NOVAK: Tired of Alabama-Clemson? So am I

Published 10:04 am Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Just like with Connecticut in women’s basketball, Alabama winning the national championship just about every year is bad for college football.

I know Clemson won two years ago, but time after time it is the Crimson Tide winning the championship. Usually, the games are not even close.

I am also getting tired of Alabama and Clemson in the title game. Based on what I know about the two teams that played Monday night for the national championship, I skipped watching the game.

Nothing tires me out more than listening to the same things being said by the same analysts leading up to a big game.

In college women’s basketball, it is the Huskies. In college football, it is the Crimson Tide. In the National Football League, it is the New England Patriots and in the National Basketball Association it is the Golden State Warriors.

Quite frankly, it tires me out.

Let’s see some new blood in these title games.

Thanks goodness Notre Dame broke the Connecticut stranglehold last year in women’s basketball. But there again, it seems like it is always the Huskies and the Fighting Irish playing for the national title.

I understand these tournaments are about competition and the best team wins. I do not have an answer as to how to make them more competitive.

Teams like Alabama, Connecticut, Clemson and Notre Dame just recruit better than some of these other schools.

On the professional side of the this, the teams who are willing to shell out the most money get the best players and win championships.

Perhaps that is why I have been drawn to high school sports. I know there are dynasties there as well, but the championship landscape changes often enough that I would rather watch high school games than college or professional contests.

If only the NCAA could figure out a way to bottle the magic is has from the men’s basketball tournament and share it with football.

I know there is no way to have 68 teams playing for a football championship. Heck, we cannot even get them to agree to increase the current system beyond four teams.

Perhaps six or eight teams would create more drama, especially in the first round.

Again, I do not know the answer. What I do know is that I have lost interest in watching Alabama rule the college football world and I think others are starting to line up on my side in this.

I heard last week that ticket sales were way down for Monday night’s title game. Perhaps it has to do with the location of the game. Perhaps people are just getting tired of Alabama and Clemson playing in it.

For those who enjoy watching dynasties, I hope you got your money’s worth Monday night.

As for me, I was taking in a high school basketball game, which I enjoyed completely.

Scott Novak is sports editor for Leader Publications. He can be reached at scott.novak@leaderpub.com