The BCS responded to Congress this week with an 11 page letter detailing how automatic bids are awarded and how revenue is distributed even to non-AQ schools. The main thrust of the letter however was to tell Congress and more specifcally Senators Orin Hatch (Utah) and Max Baucus (Montana) to back up off the BCS program.
BCS executive director Bill Hancock wrote in his letter that he believes the BCS should be handled by the university presidents, athletics directors, coaches, and conference commissioners and not Congress. He went on to say that the BCS was happy to talk about the benefits that the BCS has brought to the game. In a nutshell though, what he was saying to Congress was back up off me….or us as the case may be.
I have to agree that the college programs should be the ones determining what happens in the BCS. My problem is that there is a BCS to begin with. If I had my way, there would be no BCS and college football would institute a playoff system. That is never going to happen. Once you start with something as behemoth and revenue producing such as the BCS has become, there is no way anyone is going to put that Pandora back into the box. If it’s not fair to all…too bad. If the best team’s don’t match up in the bowl games…too bad. The ones who get into the bowls make serious paper. And even some of those who do not get in make money. Kind of a “we’re sorry this system is so unfair, here’s a few million to ease your pain” deal.
The BCS is not a good system…it’s not a fair sytem…but it is the system and it should be handled by the colleges not Congress. Doesn’t the Congress have better things to do like say bringing down unemployment and stopping the wasteful spending that’s going on? College football should be left to the people who are involved in it….Congress has enough to do and they should just back up off this.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree, the BCS blows … it will likely never be replaced with a playoff system … ever … which sucks … BUT, and this is a big but, keep an eye on conference realignments. If you see the major conferences expand to 14-16 teams (which is what we are hearing), this will water down the league play, but could actually help schools like Utah, Boise, and the rest of the fringe eaters …. for example, the Big 10 goes to 16 teams, split into two divisions … due to the teams involved, most of the league will have at least two losses … knocking those teams down in the AP Top 25 … if the writers boost a 2 loss team over an undefeated (or one loss) fringe eater, then we all will really hear some folks cry. Could get interesting.
Your comment is right on the money….so to speak. If a 2 loss Oklahoma gets boosted over an undefeated Boise – riots may ensue. At the very least, it may cause enough outrage in the schools themselves that a move from the BCS system to a playoff system becomes unavoidable to avoid all out anarchy. I could go with that
Thanks for reading and for commenting. I do appreciate it.
Ultimately I think it will take a monster TV deal for the BCS to change to a playoff system. The current bowl system generates so much TV money for each school that the colleges have no incentive to change.
Absolutely right….I think though that if too many jumps are made over too many undefeated teams in favor of AQ teams…there will be a revolt and a playoff system will have to be instituted…and the networks will just have to ante up for playoff games….or not. But people (and colleges) are not going to stand for some 2 loss 3 loss team consistently being ranked 1-4 over undefeated schools. I’ve heard those horned frogs can be mean little suckers HAHAHAHA!