Hi everyone. That title is intentional, and refers to a certain decision by the Big Ten to change the 6 game requirement for the title game. That noise you hear in the background is a sharpening of an axe, because I have some thoughts.
No -- you have thoughts? There's a headscratcher.
Yep, gotta keep some people honest.
And you use an axe to do that?
When necessary, yes.
Hmm.
Read on, old dude. In other news, the Badgers will actually be playing for consecutive weeks. And the Packers can clinch the North this week. I'm feeling the HYYYYYYPPPEEE! and it is time to watch me work.
Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (+10.5) vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers The Gophers have returned to play, and they will be going to the team who likes to take credit for this season to be happening. PJ Fleck can keep coming up with his usual sayings, but his team has struggled all year. To be fair to him, not knowing if you are going to be playing is hard, and he has a young team. However, every team in the conference has had to deal with that. Nebraska ain't much better, and they really have been at war with Kevin Warren more than focusing on the games at hand. Scott Frost will get the time because he is the Nebraska version of Bart Starr. What I mean by that is that Frost is a link to the glory days and has the trust of the Husker faithful as he knows what it takes. Even if Frost fails as head coach, his legacy is secure. As for the game, I have to favor the desperate team at home. Stuck In the 1990's 31, Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 10.
I'd forgotten about the Gophers. They haven't played in a while. As I recall, they're okay. Snow in Lincoln overnight, so we'll see how that plays. Nebraska 31, Gophers 27.
Beloved Wisconsin Badgers (-2) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Well, the Badgers looked awful again last week, and yet are somehow favored going into a game at Iowa City. Graham Mertz looked great against Michigan and Illinois, but looked horrible against Northwestern and Indiana. The defense is not the problem, and to be fair the Badgers have not gotten to play in consecutive weeks yet this year. Iowa is going to be your typical Iowa squad that plays good defense and wants to run the ball. The Badgers can win, but this is going to be hard. The offense needs to step up and actually do something. Badgers 21, Iowans 13.
This a tough one. I don't think the Badgers have it this year. Success will return to Madison, but let's write this year off. Iowa 17, Wisconsin 10.
Minnesota Vikings (+6.5) vs. Tampa Bay Bucs The Vikes are back in the playoffs based on a tiebreaker over the Cardinals. Last week, the Vikings were very loose in the turns and almost lost another "easy game". This time, the Vikings are not at home and facing a desperate team in the Bucs. It's clear that Tom Brady has had growing pains learning a new offense, and the Bucs are a team that has had a lot of internal discord supposedly swirling around. Both teams need to win to stay in the playoff hunt, and there will be a lot of Packer fans watching this game with interest. Even though the Bucs are not as good as they were when the Packers went down there, you have to honor the "desperate team at home" theory. If the Vikings lose, pray for Ron Johnson and Corey Cove. Bucs 28, Vikings 17
The Vikings have been scraping by against bad teams lately. The Bucs are a good team. Tampa 31, Minnesota 20.
Glorious Green Bay Packers (-9) vs. Detroit LOLions The Packers are in a great position. All of their goals are within reach, and they can clinch a playoff spot with a win and some help. In fact, if the Vikings lose and the Packers win, the North can be won on Sunday. The LOLions did beat da Bearz last week, and are better than people think. I know that sounds crazy, but they have been in some close games this year, and did jump out to a lead at Lambeau. Plus, Matthew Stafford has a good track record against the Packers. If you remember, last year the Packers had to fight to get that win at Ford Field to get the playoff bye. Packers 24, LOLions 18
I am a bit nervous about this game. The key is the Lions defense is terrible. Shootout! Packers 38, Lions 28.
And now it's time for a Very Special Comment. This will probably come off to you as yet another Benster ripping of the Buckeyes. I know that is part of who I am, and I admit that I have a hatred of Ohio State football. But please hear me out.
So the Big Ten announced that Ohio State would be allowed to play Northwestern next week for the conference crown. That is despite the fact that the conference decreed that a team needs to play in 6 conference games to qualify. Look, Ohio State is a good team, and I don't blame them for taking the offer. You can make an argument that the 6 game rule was dumb in the first place, and that the conference never should have included it. But it was the rule coming in, and the Big Ten was arrogant enough to believe that it wouldn't be a problem. Well, the league decided that Ohio State should get a pass, because they are undefeated. This is a week before the title game. Everyone knew the rules, and now the conference changed them in the middle of the game. Indiana got screwed. Yes, the Hoosiers had their chance to win in the Horseshoe. But under the rules that every school agreed to, Indiana was the team that qualified. Plus, Northwestern is getting boned. Not only do they have to prepare for a new opponent, but they have to play a rivalry game against Illinois while Ohio State gets a bye week. The Big Ten not only changed the rules for a "brand name" school, but gave said school every possible advantage. If Ohio State loses, then it would be one of the worst losses in the history of Buckeye football. They would have had every possible advantage, and thrown it away.
Now, of course the Big Ten is not the only league screwing with their title game. The ACC canceled games for Notre Dame and Clemson to give them extra rest. But at least in that case, the Irish and Tigers both come into the game on even footing. The Big Ten can say that this is about being fair and making money, but that is missing the point. Big Ten football has gotten a lot more competitive and richer than the 1970s. Back then, it was the Big 2 of Michigan and Ohio State, and the Little 8 of everyone else. Now, there is more strength in depth in the conference, and they can sell Fox and ESPN on the fact that teams like Michigan State, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota that can be successful. All of those schools have won big bowl games, and have been positive stories in the Big Ten recently outside of Michigan and Ohio State in football. Heck, the basketball product is the most deep and consistent than at any point in league history. It behooves a conference to favor conditions that help everyone, and not just a handful of schools. Want to know why Nebraska left the Big 12? It was in part because the Big 12 favors Texas and gives the Longhorns a huge cut of revenue. Maryland was a founding member of the ACC, and had deep ties with a lot of those schools. Well, the ACC has constantly been accused of favoring basketball and in particular the Tobacco Road schools. Maryland left in part because that favoritism.
You can argue it is because of money, and there is a good reason why it behooves the conference to respect what each school brings. The Big Ten Network was founded in order to make it easier to make money and showcase all the teams in the league. The conference is strong because every school contributes on the field in different ways. Indiana and Michigan made the College World Series recently, Minnesota has a great hockey tradition, Iowa brings wrestling, Maryland brings great lacrosse, Wisconsin brings consistently good teams in basketball and football. Nebraska brings great baseball and legions of fan support. I love this conference because every team makes the same amount of money, and the various fanbases respect each other and get each other. Ohio State may contribute a lot in football, but they are one school. It's not the Ohio State Invitational League. It's the Big Ten conference. No school is bigger than the league, and every school brings something to the table. It's a shame that Kevin Warren doesn't understand that. If I were a Buckeye fan, I wouldn't accept this. In fact, read this article from an Ohio State fan about why this is wrong.
Well, that's done. I hope you enjoy the football this weekend. Ben out.
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