Media Verses Perspective
... just had some random thoughts on college football.
I think one thing that seems to be lacking in today's sound bite media and ridiculous banter that passes for analysis is perspective.
I was reminded of this again this morning while watching the various blathering idiots of TV (Mark May anyone?). But ESPN ran a "this day in college football history thing" on Reggie Bush. Now, I've made no secret of my disdain for USC, I live in the midst of these front running USC boobs. Nonetheless, this spot was raving about Reggie Bush's 513 all-purpose yards in a Nov.2005 matchup with Fresno State. (Full disclosure: I love what Pat Hill has done at Fresno State and the Bulldogs are probably my "local" favorite). At any rate, the spot raved about Bush's performance which, on the surface of it, would seem HUGE. However, here's the perspective ... without Bush's 513 yard performance, USC loses that game badly. The final score was 50-42 USC. Not exactly the blowout Bush's stats would otherwise have signaled.
Perspective. It's crucial.
Written by Jimbo In SoCal
I think one thing that seems to be lacking in today's sound bite media and ridiculous banter that passes for analysis is perspective.
I was reminded of this again this morning while watching the various blathering idiots of TV (Mark May anyone?). But ESPN ran a "this day in college football history thing" on Reggie Bush. Now, I've made no secret of my disdain for USC, I live in the midst of these front running USC boobs. Nonetheless, this spot was raving about Reggie Bush's 513 all-purpose yards in a Nov.2005 matchup with Fresno State. (Full disclosure: I love what Pat Hill has done at Fresno State and the Bulldogs are probably my "local" favorite). At any rate, the spot raved about Bush's performance which, on the surface of it, would seem HUGE. However, here's the perspective ... without Bush's 513 yard performance, USC loses that game badly. The final score was 50-42 USC. Not exactly the blowout Bush's stats would otherwise have signaled.
Perspective. It's crucial.
Written by Jimbo In SoCal
BigM - Hey, thanks!! Imagine my surprise upon logging in ... lo and behold, my comments a full on post. How cool! Thanks man!
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Now, I suppose it's bad form and not a little tacky to comment on one's own post but I'd like to add a little something on perspective that struck me this evening after looking at the latest polls ...
Perception over reality: that is the power of one's beliefs to hold sway over what the facts might support. Bear in mind too that I am willing to skewer my own perceptions in the face of the facts if it serves the argument.
My point? Clearly it's nothing new to look at the college polls every week and not have half the public say "WTF?" For many years now I've been telling friends, family, drinking buddies and that dork at the end of the bar that, in my humble opinion, there is a discernible bias in the polls toward southern schools. I don't necessarily have any "facts" to support this idea just merely a lot of anecdotal evidence. For example, this week Iowa loses, vacating the #4 spot and somehow TCU jumps Cincinnati and lands at number 4. Huh? This is based solely on perception and frankly, the facts don't support this jump in the polls AT ALL. What do I mean? Both UC and TCU are now 9-0, 8-0 going into their games this past weekend. Both played 4-4 opponents, UC played a scrappy and emotional UConn team, TCU played a pugnacious San Diego St. Both teams play in conferences that don't get a lot of respect, BigEast and MWC respectively, but both conferences have 3 teams in the top 25. That's where the similarities end. UC plays in a tough conference that should get more attention than it does and moreover, the BigEast teams are higher ranked across the board than are those in TCU's Mountain West. Hey, SD St. is scrappy but c'mon they're no UConn who's been ranked in top 25 several times since moving up to Div1A in 2000. BigEast co-champs in 2007 and 4 bowl appearances. SD St. has never been ranked in top 25 much less won their conference. My point is this ... both teams won, both remained undefeated yet inexplicably, enough AP/ESPN voters out there thought TCU's win over San Diego St was worth SO MUCH MORE than Cincinnati's win over UConn that they rewarded them with the #4 spot, leapfrogging Cincinnati in the process? I'm dumbfounded. I simply can make that fit into any reasonable criteria so I'm forced to conclude it was nothing more than perception. Again, inexplicably, enough AP/ESPN voters think TCU is better than not only UC but apparently Boise State (where is their respect?!), Georgia Tech, Pitt, LSU, Ohio State and USC.
WOW!! Those Horned Frogs must be DAMN GOOD! Let me be clear, put TCU up against Boise, UC and they come out with two losses. Agreed, that's MY perception but honestly, ask yourself if the facts support a #4 ranking ahead of UC or even Boise State. Curiously both are "northern" teams, so I can only conclude a southern bias. TCU is a Texas team and we all know athletes from Texas are better than athletes from Ohio or Idaho, right?
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Not to rain on your parade on the Bush piece, but that is part of what made his performance unforgettable. I hate USC with a passion PARTICULARLY every golden boy child that has played QB at that university (with the exception of Carson Palmer, who I happen to think is a classy guy for some reason, I just don't see it with Sanchez, that guy is a straight fake IMO) HOWEVER I recognize talent and I try VERY hard to give credit where credit is due. Reggie Bush again IMO even with all the controversy swirling around him is easily a more TALENTED player than Tim Tebow. Tebow has a nice system but (being biased again) Pryor could have easily outdone him stats wise for his own career if he had Urban Meyer's system and his recruits (Tressel is DISGUSTING on offense). That being said what makes Reggie's performance truly unforgettable is that he had the game he had DESPITE adversity, no matter how much or how little that adversity was. I think its easy to pile up stats against a team when you've clearly got their number if you are a superstar athlete and your team is blowing them out. But the thing people wanna see most in sports (I think its particularly true in football and particularly for Quarterbacks) is WHAT CAN YOU DO when your stressed out and the other team isn't backing down? Are you going to try your hardest, eek out 150 yards total Offense if your a RB or 300 yards passing if your a QB and call it a day? Or are you going to WILL YOUR TEAM to victory by GUSHING for 500 yards of total offense? There are few players in the college game who can truly take over a game and will their team to victory that do NOT play the QB position. I think there are even fewer in the NFL who can do that. Adrian Peterson is ONE that I can think of off the top of my head. Back when he had sub par QB's the guy would strap up towards the end of games and just annihilate teams with big plays. I think its safe to say that Reggie Bush did that same thing that night against Fresno State and BECAUSE IT WAS A CLOSE GAME that only immortalizes his performance further.
Winning the Big Ten doesn't mean jack
- Coach J
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That is an excellent point about having a career performance against a team that's hanging right with your team. Well said.
Thanks for adding perspective. Just goes to show that sometimes you can't think of everything and others have valid input. I look forward to more input.
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