The Redskins had fourth and short in the 3rd quarter and it took their brain trust took too long to decide to kick a field goal. They used a timeout to get their FG unit out there. Good thing they did, cause that delay of game field goal would have pushed that 25 yd kick back to the 30. But then again, maybe it would have been better to have it later in the game, seeing as how they had none left for the final 8 minutes.

'enough said"..

I don't think that Dungy's timeout was more costly than many, many things that heppend in that. I just think that it was monumentally stupid and the most easily avoidable mistake of the game, hence why I would call it the least excusable.

Oh, and of course Mikes Pace likes the current BCS system: he's an Ohio State fan. And he cheats at baseball.

....I'm not saying that keeping interest high in many different teams is something only the BCS is doing. I'm saying that unlike the NFL/NBA/MLB/etc, the BCS thinks that's *more* important than actually determining the best team.

And the proof is in the fact that nobody cares about those dumb ol' teams that play in the NFL/NBA/MLB/NCAA Basketball, etc. Only teams burdened with the ridiculous BCS system get rabid support.

"The only difference would be that instead of a fun "Who's #1?" debate ...."

"Some years the BCS will be perfect. Other years it will stink. But every year people will bitch."

OK, let's make this clear once and for all:

The BCS does not want to determine the who *is* the best football team. They want a bunch of schools to each *think* they are!

If it's a choice between:

A) one school definitively shown to be the champion, and

B) a collection of schools where the alumni of each school can make up some reason for why they "should" be #1, and bitch about how some arbitrary rankings of, of all things, a fucking COMPUTER PROGRAM, somehow "denied" them the #1 spot.

The BCS wants B) to happen. Every single time. Having bitching, arguing alumni keeps interest high in all the schools, and spreads the money around. ("My team woulda coulda been a contenter, if it wasn't for that meddling BCS last year! This year we'll show 'em!") If there's a 12 team playoff, on the other hand, there'll be one winner and 11 losers, and who wants to support a loser? It's so much better if you CAN'T really determine a winner, and instead can have everyone spend all this time and effort arguing who coulda woulda shoulda be the champ.

The BCS system isn't "broken". It's doing exactly what it's designed to do.

"Rocket claims that a college playoff system is impossible because teams need to rest between games and there are problems with travel - uh, I hate to break this to you Rocket but college football teams currently take off a full month between conference championships and bowl games - in the case of the Big 10 and Pac 10, the layoff is even longer - and Rocket guess what happens during those several weeks? the lower divisions all have playoffs - last time I looked the smaller guys still played 60 minute games and after the first couple of rounds have to travel - the college in the town I grew up in happens to have a perennial D-III title contender."

I realize that there is a month lay-off. I hate that part of the system. Two weeks would be better. Right now you have a system that really measures who plays better after a month off, rather than who is the better team.

I also knew someone would respond with that tired reference to D-II and D-III play offs.

D-II and D-III games are more like high school games as far as the toll they take on the players.

Also, with respect to D-II and D-III play off games:

How many fans attend those games? (A few thousand?)

Are those games televised? (Not until the finals)

How far do the fans have to travel? (hundreds or thousands of miles)

D-II and D-III games are nothing like the production that is a D-I game.

Also, I am curious as to whether fans would support such a play-off plan.

I currently know that tickets to the Big 12 Championship are always dirt cheap outside the stadium and the game hardly ever sells out.

I am currious how demand is for CCG for the ACC, Big East and SEC.

J M F Q:

Ok, let me try it a different way. Dungy called a timeout that came back to haunt the team a bit later. The reason the wasted timeout ended up being so precious was due to:

6 interceptions thrown by Patton Manning

2 field goals of 42 and 29 yards missed by Adam Vinatieri, the highest paid and, ostensibly, best and most clutch kicker in the league

2 touchdowns given up by the special teams play of the Colts

If ANY of the above monumental screw ups hadn't occured Dungy's timeout would be meaningless. Also, you, and those who agree with you, keep harping on the timeout calls like it was automatic that Manning would march the team down the field for a score. He had already thrown 5 interceptions. Even he had more time he would have eventually thrown # 6. But, giving him the benefit of the doubt (huge benefit of the doubt) and assuming he did drive the team to field goal range, do we also give Vinatieri the benefit of the doubt that he would make the field goal?

This defense of these guys and calling out of Dungy just defies belief! This loss sits squarely on Manning's shoulders, with an assist from Vinatiera and special teams. Reduce Manning's picks and none of the other mistakes matter!!!!!!!!

King, I didn't intend to suggest that you were laying the blame on Dungy's shoulders alone, however, your column leads with Dungy's timeout call. Yeah, the timeout cost the team a good chance, but the team never should have been in the position of needing 3 timeouts for a game winning drive. 6 interceptions, missed field goals, and poor special teams play saw to that. You may not say that Dungy is at fault, but your column is entitled "Timeout Murderer". With a title like that it really does seem that you place a disproportionate amount of blame on that timeout call.

That timeout did not determine the game, the extremely poor play of the team is what did the Colts in, led by Manning and his turnovers. Yeah, they had an opportunity in the end, but they should have never been in such a do-or-die situation to begin with, so, to harp on Dungy's timeout call is simply ignoring the glaring fact that Manning and company killed themselves, not Tony Dungy.

Talking about not seeing the forest for the trees!!!