Cotton bowl ups the ante

[JerryBeeds]

Since the death of the old SWC and the BCS snubbed the Cotton Bowl, the CB has been dying a slow death. The SEC tie-in breathed some life into the game, but overall poor weather & an old decrepid stadium have made it not very attractive for our fans particularly those from the Eastern division. Well, it looks like the CB has teamed up with the Dallas Cowboys to change the venue.

SECsports.com (http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=2&url_article_id=8450&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2)

attcottonbowl.com (http://www.attcottonbowl.com/main/index.php)

Plans for the new stadium look incredible. Here's a link to some pics of what the new stadium will look like:

DallasCowboys.com - Home (http://dallascowboys.com)

[AU Blaaaaaaaake]

Bout freakin time.

[gatorunvrsty]

Man, that is a bad-a$$ stadium!

http://www2.attcottonbowl.com/_images/stadium/graphic_link.jpg

I wonder how the Auburn guys feel about playing in the run-down stadium for another 3 years, until it's completed.;)

[Chief Broom]

The tie in with the SEC was supposed to bring the #3 SEC team in. In reality it has been the best SEC West team they could get. Sometimes a good team sometimes not so good. This upgrade might be a difference maker and they will really get the #3 SEC team overall.

[Cianne]

It makes more sense to send the #2 in the West to the Cotton and the #2 in the East to the Outback.

[Gator2753]

Man, that is a bad-a$$ stadium!

http://www2.attcottonbowl.com/_images/stadium/graphic_link.jpg

I wonder how the Auburn guys feel about playing in the run-down stadium for another 3 years, until it's completed.;)

Sweet! I want to lose a few games and go to the cotton bowl:laugh: :thumpsup:

[SeanVol]

It makes more sense to send the #2 in the West to the Cotton and the #2 in the East to the Outback.

I would go for that!!! But, if the SECW #2/SECE #2 were to be stuck in the Out back/Cotton for two years in a row I would mind those picks being switced.

[volimhtown]

It makes more sense to send the #2 in the West to the Cotton and the #2 in the East to the Outback.

I like that way of thinking but the BCS makes that scenario impossible to guarantee (as from year to year you may have 1-3 SEC teams in the BCS).
I think one of the biggest problems with having 2 divisions within a conference is the psychological barriers that are inherent with it. It is natural to think that the #2 in the West = #2 in the East, but too often that isn't the case. Look at this past basketball season...being #1 in the West meant you were 6th best in the league. Many times 3 of the top 4 teams (or even 4 of 5) have been from one side. Somehow, we need to only look at the 2 divisions to determine the championship game match-up ONLY! Once the champion is determined, the other 11 teams should be ranked/judged as one whole group. Certainly it benefits the whole from time to time (as shown in Arkansas' bid to the Big Dance) but it also presents scenarios in which teams are unjustly rewarded over other more deserving teams.
Finally, in terms of making bowl games make more "geographic" sense, I'm not necessarily opposed to that. I mean, between the Peach, Cotton, and Outback there's really no difference to me as a fan, but I'd hate to get "locked" in to a bowl for several years in a row and that would be a greater possibility under that scenario. JMO

[SeanVol]

I would think letting the cotton bowl take SECW #2 would make it easier on the that team's fans, because of the driving distance. As for the SECW #1 being the 6th best team in the league look at the SECBB tourney 3 out 4 teams in (I think) semis were from the SECW.

[BamaDude06]

There is really no point in ranking the teams because ultimately there is a pecking order and the bowls choose the teams they want, reguardless really of what the SEC wants. That's why a 10-2 LSU team wound up in the Peach Bowl in 2005. Most people thought they would win the SECCG and the bowls began to make other plans. UGA upsets them and the bowls stuck with their original plans basically.

[sully00]

I hate to see it torn down. Its another part of history. It was fun when bama went to the grand old lady a couple of years ago.

[lLandonhog]

Man, that is a bad-a$$ stadium!

http://www2.attcottonbowl.com/_images/stadium/graphic_link.jpg

I wonder how the Auburn guys feel about playing in the run-down stadium for another 3 years, until it's completed.;)

Approximately $800 million.... It will have the largest steel bowstring trusses in the world...(made right here in Oklahoma)

The company I work for, is the GC...our Dallas office of course...

[ufloridagataz!]

wow. looks a bigger better version of the cardinals new stadium. cotton bowl will probaly get much more hype now