MAC Blogger Roundtable: Eagle Totem

Carter from Eagle Totem is driving this week. He's one of the more thoughtful guys when it comes to answering questions, let's see how well he does asking!

1. By now any sports fan who didn't stay up for the game has surely seen the blown call at the end of the Packers-Seahawks game ("the worst call in NFL history"), one of many blown calls going both ways in that game. MAC teams have also seen their share of bad officiating. Tell us about the worst officiated game or worst single call your team has seen? What do you think could be done to improve officiating throughout college football, but especially in the MAC?

In 2008, against Central Michigan, the refs screwed up the clock and down situation late.

CMU was driving late and the refs let the clock run when their should have been a stoppage of play. Critical seconds off the clock seconds that were the difference between a 46 yard last second field goal try and a shorter field goal.

In the grand scheme of things it did not really matter. The Bulls went on to win the MAC that year but in the eyes of our conference mates a last second loss to CMU and an overtime loss to WMU diminishes that year.

Personally with rare exception I don't feel like officiating is a huge problem. Sure the official miss calls sometimes but we've seen in the NFL how ugly a game is when every holding get called. They should maybe make a few more things reviewable but aside from that I'm happy with the system.

2. EMU alumnus TJ Lang has gotten national attention for his outspoken tweets and comments following the game. What's one subject you wish you could get a really candid comment on from a current or former player or coach (or even administrator)? (Bonus: Make up a fake quote.)

I'd love to hear what some of the Buffalo players felt about Gill phoning it in twords themiddle of 2009. I had a chance to talk about it over drinks with another Bulls fans, a rare opportunity in Minnesota. We both kind of agree that had Gill been tough on the players that season then UB would have won 6, or more.

The sample tweet would be sent from a players cell phone during during the Ohio game.

"LOLZ IM ON ESPN3 RIGHT NOW WAIT WHUT DWN IS IT #NOTPAYINGATTENTION"

We would all love to have a direct line to the tams opinions about coaches but most players are smart enough to tow the team line. Heck So are the coaches bosses

"H8 LYING 2 #BULLS FANS BOUT QUINN BEING 1 YEAR AWAY FROM WINNING" -- From the ideal twitter account of Warde Manual last season

"H8 LYING 2 #UCONN FANS BOUT PASWUALONI BEING 1 YEAR AWAY FROM WINNING" -- From the ideal twitter account of Warde Manual this season

But not speaking your mind freely is a skill these young men will need to succeed in life. How many of us would really want our Bosses to know what we think of the latest decision. How many Bosses would want employees to know that they are really just guessing?

3. Hustle Belt recently asked if September 22, 2012, was the best MAC football day in history. What do you think? Does this sort of "big" day have any lasting impact on the MAC in general, and your school's program in particular?

No season has a lasting impact on anything. An American president once said we are always just one generation from losing our liberty and I happen to think they are right. If a nation can lose their liberty in a generation what could happen to a football conference!

Heck the Big10 is starting to fall behind the SEC in terms of swagger. The football has been below the SEC for awhile but now it's becoming accepted reality that even among the power conference the Big10's stock is falling.

It was in no way the best day ever for MAC football but it was the kind of day the MAC needs to have if they ever want to be as relevant as the Mountain West was during the middle of the last decade. A good number of your top teams *MUST* not lose games to Kansas and suffering Iowa programs and your basement teams have to look like actual football teams for 2 or 3 quarters aging the power teams.

And that been the MAC's problem. It's not the losses to Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, or other annual top 15 teams. No the MAC's problem has been regular season and Bowl losses to the middling teams like Indiana and Purdue. Teams that might jump up and have a great seasons only once in a while should not be able to count on MAC-Rifice.

Win the games you're supposed to win against other mid majors, beat the AQ bottom feeders, split with the AQ average teams, and compete with the top teams. Do that, and do it consistently, and you will see the conferences profile improve far more than one great week against power conference teams.