Here We Go Again...

You would think by the year 2008, we would have figured out the problems of college football and the BCS catastrophe that we are going to see and have seen the past few years. So as Ball State just gets the (so far) biggest win in school history over a top 30 team in Central Michigan at Central, we actually lost ground on the AP Poll and will probably lose more ground in the BCS poll. I cannot not tell you how frustrating this is to not only me, but I think I can speak for the the entire campus of Ball State, the football team, and the alumni. It now appears that with Ball States remaining schedule of Western Michigan (a top 30 team) and if they win that game will play against Buffalo (a rising team) in the MAC Championship game in December. This as we all know, will place their record at 13-0. Does Ball State have as tough a schedule as Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, or even Alabama. Of course not, but if we run the table, we will still have beaten every team we played. We cant help who we play in the conference, and let me just say the MAC has put up great performances this year against BCS conference schools. Ball State defeated Indiana, Toledo defeated Michigan, Ohio gave Ohio State a good game, Akron beat Syracuse, Bowling Green defeated Pittsburgh, and I could go on and on. Could it be time to put the MAC Conference in the BCS....maybe. Is it a coincidence that ESPN and ESPN2 allow there Tuesday and Wednesday night games be showcases for MAC schools? If you look at the ratings they have achieved as well. (There better than you would think) And, god bless them, the MAC is trying to get better competition to play them, but like Hawaii in the past years, many large schools don't want to play them for fear of losing to them. Ball State has booked Auburn for next year, and South Florida in 2010 and 2011, both in there respective BCS conferences. Western Michigan will play Michigan, Indiana, and Michigan State in non-conference play as well.  

With all those facts, lets get to my real argument, and that argument is that it appears that Ball State will be a team "on the outside looking in" as they say it. With Utah winning against BYU and Boise State only needing to defeat Fresno State next weekend, they look primed to take the two non-conference at large bids. It appears the only hope that Ball State has now is to make the top 12 in the BCS and hope for the best that we picked over teams like Georgia, Ohio State, and Miami (FL). All teams we could beat this year, I think. I still think the chance is their because a BCS rep from the Orange Bowl was in Muncie to watch a game. My personal opinion, he wouldn't show up at the game if BSU had no chance at all. I dont agree that some conferences get automatic bids, such as Miami (FL) primed to make a bowl game if it wins the very weak ACC, and Cincinnati gets a bid because they won the Big East. How about the Oregon State Beavers who are currently 8-3 will most likely play Penn State in the Rose Bowl because they won the Pac-10. Or how about what sickens me the most is the fact that Notre Dame could get a better bowl bid than Ball State. I could write a 10 page paper on why thats wrong, but thats for another time. Where do we draw the line in selecting teams for bowl bids. Ball State works their asses off, could go 13-0, and they get a spot in the Motor City Bowl for there accomplishments?! Sounds like a slap in the face to me. I dont know about you, but I would love to see BSU against a team like Utah or Texas Tech in a major game. No, we dont have quite the fan base of major conferences, but I GUARANTEE you that we can match the passion those teams have. Fans and players alike. We lost arguably our best player on the team against Indiana in Dante Love, and BSU has been playing just as well (if not better) since the injury to Love. 

I know I am just one former student writing this, but to all you BCS reps....Please give Ball State a chance, instead of giving Ohio State another BCS berth where, like the last 3 years, they have been embarrassed. We are not like Hawaii who lost to Georgia 42-10 in the 2008 Sugar Bowl. We may be a small school, but we can play with the best of them...if you would just give us a chance. GO CARDINALS!!

So Good To Be Back

Been awhile since my last blog...Went on a MUCH NEEDED mini-vacation and have been extremely busy at the restaurant, with the holiday season right around the corner.  Haven't had the opportunity to really out much at good restaurants but I have had some time to hit some small places.  Plus, I've got some food and other miscellaneous things on my mind that I wanna share if you care to listen :)

~Has anyone had the Ooey Gooey Sandwich at Creation Cafe??  This might be my new favorite sandwich.  Goat Cheese, Melted Gouda, Spinach and Bacon on Marble Rye, with those tasty garlic chips!!  If you havent tried it yet, try it next your out looking for a good lunch.

~Went to Yats with the lady, shes never tried so I had to get her to try the Creole dish they have.  I must say, the owner of Yats runs a great business and there is ALWAYS a line out the door after 11am.  So cheers to him, always glad to see a small place do great business!!

~I am a HUGE Qdoba fan, but I went out of my realm and tried a nice little place in Carmel called Moes Southwestern Grill.  What a great choice!!  I dont remember the name of what i got but it had some wonderfully seasoned steak with there in-house made guacamole, pico de gallo, and the fresh chips.  It was basically a platter of tasty taco salad, it was wonderful.  If you go, try there many hot sauces they offer, there were six different kinds!!  All of them were very tasty!!

~Glad to see Barack Obama won the election.  Im a republican, but I was very happy for him and wish him and his family all the best and hope that he does a wonderful job as president of our great nation!!

~Cheers to Ball State University on a 10-0 start to the season.  Again, great to see a small school playing with the big boys of the NCAA.  Lets just hope they dont get stiffed at a BCS Bowl Game, which it seems like it happens to one team every year.  

Thats all I got, hope to post again sometime this week!!

Thanks For Stopping By,

Jackson