The fat lady has sung and gone. The season came to a spectacular end. A few mishaps, arguments, and much debate (as usual) but in the end, few can say that it wasn't right.For BYU: Ouch, really big ouch. As long as I've been a fan I've never seen it this bad nor the outlook more shaky. The worst season since 1943 and the resulting staff shake-up has me worried about 2018 already. 'Nuf said...
For Georgia: So close...again. Just like 2002, then 2007, then 2012, and now 2017 (do you too see the 5-year pattern here?). The Rose Bowl double-OT victory will be savored for years to come. And Georgia was riding those high emotions through the first half of the championship game. But Saban did what Saban does best - adjust and win (which is exactly how Georgia pulled off the Rose Bowl). Yes - the officiating was dismal at times but all teams have to deal with that. (But it is odd that the few officiating mis-steps noted in various post-game articles would have all been against 'Bama; no officiating mis-steps against Georgia were mentioned). But what a great, fun season and hopefully I don't have to wait another five years for another.
For University of Central Florida: Join the club. USC, Auburn, and various others over the years have been dealt the same blow. But college football is not a 1-off sport and indeed favors year-over-year consistency. Do your time, keep up the good work, and validation will happen.
EndZone
College football, the only sport I watch, seems to be on a slippery slope. It's as exciting as it has been but the things tolerated today are eating away at us little by little. The big, big money rumors continue to mount feeding the concern that it's all about money and not about the sport or the educational/career growth of the kids. Coaches seem to allow more: three strikes before being dismissed for school/team violations, televised yelling/attacking coaches on the sideline and being allowed back in the game, tolerating colorful language and smack-talk that has reached new lows. And in the game when coaches see the crotch grabbing, the finger pointing and throat slitting gestures, and shoving heads into the ground after the whistle, then not doing anything about it - that is on the coaches 100%.
No, these are not just young kids full of passion and uncontrollable urges. They are in our living rooms, in front of small children, and often looked up to and emulated in today's world. They need to recognize and respect that. Being "just a kid" does not excuse such actions.
College football, IMHO, is about traditions. The coaches of yesteryear would have had a heyday with the actions and attitudes that today's athletic directors, college presidents, coaches, parents and trainers allow.