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If you have seen the fine award-winning movie Old School, you probably recall the scene in which “Frank the Tank” is trying to lead a charge of “We’re going streaking!”
Late last week, reports leaked that the College Football Playoff would stay at four teams until at least 2026. Upon hearing this news, college football reporters across the nation turned into outraged little whiners running buck-naked down the street, through the Quad, to the gymnasium in protest. If they would just turn around, they would see that there is nobody behind them.
Several CFB White Knights took to Twitter to express the outrage for us poor fans who don’t have a voice.
I had a coach tell me last night that the commissioners need to come together and set rules on the tough issues facing the sport. Good luck. They can’t come together to accept a payout of billions. Who’s looking out for college football? https://t.co/v81XchTeH0
— Ivan Maisel (@Ivan_Maisel) February 18, 2022
Delaying the CFP expansion for four years makes absolutely no sense, Once again no one is looking out for the fans or the good of the game as a whole. The commissiors had a chance to expand interest in the playoff and make it more inclusive. They didn't.https://t.co/yPXUm5EmDw
— Tony Barnhart (@MrCFB) February 21, 2022
“Looking out for” the game and fans seems to be the cliche du jour. We are so fortunate that the talking heads are there to protect us.
Eight months ago, the leaders of the CFP were patting each other on the back about how its 12-team Playoff proposal came together for the good of college football, and yet here they are after mounds of BS, still sitting on four teams: https://t.co/YeFJfTh6DC
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 18, 2022
Speaking of patting each other on the back.
Well said. https://t.co/EQ2ktQGXfu
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) February 18, 2022
“Let’s go! Whoooo!”
Back in November, when it became apparent that the Playoff expansion process was screeching to a halt, I wrote about how the four-team field hurts college football: https://t.co/aB1QcIDJWj
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) February 18, 2022
Anyone feeling hurt?
Paul Finebaum seems to be excessively outraged. He may want to clean the sand out of his Captain America Underoos.
Paul Finebaum calls College Football Playoff putting off expansion ‘sad and embarrassing’ https://t.co/p1JZSent4K pic.twitter.com/NqAPNIIByR
— SEC Football News (@SECfootball) February 18, 2022
Now that you have read the hot takes, read the comments from actual fans. They span from apathy to annoyance in the other direction. For the most part, the majority of the fans seem to want to keep the playoff at four teams, a thought overwhelmingly shared by SEC fans.
If there are indeed fans crying in their cornflakes this morning, it is curious if they have actually thought this through. Would Baylor had rather finish last season getting hammered by Alabama in a playoff game? Or perhaps would beating Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl be a good note to end the season on? What is a better recruiting tool for Michigan State: getting their teeth kicked in by Georgia or beating ACC Champ Pitt in the Peach Bowl? Is anyone (other than Auburn) going to hang a banner that says “CFP Participant!”?
So, what are the sportswriters’ angles for their over-the-top exasperation? Is it more content that leads to more salary for them? Is it more opportunities to travel to big games with limos, parties, luxury hotels, gourmet food spreads, and 50 yard line tickets, all on someone else’s dime? Is it for the “good of the game”? I suspect the answers are “yes”, “yes”, and “no”.
Frank. Get in the car.
Poll
Let the talking heads know. Are you outraged?
This poll is closed
-
12%
Yes, it is time to expand this year.
(66 votes) -
14%
Maybe expand in 2026.
(79 votes) -
73%
No, leave it at four teams.
(397 votes)