To root for BIG teams or not, that is the question

[RUich]

In the Michigan/Utah thread the value of just pulling for league teams was knocked around. It got me thinking about the pros and cons.
I pretty much made it a regular thing to do this when we were in the Big East (the league not the division) as it always seemed that we were dismissed by the traditional powers. It just seemed like the necessary thing to do to see if we could get more respect. Now that we are in a traditional power league with the NC no less, it just doesn't seem to be such a requirement. And, you certainly see quite a few of our league bretheren who truly seem to hate each other and will not root for them.
Being in the toughest division in the league, it seems that we need all the help we can get as we try to climb towards the top. If a team like Michigan wins, how does it directly help us? This is a program that is down right now. It would seem that they will recover soon enough, but isn't it in our best interests they stay down a bit longer as we try to improve? Hell, just about everyone out there thinks we are the bottom anyway.
Finally, I can still remember some of the Michigan fans reaction when they lost to us last year. It was reminiscent of how our fan base reacted way back when we lost to New Hampshire. We still stunk!

So, feeling quite secure in the overall league's national perception, I am going to selectively root or not for BIG teams based solely on how it directly effects Rutgers.and that will include OOC games.

 

[RU#1fan]

Root for everyone except State Penn and shady Edsall.

 

[yesrutgers01]

Nope- I want them all to look shitty. I don't care about their perception. And then I want us to smack them all around.

 

[RUSONIC]

Nope- I want them all to look shitty. I don't care about their perception. And then I want us to smack them all around.

Then when Rutgers wins the B1G championship we get left out because of weak conference. Beat the best!

 

[RedTeam01]

Hate to admit it, but I do pull for conference mates in their OOC games...some more actively than others though. I blame it on "old Big East hangover syndrome", where it was a perception battle week-in and week-out. I understand we're in a much better place playing awesome teams in an amazing conference, but it's always nice to KNOW you're with the best by beating up on the rest.

 

[sherrane]

Rooting against your conference mates in OOC games is self-defeating. When the playoff committee, or anyone else, evaluates conference strength they will take the OOC games into consideration. Ohio State would have been left out of the BCS Title game last season because of their loss to a mediocre Virginia Tech team. It was compounded by an 8-4 LSU team defeating B1G West champ Wisconsin on opening day. If TCU defeats Baylor (lost because they gave up 24 unanswered points in the final 11 minutes) and goes undefeated, Ohio State does not make the playoffs.

There are five huge games this weekend and B1G needs to win at least three of them:
Michigan at Utah
TCU at Minnesota
Stanford at Northwestern
Alabama vs Wisconsin in Dallas
Ohio State at Virginia Tech

The B1G is underdogs in four of these games and double digit dogs in three.

These teams losing does not improve RU's standing at all. RU can begin the season 2-0 while the rest of the B1G start 0-2 and RU will still be tied with everyone in the conference standings. The only thing that it will accomplish would be to devalue the conference wins RU earns this season. There is nothing gained by watching your mates lose to their OOC opponents.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

Unless you HATE the Big Ten, there is no reason whatsoever NOT to root for Big Ten teams in OOC and Bowl Games. The only exception would be Penn State, I will always root for them to lose.

It also makes Rutgers look better when we beat them.

Go B1G and Go RU!

 

[Arizona Knight]

We are still in a perception battle, just a much more enviable one than before. I want the B1G East to be talked about as the premier division in college football and the B1G to be compared favorably with the entire SEC. That will help Rutgers Football.

 

[ScarletDave]

You want everyone in your conference to be 11-1 and you be that 1. Basic rule of college football. (Except penn state, last year I wanted them to be 2-0 so the game would be more hype, but now I hope they go 0-12)

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

I'll root against Michigan this week since Partridge is there.

I almost always root against Pen St except when they played Syrapuke.
This week is against Temple, and I don't want the Shirleys to gain any momentum in recruiting.
I just may have to root for Pen St to win and not like it.

 

[daneman100]

I hope OSU puts up 50 plus on VT.

 

[IMARUFAN]

I too am inclined to root for fellow B1G teams for the benefit of the league as a whole, make Rutgers look better when we beat them, etc., etc.

But, I must say, it's not going to be easy to root for Harbaugh or that smuck Franklin ("we own Maryland & Jersey") or guys like Peppers and Saeed Blacknail who turned their backs on their home states or Saquon Barkley who flipped from Rutgers to Penn State at the last minute.

 

[Rutgers25]

I'll root against Michigan this week since Partridge is there.

I almost always root against Pen St except when they played Syrapuke.
This week is against Temple, and I don't want the Shirleys to gain any momentum in recruiting.
I just may have to root for Pen St to win and not like it.

I can't root for Penn State or Maryland. Penn State because I can't stand them, and Maryland, because the last thing we need is another program on the rise in our division. Not to mention we compete for recruits with them.

Everybody else I root for OOC. ....although Michigan is starting to become difficult to root for due to Harbaugh....

 

[krup]

I can understand why people think we should root for conference mates OOC, and I usually do.

However, I don't get the few people in here who say they would root for Penn St. The jury is still out on Franklin as a game day coach (even with many PSU fans) and expectations for them are so unrealistically (even with the weak schedule) high this year, that RU fans should be rooting for a mediocre PSU year.

A season that doesn't live up to the cult's expectations, followed the realization in April that they had a NFL top 10 draft pick QB and achieved nothing with him, could be the beginning of the end of that coaching regime.

 

[Scarlet16E]

Who you root for has no bearing on actual outcomes.

 

[geurdsy]

I root against the teams that recruit NJ the hardest, and for those that don't. You know who they are.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

Who you root for has no bearing on actual outcomes.

Who said it did? Rooting for a fellow conference mate will not make them win the game, but rooting against them will make you look like an jerk.

 

[rutgersguy1]

I can understand why people think we should root for conference mates OOC, and I usually do.

However, I don't get the few people in here who say they would root for Penn St. The jury is still out on Franklin as a game day coach (even with many PSU fans) and expectations for them are so unrealistically (even with the weak schedule) high this year, that RU fans should be rooting for a mediocre PSU year.

A season that doesn't live up to the cult's expectations, followed the realization in April that they had a NFL top 10 draft pick QB and achieved nothing with him, could be the beginning of the end of that coaching regime.

Well if he's not as good as advertised, we'd want him there as long as possible though right? I know people here can't stand Harbaugh, he is nutty, but it's Franklin that annoys me. Harbaugh is who he is, I think it's genuine even if eccentric. Franklin just oozes used car salesman to me. A lot of people here like PJ Fleck and I get the same feel from him as well.

His DC, Bob Shoop, is pretty good and I wonder how much of Franklin's success can be attributed to him. I read the other day that Vandy had top 25 defenses in their 3 years there. I didn't realize that. That's a pretty nice job considering that's happening before any bump from Franklin's recruiting acumen. Of course PSU had a really good defense last year. I think his name will be one on the rise for a HC job soon.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Who you root for has no bearing on actual outcomes.

Really? I thought if enough fans focused real hard they could change the results of a game.

 

[Rokodesh]

I too am inclined to root for fellow B1G teams for the benefit of the league as a whole, make Rutgers look better when we beat them, etc., etc.

But, I must say, it's not going to be easy to root for Harbaugh or that smuck Franklin ("we own Maryland & Jersey") or guys like Peppers and Saeed Blacknail who turned their backs on their home states or Saquon Barkley who flipped from Rutgers to Penn State at the last minute.

Barkley flipped like 10 months prior to signing day, but otherwise agreed.

 

[p0lisht0m]

Then when Rutgers wins the B1G championship we get left out because of weak conference. Beat the best!

I will gladly sign up for a B1G championship and being left out of the National Championship!.....It will be the biggest accomplishment we have ever had in the modern Rutgers era. As positive of a fan as you can be, where do you see a National Championship team?

 

[northeastNebraska]

Most of the time I'll cheer for conference teams, just depends. I really like the Utah program, and I really don't like Michigan, so I'll be cheering for the Utes. Also because the Harbaugh crap is getting so old.

This weekend (besides Michigan) I'll be "cheering" for the B1G. But I won't be upset if PSU loses to Temple or Iowa losing to Illinois State.

 

[RUonBrain]

Who you root for has no bearing on actual outcomes.

Another genius in our midst!

 

[krup]

Well if he's not as good as advertised, we'd want him there as long as possible though right? I know people here can't stand Harbaugh, he is nutty, but it's Franklin that annoys me. Harbaugh is who he is, I think it's genuine even if eccentric. Franklin just oozes used car salesman to me. A lot of people here like PJ Fleck and I get the same feel from him as well.

His DC, Bob Shoop, is pretty good and I wonder how much of Franklin's success can be attributed to him. I read the other day that Vandy had top 25 defenses in their 3 years there. I didn't realize that. That's a pretty nice job considering that's happening before any bump from Franklin's recruiting acumen. Of course PSU had a really good defense last year. I think his name will be one on the rise for a HC job soon.

"Well if he's not as good as advertised, we'd want him there as long as possible though right?" No, because the one thing he is undeniably exceptional at is recruiting.

Any advantage gained by playing one game a year against a team with a bad coach is far outweighed by that coach continuing to get recruits RU could have used to compete against the rest of the B1G.

 

[OSU2015]

There are a couple of B1G teams I'm rooting for and against this week because of $$$. I always root against TSUN no matter what!

Let's go Utah!

 

[wheezer]

Want Ohio State number one when they visit.....

 

[RUonBrain]

Then when Rutgers wins the B1G championship we get left out because of weak conference. Beat the best!

Yeah, I'm really worried about that scenario this year.

Seriously, I understand your point, but that does not apply to us at this time.
It applies to OSU and Michigan State, but not us.

Now once we have firmly established ourselves as an upper tier (not middle tier) B1G team, then that applies.
But we aren't there yet!

YesRutgers has it right.
Some of you...
Not so much

 

[Upstream]

Nope- I want them all to look shitty. I don't care about their perception. And then I want us to smack them all around.

You want all our opponents to look shitty and for us to smack them around? Then we get to beat a bunch of crappy teams? What is the point of that? We've already been in the position where we have winning records against crappy teams.

I want all our opponents to look great and for us to smack them around.

Beating great teams is a lot more fun than beating crappy teams.

 

[rutgersguy1]

"Well if he's not as good as advertised, we'd want him there as long as possible though right?" No, because the one thing he is undeniably exceptional at is recruiting.

Any advantage gained by playing one game a year against a team with a bad coach is far outweighed by that coach continuing to get recruits RU could have used to compete against the rest of the B1G.

I can see that. He is definitely a good recruiter so I guess there is some marginal advantage to him not being there. But as I said in the other thread recruiting against PSU and the other name brands coming into NJ will always be a tough battle no matter who their coaches are and how they're performing at the present moment.

 

[knight90]

I root for all of the B1G teams except for Penn State.. I was actually a pretty big Michigan fan growing up.

 

[S.B. Crumb]

Always want State Penn to lose, forever and ever, amen.

Other than that, I root against any B1G team that is trying to recruit NJ heavy at the time. So go Utes.

 

[Akron Buck]

As a long time tOSU and B1G fan I root for the B1G teams in every OOC and bowl except TSUN.

TSUN can suck a D, I hope they lose every game for the rest of their existance and their fans continue to live in misery.

 

[RUtrumpet92]

There are five huge games this weekend and B1G needs to win at least three of them:
Michigan at Utah
TCU at Minnesota
Stanford at Northwestern
Alabama vs Wisconsin in Dallas
Ohio State at Virginia Tech

The B1G is underdogs in four of these games and double digit dogs in three.

These teams losing does not improve RU's standing at all. RU can begin the season 2-0 while the rest of the B1G start 0-2 and RU will still be tied with everyone in the conference standings. The only thing that it will accomplish would be to devalue the conference wins RU earns this season. There is nothing gained by watching your mates lose to their OOC opponents.

So if the expected happens according to Vegas: OSU wins, the rest lose - do you think people will say the B1G is no good? Not really, unless the other four are all romps. The matchups aren't even on paper (two top 5 opponents, one top 25, against teams that are far lower regarded) except maybe the Michigan/Utah game, which is mostly built on the hype of Harbaugh being back. What do you think the line would be if it was Hoke coaching? I bet it'd be closer to 10 points than 5.

I will say it's playing with house money if the B1G can pull any upsets here, and I'm only rooting against Michigan out of the games you listed. We don't really recruit against the western division teams a whole lot, I can't stand Alabama, and I want to see OSU come to Piscataway ranked #1.

 

[Nosoj]

For the most part, I root for all Big Ten teams. Sometimes it depends on who they play. I root for any B1G at any time playing against the SEC.

I'm not going to say I always root against Michigan and Penn State the rest of the time. It is, for instance, more fun beating #2 ranked, 11-0 Michigan 42-39 than it is beating 3-7 Michigan 42-7. On the other hand, when Appalachian State beats Michigan or Ohio beats Penn State, it is hilarious. So it's kind of a win-win.

 

[Bagarocks]

Nope- I want them all to look shitty. I don't care about their perception. And then I want us to smack them all around.

Perception is what drives college football!
Our conference is considered weak. ie. tOSU has the "weakest" (you pick the sports show) schedule of any of the top ten teams to in CFB.
So we should hope all our brethren in the B1G win all of their OOC games!

 

[PatrickRU92]

If we weren't in the killer of the 2 hideously disproportionate division things might be different but there is not a snowballs chance in hell that I would ever root for TTFCV. Ever. Even against FUND. I hope that school the town and their zombies get sucked into a wormhole. Or maybe get separated from rest of the country kind of like "Under the Dome".

I don't want to see Michigan become a national power again either. Do you really like Harbaugh? He is such an arrogant blowhard that it will be hard to root for them. OSU is going to be awesome as long as Urban is there. They don't need our help. I don't like Randy Edsall, do you? Indiana, who really cares and MSU I will root for, why not. The other division sure I'll root for them but there schedules are SOOOO much eaiser than ours that it's hard to be too rah rah. And the B1G is an institution. Sure its' nice to be the best of the best but the days of needing conference respect ended the day we were invited to the B1G

 

[Nosoj]

There are five huge games this weekend and B1G needs to win at least three of them:
Michigan at Utah
TCU at Minnesota
Stanford at Northwestern
Alabama vs Wisconsin in Dallas
Ohio State at Virginia Tech

The B1G is underdogs in four of these games and double digit dogs in three.

Really, Ohio State needs to win and Michigan and Wisconsin need to not get blown out. Picking up a win from one or two of the underdogs would be nice, but not necessary for national perception.

 

[PatrickRU92]

Will root for Minne, Wisc, NW and OSU.

on the fence with UM. I wouldn't mind the division not being insanely difficult. I'd love to go to a new years day bowl once or twice before I de-planet. Right now we can have a very solid team and end up the f***ing bronx again.

 

[kjb32812]

I can understand why people think we should root for conference mates OOC, and I usually do.

However, I don't get the few people in here who say they would root for Penn St. The jury is still out on Franklin as a game day coach (even with many PSU fans) and expectations for them are so unrealistically (even with the weak schedule) high this year, that RU fans should be rooting for a mediocre PSU year.

A season that doesn't live up to the cult's expectations, followed the realization in April that they had a NFL top 10 draft pick QB and achieved nothing with him, could be the beginning of the end of that coaching regime.

I'm not sure where you are getting the unrealistically high expectations from. The O/U on wins for PSU is 7.5. Personally, I said I would be okay with anything better than 7-5 which could possibly make us a T25 team with a bowl win. Only the complete loons are saying 10-2. We will not be 6-0 going into the OSU game and we will lose to OSU and MSU (both are on the road). That leaves Michigan as the swing game between 7 wins and 8. There are still a lot of questions on the OL and if they aren't at least average then we will struggle again.

Well if he's not as good as advertised, we'd want him there as long as possible though right? I know people here can't stand Harbaugh, he is nutty, but it's Franklin that annoys me. Harbaugh is who he is, I think it's genuine even if eccentric. Franklin just oozes used car salesman to me. A lot of people here like PJ Fleck and I get the same feel from him as well.

His DC, Bob Shoop, is pretty good and I wonder how much of Franklin's success can be attributed to him. I read the other day that Vandy had top 25 defenses in their 3 years there. I didn't realize that. That's a pretty nice job considering that's happening before any bump from Franklin's recruiting acumen. Of course PSU had a really good defense last year. I think his name will be one on the rise for a HC job soon.

I'm not interested in getting banned on here but I find it odd that you still call Franklin (and now PJ Fleck) sleazy in light of what is currently going on with Flood. Believe me, I've heard the same bs all my life about some other coach and it simply wasn't true. Regardless of how they come across from a personality standpoint, they're all used car salesmen and they're all FOS. You think Bill O'Brien is some straight arrow guy just because he comes across that way? Give me a break. He's as big a liar as all the rest of them.

Finally, Shoop is really good and a ton of Franklin's success should be attributed to him. That's his job though. You can't praise Shoop and then chastise Franklin for the offense and the failures of Hackenberg and the OL. If Donovan doesn't get it together this year then Franklin's job is to fire him and find someone who can. If not, he'll be another Al Golden. A guy who insists on trying to swim with an anchor around his leg. Just as a throw in, Shoop was a HC once and failed miserably. Doesn't mean he shouldn't/won't get another chance but there's a difference between being a sergeant and a general. Look at Larry Johnson.

 

[rutgersguy1]

I'm not interested in getting banned on here but I find it odd that you still call Franklin (and now PJ Fleck) sleazy in light of what is currently going on with Flood. Believe me, I've heard the same bs all my life about some other coach and it simply wasn't true. Regardless of how they come across from a personality standpoint, they're all used car salesmen and they're all FOS. You think Bill O'Brien is some straight arrow guy just because he comes across that way? Give me a break. He's as big a liar as all the rest of them.

Finally, Shoop is really good and a ton of Franklin's success should be attributed to him. That's his job though. You can't praise Shoop and then chastise Franklin for the offense and the failures of Hackenberg and the OL. If Donovan doesn't get it together this year then Franklin's job is to fire him and find someone who can. If not, he'll be another Al Golden. A guy who insists on trying to swim with an anchor around his leg. Just as a throw in, Shoop was a HC once and failed miserably. Doesn't mean he shouldn't/won't get another chance but there's a difference between being a sergeant and a general. Look at Larry Johnson.

As far as we know Flood's issue right now is innocuous despite media reports. When the investigation is done we'll find out more of what's true and what's not.

As to used car feel, yes they all are salesman to varying degrees, though some play it up and ham it up and just seem like everything they do is phony. Fleck and Franklin are 2 that feel like that in my book. Lane Kiffin would probably be another one. I don't know if this stint with Saban will humble him some. Of course other coaches sell a pile a crap to recruits, media and what not but these 2 in my book are over the top with it compared to most. One thing though, they may be used car salesmen but all 3 of them are very good recruiters and people buy up the crap they dish out.

As to Shoop, yup it's up to the HC, in this case Franklin to hire good coaches but I always wonder in the back of my mind can this coach do it without that great coordinator under him who's been following him around or can he keep replacing that great assistant coach. If the coach has done well before as a coordinator/HC or without "said underling" then I think less about it but if not I wonder. I don't recall Franklin being a stellar OC at Maryland/KSU but I could be wrong. Didn't know about Shoop being a failed HC though, that's something to take into account about possible HC prospects.

When I wonder about these things, my questioning is basically is said coach at whichever school a Gene Chizik situation at Auburn. He won the national title, you'd think he's great but I always felt that Malzahn was the real reason behind it, along with Newton of course. Malzahn left and Chizik fell apart. Malzahn came back and they're competing again. Chizik wasn't anything special at ISU prior and then sat out for a few years until recently becoming a DC, I think at UNC but not sure.