I'll tell you, this sure is better than a playoff! Who wants to see exciting games, anyway?

No, let's have a joke of a "selection show" and then we can sit around for a month and then let teams play for mythical titles and have 32 of 33 bowls (97%) mean positively zero.

Awesome.

Let's start with the BCS bowl games, though, followed by some miscellaneous thoughts.

BCS National Championship Game -- Texas versus Alabama, 1/7/10

First, why must this be dragged out to January 7 now? You're more than a month past the final games of these two teams and that's only true because they played conference championship games (which, curiously, are okay and don't impact studying, fans traveling, etc., while a playoff would hinder these things).

Anyway, Texas looked pedestrian on Saturday and Alabama looked dominant. Truth is, Nebraska's defense is very good and Florida was only as good as they were because Tebow was willing them to wins. They were exposed for what they are -- a top five team, but not the best team in the country. This game will be closer than people think right now as long as Colt McCoy and Mack Brown don't forget what a clock looks like. I sincerely hope Texas pounds Alabama so that SEC sycophants shut their pie-holes for a while. The SEC is like any other conference this year -- deal with it.

Orange Bowl -- Iowa versus Georgia Tech, 1/5/10

Yawn. Seriously, who cares besides Iowa and G-Tech supporters? And this is a marquee bowl game, we're told. BCS and all. Yes, it's very nice for these programs to make a BCS bowl and it reaps millions for their programs and conferences. But for those who like meaningful football? Georgia Tech was a great story until they fell on their faces against a mediocre Georgia team. Sure, they won the ACC title game against unranked Clemson, but isn't that like winning your rec league softball tournament? It's fun and your family cheers for you, but does it matter? No.

And Iowa was another great story until the roof collapsed on them, they lost two of three end the season and Stanzi ran the ole "Roll out unprotected in the end zone and then fold your knee sideways" play.

Fiesta Bowl -- TCU versus Boise State, 1/4/10

You suck, BCS. Seriously, you're a bunch of ladies bicycle seats. You've probably heard this argument already, but my first thought was what a bunch of bullsh-t. This is a clever strategy by the BCS to further marginalize these programs. This way, neither of them can beat a big boy and make the BCS looks stupid. Last year, Utah beat Alabama. In 2007, Boise beat Oklahoma. So here's a solution -- have them play each other and you accomplish a couple things:

1) You'll have one less undefeated team making a claim they should have had a shot.
2) You can trivialize the winner's record by still pointing out they haven't played a big timer.
3) You can pretend this is "what everyone wants" by having two undefeated teams play each other.

Of course, one might argue that having TWO BCS bowl games pitting undefeated teams kind of further underscores the point that this could be a perfect playoff scenario. But they'll keep their fingers in their ears and keep squawking that there's "no perfect solution" and since there is no perfect solution, we shouldn't even try to do what practically everybody who has ever loved college football wants. Awesome.

Sugar Bowl -- Florida versus Cincinnati, 1/1/10

Will Florida care? I think yes, since Tebow is probably pissed and wants to run someone over by sixty. Unfortunately, Chattanooga isn't available. Cinci got jobbed, of course, since you can't even claim they're from a non-BCS power conference. And if anyone thinks Brian Kelly shouldn't be considering going to Notre Dame, keep in mind his team has gone 12-0 playing in a BCS conference, they played out of conference teams in the Pac Ten (at Oregon State) and Big Ten (home vs. Illinois) and pounded many quality opponents (i.e., 47-15 over an 8-4 Rutgers team)... and yet still don't get to play for the title. Can you blame coaches for wanting to go where they might be able to get into the biggest games? Games that, you know, matter for more than a payday for your school?

Rose Bowl -- Ohio State versus Oregon, 1/1/10

Two 10-2 teams in one of the few bowl games left with any semblance of the "tradition" we hear so much about. For those bitching about OSU representing the Big Ten poorly in BCS games, well, you can't blame Purdue this year, as our boys gave OSU their only Big Ten loss. Somebody needs to step up and knock these guys off their Big Ten champs pedestal or else we should all shut up.

Which Oregon shows up? This school hasn't won the Rose Bowl since, if you can believe this, 1917. They'll have to be up for this game, especially considering this is probably the only BCS bowl game for which it is not a letdown for the two participants. Think about that, BCS defenders. Aside from the National Championship game, who else got what they wanted out of this vaunted bowl system?

Miscellaneous Bowl Thoughts

Bobby Bowden and his 6-6 Florida State team gets to go to the flipping Gator Bowl -- a Jan 1 bowl game in Florida -- against West Virginia. I have no problem with WVU being there, but Florida State jumped a number of more deserving teams....obviously. And this is just a frreaking shravesty. Because the old man is being forced out, now we're going to pretend we're sad to see him go? And we're going to just make up the rules as we go? I guess we can, since it's a meaningless bowl system. Go for it! Too bad Joe Tiller didn't have more national attention -- maybe he could have asked for a bowl game in his final season despite not deserving it. What a joke. Have fun being rolled by WVU, Bobby. If you even know what's going on anymore.

Minnesota and Iowa State will play in the Insight Bowl on New Year's Eve in the only bowl matchup featuring not one winning team. How awful. I know there are lots of bowl slots, but come on. This shouldn't happen.

Notre Dame decides not to play in a bowl game. The initial reaction here is that they're too snooty and are above Little Ceasars Bowls and the like. While their alums and "fans" no doubt do indeed believe this, I don't think this is the primary reason for not going. It's likely got a lot more to do with what all bowl games have to do with -- money. As in, UND doesn't make enough to make going to one of these tiny bowls worth it. Of course, it would be a windfall for these tiny bowls because people would actually watch, in the hopes that UND could lose to a MAC team. Oh well. Jimmy Heisman has declared for the draft, anyway. I wonder what that magician (with his sparkling 16-21 record at UND) will do in the NFL. Did he declare for the draft from the NFL Hall of Fame?