How To Save Your Job In Two Weeks

Or, The Story of Al Groh & the 2008 Virginia Cavaliers.

Unbelievable. Two weeks ago, Al Groh was a goner. He was done, no doubt about it. It was unlikely that he'd be fired mid-season (I don't think that's how UVA rolls), but the team was terrible with no signs of getting any better, so it seemed inevitable that he'd be out at the end of the year. But now, after drubbing Mason-Dixon rival Maryland 31-0 and beating early-season darling East Carolina 35-20, I can guarantee you that Al Groh will the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers in 2009 (if he manages to upset a Brandon Tate-less UNC team next week, he might get an extension).

Now, I think he still has to go, but I'm positive that he won't. We saw it for years with Pete Gillen and men's basketball team. It was the same thing every year: ace through a cupcake-laden non-conference schedule, start conference play undefeated, lose first 5 ACC games, put Gillen goes on hot seat, upset a highly-ranked Duke or Carolina team at home in February, play better in 2nd half of ACC schedule, remove Gillen off hot seat, finish around .500 for year and in conference, lose in NIT First Round, start again next year. Same song, different verse with Groh.

The team's playing better under redshirt sophomore quarterback Marc Verica (not that it could've played much worse), and with so many young players around him, you've to (delusional) people are saying, "Well, we'll take our lumps this year, but NEXT year, this team could be great!" Regardless of how UVA finishes out the year (more on that in a bit), these two wins have given Al Groh a reprieve and a chance next year to continue the UVA tradition of finishing slightly above mediocre, going to a third-tier bowl game, and acting like we're a big-time football program. Go Hoos!

Some more thoughts on college football:

-Virginia will finish the year 6-6. I know, that sounds like a lot, especially since two weeks ago I pronounced them dead and predicted a 1-11 season. Listen, I don't like Al Groh, but I do like to see my alma mater win some games. And with the way they've been playing lately (either because or in spite of Groh), I think Georgia Tech, Miami, and Clemson are winnable games. Though in reality, Virginia will probably lose one of those games (like at Georgia Tech, since we can't win games in Atlanta) and beat someone they shouldn't (like Carolina this weekend- again, the Heels have lost their best playmaker for the rest of the season and its UVA's third straight home game; guess Groh can expect that extension coming his way).

-This week's rankings should be the first rankings of the year. I know, I've bitched about this before, but its worth repeating. Halfway through the year, you have a measure of how good a team actually is, as opposed to in the preseason or Week 1. Alabama (#2) and Penn State (#3) stated the year in the 20's and Oklahoma State (#7) wasn't even ranked. Three of the preseason Top 10, West Virginia (#8), Clemson (#9), and Auburn (#10), aren't even ranked anymore. These teams are labeled as "busts" because they didn't "live up" to they're preseason ranking, and I think that's unfair. Its obvious these teams aren't any good, but they're being compared to a version of themselves that never existed (ie- the preseason ranking of them that was based on nothing but conjecture).

The rankings mean nothing and are only used to hype television matchups and upsets, as if college football needs it. Given the recent histories of Oregon State and USC, Oregon State's 27-21 victory over USC is a huge upset, regardless of the fact that USC was ranked #1 at the time. Florida State vs. Miami was always a "big game" because both the teams were usually always ranked. But that wasn't the case this year, and a lot of people dismissed the game because of that. Oops. 41-39 Florida State in a rain-drenched classic.

-College football has surpassed pro football on my list of favorite sports. I've come to realize that I watch the NFL solely for fantasy purposes. Sure, I'll watch the Bengals lose, but I just can't get into the random NFL game anymore; I just want to know how my fantasy team is doing. But college football? I can watch any game, any time. Random C-USA Thursday night game? I'm in. Friday night Big East game? There. Monday Night Football, Giants vs. Browns? Eh, I'm watching Chuck, How I Met Your Mother, and Heroes. Saturdays are spent on the couch watching football all day. Sundays are spent doing chores, running errands, and checking up on how bad the Bengals are losing.