A Disrespected Conference

I love college sports. I have been a fan ever since I turned 3-years-old when my dad took me to my first Michigan State University football game against Purdue University. The atmosphere was great. We watched the bands march down to the stadium banging their drums and playing their fight songs. Then we would walk over to the stadium, go to our seats and wait for the teams to rush out onto the field.

The anticipation would always build up before the opening kickoff; I couldn’t wait for the game to start.

However, that was a Big Ten Conference game, not a Mid-American Conference (MAC) game. Over the years, I have seen every Big Ten team and MAC team play live. From this I have been able to infer that the MAC is a very disrespected conference. When a MAC team such as Western Michigan or Toledo goes to a Big Ten school for a game, people automatically think the Big Ten team will win. Countless times I have heard people say, “Michigan will win this game, were only playing a MAC school.”

Why? Why is it like this? Why do, cocky Big Ten football fans think they are always going to win? In reality, there are three differences between the MAC and Big Ten. No 1: The number of schools in the conference. No. 2: The MAC has two divisions with a championship game at the end of the season. No. 3: The Big Ten gets more publicity.

But why does this matter? It shouldn’t.

In the last decade, MAC teams have been to bowl games, made the top 25, won championships, beat BCS conference teams and had players drafted by NFL teams.

According to an article written in 2006 on MACsports.com, from 1999-2006 the MAC was 10-5 in bowl games giving them the best record among all Division 1 FBS conferences. Although since then they have gone 1-7, it is still appalling that the MAC can still be disrespected like that when at one point they were the best in bowl games.

Last year, the MAC created a buzz in the top 25. No teams were ranked in the preseason poll, but after Week 1, Bowling Green State University, although never ranked, received votes to make it in. By Week 8, Ball State University was ranked No. 24 in the country and undefeated at 7-0. Week 14, Ball State was ranked No. 12 in the land. However, still no respect. They went undefeated during the season and only made it to the GMAC bowl.

The MAC is not a BCS conference, meaning, it would be shocking if a MAC school played in a BCS bowl like the Rose Bowl. However, conferences such as the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 are. Over the past few years, more recently than before, MAC schools have been able to beat teams in these conferences. Last year, the University of Michigan suffered their first ever loss to a MAC school on opening weekend when they lost to the University of Toledo. Along with U-M, Indiana University also lost to a MAC school last season in a game against Ball State.

Lastly, how can a conference that consistently develops great players be so disrespected. Players such as Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger came from Miami University of Ohio. Other players include Jason Taylor (University of Akron), Chad Pennington (Marshall University), Charlie Batch (Eastern Michigan University), Antonio Gates (Kent State University) and Western Michigan University’s own Greg Jennings.

The MAC conference truly is an underdog conference. I love rooting for the underdog. It’s a great feeling when they win. However, the disrespect needs to end. The MAC has begun to make a name for itself. They have won games and made bowl games. The caliber of player in the conference has gone up. They had the Michigan Collegiate Athlete of the year last year in WMU quarterback Tim Hiller. It is time for the MAC to gain respect and make it big.

It Is Possible

Unlike most kids who go to my school I like to listen to sports talk raido when I'm driving instead of music. However, over the last few weeks it has become obvious that with all the drama going on with the Lions that most of the people who call in are complete morons. Seriously, I just cant stand some of these idiots who call in and say some of dumbest stuff ever.

Last week, I was driving down 13 mile road on my way home from school listening to my favorite station, 97.1 The Ticket. They were talking about the Lions. As I was listening to an intelligent conversation when a man called in talking about how the Lions didn't really need a quarterback; when I heard this my I.Q. dropped by at least 40 points. I swear to god I wanted to call in myself and say "Have you ever seen a Lions game you dumb son of a b****?"
Now, with the draft approaching next month the Detroit Lions need to be careful with every single decesion they make. The first thing they need to do is make an effort to try and trade for Jay Cutler. With all the drama taking place in Denver odds are that becasue Cutler wants out of there so badly that they will eventually have to get rid of him. It would be smart for the Lions to do this because if they were able to get him, they could trade the top pick and get an offensive lineman.
Second, if the Lions were not able to get Cutler, the obvious thing to do would be to draft Matt Stafford out of Georgia. He is a better passer than USC's Mark Sanchez. Even though Stafford is not the most accurate person in the world he has a rocket launcher for an arm. For weeks now ESPN analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay have debated about what the Lions will do with the number one pick. I do believe that the Lions should take Stafford because there really isn't anyone else to take. Yes, the Lions have a large amount of holes to fill on the offense and defense but the biggest open gap on the team is at quarterback. The quarterback is the team leader. They call plays and begin them, and without a strong leader at quarterback, it is impossible to win. I believe that with Stafford, or Cutler if possible, can be that leader who turns this team around.

Third, the Lions really need to improve thier offensive line. If they ever want to be a playoff contender they cannot give up sack after sack after sack. For the past several years they have led the league in this category.
The Lions are my team and I hate to see them lose. After going 0-16 last year, this year will be a rebuilding year, however a turn around is possible. Two years ago with the absence of a good quarterback the Miami Dolphins went 1-15, but one year later, Chad Pennington came in a led them to a 11-5 record and he was the runner up for NFL MVP. This year, the Detroit Lions are almost in the exact same situation. They have decent wide recievers, a defense that with support from the offense can keep the team in games, and they have a running back who with an improve offensive line can run past defenders. Don't forget that Miami drafted Chad Henne last year and then got Pennington from the New York Jets. Maybe the Lions can learn from another team and do the same thing. Trade for a veteran quarterback. There a few good ones still on the market. Hopefully the Lions can follow Miami's footsteps and have a turn around season. It is possible.