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Baylor has hired a PR firm (Kevin Sullivan Communications) to advocate its case for a playoff spot. Firm says they were hired last week
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) December 1, 2014
Look, it made sense when Marshall did this because hardly anyone was watching Thundering Herd games, and as a non Power 5 team they have to try anything to get attention. But you, Baylor? You don't need this. Everyone's going to watch the Kansas State game Saturday night, and you'll almost certainly be two spots, minimum, away from a playoff spot. Whether you get it or not won't be determined by a bunch of annoyed sportswriters marking PR emails as spam.
That's not to say PR has no place whatsoever in the playoff process. Let these talented email writers and press release distributors apply themselves to a program that really needs the boost! For example:
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TO: College Football Writer / Person Who Is On Twitter A Lot For No Reason
FROM: You Would Not Believe How Much We Charge For This
SUBJECT: The Playoff Team You Can't Ignore
Dear Misspelled Name,
As the College Football Playoff Committee prepares to deliver its final ranking of the season and determine which four teams will be playing for the national championship, you may be focused on the teams currently in the top ten. But ask yourself - isn't this sport about the underdog story? The team that comes from nowhere to shock the world? Don't we want the playoff to include the most deserving teams above all else?
That's why we're asking you to support the one football program that truly belongs in college football's top four: Virginia Tech.
Why the Hokies? Read these carefully constructed talking points and you'll find the better question is, why not?
1. THE BIGGEST WIN. You're probably aware that Ohio State lost to Virginia Tech at home on September 6th. But did you know that also means Virginia Tech beat Ohio State - on the road? It's true! What other team outside of the current top 25 has beaten a team in the top 7? Answer: nobody. Nobody but the Hokies.
2. THE MOST EXCITEMENT. Frank Beamer and his Hokies know fans want to see four quarters of tough, hard-fought football. Whether that means beating Virginia by four points or losing to Pitt by five, Virginia Tech strives to make every game as competitive as possible as long as possible. Sorry, TCU. A blowout's just a nice way to say you cheated us out of the fourth quarter.
3. THE NAME BRAND. Three FBS teams have the word "Virginia" in their name. Three others have the word "Tech." Guess how many teams have the word "Alabama?" Two. Virginia Tech football's the name people know and respect.
4. THE WOUNDED ANIMAL. How many times have fans suffered through a lackluster championship game as two "highly ranked" teams gingerly stick to conservative game plans on the biggest stage? That's what happens when a program doesn't know how to lose. Virginia Tech? Acclimated to losing. We dare say they don't even fear it anymore. The Oregons and Florida States of the world don't want to play the Hokies because they know the truth: Virginia Tech simply knows how to lose better than they do.
Playoff participant Virginia Tech. Why not?
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