Stop it now.

I thought that the “death panel” shit was the stupidest thing to come out of anyone’s mouth in the last month or so. Then, last week, I heard somebody say that Boise State’s win over Oregon puts them in the driver’s seat for a BCS berth. To which I can only say…

WHAT IS YOUR FUCKING DAMAGE?

What does the rest of Boise State’s schedule look like? Let’s see:

Home to: Miami of Ohio, UC-Davis (!!!), San Jose State, Idaho, Nevada and New Mexico State.

Away at: Fresno State, Bowling Green, Tulsa, Hawaii, Louisiana Tech, and Utah State.

There’s not another ranked team on the schedule. There’s not another BCS conference team on the schedule. If you want to punch Boise State’s ticket for New Year’s based on the assumption that beating their best opponent of the year means they’ll run the table, and therefore deserve a seat on the starship, then you’re entitled to your opinion.

BUT.

If you argue that case, then you must now concede the point: strength of schedule has no meaning. Which we knew anyway, when the BCS system itself reverted to a system based on the votes of corrupt coaches and random dilettantes. But Boise State is on ESPN or ESPN2 SIX TIMES this year. They have somehow managed to milk a miracle win by two gimmick plays and the seat of their pants (over the most overrated and bed-shit-tastic team of the 2000s in the Chokelahoma Sooners) into the idea that they are somehow America’s Scrappy Uncrowned People’s Champion and if only given the opportunity to play with the big boys would somehow put the smack down on entire conferences.

Horseshit.

Boise State might get by in the Big Least. Every other BCS conference in the country would send them limping home in shambles by the middle of October. Just imagining them sliding through, say, Cal-USC-Oregon State or Florida-Georgia-Tennessee or even Maryland-GaTech-BC…well, forget it, Johnny, it’s not gonna happen. The usual suspects will whine “but nobody will play the Boise States of the world! Nobody will give them a chance! They’re all scared!” I’m here to tell you the truth: there is no profit in playing Boise State. People in Alabama don’t want to see the Tide play Boise State, they want to see them play Texas and Georgia Tech and Miami and Penn State and Nebraska. If you beat Boise State, big whoop, everyone expects you to beat a team from the WAC and never mind the ranking. If you lose to them, you’ve just shot your undefeated season in the ass, and for what? Do you think Oklahoma’s going to get a pass because they lost to BYU? Do you think people will say “Well, they did lose to a ranked team from a conference with three ranked teams in the top 25 to start the year?” No – what they will say is that Texas and Colt McCoy are now safely in front of the “Big” 12 and Heisman races and that OK/Bradford are no longer in the mix.

Because ultimately that’s what it boils down to. It doesn’t matter who you play, it doesn’t matter how you play, all that you need is plenty of press coverage and the big shiny “and 0” at the end of your record. Boise State is now in line to have that. If you’re going to set them up in Tempe or Miami or New Orleans as a result, then you WILL admit the point: who you beat for the “and 0” is of no consequence so long as you have it.