I think there’s two things that Americans really love to do. Argue and sue. They can happen alone or together.
The great BCS debate is slowly wearing off but not gone completely. I am waiting for the day that a bitter fan actually does sue. I have heard of dumber shit so I would not be surprised.
The one voter that has garnered massive attention this week is the only voter among all polls who voted Florida #1. That would be Jim Walden, a former Washington State University head coach.
You might be scratching your head as to why he voted the Gators #1 when no one else in any poll did.
“I’ve been eating Alka-Seltzer every hour since I did it. I spent four years coaching at Miami, and if you think I like voting for that – - team to be No. 1, you’re crazy. They are the least-liked team out there. I can’t stand them.
“But when I look at it and when you look at who should be No. 1, look at their schedule, they are the best team. … I don’t care about the No. 2 team. Everybody is talking about Michigan and Florida as the No. 2. I looked at it and then looked at Ohio State and said, ‘Wait a minute. Florida is the best team. How can we even be debating Florida and Michigan? Michigan was the No. 2 team in a three-team conference.’
“I’ll give you nine reasons why Florida is No. 1 – Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, Auburn, Kentucky, South Carolina, Alabama, Southern Mississippi [and Arkansas]. Then you add Florida State to that, and 11 out of 13 weeks you had to play as good as you could play.
“When I signed on for this poll, the instructions were to vote for the team that is the best team that week. I’m supposed to say Ohio State is better than Florida? Forget it. Those schedules don’t compare.”
Wow I truly feel the love. Should the Gators send him a thank you note or a standard fruit cake for Christmas?
I am amazed just how hard it was for a man who hates the Gators actually vote them #1. A guy with that much animosity against the them could have easily voted them #2 like most people and blended in. I do not think he did this to be different and generate publicity for himself. Who ever heard of him? Not me. The backlash he is getting for voting that way would not be worth it.
He is just a man who saw the top spot in a different way. Everyone has an opinion about the mess. You know someone who thinks Michigan did not deserve a rematch and others who said Michigan is still the #2 in the country regardless of who they lost to. It’s like some people think FSU cowgirl Jen Sterger is hot and others don’t. For those who think she’s hot, of course I would scream and yell and say how stupid they must be until I run out of breath. Same way with whatever opinion you have about who deserves to play Ohio State more. Someone is going to think you are stupid and want to beat you with your leg after they cut it off. Don’t hate him. Just hate the process.
So once more if you think Jim Walden might have a hint of love for the SEC, here is what he said
“I have always thought the SEC was the whiniest bunch, who are under the mistaken belief that they have invented football, and I have never met Urban Henry,” said Walden, mistakenly confusing Florida coach Urban Meyer for a Lombardi-era Green Bay Packer defensive lineman.
Scratch the fruitcake idea all together.
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Walden’s also the guy that said earlier this year: “You’re never going to get me to vote for one team ahead of a team that’s only lost to the best team in the country” w/r/t Michigan. So I don’t know if he’s the best source.
like Twins said, walden’s mind does seem to fluctuate. but the schedule argument is legit: ohio state did not have to play in the SEC…
Twins15, are you an idiot? He didn’t think Michigan lost to the best team, because he didn’t think Ohio State was the best team. So by his reasoning, he didn’t go against what he said because Michigan only lost to the #2 team in his opinion.
I honestly hate the BCS.
Kyle – I like to think I’m not an idiot, but I suppose that’s not up to me to answer.The quote was by Walden about a month ago, and he wasn’t actually talking about Michigan, he was talking about Texas, who had only 1 loss at the time, to Ohio St.
One example where the polls and computers could differ is Arkansas’ standing in relation to Texas, a one-loss team currently ranked fifth.
Anderson said the computers would move Arkansas ahead because of schedule strength. But Walden said Texas would still deserve to be rated higher than every other one-loss team if it wins out because the Longhorns’ only loss was to No. 1 Ohio State.
“You’re never going to get me to vote for one team ahead of a team that’s only lost to the best team in the country,” Walden said.
http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/172550/
In between that time all OSU did was beat the #2 team in the polls… I suppose that’s ground for being removed from the #1 spot in his eyes… even more reason the BCS sucks that a voter has reasoning like that.
So what do you all say NOW!
Jim Walden spoke his truth and went against the grain and was overwhelmingly correct.
Hmmmmm, why isn’t Mr. Walden’s name being mentioned much the day after the game? Especially by all of those whose ripped him for his choice.
Congrats to UF and Mr. Walden.
Walden was head coach at Iowa State when I went there in the early nineties. He managed to get a pretty good recruit out of Miami named Troy Davis. Davis sat on the bench most of his freshman year, but one time late in the season he was allowed to touch the ball and ran about 99 yards for a touchdown (IIRC it was a kickoff return) ISU went 0-10-1 that year and Walden was let go. The next two seasons Davis rushed for over 2000 yards (each season), and remains the only DI running back to do that twice. You have to wonder about a coach who would bench a kid like that, but who knows, maybe the guy has finally figured out football.
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