Champaign Central’s Combes Gym is the kind of nostalgic, old-school gym time savors. It seats just 1,200 at maximum capacity and is dimly lit like so many old gyms. The school is nestled in the middle of a neighborhood in the center of Champaign, and the gym exterior reminds you of an old movie theater. With a stage at one end and championship banners hanging from the rafters, you feel like you’re walking into the 1950s. Named in honor of legendary coach Harry Combes, who coached the Maroons from 1938-47 and led Champaign to the state title in 1946 and four other top-four finishes. He later coached at the University of Illinois.

The court inside Combes Gym is named for legendary coach Lee Cabutti, who led the Maroons from 1956-85, while winning 434 games and finishing third at the state tournament in 1969.

Saturday night’s game between Quincy High School and Champaign Central marked my first trip to Combes Gym, and I’m glad I had the chance to watch a game in such an historic place.

Some St. Louis Cardinals fans may still be bitter over Albert Pujols’ decision to sign with the Los Angeles Angels. Some are even in denial.

Reality starts to set in three weeks before pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

The February issue of Beckett Baseball, the card collecting authority, features the Topps 2012 card with Pujols in an Angels uniform. Obviously, since he has yet to suit up for the Angels, the image of Pujols playing first base has been altered using Adobe Photoshop. The card was printed in limited quantities and will be a part of Topps’ 332-card Series One, which should hit retail shelves soon. Topps also used Photoshop on Jose Reyes’ Miami Marlins card, which is featured on the Beckett cover along with Pujols.

Pujols also dons the cover of the latest ESPN the Magazine, although he is not pictures in game action wearing an Angels uniform. For the ESPN cover, Pujols is shot tight wearing an Angels cap.

Both magazines usher in a new era for Cardinals fans and bring reality home.

A certain level of sensitivity needs to be used when choosing high school team mascots and nicknames.

A certain level of common sense needs to be used, too.

The school board in Draper, Utah, still has to figure that out. Last week, the school board rejected the use of “Cougars” as the nickname for Corner Canyon High School, although 23 percent of the students voted for it as the mascot for the new school set to open in the fall of 2013. The Canyons School District board decided to go with the nickname “Chargers” because “Cougars” could be viewed as derogatory toward some women. According to urbandictionary.com, a cougar is “an attractive woman in her 30’s or 40’s who is on the hunt once again.”

Or in this context, it is the large cat also known as puma, mountain lion, mountain cat, catamount or panther, depending on the region of the country it is found.

It also happens to be the nickname for one of the most prominent colleges in Utah — Brigham Young University — as well as three other high schools in Utah. Across the nation, 27 colleges use “Cougars” as their nickname, the ninth most common nickname among four-year schools. In our neck of the woods, we have one high school — Highland, Mo. — using “Cougars” as the nickname. I highly doubt any of those schools will be changing their nicknames any time soon.

Nor should they be expected to.

In the 1980s, Pekin High School changed its nickname from the “Chinks” to the “Dragons.” In an era of political correctness, that needed to be done.

The decision by the Canyons School District is just foolish, and the spin control has begun. Jennifer Toomer-Cook, the spokeswoman for Canyons School District, told the ABC affiliate in Salt Lake City the decision was made for reasons other than a derogatory reference. Toomer-Cook said the degrogatory meaning of cougars was part of the discussion, but the real reasons were the school colors of blue, white and silver had already been chosen and that would be too much like BYU, which could cause a rivalry. The other reason she gave was three high schools in Utah already are the Cougars.

First, I find it hard to believe how a rivalry between BYU and a new high school would exist. Two, I wonder if there are any other schools in Utah with the “Chargers” nickname.

And three, that is spin control at its finest.

The school district put too much thought and too much worry into this. And truth be told, the decision to go with a different nickname isn’t the most egregious part of the story. The fact the school board asked the students to vote on the mascot and then disregarded the vote sends a worse message. It tells the students what they say and what they think doesn’t matter. That truly is the wrong message to send.

Still up for grabs

At the midpoint of the Western Big Six Conference season, there is no clear-cut favorite.

If I was a betting man, though, I’d put the odds on East Moline capturing the championship.

Here’s why: The Panthers share the conference lead with Rock Island after both won Friday night — the Panthers beat Moline 46-35 and the Rocks beat Quincy 50-44. With 4-1 records, they sit a game ahead of Moline and two games ahead of Quincy and Alleman, but East Moline has the more favorable schedule and more impressive victories so far.

Rocky, the defending league champion, played four of its first five league games at home. It still has to travel to the Panther Den, just like Quincy and Moline do. Starting the league season with a two-point victory at Quincy and ending the first half with a victory at Moline’s Wharton Field House showcased what East Moline’s talented senior class is truly capable of doing. With Rocky having to go on the road four times and East Moline hitting the road only twice, it’s a favorable path to the finish.

But what about preseason favorite Moline? Not only did the Maroons lose Jamaree Atwater to a broken leg in the WB6 opener at Galesburg, but the Maroons now have to deal with the suspension of the league’s leading scorer, senior guard Anthony Lindauer, for the violation of the school athletic code. Lindauer, who is averaging 23 points per game, started a four- or five-game suspension Friday night in the loss to East Moline.

He will miss at least two more WB6 games and possibly three. Moline athletic director Todd Rosenthal was not specific when asked by the Moline Dispatch about the length of the suspension, saying it would be four or five games. If it is four, Lindauer returns to face Quincy on Feb. 10. If it is five, the Quincy game will be the final game of his suspenion.

Either way, without its two leading scorers, Moline faces an uphill battle to stay in contention. Although Quincy plays three of its final five WB6 games at home, losses to East Moline and Moline — both were by two points — at home have put the Blue Devils in a tough position. That’s why Quincy coach Sean Taylor said he won’t talk to his team much about the big picture and winning a league title. He’ll focus on winning games and let the league race play itself out.

Success as a sixth man

Cole Abbey needed time to adjust to his role as Quincy’s sixth man. Two games proved to be long enough.

Abbey scored 11 points off the bench Friday night, hitting 5 of 6 free throws and helping the Blue Devils rally from a 14-point halftime deficit at the Rocky Fieldhouse. He also had two steals and three rebounds in the second half. He followed it up with a four-point, five-rebound performance against Hinsdale South, reminding the QHS coaching staff and its fans there is some scoring punch on the bench.

Abbey started coming off the bench following the Collinsville Schnucks Holiday Classic when Taylor determined the starting lineup would benefit from Harrison Elbe’s defensive tenacity. Bringing Abbey off the bench is a great change-of-pace moment because he can score off dribble penetration, create opportunities in transition and knock down 3-pointers. He provides the sort of instance offense the Blue Devils need at times.

Sizable foes

Quincy senior forward DeAngelo Dean went head-to-head with a pair of 6-foot-8 centers receiving NCAA Division I recruiting interest and more than held his own. Dean finished the weekend with 26 points, 18 rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocked shots. Meanwhile, Rocky’s Denzel McCauley and Hinsdale South’s Brock Benson combined for 14 points 25 rebounds, one assist, no steals and two blocked shots.

The boxscores

Rock Island 50, Quincy 44
QUINCY (10-6, 2-3)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
Elbe    0-1    0-0    1    3    0
Dean    8-18    0-1    9    3    16
Fairley    1-4    1-2    4    1    4
Kvitle    2-8    3-5    1    1    8
Davis    2-4    1-3    6    3    5
Abbey    3-7    5-6    3    1    11
Team            2
Totals    16-42    10-17    26    12    44
ROCK ISLAND (10-8, 4-1)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
Carr    1-4    2-2    0    2    4
Shorter    3-5    1-1    3    0    7
Beasley    4-8    3-5    7    2    11
Richardson    4-7    2-2    2    2    10
McCauley    3-9    0-0    13    3    6
Sigel    3-4    0-0    0    1    9
Babers    1-6    0-0    0    3    3
Brown    0-0    0-2    3    1    0
Johnson    0-0    0-0    1    1    0
Team            2
Totals    19-43    8-12    31    15    50
Quincy    8    8    11    17—44
Rock Island    13    17    6    14—50
3-point field goals—Quincy 2-11 (Kvitle 1-6, Fairley 1-3, Elbe 0-1, Dean 0-1), Rock Island 4-12 (Sigel 3-4, Babers 1-5, Carr 0-1, Shorter  0-1, Richardson 0-1). Assists—Quincy 10 (Davis 4), Rock Island 7 (Babers 3). Steals—Quincy 7 (Abbey 2), Rock Island 8 (Shorter, Beasley, Sigel 2). Blocked shots—Quincy 1 (Dean), Rock Island 2 (Beasley, McCauley). Turnovers—Quincy 13, Rock Island 13. Officials—Jude Kiah, Sam Moran, John Smith.

Quincy 48, Hinsdale South 41
HINSDALE SOUTH (9-8)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
James    3-6    5-6    6    1    12
Stoltz    1-6    0-0    3    5    2
Jasper    1-3    0-2    2    4    2
P. George    3-19    4-5    7    1    10
Benson    3-6    2-3    12    4    8
Ward    0-0    0-0    0    2    0
Andresen    1-2    0-0    2    3    2
J. George    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Randle    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Bowen    1-1    0-0    0    0    3
Reschke    1-1    0-0    0    0    2
Miletic    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Leake    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Team            3
Totals    14-44    11-16    35    20    41
QUINCY (11-6)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
H. Elbe    0-0    1-2    1    1    1
Dean    5-11    0-5    9    2    10
Fairley    3-5    3-4    1    1    11
Kvitle    5-7    10-12    3    1    20
Davis    1-3    0-0    2    2    2
Abbey    1-6    2-4    5    2    4
Salrin    0-1    0-0    1    3    0
Radovic    0-0    0-0    1    0    0
Kline    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
B. Thomas    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Burry    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
C. Thomas    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
L. Elbe    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Team            2
Totals    15-35    16-27    25    12    48
Hinsdale South    8    13    9    11—41
Quincy    13    17    8    10—48
3-point field goals—Hinsdale South 2-14 (James 1-2, Bowen 1-1, P. George 0-7, Stoltz 0-4), Quincy 2-6 (Fairley 2-3, Kvitle 0-2, Abbey 0-1). Assists—Hinsdale South 6 (Stoltz 2), Quincy 11 (Kvitle 4). Steals—Hinsdale South 6 (James 2), Quincy 7 (Dean, Davis 2). Blocked shots—Hinsdale South 1 (Benson), Quincy 2 (Dean 2). Turnovers—Hinsdale South 16, Quincy 11. Officials—Rollin Barton, Jim Lovelace, Mark Newhouse.

Throughout the season, one of the Quincy High School boys basketball players and I will sit down and discuss what is happening with the team and beyond. This week, junior forward Jason Salrin talks about his contributions in the victory over Peoria Central, his growing confidence and what he needs to do to help this team succeed.

As Quincy High School boys basketball coach Sean Taylor sees it, Quincy vs. Peoria Central is game that should be played.

“I think it’s a good rivalry,” Taylor said. “I think there have been great games. Look at the programs. I go back to Coach Buescher, one of the greatest coaches in the state. Here you have Coach Leggett, Coach Hanks, Coach Wallace. There have been great players and great teams.

“I think it’s good for high school basketball. Two teams compete and I think both teams are passionate. … It’s a passionate game. I just think it’s a good rivalry.”

After some of the shenanigans that took place the last two years, many people are questioning whether the rivalry should continue.

Last year, when Peoria Central beat Quincy 67-41 as the Lions closed the game on a 25-6 run, things became contentious in the fourth quarter. The benches bickered when the number of team fouls in the official scorebook was questioned, ultimately leading to technical fouls for Taylor and Central coach Dan Ruffin. Afterward, when asked by a reporter from the Peoria Journal Star about the continuation of the series, Ruffin said, “Every time we go down there, we might as well walk in backwards.”

Well, Ruffin and the Lions felt that way after getting beat by Quincy 70-64 last Saturday night. The Lions were hit with two technical fouls in the fourth quarter, committed 23 fouls compared to 15 for the Blue Devils and were outscored 22-8 at the free-throw line. Keep in mind, though, the Blue Devils shot 78.6 percent from the line, while the Lions managed to make just 47.1 percent at the charity stripe.

The contentious nature that existed a year ago re-emerged as the Lions headed to the locker room.

The Lions headed straight for the tunnel that leads to the visitor’s locker room instead of shaking hands with the Blue Devils, and with several on-duty Quincy police officers escorting the game officials to their locker room and trying to keep the officials and the team separate, one of the Central players shoved a police officer. It escalated into an argument between Ruffin and an off-duty police officer in the stands.

Luckily, cooler heads prevailed and the Lions left Blue Devil Gym without further incident.

Still, it raised the question: Should this series end?

This was the final year of a two-year contract in a series that has been played every season since 1995-96, and the coaches and administrators from both schools will have the ultimate say in whether a new contract is signed. It may be difficult to get both sides to agree to play a home-at-home series, but maybe an agreement can be made to play in a shootout or a neutral site or some other way to keep this rivalry going. It’s likely neither school will want to give up a home game, so maybe there is no solution and the rivalry ends here.

Truth be told, maybe that’s for the best. Once again, the shenanigans spoiled a passionate affair.

Getting all charged up

Sean Taylor realizes it is a call that can go either way, but the Quincy High School boys basketball coach also knows there is a huge dividend when one of his players is willing to take a charge.

That was especially true in Saturday night’s 70-64 upset of Peoria Central, ranked third in Class 3A. The Blue Devils drew five charges against the Lions, including three in the fourth quarter and a critical one with the game on the line. Junior guard Martin Kvitle drew three of those charges, including the one against Central guard Eriq Baird with 11.6 seconds remaining in regulation.

Leading 65-63, the Blue Devils had a chance to extend the advantage when Mike Davis got behind the defense and appeared to have a layin from the left side. However, Central forward Trey Kellum’s hustle led to a blocked shot that caromed off the backboard and started a Central transition. Baird attacked the basket from the left wing as Kvitle slid to the block, set his feet and let Baird run right into his chest.

“To have the heart, no matter if it was a charge or a block, those guys got hit,” Taylor said. “You have to have guts and fortitude to take those. No matter which way the whistle blows, I’m proud of our guys for stepping in there.”

Following the inbounds play after the charging call, Quincy’s Mason Fairley split a pair of free throws with 6.5 seconds left for a 66-63 lead. Taylor decided to have one of his players foul instead of letting Peoria Central get off potential tying 3-point shot. The Lions’ Jerrell White made the first free throw with 3.9 seconds left and missed the second as Central’s Aldonis Foote came down with the offensive rebound. Foote tried to drive baseline but stepped on the endline with only seven-tenths of a second remaining. His verbal reaction led to a technical foul.

It was the second technical foul called against the Lions in the fourth quarter.

Salrin comes up big

Jason Salrin’s minutes off the bench were limited Saturday night, but his production during that time was monumental.

Coming off the bench early in the fourth quarter, Salrin scored off a DeAngelo Dean assist to tie the game at 52 with seven minutes to play. The next trip down the floor, he gave the Blue Devils the lead as he trailed the play and tipped in a Cole Abbey miss for a 54-52 lead. To cap it off, he drew a charge on Foote on the ensuing Peoria Central possession.

“Monstrous, monstrous plays,” Fairley said of Salrin’s contributions. “Getting the charge, that was huge. Turning the tide. That’s what we need from him. We need him to use his athleticism to get down the floor and make plays for us.”

In the scoring mood

Fairley enjoyed a breakout performance against the Lions. Fairley scored 17 points, matching his season high, and went 3 for 4 from 3-point range, the most threes he’s made in a game this season. In fact, Fairley had made only five 3-pointers all season and he had scored only six points in his previous six games, getting held scoreless three times. His last made 3-pointer came against Moline seven games ago.

“Coach Taylor and I had a good talk this week in practice,” Fairley said. “He said, ‘You just have to have confidence. We need you to score. You have to step up for us.’ So I came out and I had to have confidence in my shot. Fortunately, it started going in for me. One shot turns into two and you’re confidence is just there.”

Clutch in the end

Taylor admitted the final two minutes could have been a little less nerve-racking if the Blue Devils had made a couple more free throws earlier in the fourth quarter, but Quincy still went 7 of 8 from the line in the final 39.8 seconds to seal the victory. Overall, the Blue Devils were 22 of 28 from the line and 14 of 19 from the line in the fourth quarter.

It was the second night in a row the Blue Devils were solid from the line. In Friday’s 55-40 victory over Alleman, Quincy went 13 of 16 from the line overall and 13 of 14 from the line in the fourth quarter. Kvitle is proving to be the most clutch, going 8 of 8 in the fourth quarter against Alleman and 7 of 8 in the fourth quarter against Peoria Central. Kvitle was 17 of 20 from the line overall for the weekend.

The boxscores

Quincy 55, Alleman 40
QUINCY (9-5, 2-2)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
Elbe    0-0     0-0    0    4    0
Dean    8-16    2-2    7    1    18
Fairley    0-3    2-2    2    2    2
Kvitle    4-7    8-10    3    2    17
Davis    6-10    1-2    13    2    13
Abbey    2-7    0-0    4    0    5
Salrin    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Team            2
Totals    20-43    13-16    31    11    55
ALLEMAN (9-7, 1-3)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
Hoogerwerf    1-6    2-4    0    4    2
Barrett    1-7    0-0    4    3    3
Yeocum    6-13    0-2    6    1    13
Kelly    0-1    0-0    0    3    0
Morrisey    4-4    4-6    5    1    12
Pirmann    0-1    0-0    1    0    0
Barry    0-0    0-0    0    1    0
Ewald    4-5    0-0    0    1    8
Thompson    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Lootens    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Franco    0-1    0-0    0    0    0
Team            0
Totals    16-38    6-12    16    14    40
Quincy    9    5    16    25—55
Alleman    6    13    10    11—40
3-point field goals—Quincy 2-7 (Kvitle 1-3, Abbey 1-2, Fairley 0-2), Alleman 2-11 (Barrett 1-5, Yeocum 1-4, Hoogerwerf 0-2). Assists—Quincy 16 (Dean 8), Alleman 5 (Barrett 2). Steals—Quincy 2 (Elbe, Dean, Kvitle), Alleman 4 (Yeocum 3). Blocked shots—Quincy 1 (Dean). Turnovers—Quincy 7, Alleman 7. Officials—Marty Flaherty, Dave Hancock, Collin DeJean.

Quincy 70, Peoria Central 64
PEORIA CENTRAL (13-2)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
White    4-10    1-2    5    3    12
Baird    1-6    1-2    2    2    4
Kellum    8-13    3-7    7    5    19
Hill    3-11    0-0    0    1    9
Jordan    0-0    0-0    0    2    0
Foote    5-9    2-2    4    5    13
Boone    0-2    0-0    1    0    0
Augusta    2-5    0-2    5    2    4
Lindley    1-1    1-2    3    0    3
Johnson    0-0    0-0    2    3    0
Rankins-Shields    0-0    0-0    1    0    0
Washington    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Team            3
Totals    24-57    8-17    33    23    64
QUINCY (10-5)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
Elbe    0-1    1-2    0    4    1
Dean    4-11    6-8    12    3    14
Fairley    5-7    4-6    3    1    17
Kvitle    5-9    9-10    0    2    20
Davis    5-8    0-0    9    1    10
Abbey    1-5    2-2    3    3    4
Salrin    2-2    0-0    1    0    4
Radovic    0-0    0-0    1    0    0
Kline    0-0    0-0    0    1    0
Team            3
Totals    22-43    22-28    32    15    70
Peoria Central    20    17    13    14—64
Quincy    16    21    13    20—70
3-point field goals—Peoria Central 8-18 (Hill 3-10, White 3-5, Foote 1-2, Baird 1-1), Quincy 4-9 (Fairley 3-4, Kvitle 1-2, Abbey 0-2, Elbe 0-1). Assists—Peoria Central 16 (Baird 6), Quincy 14 (Dean, Kvitle 5). Steals—Peoria Central 7 (White 3), Quincy 5 (Davis 3). Blocked shots—Peoria Central 1 (Kellum), Quincy 5 (Dean 4). Turnovers—Peoria Central 14, Quincy 16. Technical fouls—Foote, Augusta. Officials—Dave Gilliland, Dave Van Nest, Darryl Lamps.

With only a few minutes before they had to clear the gym following Thursday’s practice, several of the Quincy High School boys basketball players decided to have an impromptu dunk contest. I’m not sure there was actually a winner, but Mike Davis going straight down the middle of the lane and delivering a one-hand jam was the most impressive.

More than anything, they’re lively nature after a practice showed the Blue Devils are anxious and ready to get back to action.

They haven’t played since splitting a pair of games on Dec. 30, the final day of the 28th annual Collinsville Schnucks Holiday Classic, and two weeks of intense, quality practices have them ready for what promises to be a challenging weekend. Friday, Quincy (8-5) travels to Don Morris Gym to face Rock Island Alleman in the first Western Big Six Conference game of 2012. Saturday, the Blue Devils welcome Peoria Central, ranked third in Class 3A, to Blue Devil Gym for the annual matchup of two of the state’s storied programs.

How the Blue Devils fare this weekend depends largely on their defensive effort. Alleman features guard Tyler Yeocum, who is averaging 22.7 points per game and has made 45 3-pointers. He’s not had much success in his career against Quincy, averaging 4.7 in four previous meetings. His best game came in his first game against the Blue Devils when he scored 12 points on 3-of-7 shooting from the field as a sophomore. Since then, Yeocum has scored seven points on 3-of-11 shooting. He has not made a 3-pointer against Quincy in his career, going 0 for 5.

Adam Hoogerwerf offers some help, averaging 7.8 points per game. Still, the key is putting the clamps on Yeocum.

It won’t be quite as easy come Saturday night. The Lions, at 12-1, are off to their best start since the 2003-2004 when they were 11-0 following the Christmas tournaments and went on to win the Class AA state championship. One of the biggest reasons why the Lions are so successful is their depth. Central coach Dan Ruffin will play as many as 12 players and get scoring contributions from up and down the lineup. The Lions are also big, maybe the biggest team the Blue Devils will face with a frontcourt that goes 6-5, 6-6, 6-7 and 6-10.

Needless to say, it’s the most sizable test the Blue Devils will faced to date.

So here are three keys to the Blue Devils coming away with either a split or a pair of victories this weekend:

1. Keep them off-kilter

Defensively, Quincy is allowing opponents to shoot roughly 42 percent from the field. If the Blue Devils can limit opponents to less than 40 percent shooting from the field, they have a chance to control the tempo and the game. With that said, Quincy must also rebound with all five players hammering the boards. DeAngelo Dean and Mike Davis go a quality job of battling for rebounds and playing physical. The guards have to give them some assistance.

2. Handle the pressure

Peoria Central will be in Quincy’s face defensively from the opening tip, putting a priority on ball-handling and turnovers. Quincy coach Sean Taylor made a significant move at Collinsville by shifting Martin Kvitle to the point guard spot and moving Cole Abbey to a shooting guard. Kvitle is the better ball-handler and Abbey is more explosive going to the basket. With the defensive-minded Harrison Elbe and sharp-shooting Zach Burry coming off the bench, the backcourt is complete. They just have to make sure they hold onto the ball.

3. Inside out

Quincy’s offense needs to work inside out. DeAngelo Dean should touch the ball on every possession. Don’t confuse that with him needing to shoot every possession. Dean is a dominant scorer, but he is also a gifted passer. The combination of Dean and Davis running the high-low offense gives the Blue Devils a number of options and opens up lanes to the basket. It also frees shooters up on the wings. If Dean and Davis get as many touches as possible, the Blue Devils will get better looks and shoot a higher percentage across the board.

Throughout the season, one of the Quincy High School boys basketball players and I will sit down and discuss what is happening with the team and beyond. This week, junior guard Harrison Elbe talks about earning playing time, the two-week layoff after the Christmas holiday and the his family’s basketball heritage.

I never turned the channel, but I’ll admit I was tempted.

You’ll never hear me say that during March Madness.

The BCS Championship game was the slobberknocker football fans hoped it would be. It was intense. It was hard-hitting. It was physical. It just wasn’t entertaining.

I listened to Mike Golic, one of the co-hosts of “Mike and Mike in the Morning” on ESPN Radio, talk Tuesday morning about how much he loved watching Alabama’s defense completely dismantle top-ranked LSU in the Crimson Tide’s 21-0 victory. A defensive lineman when he played in the NFL, Golic is admittedly a big fan of stout defenses. That’s what he found so engaging about Alabama’s effort. The team ranked No. 1 in the nation that had beaten six teams that went on to win bowl games couldn’t move the ball.

LSU finished with 92 yards. The Tigers didn’t cross midfield until the fourth quarter. They ran just four plays in Alabama territory. They were the first team to ever be shut out in a BCS game.

How is that sort of futility entertaining? A diehard Crimson Tide fan or a lifelong LSU hater would get pleasure in seeing the Tigers struggle. They’d be the only ones.

Really, was Alabama all that much better offensively? The Tide attempted seven field goals and finally managed a touchdown in the fourth quarter. How that run by Trent Richardson became the No. 1 play of the college bowl season on ESPN’s Top 10 baffled me. It was an effective run where he got around the corner and beat LSU down the sideline. It wasn’t particularly fancy or awe-inspiring. But it was a touchdown. The only touchdown.

Maybe a 44-day layoff between games played a part. Maybe Nick Saban is that much better of a coach than Les Miles. Maybe Alabama is really that much better. It’s hard to say.

All I know is I could not think of an NCAA Tournament championship game that I thought about turning off. Not every game has been a barnburner and there have been some blowouts, but in the last 30 years, there have been 13 title games decided by five points or less. Five of those games have been decided by two points or less. Even the lopsided affairs have been entertaining.

College football and the BCS can’t say the same thing.