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AUBURN, AL – SEPTEMBER 28: Charles Barkley talks with fans prior to the matchup between the Auburn Tigers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Jordan-Hare Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Auburn, AL. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)
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AUBURN, AL – SEPTEMBER 28: Charles Barkley talks with fans prior to the matchup between the Auburn Tigers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Jordan-Hare Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Auburn, AL. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)
The Alabama Crimson Tide football program is going through a major change. While fans were demanding the resignation of legendary coach Nick Saban after losing the National Championship game to the Michigan Wolverines, they were left stunned when the 72-year-old himself announced his retirement. NBA legend and passionate college football fan Charles Barkley wasn’t a fan of the Alabama fans’ behavior as he discussed the changing structure of the NCAA Playoffs format.
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During the latest episode of The Steam Room podcast, an Ohio State Buckeyes fan expressed heartbreak over Alabama losing to Ohio’s bitter rivals, Michigan. However, Barkley explained how the fans might be wrong about their opinion.
Player welfare is more important than anything else
Addressing the Alabama fans, Sir Charles acknowledged their commendable performance as they won the SEC and made it to the college playoffs. He urged them to refrain from harsh criticism directed at Nick Saban. Following this, he also expressed concerns about the expanded playoffs involving 12 teams. He suggested a shorter playoff structure, emphasizing the potential downsides.
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“I have a couple of issues with the playoff. Personally, I think they got to find a way to shorten the season. I talked about it earlier on the podcast we can’t have young kids playing three extra football ball games,” said Barkley.
The next season will replace the older 4-team format with a new 12-team playoff. In the older format, the teams had one semi-final game and one championship game. However, the new format might demand the footballers to play at least two more games. Barkley expressed his concern by saying, “I don’t think it’s fair to ask college kids to play that many games.”
However, Johnson pointed out a potential benefit of the expansion. While he struggled to find the right phrase to highlight the benefit, his co-host suggested that it indeed might stop the “Robbery of Florida” that was witnessed in the previous season.
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Despite a strong performance last year, Florida State University faced disappointment by not securing an invitation to the playoffs. Barkley was also one of the few who saw it coming.
Charles Barkley correctly predicted Florida’s omission
Ahead of the announcement of the 2023-24 College Football Playoff teams, Barkley named Alabama, when he was asked about which team was most likely to claim the fourth spot. The decision might have been based on the absence of a key player, Jordan Travis in Florida.
Travis was out of the season as he sustained a broken leg in FSU’s home game. Even if the team scored its last two wins without Travis, the CFP committee didn’t change its decision, proving Barkley right.
Do you think the new 12-team format will change things for the better? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
Written by
Edited by
Pragya Vashisth