Congress to hold hearings on BCS

[Kyle DeLexus]

sportingnews.com sorry if repost, ran it through search

Congress to hold hearings on BCS
January 15, 2009

Sporting News staff reports

Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), the incoming chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said he will hold hearings and possibly subpoena NCAA officials, college presidents, players, coaches and athletics directors in an effort to force a playoff in Division 1-A football, USA Today reports.

"I think you really do not get a true No. 1 out of (the Bowl Championship Series)," Towns told the newspaper. "Nobody questions the Super Bowl. The team that wins is the best team that year. I think we can do the same thing at the college level where once it's over there is no questions about who is No. 1 and who is No. 2."

Questions were raised again this season about the legitimacy of the widely unpopular BCS format when unbeaten Utah didn't get a chance to play in the national title game. The 13-0 Utes finished second in the final AP top 25 poll and fourth in the final coaches' poll. The 13-1 Florida Gators, who beat Oklahoma in the BCS national championship game, were voted No. 1 in both polls. Oklahoma finished fifth in both polls.

Texas (12-1) and USC (12-1) also had complaints about the BCS system, each believing they should have had a chance to play for the national title.

"I really feel that you can't leave it as is," Towns said. "Right now, if you ask what the No. 1 team is, a lot of people would say USC. Others would say Texas and if you ask anybody in the state of Utah, they would say their team was best. I want to get a system that has credibility."

President-elect Barack Obama has expressed support for a playoff system in college football, and Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is moving forward with an inquiry into whether the BCS system violates antitrust laws. The American Football Coaches Association also is reviewing the BCS system, specifically how the coaches' poll plays into the calculations.

"The presidents, bowl administrators, commissioners and others who are involved with postseason college football are pleased to work with Congress, as they have on several occasions in the past, and welcome any questions or ideas for improving the system," Dr. David Frohnmayer, University of Oregon president and chair of the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee, said in a statement.

Former house Majority Leader Dick Gephardt of Missouri said he thinks Congress won't have time to deal with this issue with so many issues, particularly the economy, facing lawmakers. "I think this is something that colleges will have to figure out together," Gephardt told USA Today. "I'm not sure this is what the public wants Congress to be spending their time on."

[bdeg]

Hooray! Just too bad it's gonna take the pres and congress to do it.

[Brock]

Yay, they've tackled the tough issues like HDTV, now it's time to move on to even tougher issues.

[dj56dt58]

there should be a playoff system, but don't they have better shit to worry about? It's really none of their business

[Mr. Laz]

stupid


congress has many other things they need to be doing


last time i checked "no playoff" wasn't against the law :shake:

[DaKCMan AP]

this is stupid

[Demonpenz]

:clap:

[Kyle DeLexus]

Yep it's crazy what takes priority in this country, I love basically every sport as much as the next guy but the way our economy is right now you'd think elected officials would have better things to worry about than playoff systems in college football, steriods in MLB, and even spygate.

[dirk digler]

Congress may have other important things to do but maybe this is a shot across the bow to the NCAA that may spur them to get this done on their own without getting Congress involved.

[bdeg]

Guys I'm pretty sure congress can handle more than one problem at once. I'm glad they've recognized this problem and are doing something about it. I'm sure it won't stop them from making other decisions, they have a lot of time on their hands.

[Brock]

Guys I'm pretty sure congress can handle more than one problem at once. I'm glad they've recognized this problem and are doing something about it. I'm sure it won't stop them from making other decisions, they have a lot of time on their hands.

It isn't any of their business.

[Demonpenz]

I hope they take the top 6 teams and let the champion be decided on the field.

[bdeg]

It isn't any of their business.

Maybe. The country is malcontent with the situation. And the NCAA seems too invested to make a change.

[Brock]

Maybe. The country is malcontent with the situation. And the NCAA seems too invested to make a change.

I'm pretty sure this problem faded from 99.9 percent of people's minds about 10 minutes after the last CFB game was played.

[bdeg]

I'm pretty sure this problem faded from 99.9 percent of people's minds about 10 minutes after the last CFB game was played.

Not in Utah, Texas, Cali. A national championship is a great accomplishment. Utah played a perfect season and didn't get a chance to earn it.

[AndChiefs]

Frankly I hate the BCS and believe there should be some kind of playoff to give these lesser-known schools a chance. However...this is no place for Congress, fix the government of overspending, pork-barreling, and token gestures and actually try to help the people as they deal with this recession/depression.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

there should be a playoff system, but don't they have better shit to worry about? It's really none of their business

Exactly. Is that what we're paying these fuckers for? Seriously bitches, find a way to put Americans back to work. Quit worrying about a fucking game, assholes.

[dj56dt58]

Maybe. The country is malcontent with the situation. And the NCAA seems too invested to make a change.

we're malcontent with Herm as head coach..can they do something about that?

[teedubya]

This message is hidden because DaKCMan AP is on your ignore list. :clap:

[38yrsfan]

stupid


congress has many other things they need to be doing


last time i checked "no playoff" wasn't against the law :shake:

Exactly ... and having playoff system shouldn't be a law either. Unbelieveable until you remember - he is a politician after all = leech on society.

[Brock]

Not in Utah, Texas, Cali. A national championship is a great accomplishment. Utah played a perfect season and didn't get a chance to earn it.

So what?

[bdeg]

we're malcontent with Herm as head coach..can they do something about that?

Is that a national problem?

I agree that they have better things to do. But not every congressman is cut out to fix the economy. I'm sure the best economic minds are working on it, and I have no problem with them taking a look at this.

[bdeg]

So what?

So a large portion of the country doesn't like the way an organization is doing things but has no power to change it. That's generally the type of problem the government would intervene in.

[alpha_omega]

Surely they have better things to do.

The next thing you know, the NCAA will want a bailout to finance a proposed playoff.

STFU and get back to work running the government, not college sports.

[Brock]

So a large portion of the country doesn't like the way an organization is doing things but has no power to change it. That's generally the type of problems the government would intervene in.

A lot of people have misplaced priorities if this is the biggest burr under their saddle.

[38yrsfan]

Not in Utah, Texas, Cali. A national championship is a great accomplishment. Utah played a perfect season and didn't get a chance to earn it.

Most people really don't give a **** about a designated-by-acclaim #1 national champion. I think Utah's accomplishment will still stand without the halo of "National Champion". Some down-to-earth thinkiing about the function of colleges and athletic programs needs to be applied here.

[Ultra Peanut]

I don't care how irrelevant and unimportant this is.

16 teams, every conference represented, DO THIS SHIT CONGRESS.

[Skip Towne]

We should keep congress busy with trivial shit to keep them from fucking the country up even worse.

[DaKCMan AP]

I don't care how irrelevant and unimportant this is.

16 teams, every conference represented, DO THIS SHIT CONGRESS.

There aren't 16 teams at the end of each year that deserve even a remote chance at a title.

[bdeg]

A lot of people have misplaced priorities if this is the biggest burr under their saddle.

Like I said the government addresses many problems at the same time. It doesn't have to be the biggest problem to get fixed.

[Brock]

Like I said the government addresses many problems at the same time. It doesn't have to be the biggest problem to get fixed.

Government needs to fix the problems within the government before telling other organizations how to do business.

[bdeg]

Most people really don't give a **** about a designated-by-acclaim #1 national champion. I think Utah's accomplishment will still stand without the halo of "National Champion". Some down-to-earth thinkiing about the function of colleges and athletic programs needs to be applied here.

I was thinking more from the players' perspective. If I played a perfect season I would want a chance to win a legit championship.

[DaKCMan AP]

Like I said the government addresses many problems at the same time. It doesn't have to be the biggest problem to get fixed.

It's not a problem that should be addressed by government.

[Brock]

I was thinking more from the players' perspective. If I played a perfect season I would want a chance to win a legit championship.

And if you don't, go crying to your congressman? Weak.

[Ultra Peanut]

There aren't 16 teams at the end of each year that deserve even a remote chance at a title.There aren't 65 teams worthy of a shot in college basketball, but it works out just fine.

A 16-team playoff would give the top 8 teams an extra home game.

[Goapics1]

And if you don't, go crying to your congressman? Weak.

What about Notre Dame?

[bkkcoh]

Government needs to fix the problems within the government before telling other organizations how to do business.

Amen to that.

I was thinking more from the players' perspective. If I played a perfect season I would want a chance to win a legit championship.
Especially since they get a NC ring, correct?

It's not a problem that should be addressed by government.

But they have to give the impression they are able to accomplish something they think people think is important.

[bdeg]

It's not a problem that should be addressed by government.

So a large portion of the country doesn't like the way an organization is doing things but has no power to change it. That's generally the type of problem the government would intervene in.

Government needs to fix the problems within the government before telling other organizations how to do business.
No argument here, but good luck convincing them of that.

[DaKCMan AP]

There aren't 65 teams worthy of a shot in college basketball, but it works out just fine.

A 16-team playoff would give the top 8 teams an extra home game.

The college basketball season is long and many games are meaningless. Every college football game counts and can be considered a playoff game.

[Brock]

What about Notre Dame?

Yes, congress should step in and make sure they're not shown on TV anymore.

[Goapics1]

Yes, congress should step in and make sure they're not shown on TV anymore.

But they should be allowed to play for the national championship every year.

[Brock]

But they should be allowed to play for the national championship every year.

Div II, right?

[Ultra Peanut]

Every college football game counts and can be considered a playoff game.And so if you lose once, you're eliminated... unless you're one of the one-loss teams who gets a shot at the championship because a few grad assistants thought your team was better than the other one-loss teams.

Or you're undefeated, but your conference isn't well-respected enough and you started out too low in the polls to make it up to #1 or #2.

Aside from that, it's totally a playoff.

[DaKCMan AP]

And so if you lose once, you're eliminated... unless you're one of the one-loss teams who gets a shot at the championship because a few grad assistants thought your team was better than the other one-loss teams.

Or you're undefeated, but your conference isn't well-respected enough and you started out too low in the polls to make it up to #1 or #2.

Aside from that, it's totally a playoff.

Precisely. There can be a viable solution, but I don't think a 16-team playoff is it.

[bdeg]

And so if you lose once, you're eliminated... unless you're one of the one-loss teams who gets a shot at the championship because a few grad assistants thought your team was better than the other one-loss teams.

Or you're undefeated, but your conference isn't well-respected enough and you started out too low in the polls to make it up to #1 or #2.

Aside from that, it's totally a playoff.

Exactly. This whole voting teams into the national championship deal is ridiculous.

[Reaper16]

The college basketball season is long and many games are meaningless. Every college football game counts and can be considered a playoff game.
All I'm hearing from this is "blah blah the current system is working out for my school! blahdy bullcrap blah." :p

[beavis]

JFC. So much for that change coming to Washington.

[DaKCMan AP]

All I'm hearing from this is "blah blah the current system is working out for my conference! blahdy bullcrap blah." :p

FYP

[Ultra Peanut]

JFC. So much for that change coming to Washington.Uh, this whole ball started rolling because of Orrin Hatch.

And I really don't see how it's preposterous to ensure that student-athletes attending public universities have the same opportunities that students at other public universities receive when it comes to playing on a national stage and making their schools a ridiculous amount of money in exchange for tuition and a few other relatively cheap perks.

[38yrsfan]

There aren't 65 teams worthy of a shot in college basketball, but it works out just fine.

A 16-team playoff would give the top 8 teams an extra home game.

The NCAA basketball tournament is a good example that a BCS chanpionship series to proclaim a National Champion isn't necessary, needed or accurate.

A few years back NC defeated Illinois in the final yet many, many basketball pundits then and subsequently have labeled that Illinois team as one of the best ever and the NC team - no mention and not in that group of great teams.

IMO :)

[Kyle DeLexus]

Uh, this whole ball started rolling because of Orrin Hatch.

And I really don't see how it's preposterous to ensure that student-athletes attending public universities have the same opportunities that students at other public universities receive when it comes to playing on a national stage and making their schools a ridiculous amount of money in exchange for tuition and a few other relatively cheap perks.

One reason is that athletic programs do not recieve funds from the gov. they get a majority of the funds needed from TV contracts for their conference. That is where the argument gets cloudy though, a lot of people are supporters of Title 9 which directly effects the athletic program, but the reason they were able to do that was that each school had to meet Title 9's standards or the entire university will stop getting gov. funding. That directly involved women's rights. This has to do with how a National Championship is awarded. I agree there should be a playoff and hope it gets done but for them to act like it's a federal issue that should take up the governments time is a joke. Unless it involves direct financial support from the gov., no sport should be brought before congress. This is like having a hearing to force a salary cap in baseball. Yes, a majority of people think it needs to happen, but it is not a government issue.

[The Franchise]

And THIS is what's wrong with our country.