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posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 8:24 am

Comments

I’m ready for spring to get here already. Enough of this cold snap!

Comment by Levois J Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 8:24 am
Go Dawgs!

Comment by Steve Reick Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 8:26 am
Seriously? Bill Polian? I cannot et over that. UGH

Comment by Lost in Place Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 8:27 am
cattle are head deep in hay bales and staying energized. Looks like their plugged in.

Comment by flea Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 8:32 am
One of heck a title game last night. Kirby finally got the W against Saban who was missing some key guys but the Dawgs earned it. Would not be surprised to see the Dawgs and Tide playing for the Naty again next year.

Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 8:47 am
Seeing alleys that look like ice rinks. Still very slippery out there, but temperatures will rise today and the next few days and hopefully melt some of the stuff.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 8:54 am
The Bears would like to interview you for the General Manager Position. Frankly, they figure you can’t be much worse and you won’t cost the Bears as much

Comment by Any Fantasy Football Team Owners Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 8:55 am
==Go Dawgs!==

The Salukis were playing somewhere?

Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 9:03 am
I’m still shaking my head over George McCaskey calling Olin a liar. This team can’t even fire a unpopular Head Coach and GM without blowing the press conference.

Comment by Long Time Independent Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 9:04 am
Go Dawgs! SEC football is the superior college conference, and I will die on this hill.

Comment by wildcat12 Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 9:06 am
State Rep Tom Morrison not running for re-elect in 2022?

Comment by Suburban Dad Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 9:13 am
Time to laugh. “Reno 911 the hunt for Q Anon” movie starring Oak Park’s Thomas Lennon and the show gang. streaming. Reno 911 always hilarious.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 9:15 am
There are birds out on the front lawn. At least one of them is a male robin. I don’t know what they’re finding to eat, but they’re definitely eating something.

Comment by Cheryl44 Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 9:35 am
Wildcat: I’ll concede Alabama and Georgia were excellent teams this year, but the SEC was 1-3 against Group of 5 teams in bowl games this year.
Until we have a true tournament (like every other division in college football), we’ll never know if the SEC is the superior college conference. I would have loved to have seen Utah or Oklahoma State play in a larger tournament.

Comment by Steve Rogers Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 10:24 am
===Until we have a true tournament===

Comparing wins in a conference during bowl season versus the “tournament” want…

Which non team that’s not Alabama or Georgia that could beat those two teams?

Michigan and Cincinnati both lost by TWENTY PLUS…

A 4-team playoff works.

No need to play frivolous, meaningless games… those are called “bowl games”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 10:31 am
oh gosh, not more playoff games. football takes too long anyway. soccer is not just the future. it is the present.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 10:35 am
That was a heck of a football game.
Was hoping UGA would come to play and they sure showed they deserve the title of National Champs.

Comment by Back to the Future Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 10:38 am
=A 4-team playoff works.

No need to play frivolous, meaningless games… those are called “bowl games” =

Couldn’t agree with you more.

Comment by phenom_Anon Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 10:38 am
I’d rather do away with meaningless bowl games and put many of those teams into a tournament, where games are truly meaningful. Maybe you won’t have players skipping bowl games and coaches quitting during a real tournament. Following your logic, OW, with respect, then the NCAA basketball tournament is frivolous and meaningless–let’s just put Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State, and some other blue blood in the final four and forget about the Houstons, Loyolas, and Wichita States.

Comment by Steve Rogers Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 10:47 am
–Until we have a true tournament–

I would enjoy this, I’ll be honest.

–Which non team that’s not Alabama or Georgia that could beat those two teams?–

Exactly, OW.

Comment by wildcat12 Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 11:13 am
Between Metchie and Williams both tearing up knees, extra frivolous games are not helpful, even for the players.

When Williams went down last night, that poor guy. The rehab… ugh.

Extra games mean extra chances.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 11:26 am
Isn’t that why the games are played? Just choose Alabama and Georgia for the national championship? NCAA basketball tournament one of the biggest if not the biggest annual sporting event has numerous frivolous games, why do they play them? I am not suggesting that CFP should have 64 teams but an eight team playoff would add just one more weekend of football. Pick your two favorites in the NCAA basketball tournament and let us know when it is over if you selected correctly.

Comment by bball_coach Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 11:30 am
- bball_coach -

Are you equating basketball and football as the same, especially to what can be done to the body?

You can play basketball games back to back nights, football, teams beg fir a bye week… to literally heal.

The top 4… Notre Dame lost, Ohio State was in a track meet, neither looked “top 4”…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 11:33 am
Go Dawgs is referencing the best college football team in Illinois, your NIU Huskies.

Comment by Lt Guv Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 11:35 am
ow
Obviously football and basketball are completely different animals my point is just because Alabama and Georgia look to be the top two teams does not mean they are. All I am saying is with an eight team tournament you add one additional game for any team that wins. I am saying lose the meaningless bowls create the tournament and let them play it out. I was using the NCAA basketball tournament as an example of why you play the so called “frivolous” games.

Comment by bball_coach Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 11:45 am
Amalia–Thank you for the tip about the Reno 911 movie [banned punctuation] I just finished up a demoralizing 3 hour work Zoom meeting and will track that down for a cheer-me-up this evening. Reno 911 was/is a fabulous show.

Comment by Leslie K Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 11:48 am
=== Alabama and Georgia look to be the top two teams===

There were 4 teams in the playoffs.

Both Michigan and Cincinnati lost by over 20 points.

Four works, more might be harmful

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 11:53 am
Four teams doesn’t work, just like two teams didn’t work in the BCS, and no teams didn’t work when coaches and sportwriters voted for national champions.

The FCS has 24 teams in their playoff. DIII has 32 teams. They play every weekend after the regular season concludes. Just like high school. As I said earlier, if it can be done at every level of football, why can’t it be done at the FBS level?

Comment by Steve Rogers Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 12:55 pm
===Four teams doesn’t work===

It literally just did.

What program can say they could beat Alabama or Georgia this year?

The difference between the divisions in football is the rash of injuries that could be millions of dollars to the athletes.

If that wasn’t the case, players wouldn’t opt out of the other bowls.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 1:07 pm
I’m in Iowa. Mr. Cermak and I came down on 23 Dec after Mr. Cermak got his negative test (he had sniffles). We are isolating here because Iowa has decided the pandemic is over. We stayed for the weather. Work has gone back remote and I can do that here as well for now. And it is nice to look at differnet walls. And the dog likes it here.

Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 1:26 pm
- What program can say they could beat Alabama or Georgia this year—

Ummmm Texas A&M beat Alabama this season.

To quote the late great Dennis Green: your want to crown them, then crown their (backside).

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 1:31 pm
Sorry anonymous was me.

Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 1:31 pm
Amalia, pretty soon March Madness is going to reference playoff football.

Also, you’re wrong about soccer. 😛

Comment by Lurker Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 1:35 pm
=== Texas A&M beat Alabama this season===

(Sigh)

Afterwards, Alabama then went on to win the SEC West (so the regular season matters), win their conference championship, against the #1 team in America, on a neutral field.

The Aggies then lost to Ole Miss and LSU …

Had Notre Dame been in a conference, this year specifically, it might’ve mattered, but they lost to Cincinnati, at home.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 1:41 pm
Jeez, you honestly answer a question that someone raised and the response is more sighing.

That’s why you play the games. Anything can happen when you have a bunch of pumped up 19/20 year old males on the field. And it’s why many people find college sports more entertaining than pro sports.

Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 1:55 pm
- Henry Francis -

Well, my sincere apologies. Honestly.

=== Anything can happen when you have a bunch of pumped up 19/20 year old males on the field===

Like injuries and losing out on millions as a 2-loss team plays another 2-loss team that puts even more players at risk, and puts programs trying to recruit in a bad light losing by 20+ points.

It’s like basketball players recover after games.

Football players heal.

Ask Matt Corral, John Metchie, Jameson Williams…

But, I do agree, how fun is it? Truthfully.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 2:00 pm
Players do not sit out of national championship tournament games they sit out of meaningless bowl games. There were seven or eight potential first round draft picks in the game last night.

Comment by bball_coach Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 2:10 pm
=== Players do not sit out of national championship tournament games===

So you advocate putting at risk more players for your amusement?

Kirk Herbstreit had that take, then Matt Corral nearly tore up his knee… “for the love of the game”

You can’t make a case since the playoff has been moved to 4 teams that the 5, 6, 7th team “shoulda been in the top 4”

So, force student-athletes on a 2-loss team likely not making it all the way to the championship but likely a late first round NFL pick to play and hope they don’t get hurt so they can lose in the next round by 20?

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 2:14 pm
==meaningless bowl games==

Illini football fans like me will be tickled to at least get back to a “meaningless bowl game” either late this year or early ‘23.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 2:21 pm
Exactly I was advocating for potential injury for my amusement. Ridiculous question. 98% of college football players never see the inside of an NFL locker room. Injuries are part of the game anyone of these guys could have had similar injuries warming up.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 2:22 pm
=== Injuries are part of the game===

Like I said, for your amusement, every game outside what are played puts players at risk, and if you are saying 98% won’t see an NFL locker room, how many in Division II, Division III would see those same locker rooms too?

The big programs, those who actually can compete for titles, 4-6 of the 22 (offense and defense) players starting have a real interest in limiting their exposure to ruining those chances.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 2:26 pm
In the 2021 NFL Draft, as an example, 20 football programs had at least five players drafted.

More games with more teams puts more of those players at risk

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 2:37 pm
How many players last night limited their exposure to the title game? How many limited their exposure during semi-final games? If you had an eight team tournament each player could remove themselves just as they could in a four team tournament if they choose to. Having additional teams does not prevent them from sitting out if they choose to. I think you would find that most would play by their own choice.

Comment by bball_coach Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 3:20 pm
OW, I also suggested that Oklahoma State or Utah could have given Alabama or Georgia a good game, but we’ll never know because we don’t have a real playoff. I’d throw in Baylor and Ohio State as well. There are good teams who don’t get the chance to even compete. Give them the chance, and a college football tournament would be as exciting as the college basketball tournament.

Comment by Steve Rogers Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 3:21 pm
===Oklahoma State or Utah===

Probably. Good programs.

My premise is and has been the Top 4. If a team is in the top 4, play it out. It’s one extra game, and the 5, 6, 7th teams, etc., too many chances for injury, it’s not realistic to any idea of same, given things like… injuries… and subjugating players to make choices that could change their lives beyond the season.

I love college football. Give me a Saturday in Oxford, South Bend, Columbus…

… expanding to have extra games for the 8th or 9th ranked team, that’s not the same in football as in basketball.

But, love me more college football

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 3:30 pm
===How many players last night limited their exposure to the title game?===

Jameson Williams might regret it.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 3:32 pm
Here’s why you don’t “let players choose”

This is Nick Saban specifically to Williams.

===“He actually wanted to play in the second half and the medical staff wouldn’t let him, which I think was smart because he has a future as a football player,”===

Safety and health issues.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 3:36 pm
sitting out to protect draft position or being held out due to injury are two very different situations

Comment by football_coach Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 4:12 pm
===being held out due to injury===

Oh boy…

===“He actually wanted to play in the second half and the medical staff wouldn’t let him, which I think was smart because he has a future as a football player,”===

Safety and health issues.

But… your amusement?

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 4:44 pm
What’s the good word? To hel…

Never mind, well done Dawgs.

Comment by Proud Sucker Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 5:21 pm