Blame the Polling System for Theater of the Absurd

I quit believing in the college football coaches’ poll the Sunday morning I walked into the sports information director’s office at Tennessee and found him filling out Coach Johnny Majors’ ballot.

I was reminded of that this season, when Penn State Coach Joe Paterno, embarrassed to learn he voted Florida State No. 1 in one weekly poll instead of Big Ten cousin Michigan, confessed his ballot was cast by an aide.

If the coaches’ poll had any credibility remaining, it vanished hours after Friday night’s Orange Bowl game.

I’m not talking about the fact that more coaches voted Nebraska No. 1 than Michigan. No one, not even Las Vegas oddsmakers, know which is better.

I’m talking about the fact that one or two coaches, in an apparent attempt to manipulate point totals in favor of Nebraska, didn’t even vote Michigan No. 2.

That underscores the absurdity of allowing pollsters--coaches or sportswriters--to determine college football’s national championship.

It leads to ugly scenes like the one during Friday night’s game. The Cornhuskers already had the game won in the third quarter, leading by more than three touchdowns, when quarterback Scott Frost lost a fumble.

CBS’s cameras caught Nebraska fans, including Frost’s parents, reacting with disgust, as if the Cornhuskers had lost the game.

Their concern, presumably, was that the Cornhuskers had lost poll votes by missing an opportunity to pile up more points against Tennessee.

As it turned out, they scored plenty in a 42-17 victory. But Nebraska played virtually the entire game as if desperate for more. Tom Osborne didn’t allow most of his reserves more than a token appearance.

It should have been his finest hour. It wasn’t.

I don’t blame Osborne. I blame the system.

We’re told that it will be better next season, when No. 1 is guaranteed to meet No. 2 in the Fiesta Bowl. But what if there is no clear No. 1 or No 2? What if three teams are unbeaten? What if none are? What if Paterno skews everything by voting for the wrong team again?

No wonder the Penn State coach states the obvious, that playoffs are long overdue.

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If you’re a USC fan, you’ve got to hope Paul Hackett wasn’t responsible for calling that fake field goal for Kansas City on Sunday against Denver. . . .

All the Chiefs needed to win were a couple of field goals, but they made sure kicker Pete Stoyanovich wouldn’t have a foot in determining their fate. . . .

Did they forget he kicked a 54-yard field goal to beat the Broncos the last time the two teams met? . . .

You also have to wonder about the Chiefs’ play-calling and clock management on their final drive. . . .

Now Hackett can get on with his real job. . . .

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame’s Justin Fargas, one running back coveted by the Trojans, will follow up his earlier visit to UCLA with ones this month to Michigan, Northwestern and USC. . . .

If officiating is as bad in the Super Bowl as it has been in the playoffs, anything could happen. . . .

Even an AFC team winning. . . .

Has anyone seen J.R. Henderson lately? . . .

Even with only five points and five assists, freshman point guard Baron Davis was important to UCLA on Saturday night. . . .

Arizona’s Jason Terry let us know how much with his spontaneous on-court celebration after Davis drew his fifth foul. . . .

Fox commentator George Raveling said Davis will learn a lot in four years at UCLA. . . .

I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen. . . .

But unless Davis learns within the next couple of months to play his aggressive style of defense without fouling, I don’t see him leaving for the NBA after his freshman year. . . .

Arriving in town at the same time as “The Boxer,” a movie about a boxer from Northern Ireland, is a boxer from Northern Ireland. . . .

Former WBA bantamweight champion Wayne McCullough meets Lupe Rangel in a super bantamweight fight Saturday night at Sherman Oaks’ Sportsmen’s Lodge. . . .

McCullough is a Protestant from Belfast, but he’s so popular that he hasn’t been as touched by “The Trouble” as some. . . .

He carried the flag for Ireland in the 1988 Olympics opening ceremony, then won the bantamweight silver medal four years later in Barcelona.

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While wondering if Drew Bledsoe still believes he doesn’t miss Bill Parcells, I was thinking: I still like Denver vs. Green Bay in the Super Bowl, the Broncos would win if college coaches voted because of the sentimental vote for John Elway, bring back instant replay.