An asterisk is never good.
Really, it’s just a fancy, starry symbol for the conjunction “but.”
Like when you buy medicine for your sinus headache and in big bright letters the bottle reads, “Practically GUARANTEED to cure sinus headaches.” Then you noticed the fine print preceded by an asterisk of course, which says, “Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant, planning to be pregnant or were ever a fetus yourself. Medicine may cause nerve damage, mood swings, ingrown hairs, aggressive diarrhea and/ or sinus headaches.”
(Another example is when people write on The Outlook’s Facebook page they absolutely love this li’l ol’ small town paper. *Except for that one Robinson boy’s columns.)
Some college football fans are already claiming that whichever team is fortunate enough to win this strange season’s national championship should deserve an asterisk, too. Their argument centers around the fact two of the Power 5 conferences (the Big Ten and the Pac-12) have already called off their participation for this year.
Those people are just pulling negativity out of their ‘asterisks’ if you ask me.
Hey, no one made those two conferences bow out of 2020. Those programs did what they thought was best for them and, while I disagree, I understand. Pandemics don’t come around all too often, so preaching about how to handle this moment is arrogant and futile. Besides, the Pac-12 could usually pull out of the college season every mid-October and no one would notice based on recent performance; right folks?
When one team beats another team because a key player was hurt, does that team not still get a notch in the win column? Of course they do. This year will be the same thing. Just instead of missing one key player, the college football season is missing two key conferences.
It should certainly be noted that only Ohio State, Oregon and maybe Penn State would be viable candidates for the College Football Playoff anyway. I mean I will watch just about any Power 5 Conference game if given the chance, but is the season really lost because the nation doesn’t get the see Rutgers and Oregon State get pummeled every Saturday?
The point is, if the SEC, ACC and Big 12 (among sorted others) can actually pull off a football season — albeit shortened — the team that wins in the end will be a true champion. Not a sorta champion; a true, trophy-hoisting champion.
If you still don’t agree with me, just imagine that your favorite team were to maneuver its way to the winner’s stage of the National Championship. Now, would you then consider the season completely legitimate?
You bet your asterisk you would.
Luke Robinson is a regular columnist, contributor to BMetro, AHSAA Radio Network broadcaster and Sportz Blitz team member.