No Respect! No Respect at All!
By Daniel Platt
Monday October 10, 2005

    As perennial Big Ten powerhouses like Michigan (3 loses) and Ohio State (2 loses) continue to lose games and Penn State continues its unbeaten run, we are all forced to watch as the rest of the conference gets absolutely bashed by any and all media outlets that cover the national College Football scene.  Wisconsin came into Evanston on Saturday ranked #14 in the country and undefeated on the season.  When the Wildcats absolutely demoralized the Badger defense and pulled off the upset 51-48 I was forced to listen to the same garbage I have had to hear ever since Michigan fell to Notre Dame and Ohio State lost to Texas.  “The Big Ten is one of the nation’s weaker conferences” is the message being transmitted.  What is the evidence these so called “experts” are using?  They look at Minnesota beating Purdue, Minnesota beating Michigan, Penn State beating Minnesota, Penn State beating Ohio State, Ohio State beating Iowa, Northwestern beating Wisconsin, Penn State beating Northwestern, etc.  Rather than look at this as a positive for the Big Ten, these analysts take every opportunity they can to tear into the Big Ten.  They talk about how Penn State hadn’t beaten any real teams (Mr. Corso), they talk about how the spread offense has killed the Big Ten, and they talk about the superiority of the SEC (I’m looking at you Mr. May and Coach Holtz).
    Here is what I propose.  I propose that these know-it-alls who write and speak about college football for a living take their heads out of their rear ends for two seconds and open their eyes in order to see what really is happening.  It isn’t that the Big Ten is weak this year because “teams like Michigan” or “teams like Wisconsin” are losing to “teams like Northwestern” or “teams like Minnesota.”  If they weren’t so fixated on criticizing (whether it’s the spread offense, or weaker defenses, or whatever) they would see this is exactly what makes the Big Ten so strong this year.  It is a good thing that Northwestern can beat Wisconsin or Minnesota can beat Michigan.  The conference is that strong top to bottom (well, not all the way to the bottom in Illinois) that on any given Saturday, any team can give any other team a close game or even beat them.  There is that much talent throughout the Big Ten that this is possible.  What would make these pundits say the conference is strong?  Probably the same things that went on in the past.  Michigan and Ohio State remaining undefeated up until they play each other during rivalry week for whom will win the Big Ten.  This apparently is what makes a conference strong.  Two national powerhouses and a bunch of bottom feeders.  The Pac 10 looks great because USC has won national championships; the Big 12 looks powerful because of Texas and until this year Oklahoma.  But no one mentions the fall of Kansas State and Nebraska, and Gary Barnett’s Colorado team doesn’t impress me.
    Ok, it is probably the case no one from the Big Ten will play for the national championship.  I don’t see Penn State running the table.  But I can’t tolerate hearing how the conference is weak this year.  The things that make the national media bash the Big 10 are what make me think this is a great year for the conference.  We have to look past the Top 25 and see what’s going on here.  Even though we have no championship contenders, we look strong this year.  There is so much talent throughout the conference that quite simply; everyone (well, not EVERYONE) is good.
    My request to these “experts.”  Stop telling me that it is the spread offense’s fault that Northwestern beat Wisconsin or Michigan.  Stop telling me that because front-runners like Michigan are losing to Minnesota the conference is weak.  Instead, give NU and the Big Ten a little credit.  A LITTLE CREDIT and say that the Big Ten is that strong this year that Northwestern can run with Wisconsin and that Minnesota can go into the Big House and win.  Not to mention Penn State can knock off Ohio State.  I’m not asking for the Big Ten to be crowned the best conference in college football, but as the late Rodney Dangerfield said, “I get no respect! No respect at all!”