Don't Bet On It!: National Game of Disinterest
Together, we have traveled around the S.E.C. and gone through the national games of interest. Ere I get to my upcoming breakdown of historical and statistical minutiae concerning Georgia’s upcoming game against Georgia Tech, however, I have the responsibility of announcing the national game of disinterest.
This, quite simply, is the least intriguing game of the week, one which features teams about which I do not care in a clash with respect to which I do not feel moved either to declare a rooting interest or even to take the effort to learn the outcome after the fact.
This week’s national game of disinterest is . . .

As far as I know, this game may settle the conference championship of the Sun Belt and decide which team goes to the New Orleans Bowl. On the other hand, it could just as easily be a clash of winless teams to determine which will secure its elusive first victory. It also is possible that these are two equally-matched mediocre teams or two mismatched squads at opposite ends of the league standings.
None of that, though, is the point. The point, rather, is this:
I can’t tell these two teams apart, and neither can you.
One of them has Howard Schnellenberger, but you have no idea which. One of them won the conference title last year, but you’re not sure if it was F.A.U. or F.I.U.
Let’s be honest, now. Not only do you not know where either of these schools is located, you’re not even entirely convinced either of them has an actual honest-to-goodness campus. I mean . . . Florida Atlantic and Florida International? Those sound like internet-based correspondence-course colleges whose accreditation is judged suspect even by the folks at the University of Phoenix.

Back in the day when the Plainsmen had trouble getting their rivals to come play in the so-called Loveliest Village, Auburn coach Shug Jordan was fond of saying, "College football is meant to be played on campus and on grass." I agree with him about the latter---like most college football fans (and Willie Nelson), I prefer grass to artificial turf---and, while I believe strongly that the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party should be kept in Jacksonville, I will concede Coach Jordan’s point at least insofar as a college football team at least ought to have a campus.
If two Division I-A teams play on any given Saturday and I can’t state for certain that either of them has a home with libraries and classrooms and dormitories and student centers and suchlike, though, that game qualifies as the national game of disinterest.
Go ‘Dawgs!
Comments
Ever hear of research?
I’m guessing not because if you did so instead of just bashing two schools you know nothing about you wouldn’t have made yourself look like a fool. I’ll give you a quick history lesson, Florida Atlantic is located in Boca Raton, FL while Florida International is located in Miami, FL. I can’t speak of FIU being that i don’t go there but FAU is one of the fastest growing public research universities in the nation. We have a top ten accounting program and one of the best Marine Biology programs in the Country. FAU also hosted one of the Republican presidential debates this past year which was live to a national audience on MSNBC. FAU has also been recognized by the Princeton review making it’s annual list of “Best Business Schools in the country”. FAU’s chairman and professor of Criminal Justice/ Criminology Dr. Gordon Bazemore has been said to be in the top 3 researches in the world with his studies in restorative justice. This has all been accomplished by a school that opened it’s doors in 1964! So i’m sorry that our SEVEN year old football program is part of your big joke of a blog entry (which by the way has also made history has being the fastest D-1 program in NCAA history to get a bowl bid and win) all made possible by Howard Schnellenberger who started the program with literally nothing, maybe a few footballs. Don’t act like the mighty schools of the SEC are top just because they have big name football programs, people know that schools like Mississippi, Mississippi State, and others are nothing but state diploma mills. I’m proud that our University president is doing his best to grow our university under massive budget cuts instead of using university money to fly to Bush’s inauguration (Cough* Adams *Cough). So if our school’s football team brings you and other “DAWG” fans some joy after UGA didn’t live up to you expectations this year well more power to you! Thank you, and GO OWLS!
by ScrewKyleKing on
Nov 28, 2008 11:23 AM EST
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Ever hear of a sense of humor?
Thanks for taking the joke in the spirit in which it was intended, Screw! I hope you and the Florida Atlantic faithful had a happy Thanksgiving!
Go 'Dawgs!
by T Kyle King on
Nov 28, 2008 12:35 PM EST
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University of Phoenix?
Isn’t that like Auburn without a football team and tobacco drool on its overalls?
by Stuck in the Plains on
Nov 29, 2008 7:59 AM EST
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Perhaps . . .
. . . although I’m not sure if the University of Phoenix offers a sociology program with directed study courses!
Go 'Dawgs!
by T Kyle King on
Nov 29, 2008 11:35 PM EST
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