Pac 12 looking to play a game in China
by BamaThrasher on Dec 11, 2011 10:37 PM CST
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PrintPete Thamel tweeted this earlier, and I clicked the link with subject in mind, and since I am not a subscriber, I can't link the article the article. Anyway, the idea is to have Stanford and Notre Dame play a game in 2013 in China. However, I do think that this sort of thing is inevitable and that the search for more money will never cease. Since the SEC is an east coast based league, China doesn't make sense for us, but perhaps playing a kick off classic in London or a few other European cities would make sense for us, and maybe the Big Ten. My thought, is that each league would annually have a team start the season in a neutral site international venue. In our case, with 14 squads as things are currently situated, that would mean that every 13 years you would play in Europe to open the season. Additionally, one of the primary driving forces for the Pac 12 is that they are wanting to put the future PAC 12 network in China and east Asia. Considering that the Big Ten Network is sure to want to follow suit in international markets, and that an SEC network is inevitable, wanting to have them in Europe makes the most sense for both of us. Normally, when it comes to Pac 12 football matters, they aren't a group that I hold in high regard; however, in this case, I think they are on to an idea that is innovative. That said, I am but one man, but would be curious to hear everyone else's opinion on the matter.
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To answer my own question
I voted yes, I think it would be cool for the kids, great exposure for the league, and for the fanbases a neat treat. In my proposal, since you would only go about once every decade and a half, it would be cool for each fanbase, and not an overly taxing thing.
Rice vs the Ducks!
"So I want everybody to think here for a second, how much does this game mean to you? 'Cause if it means something to you, you can't stand still. You understand? You play fast! You play strong! You go out there and dominate the man you're playing against, and you make his ass quit! That's our trademark! That's our M.O.... as a team! That's what people know us as!"
Yeah
The Orange will be all over the Ducks.
Attempting to remove humor from posts since August 30, 2011
I say no.
Traveling that distance would be difficult for the players to bounce back from in one week. In a league like ours I don’t believe adding any hurdles of this nature is a good idea.
Not to mention that Europeans prefer a different kind of football.
while I see your point
I would counter by saying that typically in the second week after a big game, we play a Kent St. or someone of that nature.
by BamaThrasher on Dec 11, 2011 11:28 PM CST up reply actions
I'd sure hate to see...
what GA Southern would have done to our D this year had we been recovering from jet-lag.
fair point
but its not often we schedule the best FCS on accident.
by BamaThrasher on Dec 11, 2011 11:46 PM CST up reply actions
Athletes at this level can easily get over jetlag...
…in a week. It’s not uncommon at all for North & South American soccer players to play a Wednesday game in Europe and then play Sunday in the Americas. These guys are ridiculously in shape.
It's Soccer.
"We run this state, we run this stadium. Now let's go out there and run their ass in the ground"
If we were going to do this, I would hope the NCAA would let us schedule it for a week earlier.
But of course then you’re eating into fall camp.
God bless our Dark Lord.
The Pac 12 in China?
I don’t think that’s the kind of defense they’ve been seeking….
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Dec 12, 2011 8:42 AM CST reply actions
Also Kim Jong Il has announced that Boise State will be playing a game in the glorious republic of North Korea.
He said that both North Korea and Boise State have earned respect and that they will make the rest of the world see what great powers they are.
God bless our Dark Lord.
Why not let North Korea, Iran, and Venezuela bid for Boise State's services?
The “leaders” in those three countries seem to be in an annual pissing contest to see who can piss off America the most anyway……
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. ~General George S. Patton~
Absolutely in favor of it.
The players would love it. The fans would love it. I hope we hop all over something like this. London would be the obvious choice.
Notre Dame is also playing in Dublin soon I think.
Yeah, I think that's right about ND.
I started to post that but then I got all hot and bothered thinking about Kim Jong Il.
I wonder if ND will take their leprechaun mascot to Dublin with them? How would that go over there?
God bless our Dark Lord.
Appropriate for ND to go to Ireland.
It does make you wonder how those people would look at ND. Ireland is a predominantly Catholic country though so I don’t think you’ll see anyone upset with the imagery they use.
I don't know. I know they consider a four leaf clover to be a terrible mutation of their shamrock.
I just wonder if they like the leprechaun or if they would see it as a caricature.
God bless our Dark Lord.
I actually didn't know that.
I know ND built its fan base not just on the Catholic population, but the Irish immigrants and their descendants and so they used that imagery. I thought Leprechauns were an Irish invention, but that they also represented something sinister and pretentious.
The only place for it would be Germany.
Frankfurt Galaxy and the Rhein Fire both got about 30,000 for their home games. Plus, the locals discovered tailgaiting and all the servicemen and womens deserve some proper football for the little ones
by sho' I stole on Dec 18, 2011 7:16 PM CST up reply actions
I voted to wait on how the Pac 12 makes this work.
I understand why people would hate this idea and I’m a little skeptical, but as long as this would be something rare then maybe it’s not a bad idea to create a revenue stream. I agree that it would really be helpful if the NCAA would allow this to be played a little earlier, but a game like this should be no later than week 1.
One interesting aspect is that most universities sponsor overseas trips every year. You could probably incorporate something like that into a trip. Take a bunch of regular students, the band, and even some professors and officials to whichever country you’re going to and use the whole thing as a 2 week long recruiting trip for new foreign students. You wouldn’t want the team there for 2 weeks of course. They can all meet up later.
Also, If you’re going to fly to another continent I’m not sure it matters which one it is. A trip to Europe isn’t going to be much better than a trip to China. Not that I’m in favor of expanding(not literally) into China. I actually think Australia would be a great place to try to promote the SEC. Generally, if a foreign born player comes over here to play football, that person is from Australia. They don’t quite have the lover affair with soccer that European and Latin countries have. They have a much more eclectic taste in sports and they also love contact sports….rugby, Australian rules football.
Also, If you’re going to fly to another continent I’m not sure it matters which one it is.
ummm… I don’t think that’s true at all.
From Atlanta, London is about a 7 hour flight and 7 hour time difference.
Beijing is about a 17 hour flight (if there were direct flights) and a 13 hour time difference.
Australia would be about a 20 hour flight (if there were direct flights) and a 13 hour time difference.
These are not at all the same.
God bless our Dark Lord.
From all the people I've know who have travelled overseas:
They’ve told me the jet lag to Europe isn’t insignificant. You either have to stay up much later than you normally would to adjust to the time zone or go back to bed as soon as you get there, just depending.
The flight time may be different, but I’m not sure there is any big difference in your perception between those 2 types of trips. Then again, I’ve never made those flights so I don’t have any personal experience.
I adjusted to Europe...
…going over and coming back rather quickly. My adjustment coming back from the South Pacific was brutal. Keep in mind, the younger and more athletic you are, the easier time you’ll have with this too.
Ignoring the jet lag effects, just look at the scheduling.
For London, it’s a Wednesday morning to Sunday night trip: Leave Tuscaloosa Wednesday morning, catch the flight out of BHM in the afternoon, get to London Thursday morning. (I’m guessing they would give the guys at least a couple of days there. Maybe more, but for comparison sake, let’s go with that.) Play the game on Saturday evening (Saturday noon-ish here), and then leave Sunday afternoon to come back. They’d get back late Sunday night.
For Sydney it’s a Tuesday morning to Sunday night trip: You have to leave Tuscaloosa Tuesday morning to get to Sydney by Thursday morning. Play the game late on Saturday night (early Saturday morning here). Then leave Sunday morning (if that’s possible after the late game; they might stay an extra day instead) and get back late Sunday night.
So at a minimum you’re losing a full extra day by going to Australia (similar if going to China). The West Coast is 4 hours closer to China and 4 hours further from Europe. It does make a difference.
God bless our Dark Lord.
I think this is a big mistake.
I think we forget why we have COLLEGE football. It is for COLLEGES to pit their STUDENTS against each other. All 70 guys that would make that trip would miss at least a week of classes. Furthermore, the team would basically miss a week of practice.
It is bad enough playing on the West Coast. I am convinced the 2000 season would have turned out different if we had not opened on the West Coast. We were 2-3 before we even caught our breath.
Besides, no one in London would really care if Alabama is playing Nebraska in London. But, a lot people in Alabama would like to go to that game and very few could go to it in England.
College Football is not a traveling circus.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
Ok, some of your points are valid
it would be difficult on the team, no question. I would say that in order for it to be done, and not really effect you, it would need to be played the week before school started. That would allow travel time to be taken into account and open camp a week earlier. Additionally, I don’t agree with your thought that it would detract a week from both team’s ordinary schedules to do this. While not, a college athlete myself, I did go to Europe for a week while I was in college. It took my one day on both sides of the pond to readjust to the time change and get past the jet lag.
As for you points about the 2000 season, I think you are way off base. I was a student at that time, and the UCLA beat down and subsequent remainder of the season had little to do with that disaster. That group suffered from a split locker room, a poor head coach, and a fractured staff. Hell, we were lucky to be Vanderbilt that year, and it had nothing to do with the travel. We had also just lost Shuan Alexander and Chris Samuels.
While I get your point on college football not being a traveling circus, like it or not, it is a business; at least that is how the power’s that be view it. Don’t think for second that this isn’t on the horizon, as the search for more money will never cease. Good idea or not, the prevailing thought will be that its important to keep up with what everyone else is doing. Also, I promise you that an event like that would not only sell out Wimbley stadium, but would begin a grass roots interest in the college game over there, which is ultimately what the real objective is. The entire reason the Pac 12 is doing this is to springboard their network into east Asia. In order to counter, and in turn attempt to keep up with the revenue potential, I don’t think we choice. Also, since we at current have 14 teams, that means you only go every 14 years should it rotate on a fair basis, that really isn’t all that taxing.
by BamaThrasher on Dec 12, 2011 10:33 PM CST up reply actions
If we play SEC games over there then it would be once every 7 years.
Being that 2 teams have to play. If it’s set up to be some sort of inter-conference match up like the Chick-fil-A Kickoff or something then it wouldn’t have to be as often. Then again, you wouldn’t have to have a game over there every single year.
Well I do think the UCLA trip turned the season sour.
It is hard for a team to play on the opposite coast during the season.
With UCLA we came in ranked #3 and had we started say against Western Ky at home we would have done much better the entire season. Nevertheless you are right there were underlying issues.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
Sure, why not.
We’re outsourcing all of our jobs and manufacturing. Why not do it with our fucking sports?
by Mitchell Smilie on Dec 12, 2011 11:12 PM CST reply actions
China?
Seriously? I mean, I understand the PAC 12 is a joke and all…but…China?
"We run this state, we run this stadium. Now let's go out there and run their ass in the ground"
This is a recruiting ploy by the Pac Whatever.
They are looking for small, quick, undersized players to play defense in the Pac Whatever, thereby insuring games are decided by which team has possession of the ball last.
Proud mini-Saban.
I hear The Big East has extended an invite to Bejing University.
"So I want everybody to think here for a second, how much does this game mean to you? 'Cause if it means something to you, you can't stand still. You understand? You play fast! You play strong! You go out there and dominate the man you're playing against, and you make his ass quit! That's our trademark! That's our M.O.... as a team! That's what people know us as!"
Mao that's what I'm talking about!
Thirteen.
by Darth Saban on Dec 17, 2011 10:39 PM CST up reply actions
Do I look like a communist autocrat to you, boy?
Am I walking around all nimbly-bimbly with my Little Red Book?
Am I letting one hundred flowers blossom?
Do you see me redistributing the means of production?
You stop laughing right Mao!
Thirteen.
by Darth Saban on Dec 18, 2011 6:21 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
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