Walden.

**keepngoal** · 12-04-2006, 09:11 AM

from the espn.com site and this article:

(Harris Poll voter Jim Walden was apparently so smitten by Meyer's pitch that he became the only voter on the planet to put Florida No. 1, ahead of Ohio State. Walden also voted Oklahoma fourth, Boise State fifth, Wake Forest seventh and LSU 11th. Makes me wonder whether we were watching the same sport all fall.)

He is an idiot..... man oh man. I wish we would leave the state completely.

And to think some fans thought DMac as a bad or not a good coach ... the humanity!

-keep.

**amyk33** · 12-04-2006, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by keepngoal

He is an idiot..... man oh man. I wish we would leave the state completely.

-keep.

I assume you meant you wish he would leave the state completely...well, he has. He is the radio voice for WSU. He still does a radio spot with Cotlar in the mornings (Tuesday, I think) and while I don't always agree with him, I find him to be an interesting and funny character.

**keepngoal** · 12-04-2006, 09:20 AM

He needs to leave completely... as in the airwaves too!!! I am aware that he doesn't physically live in Iowa.... Just Leave already!!

**amyk33** · 12-04-2006, 09:21 AM

Is there something else adding to your animosity? Perhaps I'm unaware of something...

**JJ4ISU** · 12-04-2006, 09:38 AM

I guess if Florida beats Ohio State Walden will be the smartest voter on the planet.

**cyclonekj** · 12-04-2006, 09:43 AM

Well, Walden did pull an occasional upset...

(usually just my stomach, though)

**galles15** · 12-04-2006, 09:47 AM

I bet Walden has the Hawks smoking Texas in the Alamo Bowl too, if he thinks Florida can hang or is better than Ohio State.

**HILLCYD** · 12-04-2006, 10:05 AM

Walden has never been accused of being the sharpest tool in the shed. At the end of the day, there is no way that Florida is #1.

I am happy he voted the way he did. It should be obvious to anyone that the BCS just doesn't work and we need to have some kind of playoff system. Voters are dumb, so let's let things be settled on the field.

That being said, I don't see a playoff system in the near future, there will have to be a couple more years of controversy before it happens. With the parity that is starting to show itself in college football, I think we can expect that controversy to happen, thereofere, patience grasshopper, a playoff could be here in a couple years.

**CYdTracked** · 12-04-2006, 10:15 AM

Anyone that voted Florida #1 should have their ballot taken from them and never allowed to vote in the polls again. Just like the idiot that voted West Virginia higher earlier this year when they were undefeated in hopes that it would help their BCS standing.

**DaddyMac** · 12-04-2006, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by keepngoal

(Harris Poll voter Jim Walden .... Makes me wonder whether we were watching the same sport all fall.)

As a student from '89 - '94 during the Walden regime..... I often wondered the same thing..

**JCloned** · 12-04-2006, 10:46 AM

Actually while I am not a Walden fan, I suspect he was intentionally manipulating the system to get the match ups he wanted. Don't want Michigan to be #2, then maximize the points you give their rival for that game by voting them #1. With the tight margin a couple of points make the difference. Want to make sure Boise gets in BCS game move them up to improve their odds.

In other words it isn't about what he thinks the rankings are it is about how to use your vote to influence the outcome.

Is it right, well not according to how polls are supposed to work, however, you do have to give him props for working the system to get what he wants and for further illustrating absurdity of BCS.

**Cypwr** · 12-04-2006, 11:02 AM

[quote=JCloned;54702] Want to make sure Boise gets in BCS game move them up to improve their odds.

In other words it isn't about what he thinks the rankings are it is about how to use your vote to influence the outcome.quote]

Boise St. was in no matter what Walden did, all they had to do was finish in the top 12 of the BCS or top 16 if they were ahead of an automatic qualifer, which they were (Oklahoma and Wake Forest) I doubt they would have fallen out of the top 16.

The following is part of the BCS rules link.
http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/eligibility

The champion of Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Sun Belt Conference, or the Western Athletic Conference will earn an automatic berth in a BCS bowl game if either:

A. Such team is ranked in the top 12 of the final BCS Standings, or,
B. Such team is ranked in the top 16 of the final BCS Standings and its ranking in the final BCS Standings is higher than that of a champion of a conference that has an annual automatic berth in one of the BCS bowls.

**Stormin** · 12-04-2006, 12:07 PM

I found myself questioning the sanity of Ed Podolak. How could a man have 3 of the Top 4 teams from the Big Ten amazed me. Talk about bias. Michigan and Wisconsin have played relatively weak schedules. And we now know that tOSU football team beat a fourth place Big XII team that is headed to the Alamo Bowl.

That being said, Florida has beaten How many Top 25 teams in the last few weeks? And also played How many Top 25 teams versus Michigan's schedule? I remember a few years ago there was a Carson Palmer led squad with two losses who got votes for #1 and also a Colorado squad with two losses that felt they should have been in the BCS Championship game. I don't agree with Walden having Florida #1 but at the same time I don't agree with the ballots of Big Ten Worshippers like Podolak who show no objectivity in their balloting. Both are equally wrong IMO.

I really didn't think the tOSU-Michigan game was as close as the final score indicated. tOSU had an 11 point lead until the very end. tOSU also had several turnovers otherwise it might have been a blowout. Michigan has a nice win over an overrated Notre Dame team and an overrated Wisconsin team. If you would insist on Michigan being in BCS Championship put BSU in there. At least they went undefeated in playing a bunch of nothings. I think it is time a rule was in place that you "MUST WIN YOUR CONFERENCE" to be eligible for BCS Championship. Otherwise you reward conferences like the Big Ten for not having a conference championship game.

**CyBobby** · 12-04-2006, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by amyk33

I assume you meant you wish he would leave the state completely...well, he has. He is the radio voice for WSU. He still does a radio spot with Cotlar in the mornings (Tuesday, I think) and while I don't always agree with him, I find him to be an interesting and funny character.

Good POST Walden left the state a long time ago. Instead of worrying about Jim Walden the fans need to worry about their big 3 sports of Football Basketball and Wrestling.

Thats where MY focus is, Walden is yesterday's news!

**cyclonekj** · 12-04-2006, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by Stormin

I found myself questioning the sanity of Ed Podolak. How could a man have 3 of the Top 4 teams from the Big Ten amazed me. Talk about bias. Michigan and Wisconsin have played relatively weak schedules. And we now know that tOSU football team beat a fourth place Big XII team that is headed to the Alamo Bowl.

That being said, Florida has beaten How many Top 25 teams in the last few weeks? And also played How many Top 25 teams versus Michigan's schedule? I remember a few years ago there was a Carson Palmer led squad with two losses who got votes for #1 and also a Colorado squad with two losses that felt they should have been in the BCS Championship game. I don't agree with Walden having Florida #1 but at the same time I don't agree with the ballots of Big Ten Worshippers like Podolak who show no objectivity in their balloting. Both are equally wrong IMO.

I really didn't think the tOSU-Michigan game was as close as the final score indicated. tOSU had an 11 point lead until the very end. tOSU also had several turnovers otherwise it might have been a blowout. Michigan has a nice win over an overrated Notre Dame team and an overrated Wisconsin team. If you would insist on Michigan being in BCS Championship put BSU in there. At least they went undefeated in playing a bunch of nothings. I think it is time a rule was in place that you "MUST WIN YOUR CONFERENCE" to be eligible for BCS Championship. Otherwise you reward conferences like the Big Ten for not having a conference championship game.

Good points; good post!