Happy New Year! Despite the fact that many of us have already given up on our resolutions, and its only the 5th, I have a couple resolutions for some of sports big names.
Chip Kelly, Oregon Ducks head coach (submitted 1/5/12):
Courtesy: USA Today
Chip’s resolution should be to try to be patient. It seemed imminent that he will sign with the Browns, presumably taking over both GM and head coaching responsibilities. It seems like it could be a good deal for him. They will most likely throw fistfuls of cash at him, laying on the hopes and dreams of a city on his shoulders, praying that, in very LeBron James fashion, one man can be the solution to all their problems. Kelly is one of the top names circulating for head coaching opportunities this offseason. He was a big name last year when he all but took over in Tampa. He can make a ton of money and, probably more importantly to him, move on to a bigger challenge (even though he hasn’t climbed to the top of the college ladder just yet). But here’s the thing: he shouldn’t. Kelly should return to Oregon in 2013. He has unfinished business with the Ducks, who will most certainly be a preseason top 5 team and have a very good shot at running the table and getting to a national championship. Can he win it? That remains to be seen, but what is for sure is that he won’t have to face Cam Newton to try to hoist The Coaches’ Trophy. After doing so, his stock would actually be higher. Many believe that, in order for Kelly to be successful in the NFL, he will need a quarterback with the mobility to implement his (modified for the NFL) system that has yielded such incredible results at Oregon. The team, regardless of coaching vacancies, which seems to be the best fit is Carolina. And in a year, there is a good chance that he will have the opportunity to take the helm in a much better situation, with a quarterback who can help his cause greatly. There is no rush, Chip! Stay in Oregon! Be Patient!
NCAA, Major Football Conferences, Top Tier College Programs:
The resolution of all of the big wigs involved with NCAA postseason should be to give the fans what they want. During ESPN’s 30th anniversary in 2009, I was watching an old broadcast from the first year of the network. The topic? When will NCAA Football adopt a playoff system? Now, 34 years later, we are just 1 year from an NCAA postseason. In 2014, we will get our first glimpse at what college playoffs could be. The problem is that everyone knows its just a stepping stone, a test to see if the NCAA can still make the billions it is currently making on the bowl system. Obviously I’m no expert. There are probably a million different things to work out before any system can be implemented. But here is my suggestion:
* 4 major conferences (call them what you will, for our conversation they will be North, South, East, West)
* 16 teams per conference
* 2 divisions in each conference
* each conference plays a title game between division winners
* tournament consists of 4 major conference winners and 2 at-large bids
Top 2 teams get a bye. 3 plays 6, 4 plays 5. Reseed afterwards. 3 round playoff. Quarterfinals, Semi Finals, Title Game. Each game can be a bowl, similar to how that system works now (rounds could rotate yearly between “major” bowls…Sugar, Cotton, Orange, Rose, etc).
All other teams will compete for placement in various other bowl games. NCAA still makes their money on the bowl games. Major companies still spend millions, maybe billions, of dollars to get their names on the bowl games. Smaller conferences would still exist, bringing in money for their various schools. The 2 at-large bids would be open to any schools, from both minor and major conferences (and of course Notre Dame…who should just stop holding the rest of the NCAA hostage and join a conference). Give the public what they want!
