I will never be convinced that the 2004 Auburn team is not the equal of, or better than, tonight's Orange Bowl participants. I watch more than my fair share of football and offer the following evidence and editorializing. I realize your mileage may vary, but remember that you will not convince me otherwise no matter how clearly and lucidly you may opine to the contrary.
1) The Myth of the Big 12 South. The foundation of propaganda is the big lie. The former Soviet Union was the master of this ploy, and the national college football media became able practitioners of this time honored art this year in fashioning one of the biggest lies college football has seen since Jackie Sherrill's NYT editorial about the student athlete in the 1980s. It goes like this: you see, Oklahoma is more deserving than Auburn because they have big road victories over Texas A&M and Oklahoma State (42-35 and 38-35 respectively) and play in the mighty Big 12 South Division. Those prone to ranting might wish to ask, "Has anyone actually seen some of these teams play?" I would answer that I have and, if those qualify as "quality wins," then Auburn's road victory over Alabama does, too. By that logic, Auburn's blowout of Tennessee in Knoxville is the greatest achievement of the season. A&M was favored over Tennessee and got #badword#canned in what was in essence a home game for the Aggies. They have a better than average QB running an offense that is less complex than most large high schools in Georgia or Alabama. The Aggie lines are decidedly middle of the road. They look like what they are: a 7-5 team. Okie State is worse. They have no passing attack and are easily shut down by a strong run defense. Did anyone watch their game against Ohio State, a 7-4 Big Ten team? I would not allow my pre-teen daughters to watch because of our house rule against gratuitous violence. Okie State could not score 35 points in a week of scrimmages against the first team defenses of Auburn, LSU, UGa., or Tennessee.
Yes, I know Texas Tech and Texas won their games. The Wolverines could not stop the Texas QB, but does anyone seriously think Vince Young runs up and down the field against Auburn (or Georgia or LSU or Tennessee) like he did in the Rose Bowl? Not this ranter. Jason Campbell passes for 400 yards against Texas. Tech's win was impressive, but Cal was clearly suffering from the BCS Mack Brown Done Drug Me Down Blues. That, or the PAC Ten sucks.
2) The PAC 10 Sucks. UCLA proved that bowl eligible PAC 10 team can do the same thing that a bottom dwelling SEC team can do -- lose to Wyoming. Cal gives up 45 to Texas Tech. Arizona State redeems the conference honor by edging Purdue, a team that dropped 5 of its final 7 games. Oregon State beats a Notre Dame squad that apparently had not practiced since Ty Willingham's firing. And I am supposed to believe that this is a down year in the SEC?
3) The SEC Is Down. As one of my role models, P.J. O'Rourke, once asked about the Savings and Loan crisis in the 1980s: What the #badword#? What the #badword#ing #badword#? This season ends with the SEC one Hail Mary play away from placing four teams in the ten win column in a year when everyone went back to playing eleven regular season games. Yet, Tennessee is the worst team in college football history to achieve double digit victories (except, apparently, when taking on a Big 12 South opponent). I boil it down to this. The argument that the SEC sucks is premised upon the fact that the teams that have historically sucked over the past three generations suck again this year. And Bama and Florida had "down" years. Well, Bama actually improved this year over 2003. Florida did too -- the day it fired Ron Zook. Anyone catch the Florida v. FSU game in Tallahassee this year? Man, the SEC is down. But only if you are a Yankee or Tider Insider dumbass. Or both.
I could go on, but I won't. Auburn defeated a talented and well coached team last evening and sealed its best season ever, one I will never forget. In my world, we are the best. The BCS can, as Wayne has so apprpriately suggested, kiss my ass. So, too, can the posters who have been here in the last 10 hours suggesting that Tuberville and the Auburn staff screwed up last night's game by not making the score prettier. With all due respect, you are off base and will be tagged out in the rundown.
War Damn Eagle.
