PIGSKINS IN DRESSES-Part 1

Why are they (the College Football Selection Committee) telling us who they think is the best four college football teams in America? Better solutions can increase the fairness for all parties involved.

Which parties? I am talking fans, alumni, players and coaches. When this Committee was first announced, I thought it was a better system than the previous one. However, doubts existed in my head. How can prestigious people with ties to certain Universities and conferences not be influenced by the payout?

SELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Taken from http://www.collegefootballplayoff.com

Jeff Long, Chair-Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville

Barry Alvarez-Director of Athletics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Lieutenant General Mike Gould (Ret.)-Former Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy

Pat Haden-Director of Athletics, University of Southern California

Kirby Hocutt-Director of Athletics, Texas Tech University

Tom Jernstedt-Former NCAA Executive Vice President

Bobby Johnson-Former Head Coach, Vanderbilt University

Tom Osborne-Former Head Coach and Director of Athletics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Dan Radakovich-Director of Athletics, Clemson University

Condoleezza Rice-Stanford University professor, former Stanford Provost and former United States Secretary of State

Mike Tranghese-Former Commissioner, Big East Conference

Steve Wieberg-Former College Football Reporter, USA Today

Tyrone Willingham-Former Head Coach of Three FBS Institutions

PAYOUTS
College Football Playoff Revenue-Distribution Policies

The following estimates of the CFP revenue distribution are based on preliminary calculations for the 2015-2016 season and are only approximate projections of potential revenue distribution from each component:

(1) Each conference will receive $300,000 for each of its schools when the school’s football team meets the NCAA’s APR for participation in a post-season football game. Each independent institution will also receive the $300,000 when its football team meets that standard.

(2) Each of the 10 conferences will also receive a base amount. For conferences that have contracts for their champions to participate in the Orange, Rose or Sugar Bowl, the base combined with the full academic performance pool will be approximately $51 million for each conference. The five conferences that do not have contracts for their champions to participate in the Orange, Rose or Sugar Bowls will receive approximately $79 million in aggregate (full academic pool plus base), which the conferences will distribute as they choose. Notre Dame will receive a payment of $2.58 million if it meets the APR standard; the other two independents will share $618,241.

(3) A conference will receive $6 million for each team that is selected for the semifinal games. There will be no additional distribution to conferences whose teams qualify for the national championship game. A conference will receive $4 million for each team that plays in a non-playoff bowl under the arrangement (in 2014-2015, the Cotton, Fiesta and Peach Bowls).

(4) Each conference whose team participates in a playoff semifinal, Cotton, Fiesta or Peach Bowl, or in the national championship game will receive $2.08 million to cover expenses for each game.

Additionally, certain conferences in the Football Championship Subdivision conferences will receive $2.34 million in aggregate

Next is part of the Philosophy of the Committee.

This season, college football enters a new four-team playoff era. The format is simple: the best four teams, two semifinals played in bowl games and a championship game played in a different city each year. It’s the biggest innovation in the sport in decades.

Every Game Counts
The new playoff preserves the excitement and significance of college football’s unique regular season where every game counts.

The Best Four Teams
The selection committee will choose the four teams for the playoff based on strength of schedule, head-to-head results, comparison of results against common opponents, championships won and other factors.

Best of All Worlds
The new postseason structure creates an exciting four-team playoff that preserves the best regular season in sports and protects America’s rich bowl tradition. It does not go too far; it goes just the right distance and respects the academic calendar while limiting the number of games played by student-athletes.

A New Year’s Spectacular
Fans will enjoy back-to-back triple headers. Two semifinals and four other premier bowl games will be played on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Those holidays will belong to college football. Semifinal games will rotate among six different bowls, extending the experience to more fans.

Championship Monday
The championship game will be on Monday night every year.

Universal Access
Every FBS team has equal access to the playoff based on its performance. No team will qualify automatically.

More Revenue
The popularity of the new format will increase
revenue for all conferences and independent institutions.

 

 

It is not I to comment on the payouts. However, I care to comment on the hypocrisy of the current system. Especially, where it is stated, ‘Universal Access’. “Every FBS team has equal access to the playoff based on its performance. No team will qualify automatically”.

My viewpoint is ‘hogwash’. Almost every team outside the Power 5 Conference is disqualified because of ‘The Best Four Teams’ section which states, “The selection committee will choose the four teams for the playoffs based on strength of schedule, head-to-head results, comparisons of results against common opponents, championships won and other factors.

Only a few teams outside of the Power 5 Conferences can match the ‘strength of schedule’ criteria. For the rest, even though they are invited, their ticket gives them a seat as a spectator along with the rest of us.

Let us talk more about this ‘Fairness’. Chime in at any time. Do you realize if one of the 2014, four semi-final teams, would have lost in their Conference Championship Game, the winner would have not qualified for a spot in the National Semi-Finals, according to the above criteria.

Losers were Missouri in the SEC, Arizona in the PAC 12, Georgia Tech in the ACC, and Wisconsin in the Big 10. Instead of as Champions of their respected Conference, they would have had to give way to another non-championship team not in their conference.

This possible scenario would be in direct conflict with the ‘The Best Four Teams’ section-‘Championships Won’. To add injury to insult, two or more teams from the same conference, if they garnered enough votes, could have doubled, or even tripled their booty. I want the Selection Committee to show me the fairness with that possible scenario.

I have proposed a solution to Bill Hancock, who is the head of this Selection Committee that addresses the inequities of the current system. I would like to share them with you and any feedback you care to share, please leave it.

Before I do that, let me tell you the beginning. The Featured Image is my media room. This room began with a mixture of large and small box TV’s in 2005. With the advent of flat screens, this is what it looks like today, using the original Big Dish wiring headquartered in the media room.

Some people have said I am lucky, others have said this is nice. A few have taken pictures to show others or to remember. My response is always the same. I tell others that I have been blest, and enjoying the ‘fruits’ of my labor.

My passion is sports. It is one of the few ‘Arts’ where a ‘winner’ is declared. Some ‘Arts’ still end in a tie. Since I have less seasons in front of me than behind me, I have coined the phrase, I now ‘volume watch’. Rumors are you cannot take ‘It’ with you. I am just covering my ass.

Some sports are easier to cover. Depending upon the sport, the number of TVs employed will vary. Football, because of its design and replay, can be simultaneously viewed on all six TVs.

It was during the 2008 season, a year after our son, brother and friend, Nick Feher left his physical body at the age of eighteen, my passion for the college game was reignited. His contribution to our community continues to this day. For more info go to our Facebook page, Nick Feher “TAKE 5” Foundation.

Since raising a family is very time consuming, my previous football consumption consisted of ‘volume watching’ the pros on Sunday. I planned my day around it. If time permitted, a few college games were on the menu. The Bowl season highlighted my year. I followed the college game, but not with the passion, I carry now.

The BCS title game was what it was. The more I embraced the College Game, the more ‘It’ became my favorite partner. The ‘energy’ and the passion that the fans and teams brought to each game enhanced my viewing experience. I saw more variety and a faster paced game.

After my first College Football Pilgrimage in 2011, I discovered the Meccas that I wanted to worship at. Bill Belichick, who I warmly recognized as Bill Belacheat, agreed with my assessment of Pro Football in a news article, October 5, 2014.

“The new CBA cut the offseason program by five weeks, reduced the number of offseason practices from 14 to 10, reduced the number of padded practices during the regular season to 14 (in 17 weeks), increased the number of off days during training camp, and, most significantly, eliminated two-a-day practices from training camp.

He gave an expansive answer last December on the topic, saying the restrictions have led to worse preparation for the season and more injuries.

“I’m in favor of total preparation for the players for the season, and I think that’s been changed significantly and, I would say, not necessarily for the better, when you look at the injury numbers,” he said. “You have a gap between preparation and competition level. And I think that’s where you see a lot of injuries occurring.

We get a lot of breakdowns. We get a lot of situations that players just aren’t as prepared as they were in previous years.”

Belichick is hardly the only coach frustrated by the new practice restrictions and using the first four games of the season as an extension of the preseason. Coaching and front office personnel from three different teams expressed similar sentiments.

“The more rookies that play, the harder it is,” said one assistant GM. “We’re still trying to figure out exactly what we have.”

“It’s very, very hard to get the rookies ready to play for Week 1 with the new rules,” said a special teams coordinator from another team. “I also think [the practice restrictions are] one of the reasons for the high number of injuries early in the season.”

Through four weeks of the season, 126 players have been placed on injured reserve, an average of 3.9 per team. It’s hard to compare data across seasons because players get released from IR all the time, but injuries have been trending upward for about a decade in the NFL.

According to the Dallas Morning News, the NFL lost 1,600 games by starters to injury last year, an all-time high. The league set a record with 353 players on IR in 2010, the last season before the new practice restrictions, but IR numbers the last few years have been in the same ballpark”.

For more info go to: https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/10/04/nfl-coaches-frustrated-lack-practice-time/F7e3C8QzCeuqMLLU3I616H/story.html

According to the gospel of Bill and others, including me, is that the Pro Football Game is only a shadow of its former self. Lack of preparation time speaks volumes and shows up regularly during the pro game. More on this topic later in a future post on the PPA’s.

With each new Pilgrimage, the College Football Game became the ‘Darling’ of my eyes. When the original Selection Committee was announced, I asked, “What about me”? Though my name was not as prestigious as the other members were, I believed that my qualifications were equaled to theirs. Others out there may feel the same, and may be even more qualified.

As more guests would come over for their smorgasbord of football, I started to bounce my idea off them. With my background, no potential conflicts, time was not an issue, plus my media room, I considered myself a prime candidate for ‘Joe Fan’. I could be the ‘commoner’ among the ‘greats’ on the Selection Committee.

It was during the late spring of 2014 that I announced my dream to others. I wanted to be ‘Joe Fan’ and represent all the other ‘commoners’ on the Selection Committee. At the time, I was not familiar with the name of Bill Hancock. However, I did have a connection with Jeff Long, Athletic Director at Arkansas and Chairperson of the Committee. Jeff was also a former AD at Pitt University.

I did not know Jeff personally, but a friend of mine did. Because of professional and personal relationships, his name is Kris Cinkovich. Kris is currently the Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator/offensive line coach at Idaho University. His bio reads from the Vandal website:

“Cinkovich stepped into his role at Idaho with high expectations and a history of coaching success. In his first season with the Vandals, he coached a receiver, Dezmon Epps, who surely will leave his mark on Idaho football.

Cinkovich’s players have made impacts and set records everywhere he’s been. In the 2012 NFL Draft, Arkansas receivers tied a draft record as for the 14th time in draft history, and third time by the SEC, a school had three wide receivers selected in the same draft. Cinkovich also tutored Cobi Hamilton to the best season by a wide receiver in Arkansas history and one of the top seasons ever put together in the SEC.

Before Arkansas, Cinkovich coached three of the top four all-time reception leaders in UNLV history. Cinkovich also assisted with a passing attack that ranked in the top 50 nationally in 2008 and 2009, accounting for 40 passing touchdowns. UNLV also led the nation in red zone production in 2008 (95 percent) and third-down efficiency in 2009 (46.39 percent).

Cinkovich came to UNLV in 2003 from Las Vegas High School, where he oversaw the Wildcats for nine seasons and built one of the state’s top programs en route to compiling a record of 79-24. In 1995, he took LVHS to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years and in 2001 brought the school its first state championship since 1959.

Cinkovich’s squads won three regional titles and were ranked among the best on the west coast three times by USA TODAY. He was inducted into the Southern Nevada Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2004.

Cinkovich played at Spokane Falls Community College from 1979-80 and Carroll College from 1981-82 as an offensive lineman. A 1984 graduate of Carroll College in Helena, Mont., Cinkovich earned his master’s degree from Central Washington in 1987. He and his wife, Joanie, have two daughters, Carly and Stephanie”.

I contacted Kris late June of 2014 about my cockamamie dream. I asked if I could use his name as a reference with Jeff Long. He said OK. Kris and his family had opened their arms for me in 2011. I parlayed the Tennessee at Arkansas after the game of the century in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Following the ‘Things That I Have Learned’, I wrote my dream down and shared it with others. With the process started, I mailed Jeff Long a package. Included in the package, was a short bio, listing my qualifications, using Kris Cinkovich as a reference.

Also in the envelope was a print of my media room, and a copy of my dream. After not receiving a reply for three weeks, a hand written card, with the names of The University of Arkansas and Jeff Long arrived in the mail. A result had been delivered.

Before opening ‘It’, I realized that my dream of being selected to the Committee was a long shot. However, long shots have produced before in the ‘Art’ of Sports. Nervously, I carefully opened the envelope.

It was a beautifully hand written card from Jeff Long. Though he found my concept of ‘Joe Fan’, interesting, it was not his call. Jeff’s Chairperson Position was assigned to him. He said that I should contact Bill Hancock, the person who is in charge with entire process and the Selection Committee.

With August on the horizon, my window of opportunity was shrinking to be on the Committee. I mailed Bill Hancock the same package as I did Jeff Long, with one exception. A copy of Jeff Long’s card was included.

During my wait for a response from Bill Hancock, possible results danced in my brain. If you subscribe to the ‘Law of Polarity’, one end of the polarity plane is ‘yes’, I can be on the Committee. The opposite end is ‘no’, I cannot be on the Committee.

Applying the Law of Polarity, a result would be forth coming. In my world, NO’s are only a result. NO is the opposite of ‘YES’. Following the principles of Marcus Aurelius, the only thing I have control over is what goes on inside of my head.

I have no control over outside forces, but only how I react to them. Within time, an unexpected email from Bill Hancock arrives. A door has been opened. Bill writes the following:

Bill Hancock <bhancock@collegefootball>
8/25/14
to me

Dear Mr. Feher,

Thank you for your recent letter. We appreciate your interest in college football. While your concept is intriguing, I do not believe that adding a “Joe Fan” representative would be in the best interests of the selection committee. We are pleased with the group we have.
Thanks again.

On my life’s journey, I have learned to hold no expectations of others but only to myself. When the email chimed on my phone, it sounded like a ‘blessing’. Though I was not chosen, Bill considered my concept intriguing.

Perhaps with time, other results may manifest. When Pat Hayden, a member of the Selection Committee had his melt down on national TV early last football season, I emailed Bill the Following:
George Feher <gnf0920 9/8/14
Dear Bill,
Thank you for your reply. If the court of public opinion convinces Pat Hayden to resign his position as a member of your selection committee, I am waiting in the wings as his replacement. Who knows, “Joe Fan”, could be a viable option. Thank you for your time

If anything, I hoped that my action caused a ‘smile’ to Bill’s face. It was after the season when all the hoopla ended, and Ohio State was declared our National Champions according to the current structure. I emailed the following to Bill:

George Feher
Feb 2. 2015

Bill,
Hope all is going as expected for you. As I watch future college football seasons create a story of its own, I will always have my own little story to tell. The tale that Mr. Bill Hancock, chairman of the entire College Football Playoffs, found the time to write a response to a stranger with a dream. As a teacher, I always encouraged my students to practice daily, random, “acts of kindness”. “Thank you” again for your kind act.

Congratulations on the success of the College Football Playoff. I agree that it was an improvement over the previous process. However, after observing and analyzing, the past season selection processes, I now know, that your current selection guidelines, are a “beauty pageant” in disguise.

I am not saying that the four teams that were selected were not deserving. It was the current methodology that is flawed. Do you realize, that if one, or more, or all of those teams would have been upset in their conference championship game(s), the upset winner would not have qualified for a place in the final four.

Another perceived issue that came to mind by having an “upset” winning the conference championship game, would mean that their conference would not be able to share in the financial pie. Which would then mean, that two teams or more from the same conference would get a bigger slice of the pie.

If this is the picture that your vision wants to create, then stay the current path. For I will continue to perceive it as nothing more than a “beauty pageant”. If you want to have a “True National Champion”, then please consider the following plan. For the sake of a name, let’s call it “TAKE 5” plus ONE.

PLAN OUTLINE is attached. It is a rough idea, but it is not a “beauty pageant”. Some will argue that more teams are needed. Beauty is the eyes of the beholder. I know that “TAKE 5” plus ONE plan will provide every eligible conference, team, and player an equal chance to play in the National Championship Game, by adding an extra round, without compromising the College Bowl Games.

If you reading this, I thank you for your time. I am, and will always be available for your selection committee.
George N. Feher
Executive Officer
NICK FEHER “TAKE 5” FOUNDATION

“TAKE 5” plus ONE-College Football Champion Guidelines

1. All eligible teams will be invited to participate with a fair opportunity that will be decided on the playing field.
2. The role of the selection committee will be limited to: select the best team outside the “Power 5” conferences, seed the teams for the playoffs.
3. This will be a 6-team playoff.
4. Each “Power 5” conference will use their own method to determine their champion and representative for the playoffs.
5. Only one qualifier from each “Power 5” conference is permitted. All will share equally the financial pie.
6. All other conferences and Independents, will vie for the “beauty spot”, as selected by the committee. Hopefully, this might spurn more regional, regular season games between the “Power 5” and the others. For instance, the PAC-12 vs. the Mountain West. These matchups would then provide more information when seeding the teams. Also, they would add to the drama of the college football season.
7. The top two seeded teams will receive a quarterfinal bye and will be seeded in the semi-finals as #1 and #2.
8. The quarterfinals will be played the Saturday after the conference championship games. This is an extremely slow day for football viewing. Seed #3 will host Seed #6. Seed #4 will host Seed #5. All teams will have the same time to prepare. A neutral site can be considered. Logistics can be worked out. Just think of the financial windfall that can be generated for a local community, for hosting such an event. Share the financial pie.
9. The losers of the quarterfinals, would be guaranteed a spot in one of the Major Bowl Games on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.
10. The quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinals. Seed #1 would play the lowest remaining seed. The #2 seed would play the other seeded team in the semi-finals.
11. The winner of the semi-finals would meet in the Championship Game to determine the “True National Champion”.

My philosophy is this: If you want to play the role of a dissident, an alternative needs to be presented. Staying true to my beliefs, that is what I did. No, I did not get a reply from Bill. I do not know, Sam I am, if he received, opened and read my above email.

The one thing that I do know is that I have evidence that I did send my proposal to Bill Hancock. That is all I had control over. I did get results. I did not let ‘fear’ affect my process.

Carlos Santana says this about fear: “Starvation and fear is the enemy of humanity.” Most people fail to act, because they let fear, dictate the results.

My understanding is that members of the Committee are stepping down after this season. My intentions are to continue to pursue my dream of being on the Selection Committee. I will be writing an e-mail to Bill Hancock, expressing my intent.

Hopefully, with his guidance, my package will include the necessary items to be consider for the Selection Committee. I will not let ‘fear’ interrupt my process. What’s the worst Bill could say? “No” is only a result.

Perhaps my idea will spurn others on to be on the Committee. If not I, I will say “Good for them”. I can then live my dream vicariously through the lives of others and share their ‘blessings’.

If the ‘TAKE 5’ plus One plan becomes the norm, you heard it here first. The weekend of the ‘King’ is upon us. Visions of Head Football Coach Charlie Strong of Texas after the upset win of Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry still conjure up my goose-flesh.

Seeing him being carried and paraded around by his players was a ‘priceless moment’. The wearing of the Golden Hat from the trophy by him and his players enhanced the celebration.

If you had just tuned in and had no clue, you would have thought a ‘Historical Event’ just played out. Welcome to College Football. Unlike the pros, 1 & 4 teams in colleges celebrate wins differently.

When is the last time you ever witnessed a 1 & 4 pro football team celebrate like that after their second win of the season? My theory is this, until someone disputes ‘It’ with a better one.

In a topic to be explored more in depth in the future, the bottom line is this. The College Gladiators come to each ‘Battle’ with one purpose and that is to ‘WIN’. Past records do not matter, for a victory today can affect our ways?

A standard NFL Player Contract states the following:
THIS CONTRACT is between _______________________ ,
Hereinafter “Player,” and______________________, a ________________________
corporation (limited partnership) (partnership), hereinafter “Club,” operating under the
name of the _____________ as a
member of the National Football League, hereinafter “League.” In consideration of the
promises made by each to the other, Player and Club agree as follows:

1. TERM. This contract covers football season(s), and will begin on the date
of execution or March 1, __ , whichever is later, and end on February 28
or 29, , unless extended, terminated, or renewed as specified elsewhere in this
contract.

2. EMPLOYMENT AND SERVICES. Club employs Player as a skilled football player.
Player accepts such employment. He agrees to give his best efforts and loyalty to the Club,
and to conduct himself on and off the field with appropriate recognition of the fact that
the success of professional football depends largely on public respect for and approval of those associated with the game.

HE AGREES TO GIVE HIS BEST EFFORT. Can someone please explain how this is evaluated and factored into a PPA’s game performance and game pay? You cannot. Contracts have been signed.

A PPA football player will receive his same sixteen game checks regardless of the outcome of the game and or his participation. Hence the term, ‘Pre-Paid Athletes.

Winning has little priority. What about the play-offs? That is another topic?

As you wait for your next Fixins from Fox-Feather, please tell others.

Next topic will be a Story of Inspiration. A title is brewing.