Sunday, January 21, 2024

The Best Of 80s Music? (1980-84)

If you are reading this blog, there is a good chance that part of your life was spent enjoying 80s music. There was something truly amazing about that decade, although folks who came before and after would likely disagree. I have written about the 80s a few times: 99 Luftballoons – January 1983 RememberedMy Top 5 Favorite Songs From The 1980s and My Favorite 80s Music Cover Songs. But after watching a video on the most popular hits from 1980-2022, I thought an update would be appropriate.



The 80s was a decade of remarkable change. Years of inflation, gas shortages, and global humiliation ended almost overnight with the election of Ronald Reagan. I remember the absurdity of sitting in a line waiting to fill the car up with gasoline while living in East Texas, where if you threw a baseball in any direction you were likely to hit an oil or gas well. That was how screwed up the country was in the 70s. And the music was absolutely dreadful. Disco was supposed to lift spirits, but it was merely a slight respite from the idiotic folk and Viet Nam protest songs, and then of course plenty of depressing ditties glorifying the drug and sex culture that reached its zenith in the 70s. Rock dominated the airwaves, but not every song was memorable.


President Reagan brought an optimism to America that had been missing since the post-war boom. Anything was possible. The economy blossomed under his leadership, and within a short time, the music reflected this. Technology was rapidly changing how music was performed, and also how it was made, stored, and even distributed. Computer technology, blending with advances in video production and editing, gave bands a whole new VISUAL way to promote and distribute their music, through MTV first, and other methods later. FM stations blossomed everywhere, especially on college campuses, making it much harder for large record labels to control which song got the most play. Suddenly, consumers had more far more power to determine what was played on air, and ultimately was the most popular.


But that is just the boring backstory. What about the music itself? The following YouTube video has samples of the most popular music from 1980 forward by month. This post is going to focus on just the first half of the 80s (80-84) - although I may follow-up later with 85-89, the 90s, and 00s. Watch through December 1984, and then continue reading. My thoughts will continue below.



Here are the selections for 1980 and 1981 by month.


Jan 80 - Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles

Feb 80 - Another Brick In The Wall Pt II - Pink Floyd

Mar 80 - Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen

Apr - Call Me - Blondie

May 80 - Funkytown - Lipps Inc.

Jun 80 - Coming Up - Paul McCartney

Jul 80 - Magic - Olivia Newton John

Aug 80 - Upside Down - Diana Ross

Sep 80 - Another One Bites The Dust - Queen

Oct 80 - Woman In Love - Barbra Streisand

Nov 80 - Xanadu - Olivia Newton John

Dec 80 - Just like Starting Over - John Lennon


Jan 81 - Tide Is High - Blondie

Feb 81 - Celebration - Kool & The Gang

Mar 81 - Woman - John Lennon

Apr 81 - 9 To 5 (Morning Train) - Sheena Easton

May 81 - Stars On 45 - Stars On 45

Jun 81 - In The Air Tonight - Phil Collins

Jul 81 - Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes

Aug 81 - Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield

Sep 81 - Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie

Oct 81 - Start Me Up - Rolling Stones

Nov 81 - Physical - Olivia Newton John

Dec 81 - Under Pressure - David Bowie & Queen


The Buggles Video Killed The Radio Star was released in 1979, and has the distinction of being the first song/video broadcast on MTV, which launched on August 1, 1981. It is for that reason VKTRS is remembered fondly as 80s music, when in reality it belongs to the 70s.  Much of the first two years are 70s holdovers. Beatles solo acts, disco, Olivia Newton John, Stars on 45 - its not like they are horrible songs. Just not as good as other emerging acts from around the world. Culturally, disco died in 1979. Many folks in the music industry recognized what was happening. But it did take some time to spread throughout the land. As an aside, at the Wikipedia page linked just above, they quote some professor pinhead saying that the anti-disco movement was  "homophobic or racist" - good to see things never change. That charge seems laughable considering the idea of being "gay" was not mainstream outside of a few isolated areas. For better or worse, the gay community was in the closet and the doors were locked. If you were gay, you kept it to yourself, and most people didn't even care what you did in private. 


Racism - possibly by a few executives, but not by the majority of music fans. People like good music, and the vast majority don't care about the race of the performer. However, the music industry clearly picked winners and losers. Any minority with talent was embraced by middle class white America. MTV, after a slow start, became a major force promoting minority acts. They had to react to demand. One of the few late 70s, early 80s acts I enjoyed was Rick James, who was largely blocked from MTV, claiming it did not fit their audience. Yet they quickly adapted and made superstars out of Michael Jackson, Prince, and others.


No, the rejection of disco was all about the music being awful, repetitive, some have said - soulless, which seems accurate. Nothing about disco was good - fashion, dancing, lyrics, melodies, drugs, literally everything about it was just terrible. America was a better place without it. If there is any doubt about disco, watch the video below. This was a Top 5 song in multiple countries. This is probably the most embarrassing thing you will see for some time.




This was not a musical evolution. It was a cultural devolution. You can see it in just this video - a song that truly mocks the movement, yet became a favorite anthem. Look at the clothes, hair - its like, let's not enjoy the beauty of the world. Instead, let's see how ugly we can make it for everyone. And this went beyond the world of disco, as the sad fashion, hair styles, car designs, architecture - everything took a bizarre turn towards the unpleasant. I remember seeing my older sisters going to the disco - both beautiful young ladies, looking like underpaid prostitutes. And that wasn't because they did not have nice clothes, or lacked the ability to put on make up or style their hair. It was done on purpose, because that's what you do!


I have always viewed the 80s as a course correction. Sanity came back to music, fashion, literally everything. People wanted pretty things, and appreciated them again. Yes, there were always exceptions. Just look at how Madonna dressed, performed in the early 80s, to the way she became a decade later. You had many acts who were clean cut, even wearing suits at times. And if they did not want to go that far, that was OK - there was no fashion police. But people seemed to gravitate to those acts that had some sense of style, dare I even say, morality. Songs were written about love, relationships, break-ups - the usual stuff, along with thought-provoking material based on literature, current events, or history. The era - of "She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah" being considered good lyrics was seemingly behind us. Acts would need more than a good thesaurus to write music in the 80s.


The world was rapidly changing. Music lovers wanted more. And with video, fans often saw the performer for the first time, which could be good, but often not so good for aging acts. Was Jessie's Girl a great song, or did millions of females simply like the way Rick Springfield looked? Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, maybe even Barbra are very talented, but it was very unlikely you are driving around town blasting Endless Love on the radio for all to hear. Nor did you stay up late just to see their video.


In the early 80s, cable was still in its infancy. Even by 1990, cable had only reached 57% of US households. But that's still a huge audience, much larger than any single music distribution option that existed before. So MTV by the mid 80s was having a significant impact on what was popular in the US, and the world. And by the mid 70s, over 200 FM radio stations started broadcasting annually. That of course includes the all important college radio stations that often helped push emerging artists.


To finish the thought on the first two years, yes there are songs and groups that I like - Queen and Pink Floyd for instance. However, the first two years were an extension of the 70s, and I don't really consider the majority of these as 80s hits. There were songs released during this time that certainly would qualify, but did not get the recognition they likely deserved. As we move forward, most of these acts will never make it into the most popular category again, as the music floodgates opened to new groups and genres. 



Jan 82 - Don't You Want Me - The Human League

Feb 82 - Waiting For A Girl Like You - Foreigner

Mar 82 - Centerfold - J. Geils Band

Apr 82 - I Love Rock 'n' Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

May 82 - Ebony And Ivory - Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney

Jun 82 - Tainted Love - Soft Cell

Jul 82 -Abracadabra - Steve Miller Band

Aug 82 - Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor

Sep 82 - Come On Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners

Oct 82 - Hard To Say I'm Sorry - Chicago

Nov 82 - Who Can It Be Now - Men At Work

Dec 82 - Its Raining Again - Supertramp


You can still see the influence of the 70s here, as traditional rock continued to be a dominant force. But alternative songs and international artists were slowly gaining ground. Starting with the first month, which I believe is the best 80s song on this list. This song was on heavy rotation on MTV. I bet it played every time I turned on the network. And why not? It had a unique sound, and interesting story, great vocals, and a video that was just interesting enough. Take a look.




I used to work late into the night at the Tom Thumb Supercenter in Longview, Texas. I was the nighttime produce manager, which meant I did all the work that wasn't done by the fulltime folks. And the produce manager was a bit of a tyrant, who would show up right before time for me to go and give me some ridiculously laborious assignment that would keep me there way after midnight. I was in high school at the time. So working until 2 am was not conducive to being productive in class. Good thing I had the easiest schedule ever created for my Senior year. 


It was during one of these marathon work sessions that the General Manager discovered me still working in the produce room well after midnight. He told me to clock out, and the next day I had my pick of departments, as all volunteered to take me in. The Produce Manager was later fired for stealing, but that is another story.


I would come home, get in bed, and watch MTV until I fell asleep. I probably watched this video a hundred times during those years. It still brings back memories.


Tainted Love and Come On Eileen deserve special recognition as each one made this chart. Soft Cell was definitely an 80s band, but so was Dexy's Midnight Runners. Because here is the key to great 80s music, it was not just one genre of music getting noticed. All types, and from all over the world. including my 2nd favorite from the above, Men At Work, Who Can It Be Now. Quirky, different, and definitely an 80s tune.




There were several good songs that did not make the list above including: Change - John Waite; More Than This - Roxy Music; Don't Change - INXS; Senses Working Overtime - XTC; You Dropped A Bomb On Me - Gap Band; I Ran (So Far Away) - A Flock Of Seagulls; Desperate But Not Serious - Adam Ant;


Now let's look at the most popular songs of 1983.


Jan 83 - Maneater - Daryl Hall & John Oates

Feb 83 - Down Under - Men At Work

Mar 83 - Billie Jean - Michael Jackson

Apr 83 - Let's Dance - David Bowie

May 83 - Beat It - Michael Jackson

Jun 83 - Flashdance What A Feeling - Irene Cara

Jul 83 - Every Breath You Take - The Police

Aug 83 - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - Eurythmics

Sep 83 - Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Bonnie Tyler

Oct 83 - Karma Chameleon - Culture Club

Nov 83 - Uptown Girl - Billy Joel

Dec 83 - Say Say Say - Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson


This is a very interesting combination of styles and artists. You can still see the influence of programmers who keep pushing the easy listening style, trying to appeal to a slightly older demographic. I was a Senior in HS/FR in college in 83. None of these songs were playing in my car. Again, does not mean they are bad, just not my cup of tea. And even the videos weren't that interesting, which sometimes explains the popularity of a song.


My selection for the best of this group goes to Men At Work.




And the next best, a distant 2nd place, The Police.




Which songs did not make the most popular list? Catch Me I'm Falling - Real Life; 99 Luftballoons - Nena; True - Spandau Ballet; Gone Daddy Gone - Violent Femmes


And the very best for 1983 not on the list, IMHO, was this song from a group from Ireland called U2.




And now for 1984s popular songs by month.


Jan 84 - Owner Of A lonely Heart - Yes

Feb 84 - Thriller - Michael Jackson

Mar 84 - Jump - Van Halen

Apr 84 - Hello - Lionel Richie

May 84 - Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper

Jun 84 - Against All Odds Take A Look At Me Now- Phil Collins

Jul 84 - When Doves Cry - Prince & The Revolution

Aug 84 - Self Control - Laura Branigan

Sep 84 - I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder

Oct 84 - Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr

Nov 84 - Caribbean Queen - Billy Ocean

Dec 84 - Like A Virgin - Madonna


Its so interesting to read through this list, as I immediately have an image in my mind usually from the video of the song. In some cases, I will associate a memory with one. Note first the diversity of the list compared to earlier ones. Michael Jackson, while not my cup of tea, is a dominant force. Prince is making his move. Billy Ocean, who opened for the Pointer Sisters, was actually my very first concert - there were two couples and the women picked the act.


And let's not forget the women - Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, and Laura Branigan. Women would have a huge impact on music in the 80s.


This is really a tough list to pick a top one. much less a top two. But if you have to pick two, here is my first. 




And my 2nd pick.




1984 was a really good year for music. Its unfortunate that so many good songs were overlooked when it comes to popularity rankings.


You Might Think - The Cars; Tenderness - General Public; We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister; Hot For Teacher - Van Halen; Rock You Like Hurricane - Scorpions; Head Over Heels - The Go-Go's; Jungle Love - The Time


The first pick is a no brainer. A Norwegian band whose video took the world by storm.




And my second pick for 1984, all the way from Germany.





Das ist alles für heute!








This is exactly how Boris greeted me after a long absence - obviously with different music.




Monday, December 18, 2023

College Football Bowl Games - Comparing Roster Rankings And Outcomes

There was a time in the not so distant past that I was oblivious to the importance of football recruiting. For most of my early life, SMU was a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC), what would easily be a Power conference by the standards of today. SMU played and recruited against Arkansas, Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Houston, and Rice. Getting top players to come play in the SWC, in Dallas, and get an outstanding education was pretty simple. And if you were willing to "play the game" that other big schools were playing, you could dominate recruiting - and SMU did.



But something changed in the 80s. The NCAA wanted to make an example of a school in an attempt to reduce the rampant cheating throughout college football, and SMU was the perfect target. It was a private school, smaller fanbase, and less likely to fight back against the selective nature of the investigation and penalty. The NCAA lowered the boom on SMU, shutting down the program for a year. SMU was allowed to play 6 away games in 1988, but opted not to play at all. We would start from scratch in 1989 with a whole new staff and recruit a team from the ground up. I watched coaches/recruiters from every college land on our campus like vultures picking at a carcass, recruiting our players who the NCAA graciously allowed to transfer without penalty. Many of these same programs routinely offered money, cars, prostitutes - whatever it took on the recruiting trail. It was a disgusting day to be a Mustang.





Many people look to the events surrounding the Death Penalty (DP) as the primary reason SMU underperformed for almost 40 years. Certainly it played a major part. But it was truly just the spark that led to the program being put in a position where it could not compete. The real damage came from three key events. 



#1 - The End of the SWC - Had the "merger" with the Big 8 occurred in the early 80s, there is no doubt SMU would have been included - as the best team outside the major state schools. Had it not been for Texas politics, Baylor and possibly Texas Tech might have been left behind. When the dust settled, Houston, Rice, SMU, and TCU had no conference home. Houston chose wisely to look East, and joined with schools who would become Conference USA. The other 3 went West and created the first SUPER conference the WAC 16 - which included teams like BYU, Utah, Air Force etc. On paper, it actually looked like a promising group. But these were teams nobody in Texas followed. The games were late at night, and some programs quite literally could not keep their lights on! Within a couple of years, there was a split, followed by additions and subtractions. And for the next few decades, SMU would wander from one lousy conference to another. 



During this time recruiting hit rock bottom. Nobody wanted to play in some no name conference against some crappy state university. The travel was far and inconvenient for fans. The dates and times sucked. There was little television coverage, and even less national media coverage. And then out of nowhere, the college football experts declared that some universities were more special than others. The special ones were declared morally and physically superior, received more media dollars, better bowls, and were almost guaranteed that one among this anointed few would be DECLARED - NOT EARN, National Champions. So roughly half of FBS, including some schools like SMU who had National Championships, Heisman winners, and 70+ years of playing in a top conference were effectively left behind. And there was little that could be done. Why?



If You Haven't Won A Conference Championship Since The 70s - Maybe You Don't Belong In A Power Conference?



#2 The Pye Penalty - After the DP, SMUs leadership overreacted to the situation. There was NEVER any academic scandal at SMU. Players went to class, made their grades, and graduated with legitimate degrees. In their zealousness to "clean" SMU, administrators first attempted to cancel football, thinking a focus on academics was what the doctor ordered. This was quickly shut down. Athletics are the front door for a university, and every study has confirmed that a successful athletic department keeps alumni engaged and supportive. Plus, a successful and visible program increases applications and quality of applicants. My first real exposure to SMU came from a church youth group watching a game in the Cotton Bowl.



So the "hate athletics" types decided they would "castrate" SMU sports to make sure it would never get out of control, or be nationally competitive. What did that mean? The standards for admittance were raised above any FBS school. Players had to be admitted before they could visit, or even be offered by coaches. For those unfamiliar with college acceptance, getting admitted to a school can be an arduous ordeal - especially before computers. A high school student might be on the edge and dependent on grades in the final semester to pass. Plus, every decent athlete had already accepted an offer elsewhere before SMU got around to accepting and inviting them to visit. It KILLED recruiting, probably as much as our crappy conferences.



The few athletes who were willing to wait, often were rejected in very public and disastrous ways. In football, we were fighting against FCS and JUCO for recruits, and getting excited when we stole a recruit from North Texas. In the early days of recruiting services, our classes were rated among the worst of FBS schools, behind all our natural and historical rivals. And then people wondered why we couldn't win the crappy conference where we were currently stuck.



In the meantime, long time rivals like TCU, a team that I never saw SMU lose to growing up, 15 straight years until after my graduation and the DP, were now out recruiting SMU, and winning. They switched conferences to further separate themselves from SMUs mediocrity - who could blame them? The trend switched, and they were now winning the Iron Skillet much more frequently. 


Apparently, Arthritis Is Contagious At TCU.



#3 Power Conferences - The genesis of this was mentioned above. Suddenly, a select handful of universities were anointed as Power schools for absolutely no reason at all. For every Alabama - that probably deserves special recognition, there was a Vanderbilt, who had NO business being in a Power conference. Teams like Iowa State, who haven't accomplished anything since before the First World War, were arbitrarily determined to be better than all non-Power schools.  As BAD as SMU has been for these few decades, they still have substantially more accomplishments than ISU and many so-called Power schools. And then there are schools just happy to be along for the ride - like Texas Tech, our favorite school in dusty Lubbock, Texas. They have averaged 3.9 conference wins over the last 27 years. Is that Power worthy? Who knows?




If you were a top athlete choosing between any Power school and even the very best "G5" school, which one will you pick? Nine times out of ten, that player is going to pick a Power school. This was something that became obvious observing recruiting for the last few decades. And it was one of the primary drivers for getting SMU back to playing Big Boy football. And since we were effectively blocked by our "friends" in the Big 12, who also assisted in destroying the PAC12 - another possible pathway for SMU, the ACC became our best option. And we will start playing in the fall of 2024.




I must admit there was a time I did not trust recruiting rankings. I believed that the system was rigged, players were rated higher based on picking certain schools. There may be a little of that still happening, but competition between the services has forced them to get better. Plus, in the digital age, its far easier to confirm offers and find out which schools are recruiting certain players. There was a time when player ratings were quite arbitrary. There are areas - small town and private school players that may fly under the radar. But that is quite rare. If you are a decent player with a chance at the next level, you will get evaluated. And if not, players can easily promote themselves and get noticed. And as you go up in quality, from an unknown to a can't miss player, they will be accurate more times than not. There will always be injuries, players not making grades, transfers etc. And there will always be that kid that gets discovered playing 6-man football who comes to town and is All Conference as a walk on. It happens. But those are exceptions.





The services now have composite rankings of rosters, which make it quite easy to compare teams, and as I have played with it, noted that its rather accurate. Take the first few bowls and consider the chart below.




Each bowl game is two lines, winner on top, loser on bottom. I've included a few rankings for reference - although some of those may be post-game. The focus should be on the number of 5-4-3* players, average per player, and total points as well. Comparing those is quite interesting. Take the New Mexico Bowl. I had folks on social media continually tell me how tough CUSA was this year, especially NMSU, who I've heard upset Auburn. But I have watched football for more than a year, and understand there is a definite tiered system of talent. One "exception" does not change the rules. NMSU did have a few highly talented players, but Fresno is loaded and has much more QUALITY depth. The Total Points is a key indicator, but the difference in rated players 3* or better 64 > 27 is HUGE. That means at almost every position, including special teams, Fresno likely had a player that was a little bigger, faster, smarter, or just plain better than NMSU. And the score reflected that.



And Now, We Dance!


As the talent gap narrows, as in the first two bowls listed above, then individual performances, game conditions, preparation, coaching, player transfers or opt outs come into the equation. Georgia Southern had a slight talent advantage, but Ohio won easily. There was an even bigger gap between JSU and Louisiana, yet JSU managed to win in OT. And then take a look at UCLA and Boise - a Power team against one of the better "G" teams. Look at the ranked players - 23 4* to Boise with 1. Boise does have a ton of 3*, but not enough to overcome the talent gap. And of course the score reflects this.


So what does this mean looking forward? Here are a few upcoming games. These are mostly "G5" contests, and other games that caught my eye. It is NOT a comprehensive list.



 

Again, I just want to point out a few and see if they turn out as expected. I will start with SMU, who has done quite well building their team through recruiting, portal, and NIL. We do not yet have a true Power roster - which explains the losses to OU and TCU this year, which both had more or better rated talent, but we are competitive with the ACC. For our game with Boston College, look at the numbers. SMU should have a very slight edge in talent. The one hiccup is the very best player, QB Preston Stone, is out with a broken leg. But there still should be enough talent to win this game. At the very least, we should be competitive. It is a home game for BC, and that far North, weather could play a factor.





Another interesting game to consider is UTSA and Marshall. The latter has a history of giant killing, although it comes and goes. Looking at the numbers, I am inclined to believe UTSA will win big. They have a multi year starter in SR QB Frank Harris - assuming he plays. And if HC Traylor does not get hired away, I think this game goes to UTSA. Talent and depth should overwhelm Marshall, and playing in Frisco - while not a home game, should favor the team from San Antonio.




And now we come to the most perplexing bowl placement of the season. FSU was booted out of the top 4 even though they were unbeaten because of SOS. Liberty was kept in the NYD bowls because they were unbeaten, screw SOS. The consistently inconsistent NCAA strikes again. In some ways, it feels like just another SMU screw job - we've had our share. But the more I think about it there may have been a diabolical reason for their inclusion. It helps the committee justify the absolutely horrible exclusion of FSU. AND, when Liberty gets beaten senseless, it will give college experts another chance to say - "See, G teams do not belong!" I've always believed Hawaii was set up this way in 2007. They were unbeaten, but played a ridiculously easy schedule, not as bad as Liberty - but close. They had no business playing Georgia, and there was little chance the game would be competitive. Hawaii had a GOOD team, but not anywhere close to the talent level of Georgia. Something similar happened last year with TCU. They managed to make it to the championship - I suspect Sonny D made a pact with the father of lies. And in one of the saddest games ever broadcast, TCU was quite thoroughly humiliated in front of the whole world. Georgia was just far more talented than the Lizards that day.




The Flames had a great season. I read that every day on social media. I will never disagree. But when your SOS is 133, you need to, at least mentally, place a little asterisk next to that season. If Liberty played in District 11-6A in Texas, one of the toughest high school districts in the country, including the state champions for both division 1 and 2 this year, they would be undefeated. And that's great. But who did they play? And then all sorts of ridiculous arguments are thrown out, we beat this team, who beat this team. CUSA is at the bottom of the food chain. Its like beating high school teams, just ever so slightly better. Whether you beat SHSU by 4 or 40, its still a team wearing FBS diapers. Its like 1989 when SMU restarted our program - everyone beat the crap out of us. It was shocking when we won! Yet we managed two wins that year - UCONN and North Texas.




There was a time I used to believe that if SMU just had the right coach, he could take whatever roster we had and win the national championship. That only works in Hollywood. The reality is it takes GOOD players, a lot of them. It takes senior leadership, playmakers, depth, solid coaching and good game plans, and then, the players have to execute. More times than not, the team with the better athletes, those more highly recruited and prized, will win. Good players make coaches look much better. Is Nick Saban an awesome coach, or is it because he is 3-4 deep in 4 and 5 star athletes at every position? I guess its sort of a chicken or egg type question. Alabama is going to get top players no matter who wears the whistle. And for reference, this year's Alabama has 74 4 or 5* players on their roster. Their starting teams could almost be ALL 5* players. That amount of talent can make any coach look legendary. And someone who really knows what they are doing will get the most out of them. But if it were easy, everyone would be Alabama or Georgia.



Now consider Liberty's Fiesta opponent - Oregon. By every objective measure, Liberty has no business in this game. They are like Hawaii in the 2008 Sugar Bowl. If they manage to make it a competitive game, I will be happy for them. If they win, I will be thrilled. But the odds are not in their favor.



Assuming most starters play and don't opt out, Oregon will trot out a team with 5 5* and 48 4* players. Meaning that the 2-deep will likely be filled with 4* or better players at every position. Oh, and they have 32 3* players as well. What will Liberty counter with for the game? 2 4* and 19 3* players will get their Flame on at the Fiesta Bowl. Will that be enough? Maybe they will get lucky, a turnover or two? Maybe a key Duck will miss the game? Maybe the Duck's charter flight is late? Anything can happen, right? All they need is a really rousing pep talk, that fires up the players and leads them to certain victory.






Is it impossible? No. In sports, there is always a chance - that is why you play the game. But I suspect Oregon will be playing their 3* players at the start of the 3rd quarter, and will have likely covered the 65 over by then. Maybe the Flames can prove me and the college football world wrong.





Friday, December 15, 2023

Rhett Lashlee - College Football's Coach Of The Year

Its rare that among the nominees for college football coach of the year, that the winner is so obvious. Only NCAA politics could keep SMUs Head Coach Rhett Lashlee from the award he clearly earned. But let's take a look at the evidence and see if I can convince you of this truth.




There are several Coach of the Year awards, here is a quick summary of those.


AFCA COY - Picks their national winner from 5 regional winners. Coach Lashlee was not among those 5. Some folks just don't follow college football.


AP COY - I cannot find a list of finalists. But like the clowns above, they took pity on Sonny Dykes of TCU and gave him the award last year. Remember Sonny, he was the coach who set the record for the most humiliating defeat in a national championship game, losing 65-7? Then he followed that up with a brilliant 5-7 campaign in 2023. Wait a tic, I think Georgia just scored again!


Sonny's Last Days At SMU

Eddie Robinson COY - Voted on by the Football Writers Association of America, this one has released its finalists and it does include Coach Lashlee. The finalists are David Braun of Northwestern; Jamey Chadwell of Liberty; Kalen DeBoer of Washington; Eliah Drinkwitz of Missouri; Jedd Fisch of Arizona; Rhett Lashlee of SMU; Chuck Martin of Miami (Ohio); Mike Norvell of Florida State; Barry Odom of UNLV; Nick Saban of Alabama; Steve Sarkisian of Texas; and Jon Sumrall of Troy.


I will be using the above list of finalists for some of my comparisons, as it seems to be one of the better collections of coaches. This same group also selected Sonny Dykes last year as COY, but they can atone for this horrible mistake by supporting a truly gifted coach, SMUs Rhett Lashlee.


SMU Heisman Winner Doak Walker 



George Munger COY - Another one that includes Coach Lashlee as a finalist. Many of the same coaches above are finalists here. Willie Fritz of Tulane won last year. I give kudos to this organization because when news of Joe "Pa" Paterno came out that he protected a rapist on his team, and enabled a pedophile to roam the campus for decades, they rightly rescinded their three awards to him. It is also why the Joe Paterno award no longer exists. Pedophile enablers, even if they win football games, should NEVER be celebrated.


Home Depot COY - Already made their decision. They selected Kalen Deboer of Washington. So make sure you shop at Lowes or Ace from now on. They also picked TCUs Sonny Dykes last year, so not real sharp when it comes to understanding the game.


Paul "Bear" Bryant COY - Yet another that picked Sonny D last year - I do not understand how this man fooled so many otherwise intelligent folks. They did include Coach Lashlee in their finalists, so they can also atone for their mistake.


Bobby Dodd COY - Focused on teams that meet Academic Progress Rates that exceed 965, and coach must be in their 2nd year or longer to be eligible. Lashlee qualifies on both counts (2nd year; APR 977 T53rd). Willie Fritz of Tulane won it last year - making you think that Lashlee would be in a good position to win this year. The Mid-season watch list did NOT include Lashlee, and I have not seen a finalist list as of yet.


SMU WINS!



There are a few others, but you get the idea.


Let's first look at some of the other finalists. Remember, in most cases, this award is based on performance to date, not what might happen in the bowl games.





POWER CONFERENCE COACHES



I am not opposed to a Power Conference coach winning the award. But what I want to see is a coach who overcame significant hurdles, losing season in 2022, injuries to key players, tragic events like a death in the program family - major obstacles to achieve greatness. Why? If you are in a Power conference you already have NUMEROUS advantages over your peers. Texas, Washington, Alabama, Florida State, Missouri can literally choose who they want to sign. They are major state schools with HUGE budgets, filled stadiums, numerous boosters, best facilities, and play on major networks at the best times. Even Northwestern still benefits GREATLY in the Big10, even though the results may not be as good as their peers.


I also want to see a significant change from the prior year, and achievement WAY BEYOND expectations. Four mentioned above were picked either 1st or 2nd in their conference preseason polls. Improvement from 11 wins to 13 as a Texas or Alabama is not impressive. In the case of Texas, they routinely out recruit all their peers, and load up on talent. Winning in double digits is EXPECTED. Same goes for Alabama, FSU, and Washington. You could make a case for Northwestern or MAYBE Missouri, a big turnaround, but not even a conference championship game? Again, with all their resources, I would expect so much more, even playing in the Big 10 or SEC.





G5 COACHES



I truly despise that term, and HATE that college football is segregated. Thankfully, SMU returns to Big Boy football next year, playing in the ACC. As much as I hate the label, it is a reality of college football today. G5 teams are playing at a SIGNIFICANT disadvantage compared to the POWER teams. Talk to any recruit with any talent, they are far more likely to sign with a Power team than any G5. The reasons - the prestige factor, more likely to play on the biggest stage and against the best opponents. They are far more likely to get a chance to play for a national championship. Facilities are generally better, in fact most everything is bigger and better at a Power school. Even if you leave home, your family is far more likely to see you play at a Power school - carried on major networks, rather than a G5 team on streaming services - if at all.





With that said, consider the coaches who had an impact this year. Did any of these earn coach of the year - even with the limitations of G5 status? I'm working backwards from last to first.


Jon Sumrall, Troy - SOS 95


- '22 12-2 (7-1) SBC; '23 11-2 (8-1) Bowl: Birmingham Duke (7-5) FPI 32


- UNRANKED: CFP, AP, Coaches 


- FPI 45; Sagarin 45; Massey 39*


Troy was picked 1st in West and led all teams with 92 points and 10 1st place votes. Very little change from last year, met expectations and yet unranked. A solid bowl win over a Power team would be a great cherry on top. Solid play earned Sumrall a new coaching gig. But coach of the year?


Chuck Martin, Miami (Ohio) - SOS 114

 

- '22 6-7 (4-4) MAC; '23 11-2 (8-1) Bowl: Cure App St (8-5) FPI 68


- UNRANKED: CFP, AP, Coaches 


- FPI 71; Sagarin 75; Massey 61*


Miami (OH) was picked 3rd with just 2 1st place votes. Nice jump from 6-7 to 11-2 and winning the MAC championship. Team was unranked, a terrible SOS and landed in the high 60s, low 70s for most rating services. A bowl win would be a nice reward for a good season. But what did the coach do to deserve COY?


Barry Odom, UNLV - SOS 68


- '22 5-7 (3-5) MWC; '23 9-4 (6-3) Bowl: Guaranteed Rate Kansas (8-4) FPI 29


- UNRANKED: CFP. AP, Coaches, 


- FPI 74; Sagarin 74; Massey 77*


UNLV was picked 9th with 1 1st place vote. This coach should be worthy of some serious consideration. Took a 5-7 team to 9-4 and won the MWC when nobody thought they stood a chance. SOS is average at 68, not ranked, and ratings in the 70s holds them back IMHO.


Jamey Chadwell, Liberty - SOS 133


- 22 8-5 Ind; '23 CUSA13-0 Bowl Fiesta Oregon (11-2) FPI 4


- CUSA champs - New conference with two teams transitioning to FBS.


- Tot Off #3; Tot Def #47


- Score Off #5; Score Def #40


- Tackles for Loss #54; Team Sacks #80


- Def Tds #25 33-Way TIE;


- CFP #23; AP #18; Coaches #18 


- FPI 49; Sagarin 47; Massey 35* 


Liberty was new to CUSA this year, so somewhat of an unknown. They were selected 2nd of 9 teams, with 4 of 22 1st place votes. I've added some statistical information for additional scrutiny. The biggest downside simply cannot be overlooked - SOS 133. The absolute worst of FBS. Any FBS school would look good statistically and would stack up wins playing Liberty's schedule this year. Just based on roster rankings, half of SMUs schedule would go undefeated playing that schedule. And the offense SHOULD put up huge numbers, and be very stingy on defense, yet they didn't rank so well on D. They managed to get ranked in all the polls, but the ranking services looked at them far more objectively with a 35 - 49 range - which is probably a bit high, but fair. The college football fairies gave them the Golden Ticket to face Oregon in the playoff. This appears like a repeat of the 2008 Sugar Bowl, where an undefeated Hawaii, who played a dreadfully weak schedule, got humiliated by Georgia on national TV - much to the delight of the TV execs and folks who make money off this segregated football crap. If they keep the game within two TDs, I will be pleasantly surprised.



Rhett Lashlee, SMU - SOS 76


- '22 7-6 (5-3) AAC; '23 11-2 (9-0) Bowl: Fenway Boston College (6-6) FPI 86


- AAC Champs - 1st SOLO Conference Title since 1982 (84 shared)


- AAC CCG win over '22 champ Tulane, SMU w/o starting QB


- Tot Off #14; Tot Def #12


- Score Off #6; Score Def #12


- Tackles for Loss #13; Team Sacks #2



- CFP #24; AP #17; Coaches #19


- FPI 20; Sagarin 21; Massey 26*


In the new AAC, SMU was disrespected in a number of ways. Players were overlooked for all conference teams, and most importantly the media voted SMU 3rd of 14 teams in 2023, with only 3 of 34 1st place votes. This is AFTER the departure of Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF to the Big 12. To the credit of this staff, they went to work recruiting and in the portal to add depth and quality, especially on defense, and it showed. This was the best defense by any measure going back to the 80s. And they accomplished something else that has not been done since that decade - a conference championship and undefeated in conference play. In every category that matters, offense and defense, SMU was a top 15 team. And they played a schedule that included two ranked teams, and last year's national runner-up, TCU. I mock TCU and Sonny Dykes, but that team is still LOADED with talent and played a very tough schedule. That team would have easily been undefeated playing LUs schedule.


The point being that SMU maintained the high rankings on both sides of the ball, even against some pretty good teams. Last year, SMU stumbled into their bowl game with a number of key starters either out, or playing injured. This year, the depth was such that SMU was able to prevail even when key starters were hurt. The best example was the dominant performance against Tulane in New Orleans. QB Preston Stone went down in the last regular season game with a broken leg. Kevin Jennings RF stepped in and was able to play well enough for the win. They say defense wins championships, it certainly applied to that game. 


And one final note, Action Network announced their All American Team and SMU had one player on the 1st Team - DL Elijah Roberts. The American conference, in a moment of pettiness, did not think he did enough to earn a spot on the All Conference first team. They even chose Tulane coach Willie Fritz as coach of the year!




Fenway is a nice reward, but SMU deserved better. And Coach Rhett Lashlee, for all that he has done for the team, and the SMU community, has earned the Coach of the Year award.


*Massey Ratings. I did not use the Massey Composite because some of the ratings are downright ridiculous. For instance, Liberty is rated as high as 3 and as low as 89. If you believe either is remotely true, you are delusional. SMU is equally mishandled, with ratings as high as 11 and as low as 78. Clearly, a case of too many cooks in the kitchen who know little about college football. For grins, LUs composite is 20, SMUs 22



Links to all the ranking service pages under the Lashlee profile.


Mustangs Stampede To Victory!




SMU At Tulane - AAC Championship Game 2023







SMU In Locker Room







Computer Generated Interpretations of G5 Mascots - Blame AI, Not Me.

Miami (OH) Redhawk



Troy (Modern) Trojan




Liberty Flames? Did Not Compute. 




Vegas Rebel



And finally....

The College Football Playoff Committee Hard At Work


You Know They Take The CFP Super Serious



Its all in good fun. I miss college football without all the politics and BS. Just give me a 16-game postseason tournament where every team has a legitimate shot to earn a bid as conference champions, no loopholes for "special" teams like Notre Dame, no spots given because of ratings or enrollment, simply let the 16 best teams line up and play to see who wins it all. That is my dream. I hate that any computer geeks, sportswriters, or secret committees have ANYTHING to do with postseason.


Let Them Settle It on The Field!


Then the SOS really doesn't matter. FSU, SMU, and Liberty all get their chance to prove they belong and play for a national Championship. That would be swell!

Wednesday, December 06, 2023

SMU - First Outright Conference Championship in 41 Years!

If you have read any of my blogs you know that I am, and will always be a committed SMU fan. I've written about my Mother's love for SMU, the many family ties to the Methodist church and the school, and my experiences on the Hilltop. It just seems like part of my family.




My positive memories of SMU go back long before I attended. My Mother introduced me to SMU during a United Methodist Youth Foundation trip to see the Mustangs play in the Cotton Bowl during the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. Both my sisters were in the church youth group, and my parents were chaperones. I of course as a wee one, had to come along. All that I knew about college football at that time came from my Father, who graduated from the University of Texas. He was there at the same time as Tom Landry, and UT was his team. Naturally, it was mine, until I saw the red & blue of SMU. I believe that first game was against Houston. And I'm pretty sure they lost, but I was hooked. My Mother told me stories of SMU greats like Doak Walker. He was there when she attended. Her excitement led me to learn more. I drove librarians crazy in elementary school finding books on the SWC, and SMU. I found a biography on Doak Walker - which I read and turned in a pretty nifty book report. I also found books on the Southwest Conference, and the many greats from SMU. This culminated in a priceless piece of literature on the topic of what would you do with $1,000,000. That was a lot of money back then. I wowed the class with my plans to purchase SMU and make it THE VERY BEST University on the Planet. I dream big.


Doak Walker Statue At SMU

By the time I was old enough to really understand college football, SMU was transitioning into the Mustang Mania phase. A time of great hype, followed by incredible success. It was just before and during this time I got to experience SMU in person. Both sisters enrolled at SMU, and I went along to help move them in. I was blown away by the scenery the first time. By the time we moved in the 2nd sister, when I was a wee bit more mature, I was REALLY blown away by the SCENERY. I found my future college.




I still had a few years to go, so I followed from my home in Longview. We would usually take one or two trips a year to see a game, often with a church group. When I was old enough to drive, and proven to be reliable behind the wheel, I would travel there myself. I started working at 15, and purchased my own vehicle. And my parents surprisingly trusted me. I did not drink or do drugs, and only went to school and work, so there was little time for trouble.





In 1982, a truly remarkable year, SMU managed to fight its way through their Southwest Conference schedule unblemished. There were a few moments where they cut it close, like winning at Texas Tech in the final seconds on a kickoff return. It came down to one final game against a ranked Arkansas team at Texas Stadium - the home of the Dallas Cowboys, and on Saturdays - the SMU Mustangs. I was among the 60k+ fans, not quite a sellout, but very close. Arkansas always brought lots of fans, but this was packed with Pony fans - alumni, students, and even folks from Dallas who were now Mustangs. The game went back and forth. Two great offenses against two very solid defenses. The second ranked Mustangs (10-0) playing the 8th ranked Razorbacks (8-1). A nationally televised game watched by millions. 




The game did not end as I desired. SMU had a chance to win on a last second field goal, but it went wide. But with the TIE, which was allowed back then, SMU was the undisputed Southwest Conference Champions, and would face Pittsburgh in the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day. SMU would beat the Dan Marino led Panthers, but in one of many NCAA screw jobs, SMU, the ONLY unbeaten team in the nation, would be voted #2 behind the rapist protector and pedophile enabler Joe Paterno, who won their bowl game, yet had one loss. It was purely a sympathy vote for the whiner in Happy Valley, and some good old fashioned East Coast Bias.


That wasn't the only screw job that would occur that year. Eric Dickerson, who shared time at RB with Craig James, was clearly the best player on the best team in the NCAA by any objective measure. Dickerson was a Senior, Herschel Walker (Georgia) was a Junior - that right there should have led to a Dickerson win. Dickerson (232/1617/7.0/17) was inexplicably 3rd in voting behind Walker (335/1752/5.2/16) and Stanford's QB John Elway (262/405/3242/24/12) Stanford was 5-6 and didn't go bowling. Georgia was (11-1) and 4th in the final poll. Note Dickerson had 100 less carries, 1 more TD, and almost 2 yards more per carry, AND was only 140 yards behind Walker. An obvious case of voter bias. Most college football fans recognized who was best. And Dickerson's time in the NFL proved it.


But that all that came later. For much of December 1982 into January of 1983. SMU nation celebrated. They were SWC champions, and the ONLY undefeated team in the land! It was fantastic being a Mustang, and I eagerly looked forward to actually being a student on the Hilltop.


Some success would follow in 1983 and 1984 - including a shared SWC title with Houston in '84. But 1982 was the high water mark. Then 1987 hit. The program was shut down, followed by the demise of the SWC, and over 30 years of wandering in the wasteland of college football. It was a long road back to relevancy.


As the years went by, I wondered if SMU students would ever experience college football like I did while I was a student. The athletic success was such a major part of my time on the Hilltop. During the dark days of the 90s, I could see students were losing interest, indifferent to sports, and often embarrassed by the results. I would proudly wear my shirts or cap, and take my share of ridicule no matter where in America I traveled. But there were times when older fans who remembered the 80s indicated that they were Mustang fans back then. When I would encourage them to reconsider, my suggestion was usually rejected. People like winners. And for 30 years, SMU could not by any measure claim to be a winning football program.





That is why the win down in New Orleans was so special. No matter what accomplishments SMU had, the naysayers always pushed the goalpost further - one being a conference championship - which quite frankly, SMU had only sniffed at winning. But now, SMU was over that hump. Eleven wins, with a bowl game to come, shows that SMU is going to be a player on the national scene. We have the staff, the players, facilities, financial support, new conference ACC, and now excited students and fans, to keep us relevant in our new home.




Go Mustangs!!!