The Haggerty Remark

NFL Brands Ranked & Rated

2012-08-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

NFL Brands Ranked & Rated

If you've read my previous posts then you know I'm inclined to delve into topics that aren't worth the time & attention of mainstream media. For that matter, they probably aren't worth my time either, but whenever I dip my toe into an odd sports or political debate I just can't help myself. That said, I do have over 25 good years of experience as a student of sports (I'm making the assumption that anything prior to the age of five doesn't count for much) coupled with roughly 12 years of being immersed in the world of marketing. So, you can trust that my "two cents" are sure to appreciate over time due to my level of objectivity and curiosity in matters that tend to not receive much thought.

Which brings me to today's topic... ranking and rating the 32 brands (logos/nicknames) of the NFL.

I used four criteria to rate the leagues brands using the traditional A+ through F grading scale:

Is it appropriate? As in, does the nickname fit the host city.
Is it timeless? What are the chances that the logo will be out-dated within the next 30-40 years.
Colors. I leaned toward originality here and added some extra love in those cases where the colors were especially appropriate (Ex. Patriots and Dolphins).
Fear Factor. Does the brand intimidate regardless of win total?

The scores for each category were assigned a numeric value which was then used to calculate an average overall score for each team. In cases where there was a tie, yours truly was the tie-breaker. Enjoy, and as always, enter your comments, complaints and rebuttals below.

1. New Orleans Saints

Overall: A
Appropriate: A+ New Orleans having strong French and Catholic roots, it's hard to top this one.
Timeless: A+ Two questions I like to ask myself when determining if something should be characterized as timeless or not are "Would I believe you if you told me it was designed in the 1920s? And could this still be relevant in the 2030s?" When it comes the the Saints, the answer to both is a confident "yes".
Colors: A+ Any time you can find a way to effectively use black, you're going to pick up points with me. When you couple it with a muted gold tone, you have a highly appealing palette to work with... well done NOLA.
Fear Factor: A While picturing a literal Saint in your mind may not send a chill down your spine, lining up against to aforementioned traits will.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

Overall: A
Appropriate: A+   Pittsburgh is also known as The Steel City. Could you be more fitting?
Timeless: A+ It's not only the team's logo, it's the symbol for the city's steel itself. In other words, no need to change a thing.
Colors: A I like the Steelers' colors for the same reasons I like Saints'. Heck, they even have their own song.
Fear Factor: A Given the Steelers' history of seemingly impossible success, it was difficult to remain objective here, but all things considered, imagine yourself waiting to return a kickoff with 11 of these guys staring back at you.

3. Houston Texans

Overall: A
Appropriate: A+ This teams practically named itself. No one in the Lone Star State should have any problem taking ownership of this squads efforts on the field.
Timeless: A+ The Texans are set for life with this logo. State flag? Check. Nod to the cattle industry? Check.
Colors: A+ In most cases, the ole red, white & blue seems like a mindless act of patriotism. Considering that Texas' flag just so happens to incorporate the same trio, this isn't one of them.
Fear Factor: B+ That bull is so amped he has a star in his eye... let's head the other direction.

4. Denver Broncos

Overall: A
Appropriate: A The geographic position of Denver conjures scenes from old spaghetti westerns. And what would make for the perfect intro to a spaghetti western? That's right, a herd of broncos stampeding over a nearby hill.
Timeless: A Though it touts a flash of modernism, the Broncos logo has some serious staying power. Get used to seeing this one for a while folks.
Colors: A Despite John Elway's efforts to make the old scheme look good, that blue had to go. The current navy/orange medley is much easier on the eyes.
Fear Factor: A Maybe it's the altitude, or the way the bronco bust fits perfectly on the helmet, but I swear these guys look about 20 lbs stronger than most of the league.

5. San Francisco 49ers
Overall: A-
Appropriate: A+ Paying homage to the gold rush of 1849 to which the city of San Francisco owes it existence. ~~Near~~ perfection!
Timeless: A+ If it ain't broke don't fix it. Unless they change the name of the city, I think we're good here.
Colors: A+ Gold in the color scheme of a team that gets its name from a bunch of guys who used to dig it up... genius!!!
Fear Factor: B- Though classic and historically apt, the good-guy Niners are missing that gut-wrenching edge mastered by their neighbors across the bay.

6. Oakland Raiders

Overall: A-
Appropriate: B+ I'm sure there was some piracy going on the San Fransisco Bay area back in the day (and it continues in a different form today... what's up Napster?!?), but given the amount of thought that the aforementioned 49ers put into their nickname, I had to dock some points.
Timeless: B+ Above average marks for the Raiders here, although with Al Davis' recent passing, it wouldn't surprise me if we see a new approach.
Colors: A+ Arguably the best color combo in all of sports and yet oddly underused. I say pirate, you say black. It's as simple as that.
Fear Factor: A+ C'mon! The black hole?!?! They've really worked all of the above to their advantage. They even have a creepy theme song

7. Chicago Bears
Overall: A-
Appropriate: C- If only there were grizzly bears roaming the streets of Chicago the Monsters of the Midway would have the top brand package in the league.
Timeless: A+ Simple, classic and assertive. This "C" is in rare company.
Colors: A+ The Bears' colors are familiar while at the same time subtly unique. Their blue seems almost black as it manages to mute the burnt orange just enough.
Fear Factor: A+ Dark, regal and representing the Second City these guys give the impression that it's getting ready to be a long Sunday.

8. Baltimore Ravens

Overall: B+
Appropriate: A For those of you who opted out of, well, any English class, Baltimore is famous for being the longtime home and final resting place of Edgar Allan Poe. Poe's most famous work being The Raven... the name fits.
Timeless: C There's a lot the Ravens could do with their nickname, graphically speaking, but alas, they haven't figured it out just yet. Their image has been in a state of constant evolution since the team moved from Cleveland.
Colors: A+ Has the state of Maryland added purple to their state flag yet?... They should.
Fear Factor: A With a Poe reference you immediately have a built in eerie ambiance. I'm all for nominating these guys as the official team of Halloween.

9. Dallas Cowboys

Overall: B+
Appropriate: A+ If they weren't called the Cowboys they would still be called the Cowboys.
Timeless: A+ A star will always be a star. No need to shake things up, yet it could still pass as an antique.
Colors: B- Something about the way their helmets never seem to quite match their pants just rubs me the wrong way. Still, I get what you're trying to accomplish Jerry.
Fear Factor: B There's something about the Cowboys that says, "We're the good guys", to me. Overlooking that minor detail though, they do look pretty tough in the huddle.

10. Green Bay Packers

Overall: B+
Appropriate: A+ It's only fitting that the team owned by common citizens be named after the company of the man who chipped in to get the ball rolling in the first place. The Indian Packing Company.
Timeless: A+ What would a packer look like anyway?
Colors: B+ Being located in Green Bay makes the first color a no-brainer and the yellow rounds things out nicely.
Fear Factor: C+ There's a twinge of Leprechaun to the Packers' look. It's a good thing they've developed a rep for letting their talent do the talking.

11. Kansas City Chiefs

Overall: B+
Appropriate: B+ It's easy to associate Native Americans with the Great Plains. It's that same easy that keeps the Chiefs from top tier.
Timeless: A As was the case with SF, unless Kansas City changes it's name to Missouri City, we needn't see any changes here.
Colors: A The red and gold seem to match the city. They also seem to cry Fall which is when we play this silly game after all.
Fear Factor: B Kids play Cowboys & Indians for a reason, neither party is too scary to imagine chasing you.

12. New England Patriots

Overall: B+
Appropriate: A+ New England = Boston = Paul Revere = Patriot.
Timeless: B- Patriotically speaking the Pats could do better in the timeless department. The subject of the logo looks just plain sad. And when was the last time he ate something?
Colors: A+ I'm pretty sure red, white & blue is a given here.
Fear Factor: C+ The teams in the middle of the pack in this category all suffer from Good-guy-itis. C'mon America, we can't be intimidated by ourselves!

13. New York Giants

Overall: B+
Appropriate: B+ Yes, New York is a giant city. That said, it takes more than that to impress this panel of one.
Timeless: A+ Dropping the "Giants" logo was a good move. The "NY" feels fresh and new but it's actually identical to the logo the team used in the 1960s.
Colors: A Having the gray present to accompany the red, white & blue distracts my attention from the fact that yet another team is copying Uncle Sam.
Fear Factor: C I'm hoping that I haven't based this on Eli's dopey demeanor. After all, we're keeping this objective.

14. Minnesota Vikings

Overall: B+
Appropriate: A The Northern Midwest received a large number of immigrants from Finland, Norway, and Sweden during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. So much so that we could have name the area New Scandinavia. Any time your fan base can look at you logo and think "grandpa", you've got a good thing going.
Timeless: A I'm pretty sure this is the international symbol for Viking. Anyone?
Colors: B- Note here what happens when you take purple away from black (e.g. Ravens) and pair it with yellow. It's just not the same.
Fear Factor: B- There's just something cuddly about that much purple.

15. Philadelphia Eagles

Overall: B+
Appropriate: A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, our nation's original capital and the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independance *insert eagle scream*
Timeless: B The Eagles' logo is fairly well done, however it doesn't fit the classic requirements as well as other logos.
Color: B+ THANK YOU Philadelphia for get out of the red, white & blue box. Although, I might have let it slide here.
Fear Factor: B Overall, the Eagles sport a nice, dark, ominous look. My hesitation is that they don't come off nearly as menacing as their fans.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars

Overall: B
Appropriate: C Florida is better known for it's Panthers. They must have gotten their letter mixed up with Carolina during the 1995 expansion. When the team ultimately moves to Los Angeles you can bump this up to an A+.
Timeless: B- Their look doesn't seem quite as sharp as it did when they entered the league which is a problem considering that was only 17 years ago.
Colors: A The Jags get my award for Best Use of Teal. It works well with the gold and you've got to love those black helmets.
Fear Factor: A Maybe it's just the black helmets, but they look a lot more intimidating in photos than they do on tape... if you're picking up what I'm putting down.

17. Seattle Seahawks

Overall: B
Appropriate: A+ For the longest time, growing up, I thought Seahawks only lived in Seattle. I now know, of course, that isn't the case... but a lot them do.
Timeless: B The Seahawks' logo gives a subtle shout out to the native population of the Pacific Northwest and has only undergone slight changes since it's birth in the 1970s.
Colors: C Four colors is a bit much for any team. It's even worse if that 4th color is "action green".
Fear Factor: B+ The all navy look looks much better on them than the old blue from the 70s, 80s and 90s. High marks for positive change.

18. Miami Dolphins

Overall: B
Appropriate: A+ Five things should come to mind when you think about Miami: Cubans, cigars, South Beach, Manatees... and Dolphins.
Timeless: B+ The concussion-weary dolphin logo has received a couple of face-lifts over the years, but he has essentially stayed the same. Expect that to continue.
Colors: A In any other U.S. city, save for possibly Honolulu, this color scheme would be unforgivable. In Miami, it's just down right suitable.
Fear Factor: F The last time I checked, Flipper scared away any danger.

19. St. Louis Rams

Overall: B-
Appropriate: D The Rams kept their LA nickname when they made the move east to St. Louis. That's becoming a pet peeve of mine.
Timeless: B The organization could afford to hang on to this one for a while. It may start to look more cartoon-ish as time marches on though.
Colors: A The Rams were one of the pioneers in pushing toward more classic color schemes when they darkened theirs in 2000... good move.
Fear Factor: B+ The signature Ram horns on their helmets are almost enough to confuse as the real thing. Let's just say there isn't much time for double takes on Sundays.

20. Detroit Lions

Overall: B-
Appropriate: C- Let's see... Detroit... Detroit... I know! Let's call them the Lions!... Fail.
Timeless: B+ The Lions' recent logo makeover didn't forsake the original form, and the imrovements should hold them over for at least a couple of decades.
Colors: B I'm liking the blue on black, but the competition is stiff in this criteria.
Fear Factor: B The new just-barely-darker blue gives the Lions a couple more teeth to bare. Pre-makeover this would probably have been a "C".

21. Arizona Cardinals

Overall: B-
Appropriate: C+ I guess you could argue that there are Cardinals native to Arizona, but it's not the state bird (i.e.Cactus Wren) and the only reason they are the Cardinals is because they kept their name after moving from St. Louis.
Timeless: B+ Not much else you can do with a Cardinal. It should be status quo for the foreseeable future.
Colors: B+ The Cardinal red looks great on players and in the stands.
Fear Factor: C I put much more weight on color scheme than mascot, but I couldn't let Zona slide here. You don't see folks ducking Cardinals very often.

22. Indianapolis Colts

Overall: B-
Appropriate: C I'm not sure why you would name a team from Baltimore the Colts (which by the way is a clumsy baby horse). And I have no idea why you would move to a city famous for Indy racing and keep the same name.
Timeless: A When it's hard to imagine how you would even start to design a better logo for a team, it probably means you shouldn't.
Colors: B Their blue is nice but seems a bit lonely. When your best look is your all-whites, your glass ceiling is low enough that you probably shouldn't stand up to quickly.
Fear Factor: C Even in the peak Peyton days the Colts looked like pushovers. Low marks here.

23. Atlanta Falcons

Overall: B-
Appropriate: B The hockey team was more aptly named (The Brown Thrasher is the state bird of Georgia). Since they've skipped town for cooler climes, perhaps Arthur Blank should shake things up.
Timeless: D We're starting to get into some extremely near-sited logos. I wasn't a fan of this one the day they rolled it out.
Colors: A You can't go wrong with red and black. As an added value for fans, Falcons gear goes well with UGA attire.
Fear Factor: B- It's difficult to take the logo seriously. This will be common theme as we round out the list.

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Overall: C+
Appropriate: A- The Tampa Bay area was surely a hot spot for pirate activity. This checks out.
Timeless: F Did the Bucs borrow their logo from a Disney movie? The sooner they scrap this one, the better.
Colors: B Pewter definitely jives with the swashbuckling theme and red is an effective compliment. I don't know how you can be the Buccaneers without more emphasis on black.
Fear Factor: B I have trouble looking past the cartoon-ish nature of the logo, but the colors and nickname suggest mutiny and pillaging so that counts for something.

25. Cleveland Browns

Overall: C+
Appropriate: B The Browns were named after their first head coach, Paul Brown which is okay, but now what do you with it?
Timeless: C- The helmet logo looks like a default option on a mid-90s video game. The team has recently unveiled an alternate Bulldog logo as a tip of the cap to the infamous Dog Pound. Make that your primary logo and you'll get an upgrade here.
Colors: B+ Brown was a given for these guys and the orange is a natural fit. Even more than the Chiefs, they remind me of Fall and thereby Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving and football needs no explanation.
Fear Factor: C Considering that the team had a fairy ("brownie") incorporated into their logo at one point, one needn't quake in their boots.

26. Carolina Panthers

Overall: C+
Appropriate: C As I mentioned in the Jacksonville breakdown, this nickname should have landed in Florida.
Timeless: D The original logo had more staying power than the version Carolina unveiled for the 2012-2013 season. Now it looks like something off of an Ed Hardy t-shirt.
Colors: B+ Black or white with "Panther blue" accents is definitely pro. Keep the mostly-blue jerseys in the locker room.
Fear Factor: B Like much of the league they're good but not great here. At least you can't mistake that cat as being friendly.

27. New York Jets

Overall: C+
Appropriate: C- Okay, so you have Jets at your aiports... who doesn't?
Timeless: C This logo is a clash between past and present. The "Jets" in the logo is shades of the horrible logos the team sported in the 90's. While the NY looks like a throwback to the 60's. A word of advice, look to your roommates for logo consistency
Colors: B- It seems like there's something missing, but I'm not sure what I would add. Frustration ensues.
Fear Factor: B The Jets look too clean-cut to be intimidating. Adding Tim Tebow to the roster doesn't help with that.

28. Washington Redskins

Overall: C+
Appropriate: A- The Mid-Atlantic region is well known for being where the first European explorers forged relationships with our Native American neighbors. The minus is because the term "Redskin" is politically insensitive.
Timeless: C This logo looks old in a tired "please retire me" kind of way.
Colors: C Maybe it's the logos fault, but these colors are hard to rally behind. Give Skins fans something else to wear.
Fear Factor: C- Old, played and tired are the words that come to mind when I think of the Redskins and that before I looks at the roster.

29. Cincinnati Bengals

Overall: C
Appropriate: C- With the exception of the occasional security breach at a private zoo, there are no Tigers of any kind in Ohio.
Timeless: F The wandering Bengals can't quite seem to settle on a lasting image. What if the Chicago Bears had a "B" on their helmets instead of their iconic "C"? No bueno.
Colors: B+ These are natural tiger colors. I wouldn't mind seeing the orange toned down a bit.
Fear Factor: B+ They tend to wear a lot of black which, as you know by now is a huge plus. Good on ya' mate.

30. Tennessee Titans

Overall: C
Appropriate: D Plainly said, this is an alliteration cop-out. Titans works for Sparta or Athens, but not the country music capital.
Timeless: C- As is the case with the Buccaneers, the Titans' brand would look better on a PS3 RPG. I like that they use part of the state flag. Start there on the redesign.
Colors: B+ Yet another out of place red, white & blue combo. I spared the rod on account of their blue being a few shades darker than cliche.
Fear Factor: C What? Are you going to cut me with that cartoon sword?

31. San Diego Chargers

Overall: C
Appropriate: D When was the last time San Diego saw a Thunderstorm? Legend has it that the original owner of the club liked the idea of the team charging onto the field.
Timeless: F The Chargers' logo was a depiction of their helmet for a while. What could be worse, right? How about just the lightning bolt, sans helmet. I can only shake my head.
Colors: B+ Meh... powder blues are just okay for me.
Fear Factor: B- The Chargers just seem to blend in to me. Not a cakewalk, but not too tough either.

32. Buffalo Bills

Overall: C-
Appropriate: D This makes zero since. The team is named after Buffalo Bill Cody who oddly enough had nothing in common with the city of Buffalo except a name. In a word, embarrassing.
Timeless: C- This logo is classic like an early model Apple computer: ugly, clunky and, if managed properly, the foundation of something great.
Colors: C Again with the red, white and blue!!! I give up.
Fear Factor: C+ A charging buffalo? Yes. These guys? Negative Ghost Rider.

***The use of NFL logos is purely for illustration purposes and is not meant to confuse anyone about the ownership of the individual brands. Any images in this post are strictly and solely the property of the National Football League and its affiliates.***

Thirteen and Counting...

2011-09-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

Rivalries define college football. Alabama/Auburn, Michigan/Ohio State, Oregon/Oregon State, Harvard/Yale, you name the team, there's probably at least two "rivals" on their schedule. As a Gamecock fan, there's the obvious Thanksgiving-weekend clash with in-state foe Clemson. For those of you who are less familiar with the nature of rivalries, the Clemson/Carolina game is what you would call a "natural rivalry" given the fact that both schools are located in the Palmetto State. Then there's the South Carolina/Georgia game which is circled on the Gamecocks' calendar every season, but is more of a conference and schedule creation than it is natural.

Now that I've drawn the distinction between natural and 'circumstantial' rivalries, let's apply this notion to conference realignment. More specifically, let's consider a few different scenarios for the SEC moving forward as a mega-conference. SEC elitists, like my wife, don't want to see any schools added to the juggernaut. This "no one else is good enough" stance is noble although unfeasible. Besides, you don't have to look beyond Vandy, Kentucky and Ole Miss to realize that not every school in the conference has a perennial Top 25 football program. I, on the other hand, am taking this expansion talk in stride. I'm aware of the power that comes with adding major TV markets, perennial powers and new traditions.

So, to cut to the chase, here are a few scenarios that play to the rumors and would pave the way for an entirely new matrix of rivalries. You can start drooling ESPN...

"Go West Young Man"

Picking the bones of the Big-12 carcass would be an easy fit and huge shot in the arm for the conference. In this scenario, the SEC has added Texas, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State to join recently added Texas A&M in the west division. Here's the visual:

SEC EAST
Alabama
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

Every season, fans will get Alabama/Florida, Alabama/Georgia, Alabama/South Carolina, Auburn/Florida... you get the point.

SEC WEST
Arkansas
LSU
Mississippi State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Ole Miss
Texas
Texas A&M

Arkansas gets to reignite old Southwest conference rivalries. LSU gets annual match-ups with the incoming Big-12 teams. College Gameday could pretty much fill its season with this side of the conference.

"Northern Exposure"

With reports that West Virginia is a done deal, this scenario gives them some company. The Mountaineers are joined by Virginia Tech, and, wait for it... the East Carolina Pirates. West Virginia taps into the Pittsburgh market and Virginia Tech delivers viewers from Washington D.C.. East Carolina is getting a big upgrade in notoriety with this move. With that increase comes big ratings in the Raleigh market.

SEC EAST
East Carolina
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
Virginia Tech
West Virginia

With West Virginia and Va. Tech going up against the meat and potatoes of the existing SEC East would create a handful of additional Top 25 match-ups each season. Appalachia rejoices.

SEC WEST
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
LSU
Mississippi State
Ole Miss
Texas A&M
Vanderbilt

Vandy's move to the West is certainly nothing to get excited about. LSU and 'Bama are breathing a sigh of relief having dodged the beef of the Big-12 bullet under this model.

"East-Coast Bias"

We're going to run with the apparent certainty of West Virginia's entry into the league again here. Vanderbilt heads to the ACC with UConn, Rutgers, Army, and Navy to round out their own mega-conference. Virginia Tech, Clemson and Florida State pack up their pigskins and head to greener pastures.

SEC EAST
Clemson
Florida
Florida State
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Virginia Tech
West Virginia

Clemson/Georgia, Virginia Tech/West Virginia, South Carolina/Florida State... and so on and so forth. Kentucky is the only team that has trouble breaking into the Top25.

SEC WEST
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
LSU
Mississippi State
Ole Miss
Tennessee
Texas A&M

As Tennessee returns to form, the SEC west will remain the most dominant corner in college football.

Best-Case

Texas A&M and West Virginia bring the conference to 14 teams. Vanderbilt flees the strengthening league for the softer ACC leaving three slots remaining. Into those three slots slide Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Florida State.

SEC EAST
Auburn
Florida
Florida State
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
West Virginia

Auburn jumps to the eastern division to keep the balance. Fear not Iron Bowl-ers. Alabama will become their annual opposite-division opponent.

SEC WEST
Alabama
Arkansas
LSU
Mississippi State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Ole Miss
Texas A&M

Alabama/Oklahoma, Oklahoma State/LSU... every season... need I say more?

College Football: A Proposed Evolution

2011-08-31T13:55:00.000-07:00

As a fan of college football, this has to be the slowest work-week of the year. Wafts of cigar smoke, beer, and barbecue short-ribs are just around the corner. It's week one baby! And much as is the case with the political landscape, I'm also detecting a hint of revolution.

The last 18 months have been loaded with countless rumors of programs jumping from conference to conference like frogs on lily pads. So, in the spirit of football philandery I couldn't resist putting together my own version of what would be "good" for college football.

This new mega-conference structure would mark the end of the NCAA. Competition would be permitted to flood the college landscape. It's no longer an institution's concern whether or not players are being courted by agents or selling free swag for a little walking around money. As long as scholarship athletes make the grades to stay eligible and show up to practice, all is well. So, without further ado, I give you the new age of college football...

SEC

Behold! The mother, father, brother, uncle and grandfather of american college football conferences. The souped-up SEC parted ways with perennial doormat Vanderbilt to make way for Clemson, East Carolina, Florida State, and Virginia Tech in the east. Tennessee changed divisions to join Texas A&M in the west.

Fresh power and promise are ushered into "The East". Clemson is a natural fit as they were an SEC program in ACC clothing to begin with. They bring with them a passionate fan base and zealous alumni program. To the same point, Florida State, much to the dismay of Gator fans, is a natural fit as well. East Carolina gives the conference access to the Raleigh market. The Pirates will benefit greatly from being the only football-first school in the Tarheel State. By extending an invitation to Virginia Tech, the SEC wins viewers in the Washington D.C./Northern Virginia television market.

"The West" sees fewer changes though also expanding to eight teams. With the addition of four east-coast teams to the eastern division, Tennessee makes more sense in the SEC West. Texas A&M proves recent rumors to be true and brings with them The 12th Man, and the Houston television market.

EAST
Clemson

East Carolina

Florida

Florida State

Georgia

Kentucky

South Carolina

Virginia Tech

WEST

Alabama

Arkansas

Auburn

LSU

Mississippi State

Ole Miss

Tennessee

Texas A&M

Big Ten (or errrr ummm 16?)

With the creation of the new mega conferences, it has become increasingly foolish to nearly impossible to remain an Independent. Notre Dame picked their poison, and that poison was the BigTen. Mizzou joins Nebraska in expanding the conference to the west. Like the ACC, the BigTen took advantage of the crumbling Big East by adding Pitt and West Virginia. The BigTen now sits securely as the number two conference in college football.

***Leaders and Legends... dumbest, most impractical idea of all time***
EAST
Indiana
Michigan
Michigan State
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Penn State
Pittsburgh
West Virginia

WEST
Illinois

Iowa

Minnesota

Missouri

Nebraska

Northwestern

Purdue

Wisconsin

Pacific-16

The "Pac-12" hadn't even gotten used to their new logo before they were thrust into the mad grab for 16 teams. Boise State will get their chance to prove they are national contenders while BYU seeks sanctuary from the thankless world that is NCAA Independence. Fresno State and Hawaii will take on the challenge of competing in the 3rd strongest conference rather than remain a member of the only FBS conference with fewer than 16 schools. Bring on the luaus!

NORTH

Boise State
Brigham Young
Colorado
Oregon

Oregon State
Utah
Washington

Washington State

SOUTH
Arizona

Arizona State

California
Fresno State

Hawaii

Stanford

UCLA

USC

Great Plains Athletic Conference (aka Big12 The Remix)

The go-to carcass in this game of musical conference has unarguably been the Big12. Despite the persistent thievery, they've managed to bounce back from life support with a descent membership. Eight new faces to the conference make the "G-Pack" almost unrecognizable when compared to what we knew as the Big12. TCU isn't a big fan of Texas' Longhorn Network, but the Horned Frogs had nowhere else to go once the Big East dissolved. Colorado State, New Mexico, and Wyoming come over from the now defunct Mountain West. Houston, SMU, Tulsa, and UTEP get an upgrade from Conference USA.

NORTH
Colorado State

Iowa State

Kansas

Kansas State

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State
Tulsa
Wyoming

SOUTH
Baylor

Houston

New Mexico

Southern Methodist

Texas

Texas Tech

TCU

UTEP

ACC
The new-look ACC has established itself as the "Ivy League PLUS" division. Clemson, Florida State, and Virginia Tech have bolted to the SEC paving the way for Army, Connecticut, Navy, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, and Vandy to bring the conference to 16 teams. Football has taken a significant blow, but the ACC will dominate come basketball season.

NORTH
Army

Boston College

Connecticut

Maryland
Navy

Rutgers

Syracuse

Temple

SOUTH
Duke

Georgia Tech

Miami (FL)

North Carolina

North Carolina State

Vanderbilt

Virginia

Wake Forest

Conference "New-SA" USA

"Cast-offs" from the former Big East, Sun Belt, and WAC have combined with the remaining members of Conference USA that didn't flee for the greener pastures of the GPAC and SEC. The new-look conference USA sports a top tear that consists of Cincinnati, Louisville, South Florida, Miami (OH), Southern Miss, Troy, UAB, and Central Florida. Though not nearly as potent as its big brother, the SEC, Conference USA has managed to scrap together a descent television product that will strengthen the conference over time.

NORTH

Cincinnati

Louisville

Louisiana Tech
Marshall
Miami (OH)

Memphis

Middle Tennessee
Ohio

SOUTH

North Texas

Rice

South Florida

Southern Miss

Troy

Tulane

UAB

UCF

WAC

As the only conference in the FCS shy of 16 teams, the restructured WAC more closely resembles The Land of Misfit Toys than it does an athletic conference. Nevada is the clear perennial power and Air Force is the only other consistent bowl team. This league's futility is only surpassed by that of the MAC.

Air Force
Idaho

Nevada

New Mexico State

San Jose State

UNLV

Utah State

San Diego State

Mid-American Conference (aka Football Purgatory)
Not much can be said for the unfortunate MAC. Miami (OH) and Ohio U. jumped ship for the slightly upgraded Conference USA. The Sun Belt dried up and tossed its' unwanted raisins into the conference, further weakening the poster-child of mid-major football. And not to be overlooked, Western Kentucky made the migration from Conference USA giving the "Mega-MAC" possession of arguably the worst team in college football. At least the FCS gets a playoff...

NORTH
Akron

Bowling Green

Buffalo

Central Michigan

Eastern Michigan

Northern Illinois

Toledo
Western Michigan

SOUTH
Arkansas State

Ball State
Florida Atlantic

Florida International

Kent State
Louisiana-Lafayette

Louisiana-Monroe

Western Kentucky

We can still fantasize...

2010-12-02T15:56:00.000-08:00

Each year, around this time, I start to daydream about a day when we are able to gorge ourselves on the coming FBS playoff menu. I have taken the liberty of drawing up a what the opening bracket would look like. There are several important things to consider:

1. This playoff, as with any meaningful system, will consist of 16 teams.
2. The conferences that currently receive automatic bids to the BCS will receive automatic bids in the field of 16.
3. This illustration is operating under the assumption that West Virginia wins the Big East; South Carolina wins the SEC; Oklahoma wins the Big12; and Va. Tech wins the ACC.
4. Based on those assumptions: Oklahoma would move up to #8; Virginia Tech to #14; and South Carolina to #15. Auburn would drop to #3; and Nebraska to #17 and out of the playoffs.
5. Although they would not have a top 16 ranking, West Virginia gets in with the Big East's automatic bid thereby knocking #16 Alabama out of the playoffs.

That said, the schedule for Saturday December 11th, 2010 would go a little something like this (cue the dry ice machine)...

#16 West Virginia at #1 Oregon
A laughable season for the Big East produces a layup for Oregon in the first round.

#9 Michigan State at #8 Oklahoma
Oklahoma earns an opening round contest in Norman with their win over Nebraska in the Big 12 championship game.

#12 Missouri at #5 Wisconsin
Missouri's loss to Nebraska earlier in the season that kept the Tigers out of the Big 12 championship game turns out to be a blessing in disguise. That is, if you consider a Mid-December trip to Camp Randall a blessing.

#13 Oklahoma State at #4 Stanford
In what could prove to be the most entertaining matchup of the first round, the Cowboys head to Palo Alto to face the Cardinal.

#14 Virginia Tech at #3 Auburn
Auburn's loss to South Carolina in Atlanta normally would have spelled the end of the Tiger's title run. Instead, their impressive season-long effort wins them a home game against the ACC champs.

#11 Boise State at #6 Ohio State
The Broncos' loss to Nevada doesn't cost them a shot at the championship game, but it does mean an uphill climb the rest of the way. It begins with a trip to the horseshoe to take on the fighting sweater vests.

#10 Louisiana State at #7 Arkansas
As it turns out, the loss to Arkansas in the last week of the regular season costs the Tigers home field advantage against the Razorbacks in a much anticipated rematch.

#15 South Carolina at #2 Texas Christian
In a season that finally unfolds in TCU's favor, the Horned Frogs are going to have to win three additional games to get a shot at a crystal football.

There! Now wouldn't that be more fun for everyone?