Special delivery, bitches
Alan: Scheduling is one of those frustrating Catch 22's of the football world. You can't really get a lot of good teams on your schedule unless you are a hopelessly overmatched pushover or someone who themselves are equally good. The "mid-majors" or teams that have a good potential to knock someone off don't get those sort of offers. And you only get national attention and deemed "good" by the footballniks of the ESPNs if you get those games. Problem.
In my opinion, you should win the maximum amount of games possible. Every year. Whether those games were USC, Notre Dame, and Florida or Tennessee Martin, Northeast Maine Tech A & M, or Mexico Tantra College. What we're doing now is a solid play. One major opponent, two smaller opponents. The more important thing for BSU to do is start DOMINATING the MAC. I mean unmerciless asspoundings that leave people not only on the field but in the stands emotionally traumatized.
Edge: I'd personally like to see a Ball State team play at least 3 BCS schools every year. Not just IU either... some good schools. I think if we maintain the momentum we established last year, by 2012 it may be time to take some tougher teams to task. There's no reason we couldn't be thought of in the same light as a team like Boise State. We need to dominate the MAC, we need to win some big games, and we need more BCS teams in our schedule.
RV: Remember when Marshall was somewhat feared from the MAC? That happened because they played teams that didn't belong on their schedule. Playing Auburn is great for the team, regardless of the outcome, and we should continue to ramp up the schedule. The question here is would you rather be looking down the barrel at top 15 teams every year (very difficult to schedule, if even at all) to be able to test the mettle of your team or would you rather be Utah last year. I'll take the former. Nobody in the MAC scares you if you have a OOC schedule that includes Oklahoma, Oregon and Ohio State. But when you only play Army, Auburn and Alabama A&M you've done little to take a step in the right direction.
Alan: No one is going to remember the details of the awful weakened schedule BSU played last year. They are, however, going to remember we were 12-2. I would rather that they just remember the 12-0 part, but I'm sort of a dreamer.Edge: Maybe not in 5 years, but I'm reminded of Northeastern quite frequently when talking about the 2008 season. And it's no secret the MAC is... well, using the term loosely, a mid-major conference.
How many games are we going to get BSU playing on tv next year?
Alan: The heart of the MAC schedule will be on ESPN or at least ESPN2 pending we don't shit the bed somewhere before. Central, Western, and Northern Illinois all might make the cut. The Auburn game will probably be available for ESPN Gameplan or on 360.c0m, but it's really hard to say. If you're hoping to catch New Hampshire or Auburn, I'd plunk down the 14 or so bucks a month for the All Access pass via the BSUSports webpage. Well worth the money.
Edge: It all comes down to the season we have. If we are running the table, I think by 6-0 or 7-0 we'll be regularly on TV for our weeknight games. Saturday games televised? Fuggitaboutit. Unless we're gunning for our 11th or 12th in a row.
RV: Who knows? We could end up getting regularly scheduled weeknight games because there aren't many other options. BSU will still be a story next year, albeit not as big of a story, and ESPN will try and sell anything to get viewers. We'll see how good the marketing department is this year.
Alan: With time, perhaps. They always say you want to be the guy following the guy following a legend. But let's not forget that while good, Davis was far from amazing his first few starts. In fact, if I remember correctly there was a pretty large Facebook page bitching and moaning that Davis took the job over mid-season. That worked out fairly well for us, and it tells me that the coaching staff can work with youth and talent and mold them into something usable. And youth and talent pretty much sums up Kelly Page in a nutshell.
Edge: Maybe? We'll have to wait and see, it's way too early. Technically, he "can". But I don't know if he "will". Two very different things. Let's watch the spring and summer and see what develops.
RV: I think he can be better. It's impossible to try and predict how a player is going to react to his surroundings until you throw him out there. Page also has the distinction of knowing where the bar has been set. If he wants to be better than Nate, he knows exactly what to do.
How do you balance watching all of this football and still maintain a relationship? (if in fact, you do)
Alan: I'm fortunate enough to have found someone who can not only watch football and understand it, but is comfortable enough to sit and knit while I sit and yell. That helps. In fairness, we have a group of friends that enjoy football, and that makes it easier as well, in terms of planning events and such around the games of the week, which we would all be watching anyway. Having support in your passions helps, as I'm sure if I was dating someone that was all .edu with the "Football is stupid... let's go to this wine and cheese tasting party" I'd either break up with her, kill her, or cheat on her. Maybe not in that order.
Edge: A very patient Mrs. Edge helps a lot. Plus a little Miss Edge that can get her cartoons in before College Gameday. The key is the tradeoffs... for example, I did have to see "Twilight" recently, so I'm saving up all those types of experiences during the offseason to cash in for my football time this fall. I think I'm only up to week 5, so I have a lot of work to do yet.
RV: I'll let my girlfriend answer this for me. Becky? You still there? Oh no, I forgot. She's gone. I have a serious rule with relationships during football seasons, I am not to be bothered. If there is a game on, you're more than welcome to be involved. If I get nary a raised eyebrow at the excitement shown during a Tuesday night WAC matchup, you can find something else to do on the days that football is my life. If you find someone understanding enough, you can even spin it in the direction of 'this is my passion'. Some women actually fall for that.
Alan: Well, I can tell you that telling someone your passion is college football is a lot easier to sell than the fact that your passion is jerking off to weird anime midget porn. Not that I do that or know anyone who does. Much. Anymore.Edge: Ladies - in case you missed it, RV is single. If you can all just line up on the left side of the room for your interview, that would be great... um, hello? Where are you going?
RV: Thanks for throwing me under the bus with the anime midget porn comment. Wait...what? No, I meant to say with the. I just meant that the...whatever, my exgirlfriend was smoking hot. I know how to out-kick my punt coverage when I want to.
Too early national championship picks?
Alan: Florida. And by how much, Paris? "Huuuuuuuuuge". As for the other team, a resounding who cares, as the SEC lays the justice down to whomever dares challenge it for its crystally football awesomeness.
Edge: If I had to pick today, it would be Florida. That can all change though if a key player gets hurt, gets busted with the ganj, or leaves it all for a celibate life in the Philippines performing circumcisions. So... I guess if all that happened, Florida may not win it all. Texas and Oklahoma will be the other contenders. And sorry Charlie, it's not the year of the Irish.
RV: It's never too early for national championship picks. This is why we do what we do, so we can make lavish claims that we will be scorned for throughout the year. My obvious pick is Texas. Colt McCoy goes fishing in his spare time and does other Texas-y things, so you have to root for him. Right? But truth be told, they return a ton of experience on the OL and Colt doesn't even need an offensive line in front of him with those twinkletoes of his. I'd like to plug the Fighting Irish as having a great chance at improving greatly, but unless they can get past USC in ridiculous fashion (see 38-3 pantsing or similar results in the past few years) they have no chance. Charlie has a few monkeys that he needs to get off his back, and this is the year for that to happen. There's no excuse with the amount of talent returning, but we all know how much that talent means when you get on the field. Is it August yet?
Alan: Just give in to it, Valle. It's ok to like the SEC. It's ok to admit that I'm right. And sexy. But mostly right. Though sexy as well.
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