bully of college football with an annual direct impact on how the champion is crowned. When it isn’t Florida there is LSU. When those two aren’t up near the top you’ll see Georgia, Auburn, and maybe Tennessee. At the same time when one conference is as dominant as it is, how exactly is that good for the game?
I’ve been a follower of the Big Ten all my life, and it pains me to say how far the conference has fallen in such a short period of time. There is some relation to the SEC but instead of good teams beating up on bad teams its average teams beating up on bad teams. Most of my life has been spent rooting on Michigan, and when cheering for the Wolverines you are taught to hate Ohio State. Although I do hold my strong dislike for them I have to say that I will be rooting for them come next month.
I have reached the point where I am simply fed with the fact that everyone tells us, the fans that the road to a title has to run through SEC country. Granted Ohio State’s resume is not even in the same area as LSU, yet they have shown signs to be improving, most notably scheduled game with USC come next season. Although if they can pull out a win in next month’s title match, the SEC nation will have no excuse based on the mere fact that the game will be played in LSU’s backyard.
At most times I like to think that I try to root for what would be best for the game, but sense signs show that we are miles away from sniffing a playoff system, this year I feel rooting on OSU will be best for the game. After watching Florida rip the Buckeyes apart last year in Glendale, we have had months of listening how the gap between SEC and everyone else has gotten that much bigger. Yes last year’s game was probably one Jim Tressel would like to forget, but let’s be honest LSU is not nearly as good as everyone has made them out to be. Yes there two losses both came in triple OT, but it is clear their defense isn’t as strong as what many believed it to be at the start of the season, and have we really gotten any reason why Matt Flyn is good? Bottom line, if the rest of the college football wants to cut down the pedestal of the SEC, this is the perfect way to start.
Maybe I am wrong for wanting this to happen, but I don’t know about you but I’m tired of listening to annoying Gator fans rambling on the train, but you should feel free to root how you so well please.
Until next time keep your mind on the fine side.