Ostrich Prophet

I'll die on this hill. Sports are about crowning a true champion. Playoff systems that exist in American pro sports are dumb. You play a long grueling season and if you're slightly above average you get to play in a new long grueling post season that is virtually unrelated to the regular season and the team that gets hot wins. March Madness early rounds are my favorite week of the year, but that doesn't mean it's a fair or meaningful way to choose a champion. European domestic soccer leagues crown a true champion. No playoffs. 1st place wins. Is that good for business? No. But its a true unquestioned champion. The BCS was the next best thing. The 4 team playoff still worked. Out of 138 teams you can find 4 elite teams and because they haven't played similar schedules it makes sense that you may not be able to prove who was the best 1 or 2 based on body of work. At 12 you started to lose me. Yes I'm aware that means Miami wouldn't have even be in the conversation last year if it were still a 4 team playoff. 24 teams is the end of the CFB regular season as we know it. Will it still be fine? Yes. Will it be even more satisfying to see your rival not even be able to make a 24-team playoff? Yes. But the magic will be gone. 9-3 will be the goal. Key players will sit out game 12 to rest for the playoffs, allowing a bubble team an easy win to get in. At least then maybe we can get some conference collusion conspiracy arguments. Teams that may have been dynasties in the past could have Buffalo Bills-type runs where they just can't get it done in the playoffs. In the end, I'd rather see a potentially deserving team left out, than an 8-4 team that shouldn't sniff the playoffs get hot and make a run. I'm not going anywhere, I'll still probably watch just as much, and I'm sure the playoff will be entertaining. But we'll lose so much urgency, joy and heartbreak in the cheapening of the regular season.