Parity Sucks
- By Michael Burvick
- Published 10/25/2007
Michael Burvick
Known amongst friends and colleagues as "mike-burv", "burvito" & of course "mikeywhispers", Mr. Burvick honed his argumentative craft and sharp wit, in the murky dorms (and creepy "free expression" tunnels) of NCSU. After several bloody and entertaining debates with Blickees.com co-founder Pat Williams, he realized that their powers combined could usher in a new era in online journalism and seal the fate of mankind for future generations to come.
Why is this the most boring year of college football ever? Usually there's one or two teams that steamroll all over the competition, now we may see a BCS Championship game with two one loss teams.
Usually there are 2 to 3 players that capture the hearts and minds of the entire country as they compete to win the Heisman. Now Matt Ryan is looking to be the overwhelming favorite to win. Ryan is probably an even MORE boring Heisman candidate than Jason White from Oklahoma.
Much of the bore must be attributed to the extreme level of parity that's available in the game today. Ten years ago the thought of a team with a ten year old football program knocking off a string of respectable programs and ascending to the top 5 in the polls would be absurd, but that's just what we've seen this year with the Bulls of South Florida.
In a way its good to see the upsets, but it kinda takes away some of the appeal of the game that we love so much. Case in point, the Miami/FSU rivalry; This series used to showcase the pinnacle of collegiate athleticism. You could expect both teams to be stacked on both sides of the ball with blue chip recruits and NFL prospects.
Now both teams are unranked. Players that would've flocked to these schools in years past are slowly trickling out of state to the WVAs, UNCs, and Louisvilles of the world, which in turn brings some of the traditional powerhouses down a peg or two.
With so many teams on the same level, it really adds fuel to the playoffs debate. As stated previously, there were always two to three teams that stood head and shoulders above the competition and up until now there was a good chance that the two best teams would meet to play for the title. Now there will probably be almost eight teams that can stake claim to playing in the big game with legitimate complaints if they are left out in the cold. Instead of one team, we will have at least six "Auburns" from a few years ago.
Maybe I should embrace the changing landscape of college football (and basketball too), but I miss the days of the traditional superpowers ruling the polls and the flock of wannabees trying to claw their way to the top. Lets blame 30 years of capitalistic conditioning and brainwashing. Communism and parity have one thing in common; both of them suck!