The Bone Yard

Both the B1G and SEC commissioners have given out threats of this being a possibility. Whether they were idle threats or not is a moot point. It has been brought up by the 2 most powerful commissioners in college football, thus there is always the possibility that they can follow through if things don't go the way they want them.

Of all the discussions points that have been mulled over by the conferences, there is a single point that has come out to most likely be the 'format' going forward. That format being some sort of a playoff and involving in some form or fashion 4 teams.

Our Conference Commissioner has thrown out that he wants the Rose Bowl to stay intact with it's 'tradition' fo hosting the B1G and Pac 12 Champions.

Obviously this causes problems when either the B1G or Pac 12 Champion is one of the possible top 4 teams to be involved in some sort of 4 team playoff.

Nothing is remotely set in stone, much less where these 'Final 4' games will be played, and how the 4 teams will be selected.

I have always said that Jim Delany is a smart man. However, I don't agree with his stance at this point in time. Preserving the Rose Bowl at this point in time within the ramifications of the discussions currently being held would be like cutting off our own nose to spite your face.

Any National Semi-Final game is likely to bring in more money than the Rose Bowl as it at least guarantees 2 Top 6 teams will be playing one another regardless of what happens in the Rose Bowl.

What does Delany possibly hold in his hand that he could be hiding that makes this struggle all worth the while to hold onto the Rose Bowl?

You say I'm wrong, detail as to why I'm wrong.

How are we being bluffed?

Read 602's post above and the 4 possibilities that are on the table that will be discussed. Only the B1G and Pac 12 are holding on to some 'traditional' Rose Bowl while the SEC, Big 12 and every other conference are looking for some kind of 'best of 4' format.

It is 9 against 2. What possible bluff could Delany be holding onto? As I stated before, they may well let us have the Rose Bowl if we want it, full well knowing that any voting or National media would be against those conferences due to the stubborness of holding onto the Rose Bowl.

Were you in favor of the Big 10 and Pac 10 back in the orginal set up of the BCS back in 1998 when they made this stink before?

Are you sure about that? It's an all or nothing thing with the NCAA? There are sports now that are not NCAA sanctioned. The football post-season is not NCAA sanctioned.

Does the NCAA make money off of football? I know they make money off their other sports, especially the post-season tournaments.

Why the NCAA gave up rights to the football post-season is beyond me (did it have something to do with the bowls way back when?). One of their biggest mistakes to date probably.

You're talking about a very different animal. The NCAA was put together by the member schools specifically to legislate the conduct of college football.

The only way these schools are going to be able to remain in the NCAA in any sport is to remain a part of the NCAA in football. You can go outside the membership to play in a sport that is not sanctioned by the NCAA, but you can't decide to go outside the NCAA to play major college football. Who are you going to play; NAIA schools?

The NCAA has never had the rights to the football post-season. Bowls have always been strictly by invitation, and most schools didn't go to bowls. Up until the seventies there were only a handful of bowls anyway.

Bowl games have never been a part of the NCAA. The NCAA does not sanction a post season football play-off at the FBS level, by vote of the membership.

I'm always amazed at how little some fans know about the history of the NCAA and how it operates. I suggest you check into it before you start to make statements that reveal a lack of information.

Are you referring to the post I made before yours?

If so, thank you.

It is all about money?

Shocking.

Or are you saying that the card up Delany's sleeve is the Ace of Spades?

The only thing that Delany is fighting for right now is the involvement of the B1G in any equation.

The SEC is going to push for a 4 team field that involves BCS rankings to their advantage. Which they should, as they had 2 teams in the Top 4 while the B1G had none. The SEC has had 2 of the 4 out of the last 8 seasons.

IF anything, Delany is trying to set the stage for a Conference Champion ONLY Final Four. That is in the best interests of all B1G schools considering the last 5 years, and especially the last 2.

If that isn't his play, then he is only looking to secure a solid amount of income for his conference in future bowl games/playoffs going forward.

I get all that.

I just don't see the Rose Bowl as a solid playing card over anybody else right now.

The guys in charge have basically committed to a 4 team playoff.

Go along with that, but then secure the B1G in at least one of the other BCS bowls to secure yourself from a money standpoint, and then demand a Confernce Champion Only Final Four.

Not sure that holding his cards to his vest in trumping the Rose Bowl does much good. Especially when the biggest power in the SEC wants a full-blown playoff of 8 teams or more.

The 2 biggest supposed powers are at odds, and the biggest power has everybody else's interests in their favor.

Threatening the Rose Bowl? Like I said, the B1G has a pair of deuces while the rest of the college football world is all in just begging for our call.

Only points I have seen are the following:

- Delany is smart, he'll do what is best
- Delany is playing poker and smarter than all the other commishes
- It is all about money, Delany will assure B1G and Pac 12 aren't poor
- It is all about money
- No sense in repeating

The only point that I see throughout your argument is that Delany is smart and he'll make sure we land a money situation in our favor.

Sure, that is in his best interests. However, is he going about it the right way?

Unfortunately, I keep repeating a question you don't want to answer.

How does Delany holding his Poker cards close to his vest, make them any more powerful than the 9-2 stance of other commissioners that he is facing?

He is smarter?

What is the end deal for the B1G? And is he playing his hand better than everybody else?

I agree. Four conference champs, not the SEC winner and the SEC loser, nor two from any one conference.

That crap needs to cease.