Carr's disappointment comes through after Rose Bowl bid

[obie7661]

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Lloyd Carr is going to let people read between the lines.

Sunday night, the Michigan coach wouldn't directly say that his Wolverines should be headed to the BCS national championship game. But he wasn't making it hard to guess how he felt.

"I don't think there is any question that there are flaws in the system," Carr said on a Rose Bowl teleconference. "I hope that, in the future, we can have a system where all of the answers are decided on the field."

Michigan entered the weekend ranked No. 3 and helpless to do anything but watch, having finished its regular season with a 42-39 loss to top-ranked Ohio State on Nov. 18.

The Wolverines got what they appeared to need when No. 2 USC lost to UCLA, but, as it turned out, that wasn't enough to get Michigan a rematch with its archrival. Instead, the team will be facing USC in Pasadena, Calif., while Ohio State plays Florida, which jumped from fourth to second after beating Arkansas in the SEC title game.

"My statement is that I don't think they would have moved ahead of us if USC had won their game," Carr said of the Gators. "I don't know what the voters were thinking - you'd have to ask them - but I don't think there's any question that if USC wins, we remain No. 3."

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel chose to abstain in this weekend's coaches poll instead of helping decide which team he would face in the title game. It was a move that Carr would only touch on briefly.

"I thought it was real slick," said Carr, who also said he could not see any situation where he would give up his vote.

Carr was careful to say all the right things about Michigan's third trip to the Rose Bowl in the last four years.

"The Rose Bowl is not a consolation - it is the greatest tradition in college football," he said. "I've always felt that there's no better experience for a college football player than to play in the Rose Bowl."

Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said he voted Michigan No. 2 on his ballot.

"I didn't play Florida. I played Michigan, I played them at home and they beat us soundly. I thought from my end it was a fairly easy decision," Weis said.

Carr said that a traditional Big Ten vs. Pac-10 matchup in the Rose Bowl is even more appropriate this year after the Nov. 17 death of his mentor, Bo Schembechler.

"Coach John Robinson spoke at coach Schembechler's memorial, and he talked about the tradition of USC and Michigan," Carr said. "We have great respect for USC, for the Rose Bowl and for that tradition."

The Wolverines will be looking for their first postseason victory since beating Florida 38-30 in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1, 2003. Michigan lost to USC and Texas in the next two Rose Bowls before dropping a 32-28 decision to Nebraska in last season's Alamo Bowl.

"We'd like to win one of these," Carr said. "We've done some great things to get to the Rose Bowl, but now we need to win one."

They'll be facing a USC team that was hoping for a fourth-straight shot at a national title and a coach who understands Carr's frustration. The Trojans won the 2003 AP national title despite being left out of the BCS championship game.

"I completely understand what coach Carr is having to deal with under the BCS system and the challenge he faces," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "I respect him for the way he is handling it."

[longtimefirsttime]

"I don't think there is any question that there are flaws in the system," Carr said on a Rose Bowl teleconference. "I hope that, in the future, we can have a system where all of the answers are decided on the field."

I can't believe it, but I'm agreeing with him on that. There should be a playoff system.

However I don't agree with his comments about the Florida coaches making inappropriate comments. They were posturing for their team. Carr sounded like a whiner when he made that comment.

[warren1st]

"I don't think there is any question that there are flaws in the system," Carr said on a Rose Bowl teleconference. "I hope that, in the future, we can have a system where all of the answers are decided on the field."

I can't believe it, but I'm agreeing with him on that. There should be a playoff system.
He is a very good man and coach who gets an unfair rap from those in Ohio who hate "scUM."

However I don't agree with his comments about the Florida coaches making inappropriate comments. They were posturing for their team. Carr sounded like a whiner when he made that comment.

Oh! Come on!! Urban Myer wanted the whole system changed last week. I bet he doesn't now!! They had no shame in their begging for votes.

[xtiger]

After Lloyd's comments, he sure as heck better beat USC!

[TigerNick]

OK, MEMO TO ALL MICHIGAN FANS.
It's only common sense. You should have to WIN your own Conference and be Conference Champions to have the right to be a NATIONAL Champion. Michigan DID NOT WIN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE. Florida DID win their Conference. I feel the Voters got it right. Sorry Michigan fans, You had your shot and you BLEW it. Look at the schedules too. Florida had to play the likes of Tennessee, Alabama, LSU South Carolina, Arkansas ETC. Michigan played the likes of Eastern Michigan, Ball State, Vanderbilt ETC. and when they did play somebody in the likes of THE Ohio State Buckeyes, they were down by TWO touchdowns for the majority of the game. The only reason Michigan got back within 3 points was because of 3 Ohio State Turnovers (Which was a gift, AND THEY STILL LOST) And Florida thru that schedule WON their Conference Title. Michigan DID NOT. Ohio State had to play not one, not two, but this will be the THIRD Number two team in the country in the same season. That's the first time anyone had to play 3 Number ONE VS Number two Matchups in the same season. The Difference between Ohio State and Michigan is this. Michigans crying over having to play USC in the Rose Bowl because they know they are in for a thumping against USC, Because USC is going to take out all their frustrations of blowing their chance vs UCLA and put another BEAT DOWN on Michigan. And the Buckeyes were looking forward to playing a team like USC.
>
>GO BUCKS BEAT FLORIDA.

[warren1st]

OK, Nick< maybe this will help adjust your thinking:

Florida's fine, but how is Michigan left out?
Wojciechowski
By Gene Wojciechowski
ESPN.com
Archive

If you're Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, how do you explain to your players that they won't be in the BCS Championship Game? How do you tell the second-best team in the country to get pumped about playing USC in the Runner-Up Bowl? How do you resist the urge of wishing Nutcracker drills on every person who jumped one-loss Florida ahead of the one-loss Wolverines in the final polls?

Lloyd Carr
Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE
Lloyd Carr and Michigan lost to No. 1 by three points...and aren't title-game worthy.

There is no polite way of saying it: Michigan got jobbed. Sunday's rankings are Exhibits A-Z why the BCS means well, but simply doesn't work -- and never will.

Carr had to do what Auburn's Tommy Tuberville did two seasons ago. Tuberville's team finished the regular season 12-0, but was left out of the Tostitos BCS Championship Game in favor of undefeated USC and Oklahoma.

"It's hard," said Tuberville. "It's hard to look them in the eye. Heck, we're still not over it. You never get over it. It's like a question that's never been answered."

Carr is asking those same questions. And he'll get the same shoulder shrugs that Tuberville got.

Let me get this straight: Michigan, which was unbeaten against all teams on its schedule ranked lower than No. 1, isn't going to Glendale, Ariz., for the Jan. 8 national title game because ...

• It didn't win its conference.

No, it didn't. But did you see who did? Team by the name of Ohio State. Maybe you've heard of the Buckeyes? Undefeated. Ranked first in the country. Beat Michigan in Columbus by the grand total of three whole points.

And feel free to show me in the BCS handbook where it says you've got to win your conference to play in the championship game?

• Nobody wants to see a rematch.

Just asking, but how did Ali-Frazier II and III work out? Or that Georgetown-Villanova Final Four?

I know Florida's Urban Meyer doesn't want to see a rematch, but he's not exactly an impartial observer, is he? And if Meyer were in Carr's Nikes, I guarantee you his objections to a second Ohio State-Michigan game would have disappeared.

A rematch, this time on a neutral field, would have been a game for the ages. And if you threatened to take away his precious sweater vest if he didn't tell the truth, I bet you Buckeyes' coach Jim Tressel would rather play Florida than have to face the Wolverines again (Tressel declined to vote in the final coaches' poll).

• Florida played a tougher schedule.

Agreed. But strength of schedule is part of the equation, nothing more. Tuberville's 2004 team had the strongest strength of schedule, but didn't make it.

You want to give the Gators the edge based on scheduling? Fair enough, though you could argue that Florida didn't exactly beat vintage Alabama, Georgia and Florida State teams this year, and Central Florida and Division I-AA Western Carolina were dreadful.

And look at the one loss each suffered by Florida and Michigan on their schedules. You tell me which defeat was more impressive: the Gators' 10-point road loss to an Auburn team that finished the season No. 9 in the BCS standings? Or the Wolverines' three-point road loss to an Ohio State now favored to win the national championship?

"It's hard to look them in the eye. Heck, we're still not over it. You never get over it. It's like a question that's never been answered"
-- Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville
• The BCS system rewarded Florida for finishing its season with wins at FSU and against Arkansas at the SEC championship in Atlanta.

And the BCS penalized Michigan twice for being on the wrong end of the calendar: once when USC moved to No. 2 after beating Notre Dame (even though Michigan beat the Irish worse), and now, when Florida overtook the Wolverines (even though U of M's season ended two weeks ago).

How can you call this a "system" when Florida belongs to a league that plays a conference championship, and Michigan doesn't? How can you call it a quasi-playoff when Michigan drops twice in the standings without losing a game.

• Florida has earned the right to play Ohio State.

Absolutely true. But so has Michigan.

Ask the coaches at Vanderbilt (the Commodores played both Michigan and Florida this season) who is the better team, and the consensus pick -- privately, of course -- is the Wolverines. Florida has more speed and a handful of players to die for, they say, but Michigan is more physical, would control both sides of the line of scrimmage, have wonderful wide receivers, and are led by a senior quarterback who doesn't make many mistakes.

Ask them who would give Ohio State the better game, and you'll get the same answer.

Tuberville voted Ohio State, Florida and then Michigan on his final ballot. "But I watched Michigan this year," he said. "Heck, I think they could beat anybody. But that's the way the system is. It's a screwed-up system."

Michigan never had that chance. It was 11-1 on Nov. 18. It was 11-1 on Dec. 3. But between then and now the Wolverines apparently became the cellulite queens and somehow lost the swimsuit portion of this ridiculous BCS beauty pageant.

Michigan didn't do a thing wrong. And yet Carr was the one who had to console his team Sunday night. He did it, but here's guessing he wasn't Mr. Congeniality.

[Tigerstriper]

Michigan controlled their own destiny until losing
to Ohio State.
Take care of business when you can controll it.
Michigan can't say they didn't have a shot.
Win the Rose Bowl Mr. Carr and prepare your team
for a national title run next year.

[MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp]

You know...I've been salivating to get back at USC for what they did to Michigan in the 2004 Rose Bowl, when they dominated the peak Wolverines 28-14 behind three touchdowns from Matt Leinart.

Disappointed in being in the Rose? No...not at all. I have faith that Michigan will defeat USC and finish #2 in the final polls.

GO BLUE! TRASH THE TROJANS!
GO BUCKS! GRIP THE GATORS!!

[SuperBran]

the mich-usc game is going to be incredible.

[MTown]

That column gives a VERY bad example in Auburn. Auburn was undefeated that year. Michigan had one loss. I honestly cannot say that I am happy that Florida got in over Michigan...but the fact is, once you lose a game, you forfeit the opportunity to control your destiny. Both Florida and Michigan were at the mercy of the voters. Michigan just lost out.

[MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp]

MTown,

Ohio State was a little tougher than Michigan. Michigan not winning their conference worked well in Florida's favor. Urban Meyer knew that Ohio State would beat Michigan and at the same time, he knew his Gators were on the cusp of hitting their peak and the Gators have hit their peak. Meyer also knew that OSU would be a little tougher than Michigan. He also knew that UCLA was going to turn back USC...so he knew it was coming! No Urban legend on those stances!!

On that note...imagine what high school football would be like if teams ranked #3 to #10 were staying home and only the #1 and #2 teams played for the state title.........

Sorry for stepping off but Florida is deserving of their opportunity. The only way I'd cheer for Florida was if Steve Spurrier was still at the school. But I got tired of Meyer's bantering during the course of the season and now I want Ohio State to GRIP THE GATORS (keep in mind I said that I'll never have a bad word to say about OSU again)!

[MTown]

He also knew that UCLA was going to turn back USC...so he knew it was coming! No Urban legend on those stances!!



Dude, Urban Meyer did not know UCLA was going to beat USC. No one did.

[Al.]

Keno
If he is that good, I wonder how Urban Meyer would do in Vegas :scratchchin:

[MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp]

MTown,

Urban Meyer knew what was in store for his batch of Gators. It all panned out: Ohio State outlasting Michigan...USC losing to UCLA...Florida dumping Arkansas to win the SEC title.

Florida seized the moment as was expected. What else is there to say?

[marlow]

OK, Nick< maybe this will help adjust your thinking:

.

Maybe this will "adjust your thinking."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16029462/

These opinion pieces are like a-holes. Everybody has one.

Now get a new schtick and stop posting this article ad-nauseam.

[longtimefirsttime]

Crackerman has a bigger reason to complain. When Da'Ville was number 3 and lost they fell to number 10. Michigan loses and falls from #2 to #3. USC loses and only falls from #2 to number five? It's an injustice to Da'Ville! :wink:

[MTown]

Florida seized the moment as was expected. What else is there to say?

No one expected USC to lose to UCLA....that is what I am trying to say. YOU didn't expect USC to lose. URBAN FREAKING MEYER didn't expect USC to lose which was why he was crying for the past 3 weeks.

[MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp]

MTown,

I laughed and smiled when I saw your post. "URBAN FREAKING MEYER"...that was a good one. I'll tell you what...personally I didn't believe UCLA would stop USC like they did.

Personally...I lost some respect for Meyer and his countless banter. I hope Ohio State sends him and the Florida Gators a message January 8th...four days after current Massillon head coach Tom Stacy turns 48.

P.S. Michigan's last bowl win came against Florida in the 2003 Outback Bowl 38-30.

[Al.]

...four days after current Massillon head coach Tom Stacy turns 48. :offtopic:

[Red50Go]

Would we be getting 7.5 points vs Michigan? I dunno. :scratchchin:

I am glad Michigan is out because effem. ;) But I can see their point. I can see Florida's too. Both coaches are whiners imo but Meyer was having a baby trantrum. They just gave him his bottle so he'd shut up. Carr definitely took the high road on this one.

[warren1st]

These opinion pieces are like a-holes. Everybody has one.

Wow! You learn something new every day!!


Now get a new schtick and stop posting this article ad-nauseam.

Hey, Marlow, since you're such a good guy, this one's for YOU!! :2thumbsup:

The University of Michigan

Winningest school in college football history (860 wins).
.746 all-time winning percentage (highest in college football).
Highest all-time strength of schedule rating in college football.
11 National Championships: (1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997)
42 conference championships (more than any school in any single conference).
113 winning seasons (most in college football).
25 undefeated seasons (more than any other Division 1-A school).
1 of only 3 schools with a winning record vs. every Division 1-A conference including independents.
56 game unbeaten streak (2nd longest in college football history).
39 straight years without a losing season (longest ongoing streak in the nation).
32 straight bowl appearances (longest ongoing streak in the nation).
#1 ranking all-time in composite final AP polls (1936-2006).
Longest ongoing streak in the nation without being shut-out (274 games).
2nd most points scored & largest delta (points for minus points against) in college football history.
145 First Team All-Americans (18 two-time winners, 2 three-time winners).
32 College Football Hall of Famers.
3 Heisman Trophy Winners: (Tom Harmon 1940, Desmond Howard 1991, Charles Woodson 1997)
75 NFL Pro Bowl participants.
3 Super Bowl MVPs: (Desmond Howard 1997, Tom Brady 2002, 2004)
#1 in attendance every year but one since 1974 (200 straight games with over 100,000 in attendance).
Most televised school in college football history (368 televised games).
"The Victors" is the only fight song inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Best Fight Song: Michigan - Sports Illustrated
Best Helmet in Football: Michigan - ESPN's "End of Century" Special
Best Uniform in Sports: Michigan - ESPN2's 64 Team Bracket Results
#1 Sports Rivalry: Michigan vs. Ohio State - ESPN's "Top 10 Greatest Sports Rivalries"

[fyrewood]

I say the pick for the National Championship game was right on.....Why should Michigan get to play in the National Championship game and only have to beat OHIO STATE once to win it, but OHIO STATE would have to beat them twice to win it......They had their chance, they blue (misspelling intended LOL)

[MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp]

Fyrewood,

Michigan didn't blow it. Ohio State was a little bit tougher than the 11-time national champions in the end. That's all.

[marlow]

Winningest school in college football history (860 wins).
.746 all-time winning percentage (highest in college football).
Highest all-time strength of schedule rating in college football.
11 National Championships: (1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997)
42 conference championships (more than any school in any single conference).
113 winning seasons (most in college football).
25 undefeated seasons (more than any other Division 1-A school).
1 of only 3 schools with a winning record vs. every Division 1-A conference including independents.
56 game unbeaten streak (2nd longest in college football history).
39 straight years without a losing season (longest ongoing streak in the nation).
32 straight bowl appearances (longest ongoing streak in the nation).
#1 ranking all-time in composite final AP polls (1936-2006).
Longest ongoing streak in the nation without being shut-out (274 games).
2nd most points scored & largest delta (points for minus points against) in college football history.
145 First Team All-Americans (18 two-time winners, 2 three-time winners).
32 College Football Hall of Famers.
3 Heisman Trophy Winners: (Tom Harmon 1940, Desmond Howard 1991, Charles Woodson 1997)
75 NFL Pro Bowl participants.
3 Super Bowl MVPs: (Desmond Howard 1997, Tom Brady 2002, 2004)
#1 in attendance every year but one since 1974 (200 straight games with over 100,000 in attendance).
Most televised school in college football history (368 televised games).
"The Victors" is the only fight song inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Best Fight Song: Michigan - Sports Illustrated
Best Helmet in Football: Michigan - ESPN's "End of Century" Special
Best Uniform in Sports: Michigan - ESPN2's 64 Team Bracket Results
#1 Sports Rivalry: Michigan vs. Ohio State - ESPN's "Top 10 Greatest Sports Rivalries"


In addition to this, Michigan is, most importantly, a hell'uva academic institution.

I will be pulling for them to represent the Big 10 well and handle USC. Not to mention, I cannot stand Pete Carroll.