Wednesday's CFRT Notebook

Isn't it ironic?

As the offseason slowly winds down, there's one topic that isn't on most everyones "Gripe List" yet that will inevitably be at the TOP of most everyones "Gripe List" as the season cranks up.

And that would be the Bowl Championship Series (BCS).

The annual argument-heard-round-the-college football-world ranges from unfairness to the mid-major conference teams (i.e.: Boise State, Utah, TCU, etc.) to strength of schedules to confusing computer formulas and all points in between.

However, the one common thread among those with a dog in this fight is the "solution" to it all - implementing a playoff system for major college football.

The argument even went so far within the past couple of years that Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah demanded that the BCS fix their mess or else legislation would do it for them.

More fuel was added to the mid-major fire when Utah capped that season by throttling the previous No.1-ranked team (Alabama) in the Sugar Bowl.

Now, I'm not about to say Utah did or didn't deserve a shot at the title that year.

But, I will say Utah and the mid-majors in general are forgetting one important key that even allows them to be a part of the discussion - and that, ironically, is their good old buddies, the BCS!

That's right, before the BCS (or its predecessor the Bowl Coalition) was created, no mid-major team in the modern era was even considered for a National Championship (except BYU in 1990, and that caused as much controversy as the BCS does now).

Heck, before the BCS, we weren't even guaranteed of a No.1 and No.2 playing for the title, let alone left to wonder if a mid-major was getting shafted.

So, the mid-majors and politicians can bellyache all they want about the BCS, but if you think about it, it's the BCS that made them relevant in the first place.

'Nole more scapegoat

Speaking of disagreements, if we can't all agree on how the national championship is determined, can we at least agree that Florida State did about as bad a job handling the end of the Bobby Bowden Era as BP handled most of the gushing oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico?

Bobby has been pretty gracious since then, but has let more than a few quotes slip about his disappointment.

At any rate, now that Bowden won't be roaming the Seminole sidelines, that removes one HUGE scapegoat for the school that has fallen from elite status after setting the standard for it under Bowden.

Many would argue that Bowden wasn't doing much coaching during the past few years anyway, and was nothing more than a pedestrian spectator who was allowed to give pregame speeches and wear a headset during the game.

Now that Bowden is gone and Jimbo Fisher takes over, things had better change dramatically, because there will no longer be a Bowden to blame.

On to the Anti-Scapegoat

Now that Tim Tebow has left UF for the NFL and Hairstyles of the Rich and Famous, my question isn't how new starting QB John Brantley will deal with the pressure of following Tebow.

No, I wonder how long Gator fans will be patient with Brantley?

Whether they want to admit it, people just don't have much patience for those who follow "legends."

If you don't believe me, just ask Ron Zook.

Speaking of the Tebow Effect

One of the new rules the NCAA instituted over the offseason was banning "messages" written on the eye black underneath players' eyes.

Tebow obviously wasn't the only player who wrote messages (in his case, Bible verses) on their eye black, but his eye black easily generated more fan fair than others.

Tebow wore the scripture "John 3:16" on his eye black during the 2008 BCS title game, drawing a reported 93 million Google hits.
That day!