College football 2010: The good and the bad
The SEC has won its fifth straight BCS national championship. Auburn has won its first national title since 1957. And the argument continues: What if No. 1 Auburn (14-0) played No. 2 TCU (13-0) on Saturday to settle the national title? We’ll never know.
The incredible thing about a college football season is that in July and August, it just feels like it will never start. Then, once it does, it seems to be over in a couple of heartbeats.
I will always remember the 2010 season because it gave us both the good and the bad that is the game of college football in the 21st century.
You know the good. The game, as it is played on the field, has never been better. Every week there was a new, dramatic story line. Every Saturday there was something that made us go “Wow!”:
**–Oct. 2: For about 90 seconds in Baton Rouge, Tennessee had apparently pulled a stunning upset at LSU. But on what appeared to be the last play of the game, Tennessee’s defense had 13 men on the field. LSU got one more snap and won.
**–Oct. 9: South Carolina upsets Alabama, the defending national champions, to beat the No. 1 team for the first time in school history.
**–Nov. 26: It was a Friday that we will never forget. Auburn rallies from a 24-0 deficit at Alabama and wins a game for the ages, 28-27. Then, in the wee hours of Nov. 27, Nevada ends Boise State’s dreams of playing for the national championship with a field goal in overtime.
I could go on and on. College football is so good now that we EXPECT to have these unforgettable moments week after week. The game rarely disappoints.
But we also had a chance to see college football’s dark side. This is the side that threatens to undermine the long-term credibility of the game with the public that loves it so:
**–The academic scandal at North Carolina that forced the school to suspend as many as 13 players. It turned an ACC championship caliber team into one which was lucky to finish 7-5.
**–Agent gate: One bad decision by one of the game’s premier players (A.J. Green), basically wrecked Georgia’s season. An agent throws a South Florida party for underclassmen because the benefit far outweighs the risk. This problem is not going away. It is only going to get worse if something doesn’t change–and quickly. Unfortunately, the NCAA doesn’t do much of anything quickly. They need to open up the proccess and get these kids talking to agents much earlier in their careers.
**–In June there was the money and power grab that was known as conference expansion and realignment. When it was over the Big Ten had 12 teams, the Big 12 had 10 teams, and the Mountain West had lost its three most high-profile programs: TCU (Big East), Utah (Pac-10), and BYU (Independent). The Pac-10 almost talked Texas into leaving and destroying the Big 12. It was an ugly thing to watch.
**–USC got hammered by the NCAA in the summer and Reggie Bush eventually gave back his Heisman Trophy.
**–While Cameron Newton’s play on the field was magnificent and deserving of the Heisman Trophy, the entire case involving his father was bad for college football. Legally, the NCAA had no choice but to let Newton play based on the facts (or lack of them) in evidence. But this loophole needs to be closed before another season comes around. The guardians of the sport had better hope that no more damning information comes out about this case. We watched USC vacate a national championship and its star player give back a Heisman Trophy. College football does not need another body blow like that.
**–And then there was the Ohio State ruling, which suspended five players for selling stuff given to them by the school. But the NCAA allowed the suspensions to start after they played in the Sugar Bowl. Critics jumped on the NCAA and college football because it appears both are making these rules up as they go along. The ruling made no sense unless you believe Ohio State’s claim that their players had not been instructed on the rules. I don’t.
There was also tragedy:
**–Student photographer Declan Sullivan was killed when the scissor tower where he was filming Notre Dame’s practice collapsed.
**–Eric LeGrand of Rutgers suffered paralysis in a terrbile injury against Army.
**–Mississippi State defensive end Nick Bell lost his battle with cancer. He was only 20 years old.
So again, it was a good season and it was a bad season. Mostly it was a tough season.
The hard edge to the Cameron Newton debate was disturbing. The kid almost lost everything because the father. The Newtons got lucky. The next kid whose father gets caught doing this won’t be so lucky. Parents who act like agents in the future (and get caught) will not be happy with the result.
The nastiness of the BCS debate is disquieting. I want a four-team playoff or a true plus-one, where two teams are picked after the bowls. I believe college football will need to made a change in the post-season format when the current BCS contract expires after the 2013 regular season. The debate has always kept interest high in college football. But I think we are reaching a tipping point where the debate is so destructive that it hurts the game.
In many ways it was another great season but in many I’m glad the season is over. I don’t remember feeling that way too many times.
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“Barnhart and Durham:” Among our guests will be Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com. We’ll look at his early Top 25 for 2011. Join us at 10 a.m. www.790thezone.com
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572 comments Add your comment
Blue
January 14th, 2011
9:16 am
Yeah, Tony…cuz AJ was suspended when they lost to Colorado and Central Florida, right? They just couldn’t beat those teams without AJ.
wballs1977
January 14th, 2011
9:18 am
3rdN8 – it’s nice to read a decent comment from a Tide fan about Auburn’s season. I think many fans in the state of Alabama find it hard to admit jealousy for each other. I, being an Auburn guy, was extremely jealous of Alabama last year. How can anyone NOT be? Not only that, I was pulling for Alabama to beat Texas in last year’s game. It only makes for a better rivalry in the end.
I do also agree that it was unfortunate for the other players on the team that they had to go through the crap this year. However, Cam should also be included in the “90 players that did things right”. People continually think (and will continue to think) that he did something wrong simply because they can’t admit defeat. They can’t admit that their school simply didn’t measure up on the football field this year.
As a Bama fan, how did you take all of the comments last year that you guys were lucky champions? How did you react when everyone said that Bama would not have won had McCoy stayed healthy that game? It’s the same logic.
observer
January 14th, 2011
9:18 am
UGA fans just can’t let go of the Newton story, as if somehow that impacted their sorry team. The accusation was that the father “solicited” money from a couple of MS State supporters. Newton’s father admitted that. There is no evidence whatsoever that he ever got a penny from anyone. There is no evidence whatsoever that anyone associated with Auburn ever discussed money or gave money to anyone. So how did Auburn “cheat”, as you dumb dogs like to say? Regardless of your accusations, fact is, Cam Newton was the same age, just a college football player, and just as eligible as any of the sorry uga players. He just happened (along with the rest of the Auburn team) to be a hell of a lot better than your team. If his father got a million dollars that still had nothing to do with what happened on the field. I’m not an Auburn fan, but I’m willing to bet that even if nothing ever comes of the accusations, uga fans will still be talking about this 10-15 years from now.
JB
January 14th, 2011
9:19 am
All I will say Blue… Georgia was 1-3 w/o AJ and 5-3 with him.
Mitch Cumstein
January 14th, 2011
9:20 am
The bad for me as a dog fan was the sad state of coaching affairs that continues at our university. Why can Boise or TCU or Oregon for that matter, have terrific seasons with no-name one star rated players? Its coaching!! We have idiots calling plays in Athens!
Blue
January 14th, 2011
9:20 am
Dawg Man; the NCAA has said that they will NEVER again impose the SMU type death penalty (FYI…Alabama had ‘qualified’ for it some years back, which is when the NCAA said they weren’t going to do it again). You will NEVER see an ‘SMU type death penalty’.
Captbob
January 14th, 2011
9:20 am
The corruption inherent in Big time college football became evident for all to see in 2010. The SEC ignoring its rules to allow CN to play after the evidence became public that Cecil was bidding his son’s servies; the NCAA doing the same with it’s shameful 12 hour suspension and reinstatement of CN; finally the NCAA allowing the Ohio State players found guilty of rules violations to play in the bowl game, and start their suspensions next year (to save the bowl game )…all of these show that the NCAA and the SEC are not objective arbiters and gatekeepers of the game of football, but rather corrupt entities designed to further the money and power of their constituents, even at the expense of the rules they have established to supposedly keep the playing field level….Even the NFL is more honorable, in that they admit it is all about the money!
Blue
January 14th, 2011
9:23 am
JB, I’m not saying they are not BETTER with AJ…he is a stud and they clearly are better with him. But I don’t think it is genuine to say that it was the reason that the season was “wrecked”. The point I was trying to make was that even WITH AJ, UGA lost to 2 teams they had NO business losing to. And to me, that points out the other problems that DID lead to a poor season…fair enough?
JB
January 14th, 2011
9:24 am
observer…………….see my post @9:03…………….You are looking at this blog to much…..The Story on Cam and Auburn is one thousandth of one percent on HERE. IT’S a NATIONAL STORY with many Story lines, written about daily ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. YOU are reading a blog with 99% Georgia people on it….Can you understand that?
JB
January 14th, 2011
9:28 am
Blue, other problems? Yes, I don’t have the time to list them….Go back and read these blogs for the last two weeks if you want to see how Georgia people feel. We suck. We know we do. And we’re mad because it doesn’t have to be that way. If we had a championship type coach and could lock up the talent in this state, we would be in the hunt EVERY YEAR. REAL SEC fans know that. WE know it. It’s coming. Mr. McGarity, our NEW AD from Florida will see to it.
3rdN8
January 14th, 2011
9:30 am
@ wballs1977
I don’t get caught up in (or even understand) all of the “hate” rhetoric. I pull for my team on the field….period. Alabama, and Auburn (and judging by posters, virtually every school) has a faction of fans that take things too far.
I don’t have to hate Auburn, or Tennessee to consider them as bitter rivals. Rivalries are what makes CFB great, and I’m glad to see AU and UT do well.
But I totally disagree with you re: Newton doing things right. I think that guy and his family are cancers. I just hope that it doesn’t spread to the Auburn program.
Blue
January 14th, 2011
9:30 am
JB…I know, dude. I’ve read them. And from your posts, I know you see it too. Peace out…
JB
January 14th, 2011
9:30 am
captbob……………..well written
What's a d a w g?
January 14th, 2011
9:31 am
The worst part of the whole Cam thing was and is the hate and vitriol coming out of all you a-holes. I guess that should be expected from a bunch of losers, but it’s no less disgusting. Here’s a little well deserved salt for your wounds: 49-31! 28-27! 14-0. SEC Champions. BCS National Champions. War Damn Eagle!
G8R GRAD
January 14th, 2011
9:33 am
VA DOG:
I also am betrothed to a grad of AU and I agree: they are largely a well behaved and repectful bunch.
Congratulations to the Tigers on the Plains on a great game and a great victory: War Damn Eagle!
Incidentally, a plus-one this year would’ve been without Nweton at the helm: apparently, the kid played over two quarters with a fractured vertibrae!
Good luck to all this Spring and . . .
GO GATORS!
Paul in RDU
January 14th, 2011
9:33 am
A pretty good post by Tony with one glaring ommission – how Slive and the SEC did not inform the NCAA about the approach to MSU for Newton’s services for months.
And then we have this
“Unfortunately, the NCAA doesn’t do much of anything quickly.”
How quickly the NCAA does something depends how important it is as far as $ and TV ratings are concerned. The NCAA reinstated Cam Newton’s eligibility so quickly that nobody knew he had been declared ineligible. I am sure it was just a coincidence that it happened the week before the SEC CG
Snarky
January 14th, 2011
9:34 am
$EC and AUBURN are CHEATER$. NCAA has turned a blind eye to what’s been going on. I liked Auburn until I read, from independent writers, what has been going on for years. Read what terry Bowden had to say about regularly paying players.
Anyone outside of Auburn that thinks Scam didn’t know and that they didn’t actually take money is living under a rock.
It’s bad in that it taints the great game of college football.
travy
January 14th, 2011
9:35 am
the thing about ‘tipping points’ tb is that once you recognize them, they are already behind you. college football might not have until 2014 to change because it’s already bleeding out.
Snarky
January 14th, 2011
9:36 am
@What’s a d a w g?
Cheated and lied. And it’s still going on. Cheezik was a nobody coming in and Auburn fans were like WTH??? Who is this guy. And then he lands a top 5 class out of no where. Total BS.
You know it and everyone knows it.
kral
January 14th, 2011
9:37 am
no your right blue you lose your stud reciever, your runnig backs have a hard time being eligible to play or susp..you get close to a fg or td.. and turn it over..your great young qb..I believe..throws very few interceptions but some are very costly..your defense plays its best game of the year in the bowl and your off. can’t score…isn’t college fb great and frustrating.. you really can never predict what is going to happen
Follow the Money
January 14th, 2011
9:39 am
Money is being funneled to Auburn recruits through pastors/ministers and their churches. Hard to trace b/c NCAA has no suponea power and the IRS rarely audits religious organizations.
Press won’t touch story for fear of being accused of racial and religious bigotry.
1eyedJack
January 14th, 2011
9:40 am
I would like to see a pizza commercial where Michael Strahan tackles and body slams Nick Fairley.
kral
January 14th, 2011
9:42 am
that’s was funny jack
Asterisk
January 14th, 2011
9:42 am
It is fitting that Tony’s comments about Cam Newton/Auburn began with an asterisk, because that’s exactly what their season will always have beside it in the minds of most reasonable people.
JB
January 14th, 2011
9:43 am
To all on here who attack Georgia people for comments about Cam/AU……………..This blog is 95% Dawg fans in a Georgia paper……..Spend an hour reading Rivals Bama page For Fair and Balanced reading Coverage of AU/Cam…LOL………….This is basically a Georgia Chat room. 99% of Georgia season ticket holders do not even visit this site. Most are worried about our problems….and there are many…..Go Dawgs…..
NoGaGator
January 14th, 2011
9:43 am
I can understand the NCAA rulings with 1 exception – the Ohio State “let them play” ruling.
AJ got 4 games off for selling his jersey TO AN AGENT (does anyone really think $1,000 is fair market value for a SHREVEPORT BOWL JERSEY? If so, I have some swampland to sell to them.)
Cam Newton – they had to let him play unless they could prove that he knew about Daddy trying to pimp him. If the FBI has tapes on Lowder and Victoryland owner where “pay for play” was discussed, the truth will eventually come out.
Ohio State – this is where NCAA lost credibilty. Heretofore when someone gets caught, they pay the price from that point – not play a game and then pay the price.I have yet to hear a logical explanation for this one.
kral
January 14th, 2011
9:45 am
do you really believe what you just blogged..flm..by the way let me tell this great JFK conspiracy story I read on the inteernet….
wballs1977
January 14th, 2011
9:46 am
I don’t think you have to worry about this ‘cancer’ spreading since it is not connected to Auburn. And I would love for you to elaborate more on the things Cam did wrong while at Auburn? I can understand if you think Cam is a cancer – certainly given the mindset of many college football fans around the country – but saying he did things wrong is not a fair statement.
terry
January 14th, 2011
9:47 am
Tony, I don’t understand what you & Emmert keep talking about a loophole in the law that needs to be fixed & that the Newton situation is a tough one & complicated.
NO IT’S NOT. It’s simple. No one can shop a player whether they are a friend, parent or from Mars.
Nuff said.
Bill
January 14th, 2011
9:47 am
I imagine part of the reason (other than the money) Scam Newton declared for the pros is he knows further investigation into his and his daddy’s attempt to scam money from Miss State will result in Auburn’s record and title being set aside. That would be easier for him to take as a millionaire, rather than a disgraced Senior.
Jason
January 14th, 2011
9:49 am
Auburn fans, enjoy it as you’re not likely to see another title any time soon. Now you’re in the same boat as the rest of the SEC, rebuilding.
Dawg Man
January 14th, 2011
9:49 am
Blue- point taken
ckgator
January 14th, 2011
9:49 am
TONY – read the link to your story from the AJC sports landing page. “AJ Green was *suspensed*? I think the webmaster meant “suspended.”
Good article today – thx.
wballs1977
January 14th, 2011
9:50 am
Asterik – I am reasonable person and don’t think there should be an asterik by Auburn’s season. Perhaps UGA should put an asterik by theirs for letting a player who admittedly took benefits play during the season in which he was caught? Same thing right? Well, actually not…the UGA case was actually proven and UGA team itself was terrible.
Red Harrison
January 14th, 2011
9:51 am
The Under Armor (AU) vs Nike Bowl (OU)
The two biggest contributors $$ – Under Armour & Nike
Nawww, there’s no dirty money ruining college football….
I got news for you, Scam Newton went “Pro” two years ago, ’bout time he declared
3rdN8
January 14th, 2011
9:52 am
@ wballs1977
My opinion of Cam Newton is just that….an opinion. I have no proof that he did anything wrong…..nor do I care to have. All evidence as to his involvement with his father’s actions is circumstantial.
Juries are asked all of the time to judge guilt or innocence based on circumstantial evidence. In my case, I believe that Newton knew exactly what his father was doing.
But again…just an opinion.
JB
January 14th, 2011
9:53 am
One University paying a player, or family member to commit vs one that doesn’t is a very very unfair advantage in College football. Let’s hope it is not true…..
kral
January 14th, 2011
9:53 am
refresh my memory balls..I may have blacked that bad memory out
Dawg Man
January 14th, 2011
9:54 am
Folks defending Cam remember this—You can’t have smoke without a flame
JB
January 14th, 2011
9:54 am
Correction………….Not University, Someone with a vested interest in said University.
BAMA dude
January 14th, 2011
9:57 am
It was the derp-filled MNC game Tony. Watching the egregious mistakes on both sides left me thinking, “These are the best two teams in America? Really?” Odd year indeed.
Dawg Man
January 14th, 2011
9:57 am
True Dawg fans respect Cam because he is a elite player who wills his team to victory. There’s no jealosy or hate from me for Cam the player. It’s the skeleton in the closets that hadn’t came out yet that I don’t care for. Auburn was BETTER than everyone else this year, no problem saying that. It’s the truth
RCB
January 14th, 2011
9:59 am
One should not “hope” that facts are not revealed. This is to live the lie. Is there really no one who knows who made the donations to the church? Will Auburn just quit saying Cam Newton “did everything we asked him to do”? How does that statement answer the questons about what happenened and when certain people knew about it? I have a feeling Cam Newton and his father will not care what anyone thinks after he locks his NFL contract. I think Mr. Barnhart my be surprised by the identities of those who ultimately do reveal the truth. And when that revelation does come there will be no cause for sorrow, except for those who are unwilling to admit their faults and change their ways. Which side of that fence are you standing on, Mr. Barnhart?
BAMA dude
January 14th, 2011
9:59 am
3rdN8
January 14th, 2011
9:52 am
@ wballs1977
My opinion of Cam Newton is just that….an opinion. I have no proof that he did anything wrong…..nor do I care to have. All evidence as to his involvement with his father’s actions is circumstantial.
Juries are asked all of the time to judge guilt or innocence based on circumstantial evidence. In my case, I believe that Newton knew exactly what his father was doing.
But again…just an opinion.
I agree, but I’ll say again: the NCAA has never, not once in its history, punished a player or program if no extra benefits changed hands. I hope that never changes personally.
dap01
January 14th, 2011
10:00 am
I thought that CAM declared as a pro last year. He was paid as a pro last year.
Gator Mike
January 14th, 2011
10:00 am
JB – you are totally correct about the AJC being a Georgia paper which should cater to UGA and GA Tech. I believe that the AJC has the best Sports Section in the South, and since I am a Gator, I feel priviledged to be allowed to participate in the chatter which is often informative and always entertaining.
Good luck to your DAWGS next season.
3rdN8
January 14th, 2011
10:00 am
BAMA dude
Same could be said for Bama and Texas last year. I think the finality of the game makes teams tighter, and play with less abandon.
I’ve noticed the same thing in Super Bowls.
m
January 14th, 2011
10:00 am
Mark, the BC——-bcs has ruined college football. It has made all these bowl games MEANINGLESS. And it has crowned a fake champion.
Your support of the BS=====bcs shows you are a tool and a shill for the worst system ever developed by mankind.
JB
January 14th, 2011
10:01 am
Well well well……Just visited the Tennessee Message boards to check on their recruiting………………..It’s all about Cam and Auburn this AM…….Boy, didn,’t they play months ago…..or at all? Not a Georgia fan logged on but me….hum.
kral
January 14th, 2011
10:01 am
what do you expect bama dude..do not play for a month…to much time to think and lose continuity..and the year before..I know was beautiful for you,but it wasn’t exactly great football either