And You Think Votto Got Jobbed!

No question, Joey Votto was jobbed by the All-Star process and a certain N.L. East manager who didn't want to hack off his big first baseman. (Charlie Manuel and Ryan Howard for the record) That had to be the biggest oversight of the weekend, right? Well, I thought so, until I went through my every other Sunday night ritual of coming home and cracking open the latest edition of the Sporting News. Once again they've ranked all 120 college football division 1-A (FBS or whatever the eggheads at the NCAA call it now) teams. A daunting task no doubt, and there are going to be some reaches, some oversights, and some flat out forehead-slapping "how in the hell did these idiots do this again?" rankings. U.C. is 23-4 over the past two seasons. And the "Sporting News" says: Ranked 41st. I'm not kidding, 41st. Before you get upset, keep in mind that Northwestern is only ranked 40th. One spot ahead of U.C. Really? Is there another Northwestern I don't know about? The "Sporting News" failed to supply a laugh track with these rankings, so I'll be laughing out loud for you. Northwestern was 8-5 last season and finished the season with a flourish. But the Wildcats also lost to Syracuse. Northwestern returns 14 starters, U.C. will return 13 or so. These rankings are subjective and tend to spark numerous disagreements. They have Pitt 19th, West Virginia 24th, and UConn 28th. And U.C. 41st. Heck, Houston is 26th and I feel strongly that U.C. would beat the Cougars on a neutral field. So why the disrespect? Is it because Brian Kelly left for Notre Dame? Did Brian take Collaros, Pead, Binns, Woods, and more with him? Do they not think Butch Jones can take over for Kelly and win with what Kelly left behind? Did they not see what Butch did at Central Michigan with what Kelly left behind? So many questions that will be answered this fall. And I'm fairly certain I know the answer. After all, I felt the same way last year when the "Sporting News" ranked U.C. 46th. They didn't supply a laugh track with that ranking either.

ps-the Bleacher Report has rankings I find more tolerable. U.C. is ranked 22nd, right behind the Miami Hurricanes and just ahead of...... the Houston Cougars.