USC vs. Bama in 2016

[4down20]

Even you have to be able to connect the dots that these ancillary items are going to be discussed in this thread, and all over the internet, leading into this game because it wasn't a home/home, but another neutral site game far closer to home for your team than the 'road' team.

The topic of scheduling is very much a part of that conversation then.

Instead of getting so defensive over it maybe it would help your stress level to employ the Oregon model of handling these things and either tell everyone they are 'jelly' or put sun glasses on and tell them to 'deal with it'.

As it pertains to strength of schedule, there is very little to even talk about here.

Yes, if Alabama was playing @ USC in 2016, the schedule for 2016 would be tougher for Alabama than it would be at a neutral site. In my sos formula, I treat it was being tougher to play away as well.

However, that is just the 1 condition. For USC, in 2016 playing @ home equals an easier rated schedule than a neutral site game as a result. Of course, in 2017 if it were home and home, Alabama schedule gets rated as weaker, while USC would be seen as tougher. But in the end, it pretty much evens out.

That said. The differences in what it matters here is TINY at best. The biggest and overwhelming factor for either team in SoS is going to be 99% based on how good that team is. Playing a good team anywhere is more valuable than playing a crap team in their stadium.

And even then, there is a reason why it would be seen as tougher at each stadium, and that is due to an advantage that arises off the football field. A neutral site game would mean that neither team has a homefield advantage, even for more teams. While home and home never offers the neutral field.

What's so bad about having a few neutral site games in your schedule? Absolutely nothing. What difference is it really going to make overall in who decides the playoffs? None at all.

As of right now I rate Alabama's schedule as being generally weak for this coming year. The neutral site game at WVU isn't the reason why. Making that game @ WVU isn't really going to matter either. What brings it down are the low ranking schools and FCS schools. Hopefully Florida is improved this year and not a blight on the schedule.

So it leaves me to believe that this topic isn't a damn thing to do with anything more than a way to bash teams people don't like with mud slinging hoping it sticks. If there is any one to complain about neutral site games it's to the fans of the individual teams that schedule them. Especially since any consequences are felt by that team as well.

 

[Bandwagonbo2]

lost to auburn, lost to Oklahoma in bowl game. and its widely speculated that they will be 1 or 2 to open this season

Preseason polls and $3.50 will get you a coffee at Starbucks. Speculation is like looking up a cows ass and wondering how much is fat and how much is actual beef.

Can this really be about anything important here, really?

I mean if a team can play they will win out right? And if not they will start the year at number one and lose 5 games in that year.

now realistically since this year has yet to be played and Alabama is relo..i mean rebuilding with a new QB, new linemen on defense and offense and a few other keys like a new OC, if they get placed at number two to start the year, who is to blame here, Alabama for just playing its games and not worrying about the other shit, or the voters who put Alabama in the number two spot. ddint you read my open apology letter?

Here is where i addressed that part for you.

We understand that not everyone can see that we don’t control the voting (we want to, believe us, we really do) but this is no excuse, we apologize anyway. Next time we will instead offer to renounce the poll position that the pollsters voted us into and allow a more deserving team who didn’t get voted that spot a chance to play for a title. We can see how it is confusing to many of you who feel that Alabama and Saban in particular control the voting, but this simply is not true. We are working on that though, so stand by in the future for an announcement.

 

[Bandwagonbo2]

 

[trojanfight]

I wrote a letter to the University about the Schedule and got the same answer as you got in the papers. That matters pertaining to schedule were up in the air until the SEC voted on the nine game schedule. That pretty much the gist of the entire letter. It was a form letter sent out to complainers and whiners. As for my personal feelings on this matter, you will simply have to read what I have posted numerous times. Actually one might be able to discern from my letter to the University my thoughts, but then I never place hope that others might be able to comprehend why i would do such a thing without i actually tell them why.

to fans outside of Alabama they are trying to paint picture that if they went with 9 game conference schedule that they would be playing Georgia every year when in reality it would be vandy or some other sec pushover. saban may indeed be on board with 9 conference games. I don't think he makes that call unfortunately. I think most of the reason behind not going to 9 games is the lower sec teams that go to bowls ole miss, miss st etc with another loss either would go to lower bowl games or may not go to bowl games at all.

in addition to that I think they are holding out on 9 games to see if that's going to effect the the voting committee. if teams are able to manipulate system by getting challenged as little as possible then they have no reason to go to 9 games. should a team get left out then they might do it.

 

[4down20]

to fans outside of Alabama they are trying to paint picture that if they went with 9 game conference schedule that they would be playing Georgia every year when in reality it would be vandy or some other sec pushover. saban may indeed be on board with 9 conference games. I don't think he makes that call unfortunately. I think most of the reason behind not going to 9 games is the lower sec teams that go to bowls ole miss, miss st etc with another loss either would go to lower bowl games or may not go to bowl games at all.

in addition to that I think they are holding out on 9 games to see if that's going to effect the the voting committee. if teams are able to manipulate system by getting challenged as little as possible then they have no reason to go to 9 games. should a team get left out then they might do it.

Schedules rotate. Some years it would be Georgia, some years it would be Kentucky. It rotates and would be played evenly.

 

[socaljim242]

I am a drunk huh? "Houston, we have a problem.""Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night." "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."


Tight with him? please show me where I have ever stated I am "tight with him". I need that one posted for me to see.

Originally Posted by Bandwagonbo2 View Post
Most teams play their easy part of the schedule early in the year, forgive my error that you will only play two most likely. I am after all human and do make mistakes, never claimed to be perfect.

My point still stands though, most teams play their "fluff" in the early part of the year, usually first three games, while some SEC teams spread theirs out for a break weekend once in a while to give a much needed rest for some players. Can neither say its right or not, not will i defend that practice or not. Teams will schedule as they deem fit and who they deem they can get. I have not the power to, nor the inclination to undertake trying to change a teams scheduling tactics. More power to you if you feel that you are that all-powerful, but i am going to abstain from that endeavor. Good luck with your foolhardy trip down useless avenue.

Quote Socaljim242- "LOL. So you use movie quotes to make yourself sound educated huh.

A few good men . Col Jessup " I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it"


Quote Bandwagonbo2-" Was that a movie quote, knew i heard it someplace and liked it."

Quote Bandwagonbo2-"Now lets put this into the context of what i do know. I know Bill Battle personally as i have spoken with him on many occasions and in my opinion the man is not a liar

 

[Bandwagonbo2]

to fans outside of Alabama they are trying to paint picture that if they went with 9 game conference schedule that they would be playing Georgia every year when in reality it would be vandy or some other sec pushover. saban may indeed be on board with 9 conference games. I don't think he makes that call unfortunately. I think most of the reason behind not going to 9 games is the lower sec teams that go to bowls ole miss, miss st etc with another loss either would go to lower bowl games or may not go to bowl games at all.

in addition to that I think they are holding out on 9 games to see if that's going to effect the the voting committee. if teams are able to manipulate system by getting challenged as little as possible then they have no reason to go to 9 games. should a team get left out then they might do it.

Simply not true since the rotation has always been we play Tennessee and then we play one of the others that rotates all the time. If we played nine we would play Tennessee and then two of the others and get a better rotation and possibly have to play two of the toughest teams in the East for that year as well. What you stated is all opinion with no fact. I gave you the model that was being voted on and it didnt pass.

The last part is why the voters that voted no are holding out, Saban wants it now no matter what.

 

[trojanfight]

Preseason polls and $3.50 will get you a coffee at Starbucks. Speculation is like looking up a cows ass and wondering how much is fat and how much is actual beef.

Can this really be about anything important here, really?

I mean if a team can play they will win out right? And if not they will start the year at number one and lose 5 games in that year.

now realistically since this year has yet to be played and Alabama is relo..i mean rebuilding with a new QB, new linemen on defense and offense and a few other keys like a new OC, if they get placed at number two to start the year, who is to blame here, Alabama for just playing its games and not worrying about the other shit, or the voters who put Alabama in the number two spot. ddint you read my open apology letter?

Here is where i addressed that part for you.

pretty much every respected preseason magazine has Alabama as 1 or 2. this is where some of this scheduling comes in to play. I realize Alabama nor saban don't make the polls. they are reaping benefits regardless of that. lets just say hypothetically Alabama isn't a top team to open the season. from what I see on the schedule there aren't any teams that are going to challenge them till week 9. so from the outside looking in it appears Alabama doesn't have to be the best team in this system.

 

[Bandwagonbo2]

Originally Posted by Bandwagonbo2 View Post
Most teams play their easy part of the schedule early in the year, forgive my error that you will only play two most likely. I am after all human and do make mistakes, never claimed to be perfect.

My point still stands though, most teams play their "fluff" in the early part of the year, usually first three games, while some SEC teams spread theirs out for a break weekend once in a while to give a much needed rest for some players. Can neither say its right or not, not will i defend that practice or not. Teams will schedule as they deem fit and who they deem they can get. I have not the power to, nor the inclination to undertake trying to change a teams scheduling tactics[/COLOR]. More power to you if you feel that you are that all-powerful, but i am going to abstain from that endeavor. Good luck with your foolhardy trip down useless avenue.

Quote Socaljim242- "LOL. So you use movie quotes to make yourself sound educated huh.

A few good men . Col Jessup " I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it"


Quote Bandwagonbo2-" Was that a movie quote, knew i heard it someplace and liked it."

Quote Bandwagonbo2-"Now lets put this into the context of what i do know. I know Bill Battle personally as i have spoken with him on many occasions [/B][/COLOR]and in my opinion the man is not a liar

And what part of me knowing him personally says i am tight with him. I knew Bear Bryant personally as well, met him on about 8 or 9 occasions and we were on first name to Bear basis but I was not tight with him. Perception kills you doesnt it. You read one thing and comprehend it completely different from what it says.


My comment "I have not the power to, nor the inclination to undertake trying to change a teams scheduling tactics"

Col Jessup " I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it"

"One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just isnt the same"

Here is the breakdown for you so you can understand clearly and i will type it slow you can understand it. I know Bill as we have met more than once, but have never claimed to be tight with him as you claimed. I did not use the exact quote you claimed I did and you even posted it for the world to laugh at you. then i even stated(should have used the sarcasm font i guess) in a sarcastic manner

" Was that a movie quote, knew i heard it someplace and liked it."

do you get it all now our should i get an English to moron translator so it can be further broke down for you.

 

[Bandwagonbo2]

pretty much every respected preseason magazine has Alabama as 1 or 2. this is where some of this scheduling comes in to play. I realize Alabama nor saban don't make the polls. they are reaping benefits regardless of that. lets just say hypothetically Alabama isn't a top team to open the season. from what I see on the schedule there aren't any teams that are going to challenge them till week 9. so from the outside looking in it appears Alabama doesn't have to be the best team in this system.

Wow, imagine that, not being the best team in a system and possibly ending up as number one in the country. Heaven forbid they get steam rolled by the number two team in a BCS title game due to not being the best team in the country. Michael Rosenberg: Alabama overmatches Notre Dame in joke of a title game - College Football - SI.com

Funny how these things seemed to work themselves out isnt it and now that we have a playoff it will be a bit more difficult to get over on the voting committee. Give the system time to work and stop with all the whining, its really unbecoming of a fan from a team with such an elite history as USC. USC has always said class to me, but its fans today are not showing that class with these petty arguments that none of us can change. Well. some of the SC fans anyways, I notice many have stayed out as they are not invested in this panty twisting crap. Must be they are Alumni?

 

[Bandwagonbo2]

 

[4down20]

Isn't every team playing for the same title at the end of the year? Shouldn't there be some sort of rhyme and reason to scheduling? Conferences are up and down and you can't predict how good your conference will be but you do get to pick your non conference games. So forgive us if we just shake our heads when teams have played 10 or 11 games and have a shot at playoffs or at least BCS games and see that while they are playing a rival Alabama has Chattanooga at home as their 10th game.
What if the 49ers decided to play Cal Berkley before the playoffs and counted it as a win? Would that be an advantage? of course it would.
Teams like USC, Michigan State, Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma, UCLA, Georgia,TOSU, Michigan and others try to schedule reasonably good teams and sprinkle in other major power teams for home and homes. Not all the time and you never know if they will be good that year or be down but you take that chance. These games could possibly mess up one of those teams season but they still schedule them. TOSC was ranked #2 I believe when USC played and beat them at home. UCLA beat a texas team at home that was #7 that year. these things happen. But Bama plays is safe ( cowardly) and doesn't play any games like this. You play the Western Carolinas and only at home. If you don;t see why it's pathetic then it's because you're a blind homer.

Yeah, it's called Strength of Schedule. Maybe you are new to football and have never heard of it. Basically, it's a measure of how difficult a schedule is. And what goes into that SoS is often times things like if it's an away game, a home game or neutral site game.

And it's about as small a factor as you can get really, nevermind that in that same measurement having the game at home means your schedule was easier than a neutral site game. So really, over the past years when Alabama has been playing neutral site games, and USC has been playing home and home with the "12 years" you want to cite so much, it's actually evened out. Alabama never got the advantage of the home part, while USC did every other year on average.

But what I see is that the schedule is made up of many more games of which are the bulk of the SoS and those games are some of the toughest in the country. We go into LSU, Auburn, Texas A&M every other year etc.

 

[4down20]

pretty much every respected preseason magazine has Alabama as 1 or 2. this is where some of this scheduling comes in to play. I realize Alabama nor saban don't make the polls. they are reaping benefits regardless of that. lets just say hypothetically Alabama isn't a top team to open the season. from what I see on the schedule there aren't any teams that are going to challenge them till week 9. so from the outside looking in it appears Alabama doesn't have to be the best team in this system.

Alabama 3 times played the best competition the rest of the country could provide and won all 3 times. In extremely convincing fashion as well.

 

[trojanfight]

Wow, imagine that, not being the best team in a system and possibly ending up as number one in the country. Heaven forbid they get steam rolled by the number two team in a BCS title game due to not being the best team in the country. Michael Rosenberg: Alabama overmatches Notre Dame in joke of a title game - College Football - SI.com

Funny how these things seemed to work themselves out isnt it and now that we have a playoff it will be a bit more difficult to get over on the voting committee. Give the system time to work and stop with all the whining, its really unbecoming of a fan from a team with such an elite history as USC. USC has always said class to me, but its fans today are not showing that class with these petty arguments that none of us can change. Well. some of the SC fans anyways, I notice many have stayed out as they are not invested in this panty twisting crap. Must be they are Alumni?

im failing to see how a game 2 years ago has anything to do with the present day. just because you cant change anything doesn't mean its not worth discussing. again I think you and other Alabama fans outlook would be different if situation was reversed. I think even a bias filled fan as yourself can admit that Alabama clearly wasn't best team last season. but as Ive stated before if it weren't for sabans poor coaching decision on that field goal they likely get past auburn in OT. same thing as this upcoming year..they may not be as good as in years past..but the weak scheduling will help mask that. a tougher schedule could end up with 4 or 5 losses but with this coasting schedule 1 or 2 max losses

 

[romeo212000]

Jesus Christ, is this thread still going?

 

[4down20]

im failing to see how a game 2 years ago has anything to do with the present day. just because you cant change anything doesn't mean its not worth discussing. again I think you and other Alabama fans outlook would be different if situation was reversed. I think even a bias filled fan as yourself can admit that Alabama clearly wasn't best team last season. but as Ive stated before if it weren't for sabans poor coaching decision on that field goal they likely get past auburn in OT. same thing as this upcoming year..they may not be as good as in years past..but the weak scheduling will help mask that. a tougher schedule could end up with 4 or 5 losses but with this coasting schedule 1 or 2 max losses

The FG in the Auburn game was the correct decision.

Personally, I don't really care who USC schedules, plays or any of that crap. If your overall SoS is crappy as a result, your team is the one that will suffer should it become an issue.

 

[Bandwagonbo2]

im failing to see how a game 2 years ago has anything to do with the present day. just because you cant change anything doesn't mean its not worth discussing. again I think you and other Alabama fans outlook would be different if situation was reversed. I think even a bias filled fan as yourself can admit that Alabama clearly wasn't best team last season. but as Ive stated before if it weren't for sabans poor coaching decision on that field goal they likely get past auburn in OT. same thing as this upcoming year..they may not be as good as in years past..but the weak scheduling will help mask that. a tougher schedule could end up with 4 or 5 losses but with this coasting schedule 1 or 2 max losses

And you would be wrong. I know that if my team plays the best they can in every game they play all year, that things will work themselves out, if not then their is always next year.

See, what you dont see if that even had they gotten past Auburn there was still Mizzou standing in the way. and if they got past Mizzou then they had to play FSU, who arguably was one of the best teams all year and one that many of your own fans have used in arguments in this thread. You are basing your arguments strictly on a what if argument and I gave you a solid point to chew on from two years past to think about. Clearly you didnt. Notre Dame cruised all year and played a bunch of teams that on paper had names and looked like they were good including a USC team to end the year(i think it was the last game) yet they got manhandled in the bowl game because the perception of their top schedule didnt pan out the reality of the steam roller they met in the bowl game. What is my point, either you can play or you cant and that gets worked out most times during the season. Now that we have a playoff it will be even harder to skate by as a "pretender" to the throne.

 

[Bandwagonbo2]

Jesus Christ, is this thread still going?

Lots of sandy vagina in Cali apparently

Never seen so much twisting of panties in my life, you would think we urinated on the coliseum steps and t-bagged the trojan man

 

[trojanfight]

The FG in the Auburn game was the correct decision.

Personally, I don't really care who USC schedules, plays or any of that crap. If your overall SoS is crappy as a result, your team is the one that will suffer should it become an issue.

IMO the SOS hasn't had enough emphasis in past years. last year prime example. Alabama very well could have ended up in championship game had ball bounced their way once or twice. and its been mentioned by Alabama fans before that there schedule was beyond bad last season.

it remains to be seen if this new system will make SOS matter any more than the prior system. Personally with all the media all over SEC I cant see them leaving a team out.

 

[romeo212000]

Lots of sandy vagina in Cali apparently

Never seen so much twisting of panties in my life, you would think we urinated on the coliseum steps and t-bagged the trojan man

I haven't read the thread, but I know bama fans never get their panties in a bunch.