An Easy Explanation for the BCS --- Take Out the”C”

If you are a fan of major college football, you know that there is one method determining the two teams playing for the national championship within the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). It is a system that weighs 2 polls, computer rankings, and has a unique formula to determine standings or rankings. It also is a source of frustration for most college football fans due to 2 reasons --- its complexity and some of the qualifications. I will give a synopsis of the system that some say is BS.

Welcome to the Bowl Championship Series, better known as the BCS.

There is only one question to ask … How are teams selected for BCS games?

To answer that, there are teams that automatically qualify for a BCS game, namely the champions of the following conferences: Atlantic Coast (ACC), Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and Southeastern (SEC) throughout the 2013 regular season.

Easy enough, right? Now there are provisions for non-Automatic Qualifiers.

The conference champions of Conference-USA, Mid-American (MAC), Mountain West, Sun Belt, and Western Athletic (WAC) will earn a berth at a BCS game if one of two events occur:

One of these teams is in the top 12 in the final BCS standings OR
One of these teams is a top 16 BCS team and is ranked higher than a conference champion of an automatic qualifier.

Okay, that may not be so confusing --- but then there's this little piece of information that must be considered:

Notre Dame will earn a BCS berth should it finish in the top 8 in the final BCS standings.

But what happens if 2 or more non Automatic Qualifying teams fulfill these provisions? Well, only one team can go to a BCS game and that will be the higher ranked team in the final BCS standings while the other team(s) may earn a BCS bid should it meet the previously mentioned criteria.

There are other provisions too, but it becomes complicated so I won't elaborate.

Such an easy concept --- yeah, right!

The next provision is that of at-large eligibility. If there are not 10 teams that automatically qualify for BCS berths then the following criteria must be met to get an At-Large bid.

Teams must have 9 regular season victories, AND
Is in the top 14 in the final BCS standings.

There are other provisions should there not be enough eligible teams, but yet again, it is complicated and not worth my breath.

For most college football fans, there are obvious facts. One is the top 2 teams in the final BCS standings play for the National Championship and that certain conferences are contractually committed to host bowl games. Those being the ACC for the Orange Bowl, the SEC for the Sugar Bowl, the Big 12 for the Fiesta Bowl, and the Big Ten and Pac-10 hosting the Rose Bowl.

Should a bowl game lose a host because that team is in the National Championship game, it shall be replaced by either an Automatic Qualifier or an At-Large team. And yes, there are other provisions should certain events occur.

A pain in the neck about now!

Now to the BCS standings and how they are compiled. More fun!!!

The BCS standings are comprised of the Harris Interactive College Football Poll, the USA Today Coaches Poll, and computer rankings (SIX of those!) of which each has an equal third of weight. To get the percentages of each, all teams get an inverse point total, such as 25 points for #1, 24 points for #2, and so on.

The percentages of the two polls are calculated by dividing each team's point total by a maximum 2850 possible points for the Harris Poll and a maximum of 1525 points from the USA Coaches Poll. The computer rankings percentage is calculated by dropping the highest and lowest ranking for each team and then the remaining total is divided by one hundred. Included in the six computer rankings are strength of schedule, of which I haven't a clue on how that's determined. I'm guessing that each provider has it's own formula to derive that.

Finally, the BCS Average is formed by averaging the percentages of the Harris and USA Coaches Polls and the computer rankings. These averages are ranked to get the BCS Standings.

Let's see, all of that to determine the BCS National Championship Game participants, determining any other Automatic Qualifiers, and establishing the pool for At-Large teams.

Go at it you math majors!

Now we all know the workings of the BCS...well, some of it. It's complicated and it's made major college football a sham to some. Of course, you can get more information on the BCS at the official BCS site within the links provided. It's a lousy read --- really it is.

Now that I'm finished, I need some Advil for my headache, sore neck, and sore fingers. Perhaps I may need a hospital stay to go into traction.

Send email to dlafrance2@207me.com

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A Small Town Bat Company With a Rich Tradition

Here's a question for you --- when one thinks of a baseball bat manufacturer, what is the company nearly everyone knows? Of course, we say Louisville Slugger, the premier bat maker for all levels of baseball. The king of bat making will never die but at one time, there was a small bat making company right up along side Louisville Slugger that made bats for major league players and teams until the 1980's. This small town company still proudly exists today, making custom bats for anyone who desires one.

This entry features the R.G. Johnson Company of Denmark, Maine, custom bat makers.

How I came across R.G. Johnson Co. was at an exhibit during Maine's largest agricultural fair, Fryeburg Fair on Tuesday, October 6th. I had spoken with Mr. Bob Logan, the sales representative. I had noticed that he had bats for sale at very reasonable prices, thus I inquired about the business. Bob had indicated as he gave me a brochure, to me that R.G. Johnson had a rich history in making bats for major league players. I was told that Bob's father, also named Bob, produces each bat by hand in the garage by their home. He also told me that the process of bat making is printed in the brochure.

I asked where the ash came from, specifically interested if it was Maine grown. Bob said that roughly 90% was indeed from the Maine woods, but a bit more is coming in from the neighboring state of New Hampshire. On following up, young Mr. Logan said that only the best ash is purchased to insure that the bats are of the highest quality.

I proceeded to ask if he made bats for major league players. Although they no longer produce for current players, R.G/ Johnson had contract for the
Atlanta Braves, Montreal Expos, Philadelphia Phillies, and a fourth team which escaped him. I was quite impressed!

As we spoke, I noticed that there were maple bats, baseball bat wall shelves, a book case, and other bat related products, which I found very, very well crafted. It was obvious that the elder Mr. Logan was meticulous in his work and I surmised he loved his work.

We ended our conversation, I took the brochure home with me to peruse. The brochure provided information on bat making at R.G. Johnson. I will just say that the wood is sawn 40” by 3” and air dried for 1 year. Then the blocks are are made into round billets, are graded by the elder Logan, graded so only the finest grain is found to produce the bats. The billets are then air dried again for an additional year before production begins.

Logan then turns the bat to its final form on a lathe, brands them with R.G. Johnson label, then sands them. After sanding, the majority of the bats are are flame treated, bringing up the grain and hardening the surface of the wood. Both ends are then sawed off from the lathe and sands them smooth. The, bat length is stamped on the knob and dip coated twice in polyurethane varnish for its final finish.

There are many bat models from many former major leaguers to choose from including, Henry Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Jim Rice, Ty Cobb, Yogi Berra, Mel Ott, Ted Williams, and many other stars of years past.

There you have it … how a bat is made by a small bat maker with a rich tradition. Unfortunately R.G. Johnson Co. does not have a website but they can be reached via mail at:

R.G.Johnson Ski & Sports
620 West Main Street
Denmark, Maine 04022

Phone and Fax numbers are:

Phone: (207) 452-2770
Fax: (207) 452-2675

Enjoy!

Send email to dlafrance2@207me.com

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The NFL's Quarter Pole

Now that the National Football League has reached the quarter pole in the regular season, it's time to see who are the best teams, biggest positive surprise team, and the team that is the biggest disappointment. Notice I didn't include the worst team --- the Oakland Raiders (St. Louis Rams close behind) --- just not worth the waste of effort.

Without further adieu, here are my opinions in no particular order:

Best Teams:

*Denver Broncos --- The Broncos were supposed to be “Team Turmoil” when Head Coach Josh McDaniels revealed he was looking at quarterback Matt Cassel to run the offense, henceforth upsetting incumbent Jay Cutler so much that the Broncos traded him to Chicago for Kyle Orton. As we have seen, Orton has played very well, and Denver is off to a 5-0 start. But the big surprise is the defense allowing a mere 43 points. A major reason is that the Broncos get to the passer, lead by Elvis Dumervil who is tied for the league lead in sacks with eight. An even more surprising statistic is that the supposed maligned run defense has allowed only 81 rush yards per game. Of course, Champ Bailey is still considered the best lock down corner back in the NFL. The defense will be severely tested as Denver travels to San Diego to face the Chargers on Monday night October 19th.

*Minnesota Vikings --- The undefeated Vikings have the most explosive running back in the league with Adrian Peterson, a rejuvenated QB in Brett Favre, and a tremendous rookie receiver/kick returner in 1st round draftee Percy Harvin. Defensively, Minnesota has Jared Allen who pressures the passer as well as anyone in football, Pat and Kevin Williams at defensive tackles, in my opinion the best pair of run stuffers in the league, a swift linebacking corps led by E.J. Henderson, and a decent secondary with veteran Antoine Winfield leading the way. Minnesota has two crucial tests in the next 2 weeks as Baltimore invades the Metrodome Sunday the 18th, then travel to Heinz Field to play the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

*New Orleans Saints --- The Saints have the most explosive offense in football led by All-Pro quarterback Drew Brees, a solid running game, a surprising 2nd in the league 166.2 yards per game, with Mike Bell beginning the season and starter Pierre Thomas returning from injury, and a fantastic receiving corps with Marques Colston and deep threat Devery Henderson as the leaders. Also, the addition of tight end Jeremy Shockey has bolstered Brees's threats. It's no wonder why the Saints are averaging a league's best 36 points a game. The defense has been stout allowing 16.5 points per game and stingy in all around defense allowing under 300 yards a game, ranking sixth. The leaders of the defense are linebacker Jonathan Vilma and big play making safety, the seemingly ageless Darren Sharper. The Saints schedule gets a little tougher over the next 2 weeks as they face Miami in 2 weeks at Miami. But the Saints next game will be the litmus test to see how legitimate they are. New Orleans will be at home in the Superdome to face the...

*New York Giants --- The G-Men are hitting on all cylinders offensively, defensively, and on special teams. The offense is lead by unquestioned leader Eli Manning at quarterback and a terrific tandem of running backs in the large Brandon Jacobs and the elusive but powerful Ahmad Bradshaw. The receiving group, a huge question mark in training camp, has developed into one of the leagues best with possession receiver Steve Smith, the NFL leader with 481 receiving yards, deep threat Mario Manningham, and exciting rookie, top draft choice Hakeem Nicks. The Giants are 4th in rushing, 9th in passing, adding up to the NFL's #2 total offense. To go along with those numbers, the Giants are averaging 30,2 points a game ranking 4th in the league. In my opinion, these statistics reflect that the Giants have the best offensive line in football led by center Shaun O'Hara and Pro Bowl guard Chris Snee. The defense led by defensive ends Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora is ranked #1 by allowing a mere 210.6 yards a game due in part to giving up and average of 104.8 yards of passing a game. The Giants defense also allows the 3rd fewest points per game at 14.2 a contest. While the numbers on both sides of the ball are gaudy, the G-men will be severely tested as they play New Orleans in their next game on Oct 18th at the Louisiana Superdome. Should the Giants prevail, I feel they will be considered the best team in football.

*Indianapolis Colts --- Right now I feel this is the best team in football. Peyton Manning is the top quarterback in the NFL once again, the receivers led by Reggie Wayne and tight end Dallas Clark are second to none and the defense has been brilliant thus far. Offensively, Indy has averaged 27.4 points per game and has passed for the most yardage at 326.0 a game. Peyton Manning already has 12 touchdown tosses, has thrown for at least 300 yards in every game, and is threatening to rewrite the record books. The running game has yet to get going but in time Joseph Addai and rookie Donald Brown will find openings. On the defensive side, defensive ends Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney have recorded 10 sacks --- the healthy and rejuvenated Freeney has six. The Colts schedule for the next 3 weeks feature a road game at woeful St. Louis, then 2 home games at the new Lucas Oil Stadium versus San Francisco and Houston. This could be an 8-0 team heading into the November 15th showdown at home against their arch-rivals New England Patriots. Let's not forget that new Head Coach Jim Caldwell is a direct disciple of his mentor Tony Dungy. Nothing has changed much as the Colts continue to roll.


Most Pleasantly Surprising Team:

*Cincinnati Bengals --- Aptly named “The Cardiac Cats” for their last second victories, the Bengals are no longer the NFL's laughing stock. At 4-1, the AFC North Division leaders don't wow people, but have shown grit and togetherness. The Bengals are a team in every sense of the word. Quarterback Carson Palmer is healthy and fairly productive, Chad Ochocinco is happy and playing well, and running back Cedric Benson has revived his career behind a much improved offensive line. The defense has played well enough to keep them in every game and have recorded 14 sacks, led by NFL co-leader Antwan Odom with eight. The Bengals have 2 home games before their bye week, both at home against Houston and Chicago. It will be interesting to see if Cincy can keep the momentum going.

Most Disappointing Team:

*Tennessee Titans --- Who would have thought that a Jeff Fisher led Titans team would lose all 5 games to begin the season? Tennessee has a good ground game with Chris Johnson and LenDale White, a decent if not spectacular quarterback in Kerry Collins and a very good defense. None of it has come together at all and Titans fans have been clamoring to see Vince Young take over the signal calling. The numbers across the board, except for rushing, are horrible and it appears the loss of All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth has devastated the team defense. Tennessee's next game is at Gillette Stadium against the Patriots. Can anybody say 6 consecutive losses?

There you have it...if you have any other or different opinions, feel free to comment or email me.

Happy Reading!

Send email to dlafrance2@207me.com

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A Return to Respectability in College Football

If you are as much of a college football fan as I am, you appreciate the efforts of a team that doesn't quit no matter the game situation or their won/loss record. Here, I will write of a team that has a rich history but has fallen upon hard times of late. However, it appears this football program is about to rise from the ashes and become a national force to be reckoned with in the near future. Truth is, this team has already taken great strides this season even with a 2 win 3 loss record heading into the weekend of October 10 --- they won nary a game last season. As far as I am concerned, this team has returned to respectability even if they do not win again in 2009.

Let's talk about the University of Washington Huskies football program.

Here is a brief synopsis of Washington Huskies history. Some great Head Coaches include:

*Gil Doobie who was 58-0-3 from 1908 – 1916
*Enoch Bagshaw, 63-22-6 from 1921 – 1929
*Darrell Royal, the great Texas Longhorns coach was 5-5 in 1956
*Don James, 153-57-2 from 1975 -1992

Notable players included:

*Running Back Hugh McElhenny --- Pro Football hall of Fame
*Quarterback Warren Moon --- Pro Football HOF, Mark Brunell, Chris Chandler
*Running Backs --- Napolean Kaufman, Corey Dillon
*Wide Receiver --- Reggie Williams
*Defensive Linemen --- Reggie Rogers, Steve Emtman, Larry Tripplett
*Offensive Linemen --- Lincoln Kennedy, Olin Kreutz, Benji Olson
*Defensive Backs --- Lawyer Milloy, Tony Parrish
*Tight Ends --- Cam Clelland, Ernie Conwell

Team accomplishments:
*Co-National Champions in 1991
*Nine times in the Top 10 AP or Coaches Poll
*Won or tied the Pacific Athletic Conference (PAC) 15 times


Now, let's go back to the 2008 season and look at some hard numbers ---

*Record --- 0 Wins/12 Losses --- The only PAC 10 team to lose every game
*The only team in the nation to be 0 – 12
*Were outscored by a whopping 463 – 159 margin
*They were only close in 3 games including a heartbreaking 28-27 loss in which quarterback Jake Locker was penalized for a celebration foul after scoring a touchdown with :02 remaining in the game. This cost the Huskies 15 yards on the ensuing extra point … the kick was blocked.

Head Coach Tyrone Willingham was forced to resign during the season following an embarrassing 33-7 loss to Notre Dame, although he was allowed to finish the campaign.

Enough of the bad, but why do I believe the University of Washington football program has turned around? Here are some reasons.

Head Coach Steve Sarkisian --- A young coach (34) with a winning attitude and calm demeanor. Much of that comes from playing for legendary Head Coach Lavell Edwards in 1995 and 1996 as a record setting quarterback at Brigham Young University (BYU).

For many years, Sarkisian was an assistant under Pete Carroll's eye at the University of Southern California (USC) culminating with being the offensive coordinator in 2007 and 2008.

Quarterback Jake Locker --- Experienced starting QB as he played in 12 games as a red shirt freshman but was lost via injury after 4 games last season. Locker has a strong and accurate arm and can use his strength and mobility to shed defenders. That was in evidence during last week's game versus Notre Dame. Locker doesn't seem to be in a panic and is quite heady.

A team that wants to win --- The Huskies are tired of getting trounced. They did defeat USC earlier this season which became the springboard for new found confidence. Hungry, hungry, Huskies!

Many thought the road to respectability for Washington Huskies football would be a long and arduous one. But with evidence to the contrary, such as games with USC and Notre Dame, that road should be much easier to be traversed. With a young and well versed 1st year coach in Steve Sarkisian and a terrific quarterback in Jake Locker, The Husky football program is on the right track.

Welcome back Washington Huskies football!

Send email to dlafrance2@207me.com