It's our turn to host the Pac-10 roundtable this week. As we head into the home stretch the question of wins the Pac-10 is the biggest question to be answered.
Here are the participants:
Building the Dam.
UW Dawg Pound.
What's Bruin, Dawg?
Pitchfork Nation
Coug Center
Addicted to Quack
The California Golden Blogs
So lets get to it...
1. Things are starting to shake out in the conference with USC, Oregon St and Cal all in the hunt for the Pac-10 crown. What has surprised you so far this season within the conference and make a prediction on how you think it will shake out.
2. Recently there has been a lot of talk over the possibility of a Pac 12. Say that when Tom Hansen steps down as Pac 10 commissioner that the conference decides it is time to expand. Which teams should the conference go after and how would you split the teams into divisions?
The Pac-10 is not going to expand anytime soon. While the argument has been made by some that expanding might bring some new blood into the conference the fact remains that it isnt just about football and basketball. While the Pac-10 has enjoyed a lot of exposure for the big 2 sports its the lower profile sports that has made the Pac-10 the conference of champions. Regardless of what you may think about those sports the Pac-10 takes them seriously and still that only part of the puzzle the care about academics as well so that will play an important role.
The Pac-10 like the round-robin concept and it is pretty clear that they don't want dilute that level of competiton.
Of course, if there was to be expansion the Pac-10 would take the easy route and probably split the conference in a north and south division. I could see the only logical choices being Fresno St., Boise St., Utah or BYU
3. Along those lines. The pundits and talking heads continue to bash the Pac-10 because of the supposed weakness of the conference yet we schedule some of the toughest out of conference games in the country. Ted Miller of ESPN recently said that the Pac-10 should re-think its ambitious scheduling in favor of scheduling patsies for our OOC schedules like conferences do. Explain why you agree or disagree with Millers take and what solution do you have, if any.
No I am happy with SC continuing to attempt to schedule the best competiton out there. The fact is there are just a lot of programs that don't want to play us. I understand what Miller is saying but the Pac-10 is already ignored so beating up on cupcakes isn't really going to change things. Its simply ging to take time for the teams that are struggling in the conference to get back to a respectable level.
4. Is it just me or are the games being played faster? The NCAA continues to tinker with the clock and their excuse is that they are trying to make the games more exciting. Have the new rules made the game more interesting or have they once again hurt the product?
The games are faster which means we are seeing less plays but the games really aren't that much more exciting because the conference is down right now. I would be a lot happier if they got more consistent in how the officials called their penalties...that has been a terrible drag on the games becuse they are so inconsistent with some of their calls. Lots of ticky tack calls...
5. It's Cal week for us so in the spirit of fun tell us your best/funniest Cal Game story…for you CGB guys pick a team!
DC Trojan: To be honest, I have absolutely no recollection of having seen SC play Cal in person. I assume that I went to the home games in 1988 and 1990, but I didn't much care for the Bay Area in those days of misguided youth, so I never bothered with the Cal Weekenders.(Just as well, given the 52 - 30 walloping in 1991...)
The one game that stands out was when I was in Lafayette CA for a wedding that was scheduled during the 2004 game at the Coliseum. (This is what happens when my wife's friends from Vassar get married, they have no clue...) I had my cell phone confiscated during the ceremony so when I got out, I raced to the car and caught the 4 down goal line stand that ended the game on the Bay Area radio broadcast. I'd never heard heartbreak on AM before.