Mayer: A Disappointing National Championship

One of my biggest pet peeves in sports are awful championship games, especially when that game has an incredible amount of hype. I'm not sure there could have been much more anticipation for Alabama vs Notre Dame. Arguably, the two most storied programs in college football going head to head for the right to call themselves the champions.

Most everyone could admit that Alabama was the superior team coming in despite their one loss and Notre Dame's undefeated record. Nick Saban has created an almost unstoppable machine in Tuscaloosa. Despite that, this was not a "Alabama is going to absolutely crush the Irish, Notre Dame has no chance" situation.

Personally, I thought Notre Dame would win the game by a point or two. I figured, Alabama is bigger, faster, and stronger; but Notre Dame plays just like them and has found a way to win all year. A low scoring defense oriented ball game could really go either way. Well, I was wrong. Very wrong.

This wasn't a beat down or a butt whooping. It was a thrashing, an embarrassment, a demolition derby. This game looked like the Patriots playing a high school all star team....it wasn't even close. Honestly, you could tell after the first couple of series (despite some questionable referee calls) that the Irish were going to have a very long night.

Courtesy nypost.com

Admittedly, I wanted Notre Dame to win. It was one of the few times I have ever rooted for the Irish, but I savored the thought of seeing the SEC and its most dominant team not win the National Championship...again.  More then anything though, I wanted a classic. I wanted to witness history, a gritty hard fought game that came down to the last second where one play won the game creating a moment everyone watching would never forget. Instead, I wasted about four hours of my life.

A couple of conclusions can be reached from this game.

1. Despite their other disappointing bowl losses the SEC is still far and away the best conference in college football. More then that, Alabama is a superpower. They may win another three titles in the next four years, it wouldn't surprise me. Nick Saban is quickly turning into a legend. As our own Grant Pugh said day after day, give Saban a month to game plan and he's going to win. I agree.

2. Notre Dame was not the first or second best team in the country, but it was still a great season. I think most of us knew this going into the game. The Irish probably should have lost to Pittsburgh and Stanford, but got lucky. Still, a program that was buried for over 20 years is most definitely back and Brian Kelly has them on the right track. 

3. Now more then ever college football needs a playoff. After that performance, I seriously doubt if Notre Dame gets past Oregon, Florida, or maybe Kansas State. Beyond the obvious stupidity of how the BCS works, the absurd length of time in between the season finale and championship game will finally be solved. (Also Nick Saban will no longer have a month to game plan and maybe that will give other teams a semblance of hope). I'm of the opinion that the playoff should be eight teams, but a playoff of any sort is progress.

Hopefully the divisional round of the NFL playoffs can make up for a college football championship game that was tough to watch.

Courtesy nbctv33.com

Mayer: The President of Sports

In case you didn't notice we just had a presidential election come to a close yesterday. This got me thinking about a potential President of Sports. So, basically someone that is the head hancho of sports everywhere; from little league to Yankee Staduim, from high school soccer to the Premier League, the Olympics, cricket, skateboarding, football, and everything else you can think of. I haven't gone through the process of figuring out how this sports government would work because it's not really necessary for this exercise. However, we won't call this Sports President a dictator. Commissioners and players from every league would have some kind of say and ability to veto the president and vice versa in a similar fashion to the United Stated Government.

Moving on. I, Lucas Mayer, do hereby accept the position as the first ever Sports President and swear to honor the traditions of sports while helping to grow all sports to the best of my ability.

Usually it would be a good idea for the President of Sports to start slow and bring up bills and new laws that in time will help sports excel. However, as my first act as President I must take immediate action.

Courtesy theunticket.com

EXECUTIVE ORDER #DEATHTOTHEBCS
    My first act as President is to dismantle the BCS. Effective immediately plans for a four team playoff will take effect and discussion about a possible expansion of said playoff will take place after the season. This could not be more perfect with Alabama, Oregon, Kansas State, and Notre Dame still undefeated ( as well as Louisville) along with a slew of talented and deserving one loss teams.
   Additionally, the way in which bowl game revenues are distributed will be changed. Bowls will now take volunteers, that's right volunteers, to be in charge. The absurdity of men doing little work and receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars to "organize" bowl games is a thing of the past.
   There will be great outrage and backlash from certain people among this matter, but I should have the support of the fans, players, and coaches. In my sports government money doesn't buy votes, so deal with it fat cats.

Courtesy intothefuture.onmason.com

THE GREAT AMERICAN PASTIME BILL
   I will propose that instant replay will start effective 2013 for Major League Baseball and all other baseball outlets from college up. Strikes and balls will stay in the umpires hands, other then that anything can be replayed. The call for replay will come from an extra umpire who sits above the field. He will page the head umpire if a call is questionable and the chief umpire will take a look. In addition, if a manager feels a call was wrong and the replay umpire does not initiate replay, said manager will have one "challenge" each game. The manager simply has to inform the umpire he's using a challenge.
  This might take some time to be passed as many have not accepted replay as a necessary part of baseball, but give me some time and I'll convince them.

Courtesy ncaa.org

THE NCAA IS A JOKE BILL
  If there was ever an entity that defined the wrong way to deal with discipline it's the NCAA. Everything is backwards, idiotic, absurd, or unfair. Reggie Bush accepted impermissible benefits at USC so Trojans playing at the school half a decade later are punished. Sexual assault allegations against Jerry Sandusky result in 14 years of vacated Penn State football victories. As of yesterday, Hanner Perea and Peter Jurkin must sit out because a legal guardian bought some IU stickers before either player was born.
  We'll need to create a special committee to fix everything that's wrong but to start.... the notion of vacating wins is over. NCAA athletes will be given a monthly stipend equivalent to the hours they would be able to work if time was not consumed by athletics. Therefore, future teams will no longer be penalized if players accept illegal benefits that go beyond their stipend. Instead the NCAA will make deals with all professional sports that will punish the player at whatever time the evidence comes forward. Better reason for teams to do thorough background checks. Coaches who commit recruiting violations will suffer the same fate wherever they are currently coaching, the future team will not be penalized. I'm going to stop here, but we could go at this one for days.

Courtesy blakestreetbulletin.com

THE PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUG ACT OF 2013
  This is pretty simple. The loopholes are being closed effective immediately. All athletes from high school up will be tested by urine, blood, hair, or any other form at anytime without warning. This may be a little too "Big Brother" for you, but it's time to eradicate the virus that is cheating through drugs in sports. All athletic and personal trainers for any team or athlete are subject to investigation if there is suspicion and must go through a rigorous performance review each year and in order to be certified. If found positive for any performance enhancing drug, the player will be suspended from the sport for a year for first offense, two years for second offense, and banned for life after the third offense. There will be an extensive appeals process put in place in case the result is faulty.

Courtesy the-cool-table.com

THE SPORTS NETWORK BILL
  The process of creating a channel for almost every sport in the mold of the MLB and NFL networks will begin. Some of these channels already exist, but for the major sports that are still waiting, their time is now. Smaller sports that can not carry an audience by themselves will be grouped together. Possibly Olympic Sports and Extreme Sports type channels. In addition, a general sports network will be created to rival ESPN. Since the "mother ship" has become so transfixed on entertainment, leaving us with Tim Tebow and Skip Bayless 24/7, a network that refocuses on the actual sports will be made. Some of what ESPN does is incredible, some of it is a whole lot of fluff. Each of these networks will be highly involved, online and with social media.

This is only the beginning! During my four years as the first Sports President I hope to create a Sports World that gives us the best out of all sports and provides for fans as much as possible. Thank you America!