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Does Not Making the Playoffs Dilute a Conference Championship?

+5 HS
Chicago Connection's picture
December 4, 2016 at 3:27am
18 Comments

Man, I’m gonna scream if I hear one more “expert” making the half-witted comment that conference championships will be diluted if Penn State doesn’t go to the playoffs.

Note #1 to half-wits: The nation has perceived national championships to be a bigger deal than conference championships ages ago, which means they were "diluted" ages ago (if you don't believe me, ask Alabama if its willing to trade its 2012 National Championship Trophy in exchange for LSU's SEC Championship Pennant?).

Note #2 to half-wits: You’re contradicting yourselves!

If you claim that a conference championship means so much to you, then act like it! Celebrate it as if it has inherent value, as opposed to contradicting yourself by griping that if you don’t get into the playoffs, your title isn’t worth as much.

Think about it.

You’re basically saying that a conference title has little or no value except for its relationship to the playoffs, which effectively means that you’re the one who’s treating it as a mere means to an end as opposed to being an ultimate prize. 

In other words, ironically, you're the one diluting the value of a conference championship!

But, hmm... why exactly is that?

Oh, yeah—it’s because the national playoffs obviously ARE the ultimate prize!

Well, at least that’s according to most people, who, by the way, LIKEWISE value Conference championships, yet rationally see the playoffs as a bigger prize on a bigger stage, not to mention being logical and honest enough to admit it.

Bottom line: Quit whining if you don’t make it into the playoffs—take satisfaction in the conference title that you supposedly believe is a more important distinction.

In summary, here’s the deal and related criteria:

1) A Conference Championship has inherent value for what it is—a conference-level reward that is achieved based on conference-based criteria. It is not defined by nationwide considerations.

2) The College Football Playoffs have inherent value for what they are—a national level reward based on national criteria, which are not defined by local, regional or conference criteria (although the latter are taken into consideration as a part of the whole picture, most especially as a TIEBREAKER as opposed to being a primary consideration).  

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