ESPN Writer Is Right On

I was sent an article recently from a good friend who knows how much I love the Pac-10 and knew how much of a kick I would get out of it. It was and article written by Ted Miller, a Pac-10 representative for ESPN. He dug up some stats (that I love) and applied them accurately to how the 2009 conference predictions should appear. http://myespn.go.com/blogs/pac10/0-10-113/Pac-10-----Maybe-it-s-No--1-.html

I know that if the SEC had information that was this good, it would be smeared throughout any media guide, preseason annual, and given out freely among all college football analysts of every sports network. Most of the information is stuff I check each year to figure out why the SEC continues to "dominate" the strength of schedule each year, so I check the schedules of most teams in the SEC, Big XII, ACC, Big Ten, and Big East, while checking ALL of the Pac-10 teams to make sure they are not selling out. I understand some of the struggling schools in any conference may tend to invite "patsies" to come and play and get paid; although, when I see the "powerhouses" of the conferences schedule weak opponents, it becomes frustrating to me. I will continue to mention the fact that the Pac-10 has only 3 nonconference games a year with the "big boys" of the conference may have only one non-BCS team to play shows a much tougher strength of schedule than, say, an SEC power with their 4 nonconference games a year and you'd be pressed to find more than 1 BCS team of those 4 they have to play (if there is one at all). Sure, I hear it now - "the SEC has the championship game..." blah, blah, blah. Yes it does, and that IS a fact. It is also a fact that of the 12 teams in that conference, only two will play in that match-up. So, c'mon.

Mr. Miller has also provided me with information regarding the new Pac-10 commissioner, Larry Scott, who originally came from the SEC area and knew how good the SEC is. Mr. Scott, then learned the "real" statistics that prove which conference should be considered the best and realized that the information is not getting out there and the Pac-10 conference hasn't been aggressive enough to push it out to the media and the fans. I am enjoying Mr. Scott already after the Pac-10 media days. Clearly, Mr. Scott has met with all the coaches and "coached" them into saying how tough the conference is from each coach. Even Coach Carroll mentioned how many more losses they've had compared to the nonconference losses in recent years. It's true! Wasn't the Vince Young-led Longhorns the only non-Pac-10 team to beat USC since the 3rd game of Coach Carroll's second year with the Trojans; a game at Kansas State (11-2) in 2002 and lost by 7 points. So, yes, I'm telling you that there has been only one team to beat Pete Carroll's team since that K-State loss in 2002 that was not in the Pac-10. If Washington State (2002) can beat USC, or California (2003) can beat USC, or Oregon State (2006, 2008) can beat the Trojans, or UCLA (2006) can take them, or Stanford (2007) can squeak by them, or even Oregon (2007) can top them; what is wrong with the rest of the nation? Only the national championship team can come from behind and win a game against USC? I'm sure USC would like to fill it's scheduling holes by other teams besides the occasional San Jose State, San Diego State, Idaho, or Fresno State; but USC gets to travel a bit since Coach Carroll took over with the likes of Kansas State, Colorado, Auburn, BYU, Hawaii, Virginia Tech, Colorado State, Arkansas, Nebraska, Virginia, Ohio State, and a date with Notre Dame every year (like Florida's annual party with Florida State - which may as well be a conference game with them being such rivals and all). The bowl games have gone against Utah, Iowa, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan, Illinois, and Penn State - with losses to only Utah and Texas. This is just merely an example. I used USC because they are most recognized nationally, but I could reference several Pac-10 teams and who they've played year in and year out; like Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona State, and even Stanford and Washington State get some better games occasionally.

So, Ted Miller has become the Pac-10 voice in the media; and the new commissioner, Larry Scott, has become the new face and marketing component to the new and improved Pac-10 who won't need to base their talent merely on the field, but will receive help off the field now to show the other conferences why they weren't called "the conference of champions".