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Home > Jeff Schultz > Archives > 2008 > May > 03 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBCS refuses to see it’s obsolete
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Several years have passed since the BCS and its mutant forefathers first proved itself to be a pox on college football.
Four months have passed since the NCAA’s board of directors punted an eight-team playoff proposal from Georgia President Michael Adams.
A week has passed since the BCS commissioner creatively spun that the system was “in an unprecedented state of health.” This ignores evidence that it’s actually the sport in an unprecedented state of health, not the postseason structure, which is closer to Randall P. McMurphy’s bunkmate.
But there is good news: It has been 65 million years since dinosaurs roamed the Earth, and we still don’t really know what happened to all of them. So as slow development goes, the BCS is not alone.
“If I’ve learned anything, it’s that nothing happens quickly in higher education,” Adams said. “But I certainly believe there’s still a chance that something could happen within a couple of years.”
Adams’ remarks run counter to the general belief that college football’s logically challenged bowl system won’t change for at least six years because of existing television contracts. But his sense is that the majority of college presidents aren’t nearly as resolute in their defense of the BCS as they would have you believe.
“There’s still going to be discussion — but I want to know what went on at that meeting before I go any further out on the limb than I already am,” said Adams, who was attending Georgia’s annual athletic meetings at Lake Oconee when BCS officials were in Florida on Wednesday rejecting a “plus-one” playoff format. “I would be surprised if we had a period of six years where the BCS worked at a level where we were all pleased.”
Of the six major conferences, only the SEC and ACC openly endorsed the plus-one scenario (effectively a two-tiered, four-team playoff). Opposing: The Rose Bowl’s two linked conferences, the Pacific 10 and Big Ten, as well as the Big 12 and Big East.
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said he “felt vindicated” by the overwhelming opposition, given his conference has been viewed as the primary obstacle. But if that bothered Adams — alum of a Big Ten school, Ohio State — he wasn’t showing it.
“I can tell you that most of these people are friends of mind and sometimes what they say in private and what they say to the press are two different things,” he said. “Again, I want to wait to find out what happened before I say too much. But I can simply tell you that like most things in higher education, there’s not unanimity.”
Traditionalists have long opposed a playoff system, partly in the belief that it would diminish the importance of the regular season and the tradition of the bowls. It’s a legitimate argument.
The flaws in their argument are twofold: 1) Any BCS system eats into the bowl tradition, and bowl games had matchups before the current structure. 2) College football’s leveling landscape, which has made for an increasing number of “upsets” and unprecedented debate over polls, makes this a logical time for a more exact science.
In retrospect, Adams’ eight-team proposal might’ve been too big of a leap for college presidents who are worried about perceptions that they speak out of both sides of their mouth, which, of course, they do. (Breakfast meeting: Pass legislation to strengthen academics. Lunch meeting: Approve 12-game football schedules.)
But sticking with the status quo seems nonsensical. A plus-one is the best compromise. There would be debate about what four schools belong in the semifinals, but certainly no more debate than there is now over the rankings. And in the end, there would be clarity.
ACC commissioner John Swofford is walking a tightrope. He’s a proponent of a plus-one system, but he’s also the coordinator of the BCS. Therein lies the reason for his convoluted remarks last week: “We have decided that because we feel at this time the BCS is in an unprecedented state of health … we have made a decision to move forward in the next cycle with the current format.”
When asked about Swafford’s comments, Adams actually laughed.
And then: “John’s a friend of mine. Generally I think he’s a good guy and a good thinker.”
Just not in this case.
“I don’t agree with John that everything is working well in the system. I respect John. But when 80 percent of the public [according to polls] thinks there’s something wrong with it, that says something to me.”
There is hope. Millions of years from now, scientists will debate whether the BCS ran out of food, was hit by a meteor or just fell into a tar pit.
Permalink | Comments (58) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech/ACC, UGA/SEC
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By Bravesfan79
May 3, 2008 6:04 PM | Link to this
FINALLY A AJC REPORTER GETS IT!!
And who cares about all the pointless bowl games anyways besides the national title game?? College football is nothing more than a JOKE of a sport!
Its a shame 2, because it has the potential to really be great.
By Ringleader
May 3, 2008 6:06 PM | Link to this
I believe the major obstical from the Big 10, Pac 10, Big 12 Conferences is that they know if there is any type playoff, even a plus one, they will more than likely have to beat not one SEC team, but possibly two to win a championship. They know they would stand a better chance of winning a championship by facing one strong opponent rather than two. A SEC team that is playing good at the end of the season usually continues to do so.
By Top Dawg
May 3, 2008 6:24 PM | Link to this
The BCS is a joke.
By Rabun Dawg
May 3, 2008 7:11 PM | Link to this
Bravesfan79, So, college football is a joke of a sport, you say? Then why the heck do you weigh in on these blogs if you are so unenamored with college football? And, just what is your sport, snails pace baseball, or something else as boring?
By Bravesfan79
May 3, 2008 7:12 PM | Link to this
I hope the PAC 10 and BIG 10 get screwed over just like Auburn did. Same goes for Alabama and any other team that supports the BullCrapSystem.
And the BCS rarely gets it right one year out of 6, i have a better chance at winning the Lotto than the BCS does getting it right 2 years in a row…FORGET 6 years in a row!
Maybe UGA should just play a cupcake schedule like Ohio State so they can get “voted” into the mythical title game!
And dont give me the regular season is the most important…blablabla bullcrap. Right now the regular season is pretty pointless as well when even a UNDEFEATED team has NO shot at a title wouldnt ya say??
Boise State…the REAL UNDEFEATED 2007 champs!
Anyone that defends the BCS is a fool and is obviously not a sport fan, nor a fan of competition. If your a fan of the BCS you probably also really like……….. Dog Pagents, Beauty Pagents, Body building competitions, and figure skating!
REAL CHAMPS are made on the field! And REAL sports fans that love competition instead of gay pagents understand this!
By the way GT fans, im also a big GT fan (especially hoops!), and your arguments for liking the bcs just because u hate UGA are lame.
I like GT and think in a tourney setting thed have a chance at a title once every 10 years or so in football. But right now GT or any other ACC team not named Miami or FSU could have a dream season, go undefeated, and STILL get screwed over by a 1 loss Ohio State or USC. Why? 1) Because your team didnt start the season in the top 5 ranking. 2) Because your team lacks national big name recognition (its not Texas or USC, or OSU)
So congrats on rooting for a team that at best can finish 2nd. That goes for about 98% of the NCAA right now.
Congrats to all the fools fighting their hearts out for some trophy of a fat guy named Papa John… lol..
By Mike
May 3, 2008 7:44 PM | Link to this
Of course the sec and the acc would want a playoff. They play in the toughest conference in college football but are consistently shafted by the BCS for teams in weaker conferences(Ohio state,USC,Oklahoma) and when playing head to head in the big game they get there heads smashed in.
By Richard
May 3, 2008 7:49 PM | Link to this
Shultzm almost exactly right except for one thing. You said that “Traditionalists have long opposed a playoff system, partly in the belief that it would diminish the importance of the regular season and the tradition of the bowls. It’s a legitimate argument.”
Actually, its quite the contrary. The regular season isn’t diminished by a potential playoff. It’s rendered completely pointless because of the BCS. Anyone wanting proof can just look to this past season. Hawaii did better than LSU in the regular season and was left out. WVU, VT, OU, and USC had regular seasons that were just as good and were also left out. I guess the regular season meant alot huh? Every year there are instances of this except the year USC and Texas played for the title.
Also, the BCS championship game makes all other major bowls pointless.
Let’s not kid ourselves. The BCS is a clever way that 6 people can split a 200 million dollar pot. The main objective of these people is to figure out how not to let anyone else get a piece of that cash.
To everyone reading this: If you want to put a stop to this BCS garbage, don’t watch the games. Lower the ratings to the point where the TV networks drop coverage.
Don’t want to do that? That’s why the BCS is so clever.
By PsW
May 3, 2008 7:55 PM | Link to this
The leaders behind the BCS must spend too much time in a bunker 3 miles under ground. There is no good reason for the BCS. Give us a playoff.
By Orlando
May 3, 2008 8:25 PM | Link to this
The only thing that will get rid of the BCS is for USC or Ohio State to get the shaft. That way ESPN will get so p*ssed off that the debate will become too great to ignore.
By S.E. Dawg
May 3, 2008 8:38 PM | Link to this
Orlando, you couldn’t be more correct, but that will probably never happen. The so called voters will get them in there some how.
By Bullwinkle
May 3, 2008 8:59 PM | Link to this
Let’s review. High school has a playoff. Division 1-AA has a playoff. Division II has a playoff. The NFL has a playoff. Division I has a ranking system, governed by politics. And they are adding 2 more bowl games next year. What is wrong with this picture? And by the way, the New York Giants would not have played in the Super Bowl last season under BCS rules. They didn’t even win their division.
By Doug
May 3, 2008 9:08 PM | Link to this
Please give us a playoff system. Please!!
By fan
May 3, 2008 9:16 PM | Link to this
I would like to see a play-off system just to shut up the arrogant SEC fans and see what happens when there Oh So Tough conference has to really prove it nationally, not just against their inbred teams. Check out how the SEC fared last year against west coast opponents for example…
By Big D
May 3, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this
Give us a playoff system where the Title Game is alternated around the country. There are domes in Minneapolis, Detroit. Why not alternate the games instead of between SEC and PAC-10 country? It’s about the football game, right.
And yeah, Detroit may just be a nicer city than New Orleans.
By Whopper Dawg
May 3, 2008 10:08 PM | Link to this
The way to break up the BCS is in the courts. It is a monopoly and if I were President of a non-BCS school, oh, say Fresno State, I would sue and win. If you are in Division I, then you should have the right to play for the Championship by some process. Every other collegiate sport is like that. It will be decided in the courts, because the power conferences won’t give in. Sue ‘em. It is justified.
By Whopper Dawg
May 3, 2008 10:25 PM | Link to this
Additionally, the candidates for the NC are decided by preseason polls. If teams ahead of you do not lose, kiss it goodbye. It doesn’t matter a whit how good you are.
By Tigger
May 3, 2008 10:54 PM | Link to this
How about this? Why not just convert College Basketball and College Baseball tournaments into “Bowl Game” events, too? If the Bowl system is such a good model, then we don’t really need a playoff system for basketball and baseball now do we?
By Rock
May 3, 2008 11:17 PM | Link to this
Bigfoot =movie Lockness Monster =pictures UFO’s =roswell, NM D1 Football Playoff=never Stop supporting this crap until they get a playoff =Priceless
By BCS Slave
May 3, 2008 11:35 PM | Link to this
BravesFan79 and Mike:
Great arguments! More people are getting it. The BC$ is a beauty contest. College football is a great game, but this ranking system and mythical national championship is ridiculous. The “title” teams win mean nothing when there are no standards except the biased voting of media and coaches. Their votes are based on such a wide range of criteria that it’s anybody’s guess as to who will be ranked number one.
End the BC$ and just let teams fight for conference championships. Let the bowls invite whatever teams they will to play in their money games. Drop rankings all together. There is no honor in being voted number 1 by a bunch of money-grubbers. The only way to decide a real national champion is in a 16 team playoff.
By BCS Slave
May 3, 2008 11:41 PM | Link to this
The money will have to dry up before something is done. Or the networks and college presidents will have to think it is going to dry up. The more we air our disgust, the more likely it becomes that someone will take a step in the right direction.
As much as I love college football, this is hard for me to do…but here goes. I vow that I will not watch a NC game unless my team is playing. I don’t believe the NC has any meaning, but I do love my team and want to see every game they play. If everyone decided not to watch unless their favorite team was playing, think of how low the ratings would be!
By Sam
May 3, 2008 11:57 PM | Link to this
I think the best way to end the system would be if Georgia wins the BCS Championship next year. Then, Mark Richt smashes the glass BCS trophy, showing that the trophy is a mythical national title.
By Gypsy Dawg (nuthin' but ribs and D***)
May 4, 2008 3:26 AM | Link to this
Hey Braves 79 Fan - Why don’t you suck my chubby. First you say college football is a joke of a sport, then you go into your senseless drivel about how useless the BCS is and how Auburn et,al. have been shafted.
Just drag your narrow a* back down to Turner field and watch the Braves. I’ll bet you wouldn’t even make a decent Ga. Tech fan.
You’ve obviously never played any college ball, probably never put on a jock strap except in PE (maybe?)
Crawl back into your bottle or your dime bag and stay there. You’re certainly not a sports fan and have no idea of what you’re trying to talk about.
Your mother probably still powders your a* when you get out of the shower. I guess you’re wondering how I knew you still lived at home, huh? W H O’S YO D A D D Y?
By hop
May 4, 2008 5:56 AM | Link to this
i have never been a big fan of GORGIA PRESIDENT DR.ADAMs, but at least he took a stand while other college presidents took a hike
college football is the only sport i know that has such a stupid system where sports writers and a computers decide a championship.
what a freakin joke!
By P Dawg
May 4, 2008 7:39 AM | Link to this
hey fan, what conference rules bowl season? the sec, b***!
By Hate Spurrier
May 4, 2008 8:19 AM | Link to this
There are a lot of good comments in this section. I’m in favor of the plus one system. I still want the regular system to mean something. Michigan was ranked in the top 5 last year until A. state beat them. So, unlike basketball, that game meant something. The reason nothing is going to be done for the next six years is that is when all the new TV contracts are due. All these old “Traditionalist” should wake up and join the 21st century. And Notre Dame should be made to join a conference if they want to be considered for anything. Nuff said.
By addicted
May 4, 2008 8:41 AM | Link to this
As a GT fan, I am absolutely in favor of abolishing the current system. I dont think the playoffs is the right solution though. We will need to work towards something that is somewhere in between what we currently have, and playoffs. A plus-one system would not be too bad to start off with.
Unfortunately, Adams proposal’s timing was very suspect, and undermined his credibility. It came when all UGA fans were complaining about getting cheated out of the national game, and Adams’ proposal was viewed by most in that same ‘sour grapes’ vein. If he had brought this up even a year earlier, it would have been seen far more favorably by others.
I think Schultz is wrong, in that the postseason is not in a sorry state. It is still extremely exciting, and ratings keep rising. However, it might be true its not reached maximum potential, which is not the same as being terrible.
By oasis
May 4, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this
If these guys aren’t smart enough to figure out a playoff then they aren’t smart enough to be confeence commissioners. By the way, who paid for all of the expenses for these totally unproductive meetings. Sounds like a vacation at the expense of public universities.
By RockyMtnSooner
May 4, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this
Six more years of the BCS…and I could not be more thrilled! I love the BCS because of what it’s done for the regular season. I just wish they had made it a 24-year commitment to the current format as opposed to four years.
Hey playoff supporters, shoot me an e-mail the next time college basketball provides a meaningful regular season game.
By DWG
May 4, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this
Notre Dame made 1.3 million bucks this year for their stellar 1 win season thanks to their contract with the BCS. Their AD who has just as much power as the SEC, ACC and Big 12 AD’s is not going to let the BCS change. They have the most to lose along with the other conferences (big 2 and pac 1) which do not have a conf. championship game.
I do not have as much of a problem with the BCS as I do Notre Dame and the fact that certain conferences are held to a different standard.
By DWG
May 4, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this
The most ridiculous argument against a playoff is that it would cheapen the regular season. Has the SEC championship made the regular season less important? In the past, one maybe two teams were in contention at the end of the season. Now you have 4 or 5 teams with a chance to win their division and get a chance to prove their right to the championship on the field. With an 8 team playoff and conference championships you go from 2 teams being hand picked for a chance to win it all to 16+ teams with a chance to win the championship. More opportunity breeds more interest. Comparing college football regular season the college basketball is just ridiculous. Their are 8-10 games on any given saturday with the intensity of a duke unc game. And like I previously stated, the SEC championship has not made the bama-auburn, miss-miss st, or ga-fla games any less interesting.
By AltamahaDawg
May 4, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this
Is everyone forgetting that the NCAA basketball season’s regular games DETERMINE if you even play in the tournament, and where you are seeded. Is that important? And How exactly would the regular season games (all 25+ of them) suddenly take on new relavance IF the tourney was ended tomorrow? Less important if you ask me, just have to win the few key conference games you need, depending. For that matter why even have conferences, doesnt that deminish the regular season games?
By Reality Check
May 4, 2008 11:55 AM | Link to this
I agree with Bravesfan79. Let an undefeated USC or OSU miss out on the opportunity to play in the NCG and minds will change in a hurry.
By Don't pee on me and tell me its raining:
May 4, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this
Let’s review last years NFL playoffs. What’s that we saw happen? That team that did not win its own division won the Super Bowl. So, I guess that means that some teams get better as the season progresses and other teams get worse. Who’d a thought that?
I suppose that the righteous defenders of the student athlete know that nothing like that ever happens in college sports though. What a bunch of horse poop! Jim Delaney and his minions are looking out for the Big 10 & Pac 10 only. Why the Big 12 &Big East go along with their charade is beyond me. The rest of us can rot as far as they care.
This crap is the same thing that goes on with girls’ high school lacrosse here in Georgia. The people in charge are doing things that benefit their own schools instead of doing what is best for everyone. As these people spin their webs of deceit, they say they are protecting the integrity of the sport.
The point here is that at every level, there are people in positions of power and authority that are not capable of seeing past their own self interest. Many times these very people don’t even realize that they are doing something unethical. I also realize that it makes no sense to beat yourself up over stuff like this, that change does not come overnight. It really bothers me, however, when the people who are in charge say that they are all about fairness and fair play when the opposite is really true.
By Zeb McKluskey
May 4, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this
Dam Gypsy, that was pretty harsh, but kinda along the lines of what I was thinkin. If you love baseball, that’s fine. I personally can’t stand it. But don’t come on a college football blog talkin sh!t about something you obviously know nothing about.
Now, here’s a thought that will never happen. Stop putting every cupcake from another division on the schedule, knock the number of regular season games down, then start the playoffs. Like I said, this will never happen because of money. Like u said P DAWG, it makes too much sense, like keeping your entire paycheck.
I wonder……why……..if there are so many different conference fans in Atlanta, which I know for a fact there are………….where are the BIG 2 and the PAC 1 fans when we’re discussing this topic???? They all talk sh!t when they’re on top, but I haven’t heard from a single fan outside the SEC or the ACC on here. Hmmmmmmmmm, I wonder why that is?????? Come on boys and girls, come out and support your conference.
By Bravesfan79
May 4, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this
ypsy Dawg (nuthin’ but ribs and D*):
Look here you fat redneck, i actually played college soccer and basketball, and im sure id run circles around your dumb a* in any sport u picked.
Your probably another has been highschool football player….bald and fat now, and hate your fat wife so much u have to take out your frustrations on others.
Like i said before, college football is comparable to a beauty pagent, until things change, thats all it will ever be. Keep prancin gypsy…. Go back to bangin free willy!
By Bravesfan79
May 4, 2008 4:09 PM | Link to this
Just because the Braves are my favorite team to support along with GT Basketball dosent mean i dont know college football. I have followed college football since i was a kid and watched everygame of GT’s nation championship season in 90. I also followed and was big fans of: Eric Zier, Joe Hamilton, Terrell Davis, Hines Ward, Calvin Johnson, Shaun Alexander and many others in their college career.
So just because my username dosent start with “dumb redneck football fan” dosent mean i dont know football!
Look, i think its a shame, and your clearly on the slow side if you support a no playoff system. Did you ever compete in sports as a kid gypsy? What if they told u at the beginning of the year, “gluck guys, we have no shot at a title but hey the pple who run the show are gonna make some money” would that motivate you? what would be the point??
TRUE sports fans like me know the truth. By tha way GYPSY your missing a dog show on tv now….figured id help you out since your into beauty pagents and all…. i think your more into oiled up men on stage tho figuring you…i bet your the guy with the spray bottle backstage arent u…. haha
By SeaDoggy
May 4, 2008 4:41 PM | Link to this
Hey, guys. Here is a proposal for a “real” playoff system. What do you think?
First of all, if university presidents really care about academics, why not take it back to a ten-game season plus conference championship games (for those conferences that have them)? Everyone would be giving up one home game and one away game.
Use a BCS-type system for seeding the teams. Give byes to the top eight teams in a national poll (“Elite 8”) or to champions of the top 8 conferences. Sixteen other teams play an elimination round to reduce the total field to 16 again. Then have a 4-round tournament to determine the national champion.
Eight teams will be eliminated in the first round and therefore will have played 11 or 12 games depending on whether they were in a conference championship game. Eight of the remaining teams will be eliminated in the second round and will have played 12 or 13 games. Four will be eliminated in the third round and will have played 13 or 14 games. Two will be eliminated in the fourth round and will have played 14 or 15 games. Then you will be ready for a legitimate national championship game a couple of weeks later. The final two teams will have played a total of 14 games if they received a bye in the first round and did not play in a conference championship. If they did play in a conference championship and did not receive a bye, they would play a total of 16 games.
A total of 23 games will be played, every one of them a bowl/playoff game. The entire process should not take more than a week or two longer than under the current setup. Due to the reduction in the regular-season schedule, only a very limited number of schools should have any serious academic repercusions on their players. Only the top 24 teams will be playing longer than 10 games. The rest probably should be hitting the books again anyway.
The major bowls could rotate the national championship game and the fourth and third rounds. Less prestigious bowls could divy up the rest of the games. You can still call them bowl games, but they will also be playoff games that determine who advances. Best of all, even the third-rate bowls will mean something and will therefore generate more excitement, higher attendance and more revenue.
Some kind of revenue-sharing program could be worked out to help the schools that didn’t make it into the playoffs or were eliminated in the first round. For example, from the revenues from round one, give all the teams that made the playoffs a full share and give half shares to the rest.
By Zeb McKluskey
May 4, 2008 7:45 PM | Link to this
Dude, Bravesfan79, you’re picking the wrong battle man. In one breath it sounds like you’re with us and the next against us. Who’s side are you on man?? You actually said college football is a joke??? And you said that ON THIS BLOG??? Are you an idiot? What the hell kind of response did u think you would get? Have you never been on here before?
Now I don’t normally call people names, but that’s kind of idiotic what you said. I just can’t believe some of the more rabid DAWGS on here haven’t ripped in to you. It’s cool you’re a Braves and GT basketball fan, noone on here would dog you for that, that’s what YOU ARE INTO. But man, don’t come on here and tell an entire fanbase that we’re stupid for thinking the way we think. If you really are a fan of anything, you should know this.
By BCS Slave
May 4, 2008 8:16 PM | Link to this
I am the first to argue that the NC is a beauty contest. College football’s regular season is not. It it is some of the most intense competition you get in sports. What I think what most of us who support a playoff are saying is we want the NC teams to be decided by competition on the field. We’ll still have biased voting and ranking, but at least an 8 team playoff would avoid the undignified behavior of people like Les Miles campaigning for votes in polls.
By A-ville Ranger
May 4, 2008 8:27 PM | Link to this
I have no interest in a ”plus one”.Either go with a real playoff with at least eight teams or keep the preposterous system we currently have.
By Charlie Brown
May 4, 2008 9:59 PM | Link to this
If President Michael Adams is pushing for a play-off system, because he felt UGA was deprived of a shot at the top prize, he should recall that cellar dweller, Vanderbilt would have defeated the Dawgs except for a costly fumble as the ‘Dores were nearing the Dawgs goal line. Plus, UT had the Dawgs down 25-0 at halftime in Knoxville and defeated them soundly. While I am a Bulldog fan, please tell me why does such a team with glaring flaws deserve a shot in the title game? I am w-a-i-t-i-n-g for an answer. Obviously, Univ of Hawaii is not in the same league as SEC.
By Bravesfan79
May 4, 2008 10:32 PM | Link to this
ZEB: I AM a fan of UGA football, and you better believe ill be pulling for them every game this year! I have felt strongly about this system being crap tho for a long time!
I think some of those UGA teams with David Pollock and David Greene deserved a shot at the title, and would of given USC a great game in a playoff format.
Just like i think the year DJ Shockley got hurt before the Florida game, we still gave them a hell of a game. I was pretty confident that team could of beat USC and deserved a shot at the title that year.
I mean can anyone blame the team for coming out flat against a good West Virginia Team?? They were dissapointed they didnt have a shot to win it all, and rightfully felt wronged, just like the fans should of felt. Can anyone blame any team for coming out flat in a meaningless exhibition game (bowl) when they know no matter what, someone else is the champ?
I wasnt that disapointed when West Virginia won, i knew it was a meangless game anyways.
I just think us fans all deserve better, and until we join together nothing is gonna change!
By TheAntiMe
May 4, 2008 10:47 PM | Link to this
I want a playoff but the chance of having one is about as good as the chance we will have lawmakers in Washington DC vote for our interests over their own corrupt self-interests as well as the special interests that put them in office and keep them very well taken care of. It’s just the same with the powers that be in college football. It’s such a corrupt system of pandering to special interests (TV contracts and bowl affiliations being the biggest) that college football fans have about as much chance of seeing the right thing done as the American voters do. Way sad but all too true.
By pritdapit
May 5, 2008 12:04 AM | Link to this
HEY HOP SPORTS WRITERS ARE THE SO CALLED EXPERTS RIGHT? THEN HOW COME NONE OF THEM EXPERTS GUESSED THAT THE HAWKS COULD GO 6 AND THEN 7 GAMES WITH THE CELTS YES THE CELTS PULLED HAWKS PANTS DOWN IN GAVE THEM GOOD OLE WHOOPING DAY BUT HAWKS PROVIDED EM WRONG AND I KNOW ITS 2 DIFFERENT SPORTS BUT POINT IS EXPERTS DONT MEANSQUAT!!!! THERE ALL BUNCH OF BS IF YOU ASK ME MY OPINION JUST LIKE LAST YEAR IN CF WRITERS NEVER GOT IT WRONG HUH?? THEY REALLY DO HELP TARNISH THE GAME AND JEFF SCHULTZ YOU ARE THE WEAKEST LINK YOU WOULD BETTER ATL BY JUMPIN UNDER THE HAWKS SCREECHED TO A STOP TRAIN THEY WERE ON!!!!!!
By 99% FAN Support
May 5, 2008 12:17 AM | Link to this
What I want to know is who makes up the 20% of the PUBLIC that supports the BCS? I am a Dawg fan living in the Denver suburbs, surrounded by graduates of major Div-IA schools from all over the country. My neighbors graduated from Arizona State, Va Tech, Missouri, USC, Texas, Florida, Clemson, West Viginia, Michigan, and on and on. We get together on football weekends. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS IN FAVOR OF A PLAYOFF SYSTEM! We all b1tch about the BCS every year and everyone is disgusted by what a joke it is. I’ll bet 99% of real college football FANS, not the public, want a playoff.
By Seagles
May 5, 2008 5:57 AM | Link to this
What we need is a total boycott of the bowls by fans and players…..but, it won’t happen. Big Ten and Pac Ten are woosies and the ACC commish is a wimp.
By Old Dawg
May 5, 2008 9:41 AM | Link to this
The lack of a playoff for Division I (or whatever the hell it’s called now), is a farce of major proportions. Every sport in every other division has a playoff system, which eliminates any argument about cutting into academics.
Most Division III schools are very academicaly oriented, but their presidents don’t whine when teams make the post season. In fact, they’re on the sidelines cheering like a freshman at a high-powered D-I school.
Basically, the presidents and athletic directors are spoiled by the current system and afraid of the unknown. If they switch to a playoff system, they’re afraid of losing money — and that’s the foundation of their argument … nothing else. Academics is a brair patch they can always crawl back to, but it’s really about the money.
The thing that really gets me is that with the current system, teams play a 12-game regular season and if there is a conference playoff a 13th game is played and when a BCS or regular bowl game is played a total of 14 are played.
That’s one game shy of the playoff schedule for 1-AA and Division II schools. If the Big 10 and Pac 10 schools could count (and forget about the Rose Bowl), they’re realize the farce they’ve created. So why not cut the regular seasoned back to 11 games and enter into a 16-team playoff?
But that’s too logical for these guys; they’re fat, dumb and happy with the mess they have now.
But that’s OK, I’ll still go to Chattanooga to see a real national champion crowned in December. The 1-AA finals are great. And it’s the way the game is supposed to be played!
By Navigator
May 5, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this
Jeff: I understand your frustration, but get real. The BCS was the first move in 100 years to try and bring the number 1 and 2 together in a bowl, no matter what conference they come from. It took a lot of convincing to get this far. Things in the NCAA work at a much slower pace than you and a lot of others wish. If these guys keep getting this kind of pressure, they decide to go back to the old ways.
By tjs
May 5, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this
mike adams is a horses butt…but compared to the Big Ten folks he a source of “enlightenment”…Unless there is a real playoff, all of this +1 ,etc., is B.S….If playoff work in 1AA,div 2 & 3…How can it fail in 1A ?…With all the hype, sponsors, and interest, it’s an automatic money maker…Let the lesser teams continue their boring and mis matched bowl game system…and leave the playoffs for the “real football fans” tjs
By AltamahaDawg
May 5, 2008 2:36 PM | Link to this
Charlie Brown, the fact that Vanderbilt is capable of competing on any given Saturday is hardly a glaring endorsement of the current BSC structure. What does one have to do with the other? FYI, it was a defensive play to recover possession and go score the winning TD. It’s wasnt a ground under repair, or an official’s mistake. It’s called winning the game, and every NC in the history of the world has had a few close ones. Why would you even waste the time to rehash any of that. Do you really think the entire argument started or ended with UGA 08’ season?
But to your answer your question: the situation where by UGA was rightfully in line to be considered for the NCG, by the way the system is set up now, despite many folks (mine included)opinion they shouldnt be, is exactly why it’s in question. The fact that the pollsters had to leapfrog and flip/flop at the last minutes, going against thier normal established MO, to cover up the flaws of the BSC, just illustrates how totally inconsistant it is. Do you actually disgree with Micheal Adams on this thing?
By physicsDawg
May 5, 2008 5:58 PM | Link to this
Rocky Mtn Sooner, Your point would be VERY valid, except for one thing: Basketball’s Tournament is selected by a commitee, AND an auto-bid for all conference champions. What makes Basketballs regular season meaningless, is EVERY conference team gets into its tournament. So, just like this year you had a poor quality DAWGS team (Bless them, they put on a great show at SEC tournament) BUT who really didn’t deserve an NCAA bid. That makes the regular season meaningless for teams that don’t get an at-large bid. For teams that get at at large selection, their regular games are VERY meaningful. Where the “meaningless regular season” argument fails, is that in Football, the conference champions are always one of the best teams of their conference. There are NO pansies who win their conference championship, unless of course the entire conference are pansies. (BIG12) :)
By Hunk Erdown
May 6, 2008 3:19 AM | Link to this
The only way to make a difference from where we sit would be to hit them where they hurt, their pocketbooks. No one is going to boycott the games, but if it were possible to start a movement that boycotted anyone that advertises in the BCS Championship game, even for the first quarter of the new year, that would get their attention.
Imagine if the Nokia sugar bowl were boycotted by millions of people for just three months, not boycotting attendance, but buying or owning Nokia products, drive their stock down in the first quarter of a new year and they’ll listen…along with Budweiser and anyone else that places an ad during that game. Maybe even better to hit them the last quarter when X-mas sales are so important.
It would be a tough, almost impossible feat to pull off, but more possible than anything else I’ve heard. The news networks would jump all over it… it is possible, with some grass roots organization, might even take several years, but its not getting done any other way.
Its all about the money, and thats the only way we can stop them is to stop the flow of money where we actually can.
The name of the movement could be the acronym for:
Fans Use Collective Kinsmanship to Expose Monopolies
By Dave
May 6, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this
The PAC 10, Big Ten, and Big East are opposed to a plus one playoff for one reason they play no conference championship game. They are hoping a soft schedule plus no conference championship game gets them a shot at a national championship based on a better win lose record. We all see these are soft teams who win few national championships anymore they want to sneak one in.
By carmatter
May 6, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this
Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.
By KB
May 11, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this
The BCS is a joke. Eveyone on the planet except ten executives in a board room know this. Until the PAC 10 and BIG 10 have their teams play in a championship game like every other major conference, there will never be any integrity to who is the true national champion. It is clearly not a level playing field when these conferences do not have to play that extra game at the end of the season when losses count the most according to the ridiculous BCS rules.
By onedawg
May 11, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this
Why not bypass the BCS and colleges altogether. Why not have a minor league of football for players coming out of high school. Have an age, or years played, limit for the players in the league. Each team pays the players and also contributes to an education fund. If a player finishes his elgibility and is not drafted by the NFL, he has earned the money for college and, since he’s not playing football, he can concentrate exclusively on academics. If most of the better players coming out of high school played in this league and there was a real playoff, it would be more popular than college football.
By dan
May 12, 2008 3:07 PM | Link to this
If the BCS is about money, then I can understand that. But here’s the thing, they will make MORE money if they presented better match ups across the board! If they don’t want to have a playoff, and if they can’t figure out a way to do a plus one format, then stick to the original format until you do. Allowing the Hawaii’s and Boise State’s into the BCS waters down the entire lineup. Sure people turned into this past years crap lineups, which is how these cockroaches can justify their ignorance. BUT the Rose Bowl would have made MORE money with a matchup like USC/UGA than it would have with the USC/Illinois game AND the ratings would have been higher! I can deal with the BS politics if it’s about mmaking money. But these conference officials are crooked and idiotic. period.
By GTIronman
May 17, 2008 10:34 AM | Link to this
Jeff, Please, oh please, start a boycott of the BCS/Poll system starting from the first game of the season in August. When no one turns on the telly and ratings are zero, we’ll have a playoff before you can say, Whoa, Nelly! JimmyB