The LSU/USC Debate

BigDawg or any Georgia fan or any team fan.......

I am researching the theory of what makes a  "college town". What would Athens, GA be like if the University of Georgia was not located  there? Please describe....

WhoDem,

Maybe a nice small farming community.  Certainly not a music Mecca like it is these days.  And of course, those Saturday afternoons and evenings would be awfully quiet.  But then again, traffic would be better.

Not exactly the subject of this thread, but I found this article by Tony Barnhart in the AJC pretty interesting.  NOT WHAT some people want to hear, but probably pretty accurate as far as reality goes.

Should the fans get what they want?

By Tony Barnhart | Wednesday, May 21, 2008, 08:16 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Warning: This blog is going to make most of you mad.

For months now I’ve been getting a lot of comments on this blog that essentially say this:

We, the fans, want a playoff in college football. We buy the tickets and we watch the games on TV. So doesn’t college football HAVE to give us what we want?

The answer, gentle readers, is an emphatic no. Why is it no? Simple. And this is the part that is going to make you mad.

The rank and file fan is a very important constituency for college football for the reasons listed above. But fans are not always THE most important constituency when it comes to this sport.

Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese gets high marks from those of us who cover the BCS because he says what’s on his mind, even when it is not popular. He recently gave this comment to my friend Ivan Maisel of ESPN.com:

“My gut instinct is that the vast majority of people would want a playoff. But this isn’t about giving people what they want. I just don’t believe that. This is about creating a model that works and is in the best interest, hopefully, of student-athletes.”

The reality is that if you’re a conference commissioner or an athletics director and your financial success depends on college football, fans are not the only people you have to keep happy. That list also includes:

Television: The SEC will share at least $122 million in revenue when they meet next week in Destin. Of that total, about $50 million will come from televised football. Television is the financial engine that drives college football and is also its No. 1 recruiting tool. You have to keep those folks happy.

Bowls: After expenses, the SEC netted $23.7 million from the bowls during the 2006-2007 academic year. With two teams in the BCS again last season, that figure will probably be higher this year. Last season the bowls gave nine SEC teams and eight ACC teams a place to go after the regular season. The bowls pour over $200 million per year back into Division I-A football.

Sponsors: These folks spend millions on advertising and other kinds of financial support to the schools and the conferences. They expect to get a big bang for their buck. And they expect to be treated well.

Big donors: These folks step up and write the big checks when something has to get done in a hurry, like buying out a coach that you just fired.

Season ticket holders: These people form the core of your financial base and you don’t want to do anything to diminish the value to the regular season. They have a great deal invested in the six or more trips they make each year to watch regular season games.

Players: The athletic and academic demands on players is already intense. Many play 14 games in a season now. An eight-team playoff would add two more games and increase the risk of injury.

But if fans don’t buy tickets or go to bowl games or watch on television then none of this other stuff matters, you say. And of course, you’re right.

There is, however, no evidence-none—that fans are so upset about the BCS that they will withhold their support college football. Division I-A set another all-time attendance record last season during a period when there are more games on television than ever before.

It is the great paradox of college football. You can cuss the BCS all you want, and I’ve certainly done it. But the fact remains that college football is more popular than it’s ever been and the game is generating more money than it ever has. The post-season may be controversial, but it creates a passionate off-season discussion of college football that never existed before.

The people who run college football may be stubborn on this issue but they are not stupid. While controversial, this post-season model, with all of its flaws, is working for the commissioners and their schools. When this model no longer works, only then will they change.

And that’s the truth.

Ask yourself this, are people more likely to meet, hang out, socialize and party with each other (thus creating tradition) in LA or Baton Rouge? Who is more "INTO" their team?

The only thing to do in Baton Rouge is be an LSU fan. LA has so much things going on you get caught up in all of it. LSU is the only team in Baton Rouge, now lets look at LA.

Angles, Dodgers, Kings, Ducks, Lakers (Americas team), Clippers, Galaxy and UCLA. Not to mention San Diego is right below and loaded with teams also. L.A is more into the city and should be.

Here THE problem with YOUR opinion. Both USC and LSU have been great programs over the last few years but LSU is undefeated in National Championship games. USC LOST to Texas (at home I might add) and their BCS NCG record is 1-1 and LSU is 2-0. Add to that LSU has NEVER lost a BCS game and plays in the SEC, the conference with 4 BCS Trophies from 3 different teams. Now be objective and answer that!!!

Ill anwser to it. LSU didnt play anyone as good as that texas team. Ohio St who got blasted by Florida the year befor. Then Oklahoma who got blasted by USC the year after. USC has acomplished more in the BCS era than LSU, both as a team and individually. USC has the same amount of championships, more BCS games, more BCS wins, more confrence titles, and more Hiesmans.

The only thing to do in Baton Rouge is be an LSU fan. LA has so much things going on you get caught up in all of it. LSU is the only team in Baton Rouge, now lets look at LA.

FYI - I grew up on the West Coast and lived in Los Angeles for 4 years.  Lived in Baton Rouge 10 years and I'll take Baton Rouge anyday of the week.

Mmmmmm, LSU has more Crystal.  I'll take that for now.

KNUT