Tuesday April 14, 2020:
It seems that the sports media experts have uncovered a college football playoff expansion concept, that I have known for at least 10+ years. On a recent airing of a ESPN Television/Radio Networks, The Will Cain Show was in discussion with media members who are reporting, that college football at the FBS level of play are in early discussions about playoff expansion among the FBS athletic directors from all FBS conferences and independent programs. During the time of the airing of the Will Cain Show on ESPN, I tried to call the ESPN line and support, refute and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I possess published research that supports the expansion of the college football playoff to 16 FBS teams.
Within my research and examination of expanding the FBS college football playoff from the BCS Era, into the CFP Era and more specifically creating a field of 16, started in August of 2007. My published and copyright materials are protected by the Library of Congress with a Certificate of Registration, ISBN Numbers and publication location:
Book Titled: “College Football in the BCS Era, The Untold Truth: An Analyisis of Factors that Supports the 16-Team Playoff Model” (Siggelow, 2013) (TXu-1-844-880 and ISBN Number: 978-1-4675-7163-0) Published through Lulu.com.
Book Titled: “College Football In The BCS Era The Untold Truth Facts, Evidence and Solutions” (Siggelow, 2016) (TX 8-295-529 and ISBN Number 978-1-5323-22570) Published through Lulu.com.
My research starts the examination process by collecting data and information starting with the 1996 college football season which was the transition into the BCS Era. I currently collect college college football data and information through the current CFP Era. My research started in August 2007 and continues to the present day and future days of college football. I have examined college football information dating back to the 1996 season to current and future seasons. So by my account I possess 10 Years of College Football Seasonal and Playoff Research. In addition to the examination of 25 plus years of college football information. This makes me the default college football playoff expert over any sports media member.
Furthermore, I earned an MSEd in Athletic Administration, Sports Management, Kinesiology and Sports Studies from the State University of New Yort at The College of Brockport in 2011. I also possess and maintain a CITI/IRB Research Certification through The College at Brockport, via online certification from the University of Miami at Florida. The certification is renewable every 3 years and I stay current on my CITI/IRB Certification. This certification allows me to perform human and non-human research and publish my findings without bias.
In my book ” College Football In The BCS Era The Untold Truth Fact Evidence and Solutions” (Siggelow, 2013 & 2016) addresses the same questions and provides an alternative solution that all FBS athletic directors and media members have been asking, but have been to fearful to ask on college football playoff expansion, to avoid upsetting the CFP executive director. During the airing of The Will Cain Show on ESPN, Will Cain had a college football sports media expert on the air as a guest to discuss an online published article addressing this subject. Brett McMurphy, writer for the online sports media post, Stadium College Football Insider; authored and published an online article “The Case for a 16-Team College Football Playoff grows Stronger”, dated April 9, 2020.
Within the published posting by McMurphy, Brett McMurphy claims he performed a survey or a question answer response to all 130 FBS athletic directors asking questions about the possibility of college football playoff expansion from the current format from 4 FBS teams, to possibly 8 FBS teams and one step further to 16 FBS teams. My first comment is, does Brett McMurphy possess a certification to perform this type of academic research to address the ultimate question on college football playoff expansion. As a sports media member, sure he can ask those types of questions, but the validity in publishing the results lack true credibility, since I do not think Brett McMurphy does not possess a CITI/IRB Research Certification. Yes, Brett did a good job addressing those questions, but I have already proven and published academic findings that supports the need for change in college football’s FBS level of play in how they determine their national champion.
Within McMurphy’s online publishing at the Stadium, Brett McMurphy reports “that 88% of the FBS Athletic Directors are in favor of expanding the college football playoff format at the completion of the current CFP contract in 2025-2026″ (McMurphy, 2020). Yes, it is possible to expand the college football playoff at that point in time, but expansion to how many FBS teams is the key question. Further within the Brett McMurphy online article, he quotes and paraphrases a Power Five AD stating ” There needs to be more meaningful postseason opportunities … meaningful to the players and meaningful for the fans. Bowl games no longer fit that consistently.” (McMurphy, 2020). Throughout my published research, I proved that by expanding the college football playoff that the season would possess more meaning which would then translate to more exciting playoff games which offers all FBS programs equal, fair and just opportunity to compete for the CFB National Championship, to be called National Champions and receive the accolades deserved in earning a more legitimized National Championship Playoff format.
During the interview with Will Cain on ESPN on the The Will Cain Show, show host Will Cain asked Brett McMurphy how he sees the selection process for a field of 8 or 16 playoff teams in college football? I am para-phrasing Brett McMurphy’s response” Within the 8 team playoff model you would allow all Power Five Conference an opportunity to participate in the playoff, but the selection of the Group of Five program should be based upon a ranked process at the end of the season.” (McMurphy, 2020). The interesting dichotomy to using a ranking system to select the Power Five FBS program into the field of 8 is all subjective. Subjective rankings can be manipulated to prohibit a more than qualified Group of Five FBS program from competing in the 8-team playoff format. There needs to be quantitative and qualitative measurable variables that assist in the selection process. I guess Brett McMurphy and or Will Cain have not performed enough research on college football rankings and how the subjective rankings possess the ability to be manipulated by those coaches who vote week to week. Thus addressing the validity and credibility of both the rankings and the coach.
When Brett McMurphy explained his thoughts on a 16-team playoff field, Brett made the comment and I am para-phrashing ” then its possible with a field of 16, that the Group of Five might get 2 or 3 playoff teams and give them an opportunity to compete” (McMurphy, 2020). What my historical published research proves on that subject matter of playoff expansion is that on average; of the 16 FBS teams in the field; 12 of the 16 seeds or 75% of the field would be filled by Power Five FBS programs. Furthermore, the remaining 4 spots of the field of 16 or 25% of the field would be filled by Group of Five FBS programs. Rather than espouse something you have no sufficient evidence in, its best to perform your research, do your homework and apply a theory, hypothesis and address as many academic questions pertaining to your dependent variable with independent variable as well as categorical variables within the independent variables.
I believe there are two published individuals who state it best. The late Neil Peart wrote lyrics in a published music piece titled “Natural Science, from the Permanent Waves CD in (1980); “Wheels within wheels in a spiral array, a pattern so grand and complex, time after time we lose sight of the way our causes can see their effects” (Peart, 1980). Its possible that the sports media lacks the comprehension to expand the college football playoff to 16 without possess a Hedonistic/Democritus approach. In a published work by Stephen Finn (2009) titled ” In Defense of the Playoff System” published in the Journal of the Philosophy of Sport. (36) 1. 66-75; Stephen Finn states it best ” a season long championship season includes narrative possibilities that offer enriching experiences, but a playoff system provides us with, to put it simply, a better story” (Finn, 2009). Finn also states in his publishing “that the playoff system is to be preferred for its breviloquence, consummation and exultation” (Finn, 2009). The ultimate published statement by Finn within his conclusion states “A playoff system, by contrast, offers a culminating event that increases tension and drama; it produces more uncertainty and thereby heightens one’s interests in the outcome; it allows for distinction between types of games, where athletes are challenged in different ways” (Finn, 2009).
I tried calling into The Will Cain Show on ESPN on the said date, but was left on hold for 50 plus minutes and made the best decision to hang up. It would seem to me that those who possess knowledge, expertise and who can academically support the subject content being discussed on the airwaves, is not important to them. I may not be a regular caller or sports media member but should have at least been heard. I guess this is what gives ESPN and their media members a bias image because they wish not to be proven wrong or shown up by someone who possesses more knowledge on subject matter than them.
The concept of expanding the college football playoff is my domain of expertise, knowledge, skill set, educational acumen and research experience within the subject manner which addresses the categorical variables within the independent variable in relationship to the dependent variable. If we let the major sports media outlets, i.e. ESPN, FOX Sports, CBS Sports, College Football Playoff Executives (Bill Hancock and group), NBC Sports and those World Wide Web pages who are high profile sports authorities who report sports; then all we will get is a vested interest playoff format which is Hedonistic and Democritusly driven. The design of any future college football playoff should be designed by those who possess Sports Management, Athletic Administration, Kinesiology and Sports Studies degrees. Moreover, they are the ones who would look at all aspects of the playoff format which is more Utilitarianistic under the Stephen Mills concept and use peer reviewed data to assist in the selection and seeding process.
College football is attended by 37+ Million spectators and fans annually during the course of the season across the country from August to January. The sport of college football generates mid-level 9-digit millions of dollars in revenue during the year long process. It must by cognitively challenging for those who govern and provide media coverage for college football to expand the playoff format. I can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt, that with 99.9% confidence, that college football at the FBS level can support, implement an expanded playoff format which would, as Finn stated “make a better story.” (Finn, 2009).
Remember to always use APA/MLA citation when you decide to recite or use any of my material. Always give credit where credit is due. That is something the sports media believe they are immune to, but want all the credit.
Sources
Cain, Will (2020). The Will Cain Show. “College Football Playoff Expansion Interview interviewed by Will Cain.” On air interview with Brett McMurphy. April 14, 2020. Heard on the ESPN Radio and Television during the 3PM-6PM time slot. Entertainment and Sports Programming Network and Jointly owned by the Walt Disney Company.
Finn, Stephen (2009). “In Defense of the Playoff System.” Journal of the Philosophy of Sport. (36) 1. 66-75.
McMurphy, Brett (2020). “The Case for a 16-Team College Football Playoff Grows Stonger.” Published online at Stadium College Football Insider. Retrieved via the World Wide Web located at watchstadium.com on April 14, 2020. College Football Section. watchstadium.com
Peart, Neil (1980). “Natural Science”. Recorded by Rush. Permanent Waves. Available on Cassette, CD and Record. Recorded at Le Studio, Morin-Heights, Quebec, Canada. Available on Anthem, Atlantic, Epic/Sony and Mercury. Released 01/1980.