News UCF Peach Bowl/National Championship Parade

[Andrew C]

UCF...just move to a power 5 conference. And try again.

 

[rael ramone]

Interesting that on one hand $DIS is broadcasting the *National Championship* game with one of their corporate divisions, and another corporate division is giving a *National Championship* parade to a team that isn't participating in said game....

Haven't read the whole thread, but the AP can give the AP National Championship to whoever they want. They allow votes to FCS teams, so in theory a FCS team can win it (picture a SEC team going 10 games as the only undefeated team in FBS, then in 'Cupcake Saturday' lose to an undefeated FCS team).

Personally I think any team that schedules 7 or more home games in a season should be ineligible for a National Championship.

But it's in the interests of the Power 5 to keep the status quo. Repeat the mantra 'Group of 5 teams should schedule tougher games' from one side of the mouth and refuse to add such teams to your schedule (at least the ones outside the Sun Belt) to said schedule from the other side. Whether it's in the interests of $DIS or not..... on one hand more meaningful games may be good for ratings (as more and more of the 'other' bowls might see the best players skip the game to avoid an injury that might hurt their draft stock), on the other hand, expanding the playoffs they might end up with a college playoff version of 'Buffalo vs. Jacksonville'.

And if they did add to the playoff, would those who held the power (Power 5, $DIS and other networks) want a Group of 5 team there? It would be about getting the Power 5 Conferences represented. And getting the 'name brand' teams that don't have a Conference Title to their resume (Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Miami, Penn State, etc) in the mix.

 

[21stamps]

The rest of the country has to come to terms with the concept that UCF won all their games, including one game against the team that has a victory over both Georgia and Alabama. Undefeated is supposed to mean something, but in college football it does not, because of the Country club like atmosphere of the big conferences not allowing the little schools in.

What makes sports great is upsets, whether it be the New York Giants over the undefeated Patriots, the US beating the Russians in the Miracle on Ice, or Seabiscuit beating Triple Crown winner War Admiral. Boise State defeated an Oklahoma team that had all-world back Adrian Peterson. The Los Angles Lakers with Kobe Bryant, Shaq, Karl Malone and Gary Payton lost to the Detroit Pistons. Before any of those, or many of UCF's wins this year, on paper I would have said it's a joke to think the smaller team would win, but they did. Until the two teams actually play opposite each other we don't know.

Polls and analysts can be wrong, going into the season Florida State was ranked #3 in the nation. The reason that matters is that UCF wasn't even in the discussion and had to prove themselves over the course of the season. Meanwhile Alabama, who didn't have the strongest of schedules got to comfortably sit atop the poll, without really proving anything, and then when they fell, it wasn't anywhere near as far. People looked at the victory over FSU as claiming something, but FSU finished the season with 6 losses, including to Boston College and NC State. They didn't defeat a ranked team all year (Based on the end of the year rankings). The Preseason "guess" is one of the worst things about college football as it puts unrealistic expectations out there, because of what analysts or polls say. Watch the teams actually play a bit before giving any sort of ranking of any kind. The analysts and polls don't want to discuss FSU this year because of how silly it makes the preseason numbers look. If not for that preseason ranking, Alabama didn't win any games that would have made anyone think they were deserving of going to the big game (Granted their win over Clemson after they were selected to go on, is impressive, but that was after the fact).

Ultimately, college football likes to discuss the amateur status of the athletes, and how they play the game the right way, but it all comes down to money. When Alabama played Auburn, they both won and lost. They lost because of the final score on the board, but they won because of the money they generated. That's why the big schools will never play small scale schedules. However, the smaller schools will have to risk both how much money the program makes, and their records. Alabama (or any other school in a big conference) falling out of bed makes a fortune in tickets sales, and television deals. Why would they, or should they give that up? For example, I'm sure UCF would have loved to have played Alabama, Georiga, Clemson, Notre Dame and Ohio State all this year. They're record may have been horrid, but their box office would have been great. That box office could then be used to build facilities or hire a higher level coach. Those big name programs sell out wherever they go, and they don't want to play in small stadiums, because it generates less revenue. They want the big collossal stadiums like Ohio State and Michigan. I am aware too, sometimes big programs pay the lesser school a large salary just to play the big school, because the lesser school wants nothing to do with the humiliating loss they'll likely take, but it allows the powerhouse a relatively easier week.

UCF deserves the parades, and if they want to call themselves National Champions, in my eyes they can, because the National Championship in the NCAA is so much of a joke, and always has been, that there really is no national champion. The concept that a team can go undefeated for a season and not get an invite into the top 4 playoff is a joke. UCF is the only team to go undefeated, all year. It had to deal with a hurricane, which others had to as well, and still came out at the end undefeated. When Boise State and UCF beat a quality opponent in their bowl game, it's already too late to do anything about it. I will admit Alabama's victory over Clemson was the single most impressive thing they did all season, but up until that, they were living off of what the analysts thought of them and not what they deserved. UCF didn't have the opportunity to live off of what the analysts predicted, and instead had to prove through the course of the season they were good, and like Alabama proved in the final game, they did deserve a right to compete against the big boys. But, it was in the bowl game, after the Playoff had been decided.

This isn’t “The World against UCF”.
I think all football fans appreciate an undefeated season. Nothing to come to terms with there.

UCF coaches/players/ fans can make all the claims they want.. there’s no way to know what would have happened if they played better teams.
OSU beat what, 4 teams in the top 20, 3 of which were in the Top 10.. yet they lost to Iowa. Underdogs can most definitely win.. but you can’t claim a win without playing a game.

 

[UCF]

This isn’t “The World against UCF”.
I think all football fans appreciate an undefeated season. Nothing to come to terms with there.

UCF coaches/players/ fans can make all the claims they want.. there’s no way to know what would have happened if they played better teams.
OSU beat what, 4 teams in the top 20, 3 of which were in the Top 10.. yet they lost to Iowa. Underdogs can most definitely win.. but you can’t claim a win without playing a game.

UCF won every game they played, the only game they cancelled was due to Hurricane Irma, which closed Disney World as well. UCF isn't claiming to have won the game Hurricane Irma cancelled.

As it is, Main Street USA is a sea of Black and Gold, people are at the Magic Kingdom to watch the UCF National Championship parade. Do you seriously think in 10 years, when people see the national title banner, it in the record books, pictures of parades celebrating it with a banner and national champion T shirts at Disney World and Downtown, they're going to be questioning it? Of course not, just as we don't question USC's not playing in the championship game and claiming it, and Alabama doing the same another 3 or 4 times, sometimes ranked as low as #20 in the country.

 

[MonorailRed]

I will say the UCF crowds are giant today for the parade, with black and gold balloons on most of the lampposts on Main Street USA.

Some people have been waiting for this parade since 10 am today. Very interesting.

I’ll be able to post some pictures later today if anyone’s interested.

 

[wdwmagic]

I will say the UCF crowds are giant today for the parade, with black and gold balloons on most of the lampposts on Main Street USA.

Some people have been waiting for this parade since 10 am today. Very interesting.

I’ll be able to post some pictures later today if anyone’s interested.

Please do!

 

[jpeden]

I’m surprised Disney is justifying this claim - considering they own the entity that is about to Broadcast 20+ hours of coverage on the CFP Championship Game. UGA alum here - can’t wait to see that national championship banner in our stadium if we win.

UCF has a great season but National Champions they are not. One poll that isn’t final and a local paper are what their claims are based on. What happens when that poll updates and they aren’t #1? I honestly think this is about keeping UCF happy so they’ll keep feeding WDW college program cast members.

 

[disney4life2008]

I will say the UCF crowds are giant today for the parade, with black and gold balloons on most of the lampposts on Main Street USA.

Some people have been waiting for this parade since 10 am today. Very interesting.

I’ll be able to post some pictures later today if anyone’s interested.

What is funny to me the people on here downing UCF fail to realize a substantial amount of UCF students work at disney world lol.

 

[disney4life2008]

I’m surprised Disney is justifying this claim - considering they own the entity that is about to Broadcast 20+ hours of coverage on the CFP Championship Game. UGA alum here - can’t wait to see that national championship banner in our stadium if we win.

UCF has a great season but National Champions they are not. One poll that isn’t final and a local paper are what their claims are based on. What happens when that poll updates and they aren’t #1? I honestly think this is about keeping UCF happy so they’ll keep feeding WDW college program cast members.

You do realize UCF and Disney World go hand in hand lol.

 

[UCF]

I’m surprised Disney is justifying this claim - considering they own the entity that is about to Broadcast 20+ hours of coverage on the CFP Championship Game. UGA alum here - can’t wait to see that national championship banner in our stadium if we win.

UCF has a great season but National Champions they are not. One poll that isn’t final and a local paper are what their claims are based on. What happens when that poll updates and they aren’t #1? I honestly think this is about keeping UCF happy so they’ll keep feeding WDW college program cast members.

Not to mention the President of WDW is a UCF Alumni. Its also not just students in the college program, Disney heavily recruits and hires a TON of UCF graduates and has gotten the curriculum of programs at UCF changed to produce a better workforce for Disney.

Disney was among the first to offer me my first post-graduation engineering job (although I never worked there, I have many UCF friends who do)

 

[jpeden]

You do realize UCF and Disney World go hand in hand lol.

I do. I also realize that ESPN and therefore by extension TWDC has a contractual obligation to provide extensive promotions and coverage for the College Football Playoff (a prime example is ESPN at the Boardwalk which in November has the huge “who’s in” motif plastered across the windows) and it is surprising to me that regardless of their relationship with UCF, that they’re getting involved in this mess considering the amount of money they have tied up in the College Football Playoff.

 

[UCF]

I do. I also realize that ESPN and therefore by extension TWDC has a contractual obligation to provide extensive promotions and coverage for the College Football Playoff (a prime example is ESPN at the Boardwalk which in November has the huge “who’s in” motif plastered across the windows) and it is surprising to me that regardless of their relationship with UCF, that they’re getting involved in this mess considering the amount of money they have tied up in the College Football Playoff.

I don't think anyone believes celebrating UCF's national championship will hurt the CFP championship games' ratings, and ESPN also has the rights for UCF games, and for the Peach Bowl, so its self-promoting ESPN benefiting properties all around. Interestingly, the UCF game also posted the best ratings for the Peach Bowl ever where it wasn't a CFP game, so this is helping ESPN. The interesting narrative, the debate, etc is all good for ESPN. The extra sale of tickets to Disney World by those celebrating UCF's National Championship also helps Disney. They're winning all around.

 

[jpeden]

Why do so many ignore that Auburn lost three games before playing UCF? Their loss to UCF was their fourth loss of the season!

Auburn was good but not the same caliber as the 4 teams that made the college football playoffs.

The reality is that Auburn's December 28-7 loss in the UGA rematch showed them for what they really were.

At home, Auburn was the best team in the nation no doubt. Away from home, they were mediocre. As shown by their 28-7 loss to UGA and their loss to UCF and their other two losses.

 

[MonorailRed]

Please do!

Here are some pictures from today, @wdwmagic !

 

[MonorailRed]

Also, the event didn't take up the entire day.

The balloons were installed right after Festival of Fantasy, and disassembled around 5:30. Black and Gold Pom Poms were given out in front of the camera on Main Street USA.

I don't remember seeing Knightro, which I thought was odd.

 

[disney4life2008]

Also, the event didn't take up the entire day.

The balloons were installed right after Festival of Fantasy, and disassembled around 5:30. Black and Gold Pom Poms were given out in front of the camera on Main Street USA.

I don't remember seeing Knightro, which I thought was odd.

I wonder if they blocked knightro because he is a character?

 

[MonorailRed]

I wonder if they blocked knightro because he is a character?

At first I thought that too, but Brutus has appeared at WDW.

 

[21stamps]

Also, the event didn't take up the entire day.

The balloons were installed right after Festival of Fantasy, and disassembled around 5:30. Black and Gold Pom Poms were given out in front of the camera on Main Street USA.

I don't remember seeing Knightro, which I thought was odd.

Did you see any “National Champion” banners?.. I wonder if Disney decided to not get involved in that, but still give a well deserved celebration for a perfect season.

 

[MonorailRed]

Did you see any “National Champion” banners?.. I wonder if Disney decided to not get involved in that, but still give a well deserved celebration for a perfect season.

Honestly, all I saw was perfect season type celebration slogans and buttons and congratulations of specific players on banners. Disney seemed to focus on the perfect season of the Hometown team aspect.

Depending on the fans, the words "National Champion" were thrown around on and off in chants waiting for the parade, but nothing from Disney or the high concentration of UCF fans.

 

[Bolt]

At first I thought that too, but Brutus has appeared at WDW.

I believe this had to be done when the park wasn't open though.