A House of Representatives subcommittee today approved legislation that would force major college-football programs to switch to a playoff system to determine a national champion. There is no companion bill in the Senate, but Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah has pressured the Justice Department to investigate potential antitrust violations in the Bowl Championship Series, the controversial system for crowning a national champ.
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How pathetic! Doesn’t congress have better things to do, with our nation facing crises on every side, other than passing legislation about how to decide who is “king on the mountain” in a kids game played by college students?
I am a college football fan and a proponent of a playoff system, but I have to agree with davi2665, this is pathetic!
I also agree completely with davi2665. Congress has much more important things to do than meddle in college sports playoffs.
Put me down for vote #3. Congress needs to concentrate on more important things.
I would agree except for 2 things:1. Congress is required to do a lot of things besides huge issues like health care and;2. There’s a lot of money at stake.
About time…it is not fair the way the system works right now.
My first reaction was how ridiculous. After thinking about it for several minutes my reaction is how ridiculous!
I think this is fine…just as long as the NCAA gets to write the health bill…
The first four individuals who posted above questioned the role of Congress in a matter such as this. In general,I agree with them. However I do not agree that the situation should be dismissed simply because Congress is intruding in an area where they have no business operating. I am, and have been, greatly distressed for a number of years over the complete ineptness of the NCAA in this matter. They have held hearings on a playoff system several times over. Each time the same results. Coaches overwhealmingly want a playoff system, Conferences want a playoff system, the players want a playoff system, the fans want a playoff system, the sports media want a playoff system, and some presidents, but not all presidents, want a playoff system. Therein lies the road block. A certain group of presidents, well positioned to block the adoption of a playoff system, want the present structure to remain as it is – and for good reason for them and them only. Given the history on their football teams, they hold excellent odds of getting hugh monetary payoffs every, or almost every, year. Why would they want to change the system that delivers to them a cash cow almost every year? The answer is obvious, they will not, until they are absolutely forced to accept a different system. That background, said another way, is actually a loud open invitation to Congress to get involved. Congress has the power, albeit through threats, to create undesirable consequences for the NCAA and its member institutions. The NCAA can keep Congress out of the equation if they act with resolve and establish a playoff system. My view is that they will not in the immediate future. The NCAA will attempt to rely on the general public to shield them from making the playoff decision. The strategy they are counting on is that public criticism of Congress will escalate to a major level, with people expressing anger over Congress dealing with a sports issue rather than the major economic, social, and political issues of the day. Unfortunately, it may take involvement by Congress to force the change that is really needed
TortillaI agree with Willy Nilly. The system is unfair. There are currently 4 undefeated teams and the coaches vote in Alabama and Texas. And the bowl system is nothing more than a cash cow for the few programs that make it to the BCS or other big bowls. Make it like March Madness for basketball. There is one clear winner, cinderella teams make it to the “big dance” all the time, and I’m sure the participating college make money through T.V. revenue. As to Congress its nice to see them interested in everyday American life, even if they can’t agree on how healthy we should all be.
If Congress really wants to shake things up for the mega-business collegiate sports has become, I suggest they withhold federal support from any institution that awards athletic “scholar”ships. Now there’s a choice … bought and paid for star athletes or federally supported contracts and grants.
I think that who the “national champion” of college football is is such an unimportant question that it’s not worth the time and energy spent discussing it, nor the time, energy and money that would be spent in determining it. This. Just. Does. Not. MATTER!!!!!
The people who really want a playoff system are professional gamblers. I agree with drangie. We’ve got to grow up and learn to live with some uncertainty about who is “really” #1. I have yet to hear a compelling argument–given that any one of about 30 teams is capable of beating any other of those teams on a given day–that a playoff will yield a more certain determination of who is #1 than the current system. Silliness.
Those who want a playoff system — system indeed — because it establishes “one clear winner” really want to establish looses. College football will then go further downhill, a decline started with the introduction of mandatory overtimes to break ties — talk about exploitation of young men in making them play six or eight overtimes. Basketball is not really comparable — you have fewer athletes but teams playing more teams more often in more games. And for the Congress to even have the power to regulate something like this is ludicrous and a step toward fascism. There are some things the Congress not only oughtn’t do but oughtn’t be permitted to do.
Congress should have no role in this, whether one regards this as an important issue or a trivial one. It’s just not one where the national government should play a role. I don’t want Congress meddling in this area any more than I want them to dictate how the Miss America pageant works, whether bell bottoms will make another come back, or whether Jay Leno needs a new sidekick (areas of arguable “importance” but of significant commercial value). Legislators and the country would be so much better off if they could learn to say “No” to constituents who call them and scream “Do something about this!”
I agree that congress have better things to do and this is a area where they have no right or business intervening. Of all the groups that might intervene and help the disfunctional NCAA straighten out there inept operations (surounded by some of the finest minds in the country, they could be considered comic if they were not wasting so much time and money), the US Congress is close to the bottom of the list. They are are the kings (and queens) of overly complex and minimally effective.P.S. Dr. Angie, if this issue is so unimportant, why are you spending your valuable time reading and responding?
For those of you who posted above, stating that a playoff system is not important; and presuming that you attempt to practice reasonable consistency in your thinking, then the rest of the posters can only conclude that you also hold that money is not important. Since playoffs equals money the two are inextricably connected. To be further consistent, since you believe that money is unimportant, your Dean will be delighted to hear from you today informing him/her that from now on you will be working at your institution as a volunteer. If you wish, you can go a little further and explain to your Dean the basis of your sudden revelation that money is unimportant. He/she will be utterly delighted to hear from you.
Although the Congress has other important jobs to do but this one does have a point.
Well, the NCAA does seem to abide in the realm of reality on the issue of a national football playoff, so if they won’t let Congress demand it. At least someone is thinking clearly….I know to assume for a second that clear thinking and Congress are one and the same is way out there, but on this issues I think Congress should move forward.