From: "al sorhaindo" <al.sorhaindo@execnet.com>
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college
Subject: bowls, etc
Date: 2 Jan 93 20:14:06 EST
Reply-To: "al sorhaindo" <al.sorhaindo@execnet.com>
Distribution: rec
Organization: Executive Networks Information

There was a long thread back in September about the misapplication
of the "no celebration/taunting rule". One poster commented that the
call was never called in key situations, so it didn't matter.

(That instigated a long thread on the ending of the 1991 E. Carolina
versus Illinois game)

Ironically, had Miami won a close game, they would have been the team
most *helped* by a rule designed to counter the theatrics they are
most notorious for.



ABC posted the not so surprising stat that Alabama was the 1st team
to take a double digit lead on Miami all year. That naturally led to
question, "When was the last time Miami trailed by 10+ points?"

I believe it was in September, 1990 versus California.


ABC also might have mentioned the last time Miami was beaten by 20+ points.

Well,  it was also in the Sugar Bowl. In 1986 Tennesee routed Testaverde
and Miami.



I don't understand ABC's claim that the number #2 team has won the last
four #1 versus #2 bowl matchups. Didn't Notre Dame beat West Virginia in
the 1989 Fiesta Bowl?

Their point is well taken though that "upsets" are not uncommon.
Miami's three victories over the number one team when they were #2
doesn't even include their monumental upset over Nebraska because
the Hurricanes entered that Orange Bowl no higher than #3.
 (Auburn was higher in the pre-bowl standings)


Jim Lampley said more than once that "this year's was the most exciting
Rose Bowl in 30 years."  I am disappointed that Lampley would
seemingly equate excitement solely with a shootout. For my money,
the 1980 Rose Bowl between 11-0 Ohio State, and 10-0-1 USC was
much more exciting. A piece of the national title was on the line,
and the talent level was much higher. USC was favored by a TD over
unbeaten OSU because they had several all time college football stars
like Anthony Munoz, Ronnie Lott, Charles White, and Marcus Allen.
Anyway, Ohio State led until the final two minutes in a truly great
struggle.


Hats off to Sport magazine for predicting Alabama #1 in the pre-season,
and to the sole AP pollster who had Alabama #1 early in the season.
I remember him being interviewed. (Which is being kind, he really was
inquisitioned) He said "that Alabama had a good defense, and has been
as impressive as anybody else, so why not vote them #1?" The person
who wrote up the interview made fun of him, which didn't make much
sense even then because it was clear that Washington had plenty of
weaknesses despite the fact that many voters were still putting
then number one. (I would have been among those who had Miami #1 at
the time, but I respected the Alabama voter's opinion.)
BTW, for the same reason that Alabama did not impress the pollsters
(not a flashy offense, didn't run up big scores), they probably will
still not be in Sagarin't top 3. Heck, they'll be lucky to pass Nebraska.
Will 7-5 Penn State remain in the Sagarin top 10?


Larry Smith was fired for only going 3-8-1 versus archrivals, and 2-3
in bowl games. We'll take him at Ohio State. Cooper is 0-4-1 versus
Michigan , and 0-4 in bowl contests.  Strange that Smith has had so
much trouble versus rivals at USC, because the opposite was true
when he coached Arizona. Wait a second, guess who coached Arizona's
archrival back then?  I guess that explains it.


Did it seem like Alabama always had 13 defenders on the field???

That's no coincidence. Lee Corso picked Miami by 10, which was
automatically like giving Alabama two extra men.


NBC was prophetic in their hype of the Heisman award show by the
line, "the tradition continues". Sure enough, Toretta continued the
recent trend of Heisman winners having terrible bowl games.


Toretta supposedly won the Heisman because of leadership.   Fine.
[I guess he used up so much leadership during the regular season
that there was none left for the bowl. :)  ]

If that's the case, how come a defensive player can never win the
award?

A defensive player can also be a leader. Is that a false premise?

                              Al
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