A friend of mine who happens to be a fellow Pac-10 alum told me recently that he roots for all Pac-10 teams during bowl games. My reaction: Why the hell would you do that?Why would any fan of any college football team root for other teams in their conference during bowl season?
I can understand pulling for conference mates against non-conference opponents during the regular season, when the perception of conference strength plays into the human polls and computer rankings. But there really isn’t any reason to do so in bowl games. Seriously.
Do you think Oregon’s crude and vulgar fans will be throwing up the “V” for USC on New Year’s Day? No. Is anyone from ugla planning to hand over their parking pass for us Trojans in Pasadena? Not a chance. Can you honestly tell me that any one of Cal’s fans want USC to win any game, let alone the Rose Bowl? No way.
Even if the feelings weren’t mutual, I would still root against every Pac-10 school during bowl season. It isn’t enough to simply win five consecutive Pac-10 championships. If USC wants to continue its conference dominance and enjoy its position as the national power of this new millennium, the Trojans must win the recruiting war in California. The bowl game results play an important part in doing so.
What do you think sounds worse to an ugla recruit: Karl Dorrell after a win versus perennial power FSU, or Karl Dorrell after a loss in a crappy bowl game in a half-filled baseball stadium? Of course, we’re talking about Karl Dorrell, and only a few ugla recruits are on Pete Carroll’s list, so perhaps that’s a bad example … but you know what I mean.
I’m glad that BYU embarrassed the Oregon Ducks in Las Vegas, even though Mike Bellotti should have already been ashamed for letting his kids wear those garish uniforms.
I’m happy Hawaii’s Colt Brennan spanked ASU in Dirk Koetter’s last game.
I hate ugla, and ugla hates us. So what if it’s just the Emerald Bowl. Go, Florida State!
Cal in the Holiday Bowl versus Texas A&M? Forget it. I don’t hear DeSean Jackson talking this week, but I’d love to see him get shut up and shut down again.
Oregon State against Missouri in the lowly Sun Bowl is exactly right. The Beavers should get something for beating USC, but they don’t deserve another reason to celebrate on national TV.
It’s pretty simple really. USC Football is a nationally recognized program. Every team in the Pac-10 wants what we have, and a bowl game victory could get them that much closer to the Trojans. Why in the world would any USC fan root for that?
We Are SC!
Fight On! Beat the Wolverines!
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6 comments:
I have to disagree with you here, mate.
There are few teams in the college world I dislike or root against more than Fucla, $C, or Stanfurd ... particularly during the regular season. I mean, if each of those three schools went without a win I would be elated.
However, during Bowl season, I become a different beast, and it's Pac-10 all the way. I pulled for both Oregon and ASU, even if they didn't deserve it. And when the time comes, I'll choke back the bile and cheer both Fucla and $C.
My reasoning is, how the conference performs during the bowls is a much stronger reflection than the regular season. These are the big match-ups (aside from the occasional out-of-conference rivalry), and lead to bragging rights.
So, even though you'll be pulling for A&M tomorrow night (which really makes no freaking sense at all), come Rose Bowl I will be cheering the Trojans. Tonight, I'll be pulling for the baby bruins, and tomorrow ... well, do I have to say it?
GO BEARS!
SoCal Oski,
Your take, however non-Displaced, is always welcome here. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I can bring myself to root for the Aggies ... those A&M dudes are freakin' nuts.
I'll split the difference here. I do root for most of the Pac 10 when it comes to bowl games. This is largely due to the reasoning given by socal oski - a good showing makes the conference look better.
However, my support ends when it comes to fucla. A loss tonight will end all of the ridiculous talk of a resurgence in Westwood and prove the beating we took to be the fluke it was. Plus, an FSU win would absolutely torment the haters at BN and gin up the Dorrell bashing.
See... it's win-win.
It depends on the team for me. And that will change from year to year.
Though I can see where DT is coming from.
I, too, root for the Pac-10 when it comes to non-conference games. If USC handles its business, bowl wins by other Pac-10 teams are irrelevant. We ARE the elite team in the conference and if some h.s. kid can't handle the competition, he'd be better off somewhere else any way. Quite frankly, I'd love every team USC plays to be undefeated when we beat them.
Ok, I lied. I don't root for all Pac-10 teams. I actually rooted for Westwood High in the Las Vegas Bowl in 2004 but ONLY because conference pride was at stake. However, once they handed the Wyoming Cowboys (?!) their first bowl win since 19-freakin'-66 I realized nothing prideful could ever come from cheering on those guys in powder blue.
I'm broadly with Displaced Trojan, although I tend to root for the Ducks (my brother's an alum) and there's no way I can support A&M against Cal.
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