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I knew a guy who thought he could date Mariah Carey. Not just meet (he knew a friend of a friend of a friend of hers), not just hook up, but actually make the Diva his girlfriend. He was a good guy with a good rap and was relatively handsome, but while he came close to looking the part as Mariah Carey's boyfriend, it was obvious that he wasn't quite at the level necessary to date someone like her. While I never want to destroy anyone's dream (I still in my heart of hearts believe I'll be an NBA lottery pick and/or win the Heisman), the one thing I can't stand is delusion.
The barroom argument I had with my friend about his prospects with Carey is the same shake-some-sense-into-you dogfight I sense I'll always have with fans of good teams like Marshall, BYU and Fresno State in the mid-major conferences. What these fans don't get, and will never get, when they argue that their teams should be considered for a BCS bowl or national title consideration is that while these teams are absolutely good enough to beat an elite team in a one-shot deal, it doesn't compare to playing in a week-in-and-week-out conference of good to great teams like the teams in major conferences have to play.
The mid-majors will never get the respect of the others no matter who they beat in the non-conference slate for one reason: The conference schedule. For example, look at some of Colorado's conference schedule last year: At Kansas State, Texas A&M, at Texas, at Iowa State, Nebraska. How about a few of South Carolina's SEC opponents in 2001? At Georgia, at Mississippi State (the feather in BYU's cap), Alabama, at Arkansas, at Tennessee, Florida. The best teams on Fresno State's 2001 WAC schedule? Louisiana Tech, Boise State, at Hawaii and Rice. You've done some solid work here Joel, but it's not quite Ivy League now, is it?
Fans of mid-major elite programs want to think their teams are among the best in the nation, but the simple fact of the matter is that they don't play grinding schedules full of top 25 land mines. WAC, MAC and Mountain West schedules just don't provide the teams with the depth of talent on every team like the majors do (look at how Kentucky almost beat Tennessee and how Oklahoma State beat Oklahoma) and THAT'S why your favorite team doesn't get the respect you're seeking even though you may beat a Colorado or Mississippi State.
So the question is this: What does a BYU, Fresno State or Marshall have to do to be considered an elite team and get that national respect on a year-in-and-year-out basis if they don't play in the Big Ten, SEC, Big East, ACC, Pac 10 or Big XII? The unfortunate answer: While many have the look and a good game, not everyone can date Mariah Carey. (Fox Sports) Many thanks to Mariah News.
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