Don’t Watch the CFB Championship Game

Submitted by Phaedrus on January 11th, 2021 at 7:42 PM

There’s a psychological concept known as “delayed gratification” and I want to briefly argue that, even though you may love college football and love watching it at its best and most competitive, that you will receive more gratification by boycotting the CFB playoffs than by watching.

The original experiment went like this: kids were placed in a room with a marshmallow. They could eat the marshmallow at any time and ring a bell, and they were done. Alternatively, they could wait an unspecified amount of time for the researcher to return and they would receive two marshmallows. Watching the CFB playoffs in its current form is analogous to eating a single marshmallow.

This Stupid System Persists Because we Keep Watching

Like its fans, the NCAA also does not get the concept of delayed gratification. It allows for a system that lacks parity, competitiveness, and fun to appease their top performing programs. OSU, ‘Bama, and Clemson have a lot of fans, but their dominance over the rest of the NCAA has led to apathy among other fan bases. We know a thing or two about ennui.

If the NCAA were to make reforms that allow for greater parity and competitiveness, more people would watch college football and it would make more money. There is a clear precedent for this in the forms of the NFL and the NCAA Basketball tournament. However, the guys in charge of NCAA football are clearly football guys, not economists. They see that marshmallow (big chunk of money) in front of them and they can’t help but to gobble it up. They don’t realize that they could easily wait fifteen minutes and receive two marshmallows.

Part of the problem is that we fans keep giving the NCAA a marshmallow. If fanbases outside the two championship teams refused to watch the championship game, then it would be a ratings dud and they would be forced to take a hard look at their business model. The stupid system persists because we allow it.

“But I’m just One Person”

This is the common argument given against boycotts and voting. You are just one person, just one data point out of millions, but it takes many people making the same decision to enact change. That’s what happened to Clinton’s “blue wall” in 2016 and Trump’s “solid south” in 2020 (please accept this analogy as politically neutral and do not debate its merits below). As well as boycotting the CFB playoffs, encourage everyone you know to do the same thing. If they’re not a OSU or ‘Bama fan, it probably sounds reasonable. Do weird things like write extended message board posts on your favorite CFB message board encouraging others to boycott.

What if a Miracle Occurs and Michigan Makes the Playoffs?

Watch that, obviously.

MGoBoard
Football

ERdocLSA2004

January 11th, 2021 at 8:14 PM ^

I read that whole thing and thought you were talking about politicians and their corruption.

But you’re talking football, and I like it, and when we solve some of the other garbage that occurs in this country, then I’ll focus on college football.  Way bigger issues to solve than college football brother.

Joined: 01/08/2011

MGoPoints: 16161

los barcos

January 11th, 2021 at 8:31 PM ^

Alright bama. Feel dirty rooting for Saban but as they say - buy the ticket, take the ride.
 

Which gamecast is everyone watching? I’m on standard ESPN because I’m old school like that but already sick of Herbie.

Joined: 03/27/2009

MGoPoints: 10865

The Deer Hunter

January 11th, 2021 at 8:36 PM ^

FU. I'll watch what I want, when I want. 

With that the Buckeyes worst nightmare came true....Smith and Waddle on the field at the same time. Also looks like a collar bone issue for Sermon, someone better pray for him, stat. 

Joined: 05/21/2020

MGoPoints: 3503

Eng1980

January 11th, 2021 at 8:42 PM ^

I am watching the game between running some large files and adjusting my humidifier components.  

I will NOT watch one second of either team celebrating after the game.

Joined: 04/28/2016

MGoPoints: 12094

Cranky Dave

January 11th, 2021 at 8:58 PM ^

If you’re waiting for the Michigan marshmallow youll starve to death

Im watching the film room broadcast. Very interesting and makes me a better educated fan. 

Joined: 09/08/2012

MGoPoints: 26286

PeteM

January 11th, 2021 at 9:00 PM ^

What are the potential parity and competitiveness reforms?  Most reforms I know of (NIL/compensation) wouldn't necessarily increase parity.

Joined: 09/15/2008

MGoPoints: 3496

Phaedrus

January 11th, 2021 at 10:47 PM ^

I think NIL is an important piece of the puzzle.

I also think they could futz with scholarships some. We could have a system that gives struggling teams more scholarships and subtract scholarships from teams that make the playoff. We could also do something where, depending on your state’s population, a certain % of scholarships are reserved for in state students (schools like Nebraska would be allowed to go primarily out of state, schools like USC would have to recruit like 80% in state, and schools like us would have to recruit like 25% in state)

But, going back to the crux of this thread, reforming the CFB playoff is where we need to start. It needs to be expanded so talented players don’t feel as if only a handful of teams can get in. It also needs to be determined by a strict rubric so there are no more “eye tests.” People complain every once and a while when teams like Washington make it into the NFL playoffs with a 7-9 record, but by having a standard rubric the NFL is fair and the best team is most often crowned the champion (let’s face it, there’s randomness to sports, unless you do 7 game series like the NBA, Cinderella teams will crop up—and even in the NBA there are flukes like when the Cavs won).

Cincinnati should have had a guaranteed playoff spot. Conference champions should have guaranteed playoff spots. There should be no debates as to whether the conference champion looks the part or has one or two losses. When there are four playoff spots and we rely on a shoddy “eye test” and rankings, we create a system where recruits know that there are only a handful of teams that can win. We need a 16 team playoff and math should determine who gets in, not a committee. 

Joined: 09/02/2019

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The Homie J

January 11th, 2021 at 9:20 PM ^

Alabama looking dominant on offense, but making enough mistakes on D to keep Ohio State alive.  

For the love of all that is good, please just beat the pants off the asshats from Columbus

Joined: 01/11/2018

MGoPoints: 17409