Good or Bad idea : Best of 3 SB

[sb1]

Here's something that falls in between a one game playoff and a "series"...A two-game total-points home-and-home series. #1 vs #2. First 60 minutes at the home stadium of the top seed and the second 60 minutes in the other team's house.

Wouldn't want that for the SB but that would be kinda fun to watch...

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I think the best team wins in either case.
All 32 teams play for a Championship. Whoever is best at whatever is necessary to achieve that goal is best. The team that is perceived as better for 19 weeks but can't finish the job to achieve the goal is not the best in the only area that matters, winning a Championship.
IMO, if you compete on an even playing field (this eliminates the voting facet of college football) for a Championship, there is no subjective determination of best because there is a defined process in determining best.

Yeah. That's exactly right. Each organized professional or amateur league gets to define what it means to be its Champion and, therefore, in that very specific context, its "best" team.

The NFL has clearly defined its "best team" as the team that plays well enough to make the playoffs, plays very well in January, gets maybe a little good luck or the benefit of an official's error along the way and then comes out on top after 60 minutes(+) of football over another team that made it through the same process.

Is that an "ideal" definition? Does it even matter that it's "ideal?" Nope.

It's the definition that works for the NFL for many reasons, both practical reasons (Anyone for 12 weeks of best of three Wild Card, Divisional, Conference and League Championship games? Not me.) and marketing reasons ("Win or Go Home" in about three hours creates compelling, made for TV drama).

BTW: I have always liked and noted that the winner of Golf's British Open Championship is presented to the audience as "The Champion Golfer of the Year," and not as the "best golfer of the year." He's the guy that is crowned Champion because he beat all qualifiers on a tough course over four days.

 

[OhExaulted1]

Why don't we just get rid of the SB altogether and use the BCS model to let a computer and sportswriters arbitrarily decide?

Bad idea. I don't give a damn about college basketball until March, but I'll watch it then because it's great theatre. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[RayClay]

Literally got chills with the beginning of this performance. Bono was totally in the zone, just measured and in control.

I remember thinking we're going to win when I saw this for some crazy reason.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihPLKrktLSM

 

[OhExaulted1]

Literally got chills with the beginning of this performance. Bono was totally in the zone, just measured and in control.

I remember thinking we're going to win when I saw this for some crazy reason.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihPLKrktLSM

When I think of that SB, this song and Adam's kick simultaneously pop into my head. It's an enduring anthem with Patriot fans.

 

[RayClay]

The reason the Super Bowl is so great is it most closely simulates a competition of warriors or gladiators. You compete to get into the ring, then take on whoever is presented, regardless of strength. When a 2001 Patriots type can rise to the challenge, there's nothing better IMO.

Imagine the final scene in a movie being seven games, with how many days rest each pitcher's had, which ones have sore arms etc...compared to two warriors left, one comes out alive.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Literally got chills with the beginning of this performance. Bono was totally in the zone, just measured and in control.

I remember thinking we're going to win when I saw this for some crazy reason.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihPLKrktLSM

Thanks. I have to admit that I never saw that performance before.

Truth to tell, I never watch the Halftime show when the Pats are in the SB. Too much nervous energy to stay seated in front of the TV, plus, it's when I serve dinner to my guests after a couple hours of snacking and imbibing and I'm in a rush to get everything out so I can eat and watch the second half.

So, thanks again. Maybe I should start watching SB Halftime shows in the future.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Biggest problem I see is...how do you ensure the best 2 teams make it to the Superbowl? Unless that happens, there's no point in doing this and this is unique to football and there'd be too many issues (not to mention, extending the offseason by 2 more games for each round) to make this plausible (health, targeting key players, ...)

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Biggest problem I see is...how do you ensure the best 2 teams make it to the Superbowl? Unless that happens, there's no point in doing this and this is unique to football and there'd be too many issues (not to mention, extending the offseason by 2 more games for each round) to make this plausible (health, targeting key players, ...)

Another exactly right post!

What's the point of a "best of three" SB if the "best team" (whatever that means) got knocked out of the playoffs in the Divisional round on a fluke play (Pats' view of the Tyree SB catch or something similar) or, worse, as the result of an officiating error (Raiders' view of the Tuck call or Pats' view of "Roughing the Passer" on Ray Hamilton).

It's either "Win or Go Home" for four intense, drama-filled weekends or best of three for four different series over (ugh) three long months, the result of which I am not sure would be all that different all that often.