Opinari.net
Opinari - Latin term for Opinion. Opinari.net is just what it seems: a cornucopia of rants, raves and poignant soliloquy. |
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
My Unwanted Tech Support Hat -
One of my many I.S. hats, besides that of developer, analyst, and project manager is that of occasional tech support. Tech support, needless to say, is not my favorite hat. Today's tidbit probably illustrates why.
A lady called me this morning, frantic, because she had a dialog window that she couldn't get rid of. She was frustrated that she couldn't do her work. I remoted into her machine and saw that an MS Access macro had stopped and gave her an error message.
The message had one button on it that was usable - HALT. So this being Christmas and all, I respectfully clicked the HALT button. She was blissfully thankful and proceeded to complete her work as if nothing had happened.
So, Santa, if you're reading my blog, do me a favor. Instead of giving me a gift this year, take something back. This stupid tech support hat. It just doesn't seem to fit very comfortably.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
10:28 AM
Monday, December 04, 2006
A few random thoughts this morning about college football’s BCS:
Note to Michigan – how does it feel to be screwed? Think Peyton Manning in 1997. Yeah, that Heisman thing? We know how you feel. That doesn’t mean it is warranted, but we feel your pain nonetheless.
Let’s get something straight. College football will continue to suck as long as there is no settlement of the “national championship” on the field. Is Florida better than Michigan? Who knows. More deserving of the title game berth? I believe so, but that’s not relevant. What is relevant is that a team lost a single game by 3 points on the road to the #1 team in the country, and they are left out of the title chase. At least they’ve proven what they’re capable of. Florida has done nothing but play close games against great competition week in and week out. Top strength of schedule means something, at least this year.
See, that’s what’s frustrating about popularity contests like Heisman Trophies and AP Polls. The criteria changes. The “goalposts” move. Florida won the poll vote because they happened to be playing that week in a conference championship game. Michigan had already finished their season. Rest assured that if OSU-Michigan had been the first game of the season, and if Florida’s loss to Auburn had come in November, the Wolverines would be playing a rematch game with the Buckeyes in January. That’s just how the system is structured, and it’s flawed.
Which leads me to the following conclusion: it is time for a playoff. Now. Everyone wants one. Fans. Players. Coaches. Everyone except the ones who control the system. The time has come to implement a playoff. It can be done. Administration types need to quit whining about how much they care about the players, and how their delicate schedules can’t possibly manage a “second season”. They added a 12th game this year. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t to benefit the players.
Here’s what college football should do. Take the existing bowls, tie them into a playoff, and let the best team win. Top 4. Top 8. Top 16. However you want to do it. Just do it. Imagine a playoff round with Ohio State, Michigan, Florida and LSU. The top two teams from the top two conferences. I drool just thinking about it. Or go a step further. Throw in Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Louisville, and Boise State. First round sites could be at the Capital One Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, and the Rose Bowl. Semis could be held at the Orange Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. And heck, play the championship wherever you want to.
Would that it were so.
As Pat Forde said on ESPN, “you've got to love a sport that reduces its championship to a politicized popularity contest/guessing game.” It’s time we moved into the 21st century and made it otherwise.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
12:06 PM
Friday, December 01, 2006
Please Invite Us to Your (Bowl) Party:
Because we deserve it, don’t you know? So saith Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco about her state’s LSU Tigers.
"Anyone who follows college football knows this has been a successful year for LSU and we Tiger fans are some of the most passionate fans in college sports," she said Thursday. "Our team deserves a BCS berth."
If ANYONE knows this, then why beg for a spot in the championship? Shouldn’t the record speak for itself?
I should say that I actually agree with Governor Blanco. I believe that LSU deserves one of the BCS berths. I also believe they deserve it enough that the state executive doesn’t need to grovel for a spot in the Rose Bowl. Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
10:45 AM
| |
Recommended Reading
|
