In the least startling news of the 21st century, Roger Goodell upheld the player suspensions. Goodell’s reasoning was that the players did not participate in the appeal process, provided no new evidence and did not question the NFL’s evidence.
I am going to show restraint for one time and accept his premise. Okay, so why did it take FIFTEEN days to deny the appeal if there was nothing new to consider?
If you haven’t given me a pat on the back for stopping with that question, then I will give you a second. Realize, this article is in the beginning of July, and material is scarce. Thanks, let’s move on then.
I have a radical idea for the SEC.
Now that there are 14 teams, scrap the divisions. They are silly and meaningless. Give each team 3 “rivalry” games that they will play every year and then rotate the other five league games between the other 10 teams.
This way, every team would play each other twice every four years and never go without playing another league team for more than two years.
It seems to me like this method of scheduling would provide for a stronger sense of conference than the current method.
The rivalries would sustain the strongest rivalries in place and only “invent” new ones for the new teams.
Here is a modest proposal.
• Alabama: Auburn, Tennessee, Florida
• Arkansas: A&M, Missouri, LSU
• Auburn: Alabama, Georgia, Ole MIss
• Florida: Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama
• Georgia: Auburn, Florida, South Carolina
• Kentucky: South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
• LSU: A&M, Ole Miss, Arkansas
• Missouri: Arkansas, Miss. State, Vanderbilt
• Miss. State: Missouri, Ole Miss, A&M
• Ole Miss: LSU, Miss. State, Auburn
• South Carolina: Kentucky, Florida, Georgia
• Tennessee: Vanderbilt, Alabama, Kentucky
• Texas A&M: LSU, Arkansas, Miss. State
• Vanderbilt: Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri
While there may be minor flaws (let me know if you find one - it is late and my editors are on vacation again), I have a hard time finding an argument against abolishing the divisions. And I don’t want to hear about the silly, “What about the SEC championship?”
Just take the top two teams...
The only argument that I don’t have a great answer for is the new playoff system. Under my proposal, it would be more difficult to get two teams in the Top 4 because the Top 2 teams are going to play in the SEC Championship game.
And I guess there is NO way the league would consider my solution to that issue…stop playing a conference championship game.
Post a Comment