B(C)S Remedy 8/9/09

BCS Chief: 'Playoffs would threaten bowl games'


Of course, a playoff system would also eliminate much of the whining, foot-stamping, name-calling, and general hissy fits that go with being a college football fan. Heck, ESPiN might even have to cut back to a twelve hour programming cycle.

A playoff system would be relatively simple to implement and the bowl game protectionists would make as much money, if not more, if they weren't so shortsighted. Including the sham BCS 'championship' game 34 bowls were certified for 2008 (Not sure if the International Bowl in Toronto would be interested in carrying a playoff game, but accommodations could be made). With a 32 team playoff there would be a total of 31 games played to determine a true national champion. The Congressional Bowl would cease to exist because considering the current state of things in Washington no elected official would be allowed anywhere near oversight or participation. Our 'leaders' have screwed up enough of our country already without being involved in this. A longer rant for a different forum.....

The only bone thrown to the bigger, more politically powerful conferences would be a moderately larger share of the thirty-two team playoff field. The SEC, Big 12, and ACC would be represented by the first- and second-place finishers in each division; the Pac-10, Big 10, and Big East would have their top three; two each from the Sun Belt, WAC, Mountain West, and Conference USA; the division winners from Mid America East and West, and one independent. All teams will play a ten game schedule, with eight being conference games. No more politicking to play in the more prestigious bowl games. The elitist pomposity in the concept of subjectively 'qualifying' to play in the Rose or Orange would be gone, replaced by the pressure of winning enough conference and playoff games to earn the right to play for something more than a paper championship.

Soooooo, without further adieu or adon't, here are your first round matchups based on 2008 conference records (lets play pick the winners and crown our own paper champion):

Game 1: Eagle Bank Bowl-Oklahoma vs. Ole Miss
Game 2: Meineke-Virginia Tech vs. Georgia
Game 3: Champs Sports-Missouri vs. Pitt
Game 4: Papa Johns-Florida vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
Game 5: Armed Forces-Cincinnati vs. Oregon St.
Game 6: Insight-Navy vs. Tulsa
Game 7: Chick-Fil-A-Boston College vs. TCU
Game 8: Outback-Alabama vs. West Virginia
Game 9: Capitol One-Boise St. vs. Michigan St.
Game 10: Hawaii-Ball St. v. Nebraska
Game 11: New Orleans-Utah vs. Florida St.
Game 12: Alamo-Penn St. vs. Georgia Tech
Game 13: Motor City-USC vs. Louisiana Tech
Game 14: Texas-East Carolina vs. Oregon
Game 15: Emerald-Troy vs. Ohio St.
Game 16: St. Petersburg-Buffalo vs. Texas
Game 17: Humanitarian-TBD
Game 18: New Mexico-TBD
Game 19: Las Vegas-TBD
Game 20: Holiday-TBD
Game 21: Poinsettia-TBD
Game 22: Independence-TBD
Game 23: Sun-TBD
Game 24: Gator-TBD
Game 25: Liberty-TBD
Game 26: Fiesta-TBD
Game 27: Sugar-TBD
Game 28: Cotton-TBD
Game 29: Rose-TBD
Game 30: Orange-TBD
Game 31: Playoff Championship-TBD

Sound workable and/or reasonable? I'd like to think so. The Bowls still make money and early round games can always be accommodated with regional teams. The older more prestigious games will still rotate hosting the finals. One thing that would be nice would be to see the corporate named bowl games revert back to any original name or changed altogether. Accommodations could also be made for the corporation-sponsors to still receive the bang for their bucks, such as end zone and midfield logos or messages. These minor details could easily be hammered out. Everyone wins right? Unfortunately the star chamber controlling college football only sees all those trees in the way. Who are they you ask?

The Six Side-Saddled Horsemen of the Wimpocalypse: Mike Slive-SEC, Tom Hansen-Pac-10, Jim Delany-Big 10, Dan Beebe-Big 12, John Swofford-ACC coordinator, Michael Tranghese-Big East. These are the 'men' who head the 'elite' conferences afraid of playing the smaller schools, pullers of the strings that move the NCAA anti-competition competition committee. Trangehese is to be replaced by someone named John Marinatto, who says he doesn't expect to make too many changes to how the conference is being run. By extension, it'd appear that Marinatto is just another status quo guy. Great, just great.

BCS Presidents oversight committee members:
David Frohnmeyer-Oregon (Pac 10) Give me a G
Rev. John Jenkins-Notre Dame (Big East affiliate) Give me a U
Robert Khayat-Mississippi (SEC) Give me a T
Mark A. Nordenberg-Pittsburgh (Big East) Give me an L
Harvey Perlman-Nebraska (Big 12) Give me an E
Graham Spanier-Penn State (Big 10) Give me an S
Charles W. Steger-Virginia Tech (ACC) Give me another S
John G. Peters-Northern Illinois (Mid-American) Give this guy a Tums

Isn't this great? Every playoff vote appears to have the outcome of 7-1 against. ACORN couldn't stack an election any better than this.

The first college football poll is out and Florida is the pick to repeat as paper champion. Richmond won on the field. Until they lose the Spiders are the team to beat. Period.


Myth: We fans can't affect change. The owners and their bootlicking commissioners hold all the power. I don't buy it. Every flood starts with a single raindrop, every avalanche with a single snowflake. The owners' apathy isn't what makes the sporting landscape look as it does, its our own indifference.

Thanks for reading.