by Nicholas Lilja

Created on: December 24, 2007   Last Updated: September 10, 2009

There are three knowns of the universe: Physics, Mathematics, and the East coast bias against the Pac-10.

For years now I have watched, heard and even felt the back pat of the East coast with their patronizing look at sports from the Pac-10 like The Big Unit to that dove he exploded. It's preposterous. And every single year I hear the unchanged argument from both sides. It's worse than a broken record or those YakBak toys of the mid-90s.

One coast demands respect and the other coast refuses to buckle in its ways. One would venture to guess that eventually people, after so many years and so many debates, would just give in the inevitable fate that is. The East coast will never back down despite the truth.

I have lived on both coasts and even in the middle and I have come to the conclusion that the East coast bias is not going to change, ever. I know, it's a big news flash right?

But really to me it doesn't matter. The bias will be here regardless of how many national championships the Pac-10 takes home. The only difference is I finally put my finger on why.

Well as they say in Wisconsin, the proof is in the pudding and the Pac-10 shouldn't have to continue to debate with the rest of the country who is better. Yes, Florida is on one hell of a tear right now, the SEC and Big 11 are always good at football and even the ACC and Big 12 have their basketball. But the Pac-10 is always a national contender at some level in every sport. The verdict is in and the right coast might be a little perturbed. Take a gander at some statistics the right coast refuses to acknowledge.

In recent historyhow about 1997the Pac-10 has been damn good in the three major sports. In football, the Pac-10 is 7-4 in BCS games, second in winning percentage to the SEC. The Pac-10 has also been involved in the national championship race three times (lets not forget 2003).

In basketball, the Pac-10 has sent at least a few teams to the NCAA Tournament every year. On top of that they have sent five teams to the Elite Eight, three to the Final Four, two to the championship game, and one has won it all (Arizona in 1997). Those numbers only fall short of the ACC and compare quite nicely to the Big 12 and Big East.

Then there is baseball, where the Pac-10 has sent a total of 15 teams and had at least one team to the College World Series every year during this span. As well as played in the College World Series Championship Series six times and won it all twice (USC in 1998 and Oregon State in 2006).

If you lost

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>