In case you weren’t aware, the E in ESPN stands for “Entertainment.” In other words, it’s their job to entertain you and everyone else across the country. In today’s society, one of the better ways to do that is by stirring the pot to create a little drama. Or even some controversy.
Every day the Clemson fan base gives Paul Finebaum free publicity. Every day it generates tons of revenue for him. He has learned that saying something negative about Clemson sends a portion of the fan base straight to their keyboards to voice their outrage. Quit feeding the monster.
Who cares if someone says Clemson doesn’t belong in the CFP if it started today? There are five unbeaten P5 teams at the moment and in that discussion right now, someone has to be left out. However, once we get through the regular season there can’t be more than four and no unbeaten conference champ gets left out in favor of a one loss non conf champ. Not even one from the SEC.
Some people are buying into a false narrative that is only created to drive ratings. Last year it was whether Georgia belonged in over Notre Dame. They didn’t, nor did they get in. The year before, it was whether a one loss Ohio State, who had gotten punked at home, deserved to be in over a one loss Bama. Despite winning the B1G they didn’t belong in, nor did they get in.
That won’t be a popular take with some because Alabama didn’t win their conference but the goal is to get the four best, and it is plausible to have two of the four best teams in one conference. Not to mention Bama went out and proved they belonged by winning the whole thing.
Regardless, last time I checked, ESPN doesn’t pick the four teams. That’s done by a committee made up mostly of former coaches and administrators who lived and breathed this sport. They know what they’re watching and wont be influenced by any narratives.
Right now Clemson is the only team in the country with five wins over P5 teams. They’ve won those five games by an average margin of 23.8 points, and three came by more than 31.
That offense people in the media are complaining about? It ranks 14th nationally in scoring (39.2 PPG), and 12th in total offense (497 YPG). Oh, and the defense? It’s ranked 3rd nationally in total defense (254.8 YPG) and 6th in scoring defense (12.3 PPG).
By comparison, Alabama ranks 37th in total defense (336 YPG) and 14th in scoring defense (17 PPG). They’re 2nd in scoring offense (51 PPG) and 6th in total offense (536.8 YPG).
So stop tuning into the talking heads every day. Turn on an old Seinfeld rerun instead. I promise you that you will get better bang for your buck as far as entertainment value goes. If you are going to watch it however, at least know what it is you’re watching and listening to.
