At a time when there are two wars being fought on the other side of the world, unemployment is over 10% and there is vicious congressional infighting over the almost unfathomably expensive issues of healthcare and stimulus, I was more than a little surprised to see that a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee chaired by Rep. Joe Barton (R- TX) passed a vote to endorse a bill banning the promotion of a postseason NCAA game as a national championship unless it resulted from a playoff. Thankfully, one representative, John Barrow (D- GA) had the sense to note that 'we have more important things to spend our time on,' before the vote was held. I couldn't agree more.
Congress has taken flak in the recent past for involving itself in sports-related issues such as steroids in baseball. However, congressional meddling in topics such steroids can at least arguably be linked to safety concerns, the influence professional players have on America's youth, and not least of all the fact that steroids are a regulated drug. However, no such argument can be made about the state of the BCS.
You won't get an argument from me that the BCS doesn't always work. On the contrary, I think that its a shame that there are three undefeated teams going into bowl season this year that will not have a chance to play their way into a trophy ceremony on January 7th. I do sympathize with those young men, their coaches, and the programs that they represent. The way the system works may indeed be unfair and biased against teams like Boise State who have shown that they will take on all comers, yet lack a magical acronym like SEC on their team's letterhead. However, it is the system that everyone in the old Division 1 signed up for, and usually when the dust settles, the National Champion is a worthy team. Additionally, university presidents have control over the system, and if it truly was the largest issue facing the nation, it is likely that the system would be changed. As it is, pesky things like the academic schedule always seem to get in the way of a month-long playoff system.
Once again, however, the main issue here is not the adequacy, or inadequacy, of the BCS. Indeed, if the universities involved with the Bowl Championship Series announced a plus-1 game pitting the undefeated winners of the Fiesta Bowl and the National Championship, you would certainly hear no complaint from me. The issue is that lawmakers are spending time on items that have nothing to do with Iraqi and Afghani reconstruction, the safety of our service men and women, the economy, or the predicted $30 billion loss on the automaker bailouts. While it is true that every year or two, there is a controversy over who makes it to the high-profile, big money BCS games, Congress should keep in mind the fact that there are bigger issues to tackle at this time.
Admittedly, on an occasional Saturday afternoon I may have irrationally disagreed with Mr. Sturtevant's assertion that the future of the BCS is not a fate that need be decided by the esteemed members of Congress. However, as the reality of finals inexorably marches closer to me each day I am reminded that I must defer to my more logical sensibilities, so:
ReplyDeleteDear Congress,
Despite a play-off system's undeniable benefits for a conference whose strength of schedule requires an unparalleled level of defensive and offensive stamina or for a conference who has provided the victor of the National Championship for the past three years (and likely this year)....you have bigger fish fry.
Maybe you could devise a plan that remedies the ailments plaguing the health care system without reaching into my pocket. Because, despite what my transcript might lead you to believe, I would enjoy being employed after graduation and, I think it would be swell if I could spend my hard earned money on...oh, I don't know- myself. Speaking of which, how's that whole economy-thingamajig faring these days? OH, unemployment at 10% - I'm sorry, I bet that's a touchy subject after you sank all that money into the Finance and Auto Industries.
But, don't let those minor failures get you down, because our Pop-Star President has openly supported a play-off system for the NCAA and we all know that with a little bit of "HOPE" and a "YES, WE CAN"-do attitude we can do anything we set our minds too!
Love,
Frank
I actually support this 100%. The NCAA is a communist organization. Think about it. If you buy a Florida football jersey with number 12 on it and Tebow on the back, who gets the money? The school and NCAA, not Tebow. This collectivism and greedy, arrogant ignoring of the demands of the fans has went on too long. The fans buy the merchandise, pay for the tickets, and some even pay the uber-inflated tuitions of these schools and the NCAA has completely disregarded any concern for their concerns. The bowl system is a joke, its all about sponsorship money for the schools and the NCAA itself. And dont forget, these leftists at the NCAA were urging dropping mascots with any references to American Indians or other politically incorrect themes. These guys sit in their bubble and are accountable to NO ONE - not shareholders, not fans, not student, not athletes, not coaches. They are like a monarchy and they exercise feudal rule over the schools.
ReplyDeleteIf Congress is going to regulate banks, carbon dioxide, industrials, automobiles, pharma, etc. (all of which I feel is over-regulated), they should definitely regulate the NCAA. Dont forget, it is the egghead, political hack so called scientists and professors at many of these schools who have urged regulations to be a bothersome part of our lives, so lets do the same to them and see how they like losing out on bowl revenue.
Well...this one has certainly invoked some passionate response. I definitely see merit in both of these responses, but I feel that Patrick is missing a key point about the players. That is that while he and I had to pay for school (and continue to do so in my case) student athletes get tuition, meal money, stipends, free clothing, etc. etc. Whether players should be paid or not is a completely different matter, and one that would probably provoke an equal number of well considered responses.
ReplyDeleteHowever, on this matter, just saying that Congress regulates everything, and therefore should regulate NCAA football doesn't do it for me. They screw up most of what they touch, and in my opinion, the BCS isn't so broke that whatever Congress would come up with would be automatically better.
There is a lot wrong with the NCAA, I just don't think that Congressional meddling is the solution to any one of the problems collegiate athletics faces.
I must, once again, agree with Mr. Sturtevant on the issue at hand.
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost, someone purchasing a #12 Florida jersey with TEBOW on the back is analogous to someone purchasing a throwback #23 Chicago Bulls jersey with PIPPEN on the back [Tim Tebow is #15 & Chris Leak was #12; Michael Jordan was #23 & Scottie Pippen was #33].
Secondly, and I suppose, most importantly for the purposes of this blawg, the mere fact that these "egghead, political hacks" successfully advocated the regulation of other American Industries does not lend credence to the idea of interfering with our great sport, College Football. Most real college football fans would agree that a play-off system would be in the best interest of the league; however, the purpose of this post was to remind Congress of their actual responsibilities- none of which include NCAA regulation.
Regrettably, under the current administration, socialist policies have supplanted capitalism in far too many industries in our great nation. And, it would be near blasphemous to see Congress, once again, interpret their legislative responsibilities too "liberally" and interfere with yet another sacred American Industry: College Football.
When Congress formed the FDA, why did they do it? Was it to meddle - or force the hands of companies to be accountable to their customers for safety and efficacy of their products. It was in response to outcry over unsafe products making people sick - an outcry that was never respected by the companies involved.
ReplyDeleteThe parallels with the NCAA are similar. The fans want a tourney, the players and coaches similar. The current system is not accountable, teams do not have a fair shot to be called the national champion. Numerous undefeated teams have not had a chance to play for the "national championship". The reason - the NCAA just wants to make money and not be accountable. Similar to early 20th century drug manufacturers. The Congress is not actually going to set up a tourney system, they are just going to pass a law that says the NCAA cannot refer any team as a "national champion" or award any team a "national championship trophy" unless they are the champion of a national tournament. So they are really just forcing the NCAA's hand, not setting up a tourney.
I do agree that Congress has more important matters and this isnt critical at all, but given how much Congress is and has screwed up, this is one thing that can actually improve the image of Congress.
Thanks for the Tebow correction.
Although some Boise, Cincy, and TCU fans would claim to be sick over not making the National Championship game, I think that parallels between the BCS and an entity mandated to ensure the efficacy of the food and drugs of a growing industrial power are loose at best.
ReplyDeleteI think we can all agree that things are broken, I just don't think that Congress should be the entity to fix it.
Thanks for all the comments, I appreciate the feedback.
I hear ya on the Congress topic. With few exceptions (most being on the Republican side), most members of Congress are corrupt, hypocritical, arrogant, and out of touch mentally with any issue they tackle.
ReplyDeleteMy point is that I dont think the NCAA is any different. And since they are accountable to NO ONE - not fans, not players, not coaches, not students, not administrators, etc, the only body which can do anything to them with immediate effects, is Congress.