The BCS--A Week Later

OR, Why Alabama is and should be number one.
First, let us look at the game itself. Has there ever been such a game between the top two teams where one team's defense so totally dominated the game? The final score was 21-0, five field goals, one touchdown. But a look at the defensive statistics gives the rest of the story. LSU had 92 yards of total offense...for the game. They crossed the fifty yard line once, midway through the fourth quarter. Nothing worked for them. Even their punter was sub par. They had Tyrann Mathieu, the "Honey Badger", but I doubt his name was called more than three times the entire game.
Some argue that LSU and Alabama were a poor match. It certainly turned out that way. If the situation had been reversed and LSU dominated, I would agree that Alabama did not belong in the game. But what to do when it is the number one team that does not belong? Oklahoma State had a better argument that they should have played for the BCS title than LSU but the rules did not allow it.
The rules for the BCS title game are relatively simple. Take two polls and some other ranking system, put them all together, read the entrails, and the top two teams compete for the title and it is agreed that the winner will be the champion. But some people don't like the rules. One writer voted LSU number 1, while four voted for Oklahoma State. They might cite the injustice of the system but protest votes don't work.
This argument is flawed on many levels. Oklahoma State argues they had as much right to be there as Alabama. After all, there loss was in overtime on a field goal. But it was to unranked Iowa State. People overlook the fact that OSU blew a 17 point lead. They excuse it by the tragedy of the death of the women's basketball coach. Sorry, but that is called life and it is unfair.
Others have complained that it wasn't a glamorous match up-is this a football game or a beauty contest? To quote Andy Griffith, "What it was, wuz football".
This game and the response points to one of the ills of our society. I call it "Al Gore Syndrome". If you don't like the results, change the rules. In the 2000 election, Gore demanded a change to the way ballots were counted in Florida, the infamous "hanging chad". He also wanted another recount after the official recount. When we don't like the result, change the rules, or get a court to do it for you.