Mr. College Football

By Spike

April 22, 2008 8:19 AM | Link to this

Amen, Tony

By FLA DAWG

April 22, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this

Defending the BCS is not a position that the vast majority of college football fans would agree with Tony. My guess is that you are doing your token column for your “Good Ol’Boys” so you can be invited to more of their parties.

If government action is required to achieve system that provides a better system of determining the NC, then I am all for it.

You’re on the wrong side of this one Mr. College Football.

By Edward

April 22, 2008 8:29 AM | Link to this

You pretty much stuck to the facts here except for speculating that LSU would have defeated Georgia and the score of the Sugar Bowl. I am against a playoff but the BCS may have to be outlawed to prevent the yearly spazzing out by ESPN and others during football season. It is worse than this marathon election campaign.

By El Sid

April 22, 2008 8:32 AM | Link to this

I will double the AMEN to that! Our sports teams that we follow whether college, high school or pros serves a very important solution to the general mental health of our populace. It is a wonderful diversion to the cost of gas, housing and food that stresses us all. Our congress and President can really do little or nothing to solve some of these problems, except try not to make them worse. Same with our sports teams. If they attempt to make things better (for votes) they (by all historical accounts) are bound to make them worse!!!

By NYJacket

April 22, 2008 8:33 AM | Link to this

Tony,

Just because the individual schools own the TV rights which are signed over to their respective conferences who then negotiate a deal with a few bowls does not mean that the antitrust laws have not been violated. The effect may well be that the impact of this deal is a restriction of commerce.

Why does major league baseball require an exemption from the antitrust laws?

But, I do agree with the best argument you made that congress has much more pressing things on which to be spending their time.

By athensdawg

April 22, 2008 8:39 AM | Link to this

Tony-

the best thing you could have done here was to NOT write this article and give those losers free publicity. but, you fell for it.

I would rather suffer through 20 articles in a row about the greatness of the the gators than give any more attention to those freeloading people in washington who are enriching themselves at our expense.

Folks, don’t complain about this article….just save your breath…go to the polls in november and vote these clowns out of office. The fact that we have elected idiots like these are why our country is in the shape that it is in now.

By GeoffDawg

April 22, 2008 8:42 AM | Link to this

Good points Tony except for the following:

The Sugar Bowl score was 41-10. How can you say that LSU would’ve beaten Georgia when they barely escaped Tennessee and by your own admission, Georgia was one of, if not the, hottest team in the country at the time?

By baloney

April 22, 2008 8:55 AM | Link to this

I felt from the get go that Westmoreland should have his arse kicked for even bringing this up. It is akin to Michael Adams coming up with his plan to change how the NC game is played.Talk about root root for the home team! Both of these clowns (especially Westmoreland) have embarassed the great state of Georgia.What a wussy he must be.

By ben

April 22, 2008 8:59 AM | Link to this

Mutts, get over it. Your team didn’t get it done. They lost to UT and USC. The entire season is a playoff. Like it nor not, that’s they way the game is structured now. Other teams do it. Instead of complaining and making excuses, EXPECT YOUR TEAM TO GET IT DONE.

By Paul Hamilton

April 22, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this

This country is headed for a major downfall. Our congressmen/women are too busy vacationing and accepting cash donations under the table for their votes. It’s both Democrats and Republicans.

By jd209

April 22, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this

Congress is made up of 535 people. I think it’s okay if three of them look into something that a lot of constituents have a problem with. Keeping in mind that it is, in fact, possible to do more than one thing during a workday.

By GeoffDawg

April 22, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this

To ben(d over) - what the hell are you talking about?

By Josh

April 22, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this

LSU beat Georgia in the SEC championship game? Let’s remember here… Georgia lost their two games at the beginning of the year. LSU lost their two games at the end of the year to Kentucky (understandable) and to an Arkansas team with a lame duck coach (inexcusable). At the end of the year, Georgia absolutely handled their competition. Do you mean to tell me that a hot Georgia team with everybody healthy couldn’t have beaten an LSU team who scored one offensive touchdown on Tennessee, and who had an injured starting QB?

By azcat225

April 22, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this

If this is the best that Westmoreland can come up with to show how hard he is working for his constituents, then a potted geranium should be able to defeat him in the upcoming fall election. Besides, the geranium is far more intelligent than Westmoreland.

Oh, but wait, we’re talking about south Georgia, aren’t we?

By Wesmoreland is a fraud

April 22, 2008 9:13 AM | Link to this

Irony of all ironies is that Westmoreland did not even go to UGA.

In fact, he NEVER GRADUATED COLLEGE!

He is, by definition, a “sidewalk alum” and a damned pathetic politician at that.

Please, please if you are in his district have the common sense to vote him out.

By JustMe

April 22, 2008 9:18 AM | Link to this

Any politican that brings up sports like this should immediately be impeached!

By blake

April 22, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this

Tony,

You had me all the way up until you stated that LSU would have beaten UGA in the SECC game. Is that why it was reported in this very same paper that LSU athletics director Skip Bertman was seen celebrating in the LSU press box when news of UT’s win over Kentucky arrived?

LSU was extremely beaten up in the SECC game. Flynn was hurt and so was Dorsey. UGA was hot and confident. I think UGA would have been favored and rightly so. I think UGA would have won that game by 10 pts. Now, a healthy LSU team would have been favored but I still think the dawgs would have had a great chance to win a close game.

I agree about the BCS though.

By br

April 22, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this

GeoffDawg,

Because Tennessee laid a world-class butt whuppin’ on the Dawgs, that’s why! Like Tony said, if you would have actually beaten the Vols you would have had your chance…but you did NOT! LSU deserved their spot in the Title Game because they EARNED IT…not because they were the “hottest team in the country at the time.” Beat South Carolina (LOL) and Tennessee and you would have no complaints from anyone.

By Richard

April 22, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this

First Tony, saying the BCS is better than we used to have is a matter of opinion. You’re going to find a ton of people don’t agree with that. We used to arbitrarily pick a team after the bowls. Now we arbitrarily pick two teams before the bowls. The difference is that in the old method, all the top bowls mattered, where in this method only one of them does.

That being said, I have a ton of anger for the members of Congress on this one. This and Arlen Specter launching an investigation of the NE Patriots. These guys should be removed from office. They are going outside their office to interfere with private organizations in an attempt to get their faces on ESPN and newspapers. Essentially, they’re abusing their power of suphoena.

I would encourage everyone not to reelect them. Maybe that will teach them to do the job we are hiring them to do.

By Tony Barnhart

April 22, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this

You guys caught me in two dumb mistakes and I appreciate it.

I fixed the Sugar Bowl score.

Secondly, I wrote back in December that I thought Georgia WOULD have beaten LSU in the SEC championship game. I still feel that way and fixed that as well.

Understand folks. I’m not defending the BCS here. It’s got a lot of problems and there are some changes I’d like to see made. My issue is politicians using it to score points with the voters.

TB

By Jason

April 22, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this

I agree with you Tony. I’m always amazed by the priorities of Congress. If they would stick to important matters and eliminate pork barrel spending, then we’d all pay a lot less taxes. Is the BCS system flawed? Absolutely. But getting politians involved is a sure way to screw it up further. As I UGA fan, I think we had an argument last fall - but so did LSU, USC, Oklahoma and Virginia Tech. Bottom line, we should have won another game in the regular season. College football is just a little over 4 months away!

By quaildawg

April 22, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this

Tony, One thing you failed to take into account…when did Politics and Logic co-exist??? When we have politicians downing shots on TV, pandering to American Idol viewers, and WWF fans you know we are dealing with a lot that would sell their souls for a vote. The only thing left for Hillary is a wet T-shirt contest!!! Pardon me I just gag’d.

By Bama Dawg

April 22, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this

baloney,

You’re right on - both Westmorland and Adams make UGA and the state of Georgia sound like a bunch of crybabies and whiners. Take care of business on the field and most of the time,except in Auburn’s case a couple of years ago, the cream will rise to the top - see OSU vs. LSU and OSU vs. FL in the BCS championship game.

Last year’s farce was USC, the Pac 10 and the Rose Bowl not having the b*lls to setup a UGA - USC game.

Should have included the idiots in the Georgia Legislature in the list of those who contine to embarass UGA and the state - i.e., the time wasted complaining that UFL met the requirements to get a gator on a license plate.

By GeoffDawg

April 22, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this

No one came on here whining about being left out of the SECC game. It was a direct response to a “what if” scenario written in Tony’s column. Wherever you went to school, they obviously never taught critical thinking.

By quaildawg

April 22, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this

br, Earned it??? What by laying an egg at home against AR-Kansas??? Hurry and send Thank-you cards to Pitt and Missouri!!! That beeping you heard was LSU backing into the BCS picture. “Hey Rocky want to see me pull a rabbit out of my hat?”

By azcat225

April 22, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this

quaildawg, that is one image I didn’t need seared into my brain this morning. lmao…

By Drew

April 22, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this

br, thank you for saying that, it needed to be said.

By gradGTdad

April 22, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this

The only way to explain Mr. Westmoreland’s effort, along with the silly referendum against the BCS that the GA House voted on this session, is that some GA legislators are concerned that they won’t be invited to Michael Adam’s box at Sanford Stadium this fall.

FLA DAWG - Your comment is simply dumbfounding. Be careful what you wish for. Doesn’t Big Brother already have enough say in our lives?

By Desert Dawg

April 22, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this

WELL SAID TONY!

As much as many hate our current president, they hate our Congress more! It is hair-brained schemes like this one that give them a 20% approval rating.

I would like to see an investigation on why our members of Congress get 1. Huge salaries, 2. The best health care in the country, and 3. Lifetime pensions after one term. Now, THOSE ARE WORTHY OF INVESTIGATING!

But, I forgot, THEY MAKE UP THE RULES AS THEY GO ALONG!

I can only imagine the system that Congress could dream up to determine the National college football champion. Probably would result in a tax on football tickets and a requirement that the national champion could only repeat every 50 years (just to be fair).

Please fix some things that are broken and leave those that are functioning (somewhat) ALONE!

By UGA Grad

April 22, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this

Agree that Congressional action is useless and a total waste of time. I may be in the minority of UGA fans (though I’m not sure), but I had no problem with the way the BCS Championship game played out. I would love to have been there, but we didn’t earn a spot. Regardless of what others do or don’t do, you can’t lose to South Carolina and get pasted by Tennessee (I was there - it was as ugly as it looked on TV) and expect to play for a National Championship. Like BAMADAWG said, though, the farce was not setting up a UGA / USC Rose Bowl.

Anyway, it’s OVER. We now know what we have to do to play in Miami in January - now let’s go get it done!

By br

April 22, 2008 9:55 AM | Link to this

Hey quaildawg,

Who’s holding the crystal football? Surely not your beloved Dawgs! Yeah, they lost to Kentucky and Arkansas, but UGA lost to USC (the crappy USC) and Tennessee…BOTH from their division, hence, you didn’t deserve a spot in the SECCGame, hence, you have ZERO argument! What part of that do you NOT understand? It’s not like we’re talking quantum physics here!

By Roswell Ed

April 22, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this

We at Auburn have no problem with the current BCS system.

It’s always done us right!

By Will

April 22, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this

Tony,

Don’t forget those idiots in congress are burning our food supply in the name of global warming(Ethanol), and millions will die in third world counries over the next few years thanks to this great policy. And all these idiots can think about is the BCS!!! You wonder why their approval rating is 13%.

By Jim

April 22, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this

2 thoughts. First anytime the government gets involved with these type things they make things worse whether its congressmen with very little to do going after the BCS or the Georgia General Assembly trying to determine seating requirements for high school playoff games.

Second: I have watched Georgia play 2 teams from the WAC, Hawaii and Boise State. Both of these were supposed to be the cream of their conference and both were clearly not capable of playing up to the level of major college football teams (even the Fiesta Bowl game raises questions about the Oklahoma program more than it says good about Boise State especially in light of this year’s meltdown). If the push forces a genuine look at who deserves to be in the “playoffs” the congressmen from Hawaii and Idaho may be sorely disappointed that their teams could not force their way into playoffs where they are clearly not capable of performing. I guess that would lead to more hearings and legislation.

The BCS is problematical but it looks to me that anything else would end up with the same problems. There will always be someone who feels they were wrongly left out. Government hearings will not fix that.

By mcdawg

April 22, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this

-LSU won the SEC-done-argument over

By Miles

April 22, 2008 10:21 AM | Link to this

While I agree with Mr. Barnhart in his assertion that the BCS is “a lot better than what we used to have,” it appears this legal maneuvering is simply another step along the way to bring about a playoff to college football. The legal argument could be made that the major conferences acted in collusion (by effectively excluding the weaker conferences such as the WAC) and thus violated the law. Therefore the contract would be nullified. Though I don’t necessarily agree with this point of view, I don’t think it’s entirely without merit either. Teams like Hawaii and Boise State can’t play on the same field with SEC teams, yet at the same time officials within the NCAA must do what they can to extend opportunity to these sorts of teams. Conversely, from a purely pragmatic point of view, schools must pull themselves “up by the boot straps” and do for themselves what they can. For instance, administrative and mangerial decisions within the ACC Conference (the addition of Boston College, Miami, etc.) and Conference USA have greatly strengthened their conferences while the Big East has weakened itself to the point where they play essentially on the smae plateau as a WAC team. Strenthening one’s conference by way of competition as opposed to crying to Congress may be a more appropriate way to address this issue.

By zdawg

April 22, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this

Tony, why is it the government’s job to provide health care to every one. Also, it is the individuals’ fault for signing a mortgage that they could not afford. I remember on the SEC Preview show on FSN last year you said I. Troup would be a break- through player. Shows how much you know.

By Big Al

April 22, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

Georgia needs to change it’s fight song to “Cry Me A Damn River”!!!!!!

By Gene

April 22, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this

I am a Georgia graduate, and people like Westmoreland and Sonny Perdue are an embarrassment to the University and to the state.

By Trent

April 22, 2008 10:59 AM | Link to this

Tony Barnhart, if you ever attended college, surely you didn’t take any law courses, or you would understand that the arguments you made have nothing to do with antitrust. Exxon mobile and BP can write all the contracts they want, not in duress, about what prices they will set for their products. They can take whatever actions they want to take that stifles competition and creates a monopoly in the market. All those documents would do would be to give prosecution proof that collusion did exist. I am not assessing blame to anyone, and certainly not saying Exxon and BP or anyone else collude to set prices on their products, as we can all see, they compete against each other too keep the prices down, which are evident in the varying degrees of prices from one chain to the next(ha ha). But if the BCS is stifling competition, if they have engaged in acts that stifle competition and inhibit trade, than it might not matter how legal their contracts are, it is the results that are important. Does the BCS create a monopoly? Do they participate in monopolistic actions? Do they stifle competition between states? If there are even any questions about this, than the Fed should investigate. Our elected officials are their to protect our interests, and there is big money in the BCS, and if there are monopolistic forces involved, there should be an investigation.

By Trent

April 22, 2008 11:00 AM | Link to this

Tony Barnhart, if you ever attended college, surely you didn’t take any law courses, or you would understand that the arguments you made have nothing to do with antitrust. Exxon mobile and BP can write all the contracts they want, not in duress, about what prices they will set for their products. They can take whatever actions they want to take that stifles competition and creates a monopoly in the market. All those documents would do would be to give prosecution proof that collusion did exist. I am not assessing blame to anyone, and certainly not saying Exxon and BP or anyone else collude to set prices on their products, as we can all see, they compete against each other too keep the prices down, which are evident in the varying degrees of prices from one chain to the next(ha ha). But if the BCS is stifling competition, if they have engaged in acts that stifle competition and inhibit trade, than it might not matter how legal their contracts are, it is the results that are important. Does the BCS create a monopoly? Do they participate in monopolistic actions? Do they stifle competition between states? If there are even any questions about this, than the Fed should investigate. Our elected officials are their to protect our interests, and there is big money in the BCS, and if there are monopolistic forces involved, there should be an investigation.

By 76tornados

April 22, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this

How did I know that this would turn into a “what if” for UGA fans to speculate if they would’ve beaten LSU? If I had a dollar for every what if a mutt spouts off on an annual basis, I wouldn’t have to work anymore.

By 76tornados

April 22, 2008 11:03 AM | Link to this

How did I know that this would turn into a “what if” for UGA fans to speculate if they would’ve beaten LSU? If I had a dollar for every what if a mutt spouts off on an annual basis, I wouldn’t have to work anymore.

By charlotte dawg

April 22, 2008 11:14 AM | Link to this

Do we really want the people who brought you the DMV and Post Office to run college football?

Gov’t isn’t the answer…..for just about everything. Anybody here who thinks gov’t should be involved in this is a lunatic.

By xtimastah

April 22, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this

There were at least 4 2-loss teams that should have had a shot before Georgia.

LSU USC Oklahoma West Virginia

By Joe

April 22, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this

Mr. Football, In the USA the US Congress IS the law. Even the BCS isn’t above it.

By YUP

April 22, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this

My, my,my!

By KR

April 22, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this

The scariest phrase ever uttered is, “we’re from the Government and we’re here to help.”

The BCS is bad; a Congress mandated “fix” will be worse.

UGA doesn’t have a leg to stand on in this fight. They’re part of the “monopoly” that the smaller conferences mention. If Westmoreland had a reasonable amount of intelligence, he’d recognize that.

I saw LSU do some amazing things last year. Most of it was due to good luck, but that counts just as much in the end. To assume that UGA would have beaten LSU because UGA was the “hottest team” at the end of the season is incredibly optimistic on the part of UGA fans.

Even if Congress totally revamps the BCS, UGA will still not be the 2007 SEC champs or the BCS champs. Please try to move on.

WAR EAGLE!

By r

April 22, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this

Let’s see….Barnhart is a sports writer. Sports writers get votes in the AP poll. The AP poll is one of the major determining factors in this screwed up thing we have called a BCS. Barnhart defends the system. Yeah…makes sense to me.

First, I hope Congress spends 3 years talking about this. The more time they devote to this, the less they can devote to coming up with new ways to get my money out of my pocket.

Second, although I’m a GT fan and am generally happy when something happens that ticks off UGA fans, I have to admit that it was a travesty that UGA wasn’t playing for a shot at a championship last year. There’s very little doubt in my mind that UGA and USC were playing as well as anyone in the country at the end of the season. Why not keep the bowl system the way it is, then take your top 4 teams and play it off. You add 3 additional games & 2 additional weeks. So what? Start the bowl games 2 weeks or 1 week earlier than they start now if you’re really worried about extending the season.

Finally, regarding the statement that the “BCS is better than what we used to have”. Really? We’ve had the BCS for what…10 years? Out of those years, there has been contention about who should have been playing in that championship game on all but about 2 of them. Pick any 10 year period of the “old way” and I’ll daresay that you’ll be hard pressed to find a 10 year period where 80% of the final “champions” were disputed.

By bf

April 22, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this

“If all the parties involved agree to the system and sign the contracts without duress, by definition it can’t be illegal.”

I don’t mean to get all lawyer on you, but this quote is completely wrong. Antitrust laws are designed to promote competition by banning collusive behavior (including agreements - it is irrelevant if the parties to the contract agree and are not under duress). The key inquiry under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act is whether the pro-competitive aspects of the system outweigh the anti-competitive aspects. “Pro-competitive behavior” is defined by the courts as that which increases product output and quality in the relevant market. I personally think that the BCS is not an anti-trust violation, but not for the flawed reasons you state.

By Old Dawg

April 22, 2008 11:53 AM | Link to this

As Tony listed at the beginning of his column, there are too many REAL issues for congress to tackle before they even consider toying with the BCS. Like many readers I think it’s a shame that there isn’t a playoff system for D-1 football, but that’s an issue far removed from real life factors hitting everyone’s pocketbook.

I love college football more than many things in life, but I am also connected to reality and if some of the issues facing our country and the world aren’t taken care of soon, college football will be the last thing on our minds.

The things that have happened in recent years are the embers of a revolution that can quickly ignite into a roaring flame.

Congress: forget about football and do your jobs!

By Junkyarddawg34

April 22, 2008 11:53 AM | Link to this

azcat225:

Westmoreland is from the Atlanta area there, arsecat.

By austingraham2000@yahoo.com

April 22, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this

The only thing that is lower than Congress approval rating is Georgia’s SAT SCORES! ROLL TIDE!

By PTC DAWG

April 22, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this

THE BCS is a HUGE JOKE..

Take the 6 BCS Conference Champs, make the conferences have a true champion, either by playoff or a complete round robin like the Pac 10., and the next two highest at large teams out there and have a PLAYOFF..

What are we waiting on?

By SOS

April 22, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this

GOAT FANS…

Stop your annual whine fest…

If you had nutted up against SC, you would have been in the NC game…

Two dozen SEC championships, one national championship, tons of booster money and the goats still couldn’t score a TD against South Carolina (the 3rd time in 7 years)…Pathetic…

Please take care of business in Columbia this September so the rest us don’t have to endure another year of whining…

By me

April 22, 2008 12:16 PM | Link to this

If you want to end the BCS/NCAA madness, remove their label as a non-profit organization and anti-trust status. That will open it up to have a playoff system with or without the bowls.

By shane #1

April 22, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this

The BCS is screwed up enough without congress messing with it.

By MrWrestling#2

April 22, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this

Congress should stay out of college football. Enough said about that. That said, my arguement last year with the BCS wasn’t LSU getting in it was Ohio State getting in. When are folks going to realize what an overated pile of garbage the Big 10 is?

By GT

April 22, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this

Well said. That list of government priority is about as steep as I can remember since Nixon. I think ESPN puts a commercial spin on the news they report which causes a bias on the reality of who is number one. I mean Ohio State is not as good as five teams in the SEC yet they come from a populated and high spending area and placating them makes money, but eventually the reality creeps in and a Florida or LSU wins the national championship, take your choice. If Georgia had played USC that would have been a competitor to the National Championship and Georgia had its chance as did USC in the season to stake a claim and blew it. All these people tell you who the best team is and want to ignore that through a season or process they can’t prove it on the field, it is just weak theory. Instead of wasting Congress’s time, maybe Georgia should play like National Champions this year and win it like it was set up and they agreed to in the first place. A few teams and “experts” didn’t ‘t like the 1980 team either, but no one is denying they won it all.

By Dawg912

April 22, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this

Yes, you can argue that LSU did deserve to go to the NC. But let me ask you this, do you think that LSU would have jumped UGA if West Virginia has not lost to Pitt in their last game. No Sir! But they didn’t, so we can only speculate.

By MycousinWalter

April 22, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this

Well said Mr.College Football, You cannot alledge anti-trust violations if everyone is involved.

“In 1984 the United States Supreme Court (surely you’ve heard of them) ruled that individual schools, not the NCAA, owned the television rights to college football games. The schools delegate their rights to their respective conferences, who have the authority to negotiate TV contracts.”

“The BCS contract is between the six major conferences and two networks (FOX, ABC). Each of those six conference champs gets an automatic bid to a BCS bowl. Without that guarantee, there would have been no deal. There are access points to the BCS for the other five conferences that have been negotiated. Everybody involved has signed off on the agreement.”-Mr.CFB

By Chris Crocker

April 22, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this

LEAVE THE BCS ALOOONE!

LEAVE IT ALOOONE, I’M SERIOUS!

By DecaturDog

April 22, 2008 1:05 PM | Link to this

WHo care about this when we should all be focused on who Whitney’s dating! It is at the top of the AJC online (this morning), so that MUST be important.

By Tom

April 22, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this

I agree with the Auburn guys above and being from Bama that hurts. If anyone has an agruement with the BCS it’s Auburn not UGA. I like the Dawgs and I think they have a ligit shot this year but the only thing congress will do is to make the SEC weaker in it’s BCS role. As a result, no good will come out of this for the SEC or any other BCS conference. If fact, it may make it less likely for a SEC team to get in the championship as the result of the brutal conference schedule.

By Rebecca Dawg

April 22, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this

Tony,

If I signed a contract with a pimp to be a prostitute, under no duress by either party, it would not be a LEGAL document.

In the same respect, just because all the parties involved in the BCS sign the contracts without duress, it does not create, even by definition, a legal document.

This is a fine example of good ol’ boys bullsh*t.

You need to take a few logical reasoning courses.

By quaildawg

April 22, 2008 2:33 PM | Link to this

br, You have to admit that after the ArKansas game you and 99% of the LSU fans figured the begaltigers had just screwed the pooch in their quest for the BCS Championship game. Then fate stepped in and smiled brightly on your fortunes with the toe stubbings that took place later that day that opened the door for LSU to get back in. Same could be said for Florida in 2007. USC does what they should have done to UCLA and the Gators are on the outside looking in. Just ask Auburn how that blade cuts both ways. A team can only take care of their business on the field and then they have to have some help if they are down a ways in the polls. I’m not “arguing” anything I’m just taking objection to your statement that LSU “earned” it. Yeah I’m a UGA homer but nothing I have said is untrue when one looks at this objectively. Heck outside of UGA, LSU is my next favorite SEC team so I’m not dissing them just pointing out that it took, as LArry Munson would say, “Old Lady Luck” smiling on LSU to get them a crack at the BCS crystal.”

By Nick

April 22, 2008 2:59 PM | Link to this

If I have to see an overrated Ohio State lose again in the NC, I’m gonna hurl. BRING US THE PLAYOFF SYSTEM!

By 1eyedJack

April 22, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this

Government has already screwed up the educational system in this county with it’s involvement. I say stay the he** away from our sports!

By m

April 22, 2008 3:14 PM | Link to this

The BCS sucks. It really, really sucks. In fact, the only thing that sucks worse is having Chan Gailey for a coach. All opinion should be taken out it. We should have a full fledged playoff system, so that the champion would be determined on the field. And who plays for the championship would be determined on the field. And all the idiot columnists in the world should have NO say about it. And by the way, Thank God and Greyhound that Gailey is gone. Let’s hope that the BCS is gone soon and let a real playoff begin.

By azcat225

April 22, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this

Junkyarddawg34: Central Georgia, south Georgia—-six of one, half dozen of another. Yes, he was born in Atlanta, but he doesnt live there. I was referring to his constituency but call all the foot faults you want if it makes you happy; I notice you didn’t refute any of my points.

By Cuz

April 22, 2008 3:34 PM | Link to this

M, why bring the sainted and unappreciated CHAN into this discussion. CHAN was tarred and feathered in public opinion and run out of town on a rail. If not for the honor of the thing he would have walked.

A prophet is never honored in his own country or school as in the North Avenue one. CHAN will always be remembered fondly by us loyal Dawg fans.

Cuz, Past President and Rush Chairman of the FANS OF CHAN.

By gt81

April 22, 2008 3:42 PM | Link to this

Every functioning person knows the system has huge flaws. We also know the old system hurt good teams like Tech’s 90 split championship with a 5 down 1 loss Colorodo team.

The fact is this is the system and UGA did not take care of their own business on the field. The results are shocking. 4 1/2 months after the fact the UGA fans are burning up a blog about how they got cheated again by the big bad BCS. I believe that the BCS is Bias to the SEC to begin with so please do not continue to yell foul.

It is obvious that the great SEC conference sent the rep that they desired and felt felt had the best opportunity for the Nat. Champ. and as luck would have it they were correct.

I wish UGA the best of luck this year and if and when you win it all this year you would have earned it.

By Cuz

April 22, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this

Hey if we had won either the USC game or the UT game, we would have had the opportunity to play in the SECC. We did not, therefore, I do not complain. I would have rather played USC in the Rose because I still think that would have been a great game. Unfortunately, we will never know who would have won that game. After living through the UT loss, I thought finishing #2 in the country was pretty good.

By Sautee Dawg

April 22, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this

I agree with you Tony, they should be more concerned with other matters, football will go forward with or without the BCS.

By GT

April 22, 2008 4:54 PM | Link to this

It is still the greatest event in American sport. Sore losers are in every phase of life. I think it shows character to line up in the SEC where you might have to test yourself and a SEC team doesn’t have to settle for the PR department to do they’re talking. The problem with Georgia in doing that is they have a direct line to the championship. If they are the best in the country like LSU or Florida, they win the national championship without a doubt ,with one exception Auburn going undefeated and not being invited. If that happens now all Auburn would have to do is point out Ohio State being anointed every year and being “upset” by the afterthought SEC team. USC or even Notre Dame doesn’t have that, and the SEC team sells tickets in bad or good years because the action is in their conference. I heard a couple of years ago the Big 10 was dropping out of the NCAA. The only conference that could pull that off is the SEC, but since they win it about every year why worry about leaving what you own. .

By Cuz

April 22, 2008 5:12 PM | Link to this

Look if Congress investigates the BCS, then they have less time to spend our money. Is the glass half full or half empty.

By FLA DAWG

April 22, 2008 5:26 PM | Link to this

For The Record:

I am one Dawg Alum & Fan that would NEVER say we WOULD HAVE beaten LSU and Ohio State. No one can say what would have happened. Sure I’d like to have seen The Big Dawgs play ‘em but we didn’t make it happen last season.We lost to lowly SC and got blown away by UT.

My only complaint is with the BCS system. Voting by biased coaches and pundits for team rankings is NO WAY to decide who plays for the National Championship.

PLAYOFF PLAYOFF PLAYOFF PLAYOFF

By hop

April 22, 2008 5:28 PM | Link to this

tony, once again you become a puppit for the status- quo for college football.

the bcs is not legal and it limits the priviledge to compete to a select group, but that does not slow you down one bit in your desire to appease the big ten, pac ten and the college presidents who do not want to get into the 21 century with a system that does not decide a true champion.

we will never know of uga would have beaten LSU or not, but damn sure know that your picks are about as reliable as the reporting of the ajc.

By Tony is a Power Monger

April 22, 2008 5:52 PM | Link to this

People like Tony do not benefit from a playoff because he is part of the media and a playoff system takes power out of their hands. Control freaks don’t like to have power taken away from them.

Tony is choosing power and control over the betterment of college football and he should be ashamed of himself.

By Nodoginhunt

April 22, 2008 6:59 PM | Link to this

Whatever…who is Whitney on a date with Tonite?

AJC: a division of Entertaiment Tonite.

By AltamahaDawg

April 22, 2008 7:02 PM | Link to this

Of that list of thing congress should spend thier time on instead, there isnt a single one of them congress has any control over.

By quaildawg

April 22, 2008 7:13 PM | Link to this

TisaPM, Your statement really resonates when it comes to ESPN. Know why there is a maximum of four host on their stage? They can’t squeeze any more egos on that set. That charade in Gainesville,FL two weeks ago should have made everyone in the Dawg Nation (and around the SEC) puke. Not to mention mad at the continued bias that is given to UF. How in the name of Knute Rockne can a national broadcast group justify showing UK’s spring game when they didn’t beat anyone of stature last season, lost to a pitifull Michigan team in their bowl game, and didn’t finish higher than fifth best in the toughest conference in America(not to mention third in their division)???? Someone with experience needs to photoshop a picture of Lee, Kirk & Corso with UF Cheerleader uniforms on. That would be priceless!!!

By VanDSIRROM

April 22, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this

Thanks, Tony, for the article.

Now lets all follow athensdawg’s lead and throw out the idiots in Washington and put in some ‘wet-behind-the-ears’ newcomers who’ll pull another Jimmy Carter and fix things up real good.

By War Eagle

April 22, 2008 9:41 PM | Link to this

In all due respect, I remember in 2005, when Auburn was BCS problem child. BCS selected Oklahoma over Auburn who was 12-0 and beaten SEC like a step child. Oklahoma lost to USC by 36 points and embarrassment set upon BCS. Dawg Blogs kept saying to Auburn people, “get over it”, well that is my message to my buddies at UGA…GET OVER IT.Auburn was 12-0, beat Tenn twice scoring 83 points for SEC title…UGA did`nt play for SEC title??. Their is no argument UGA was hottest team in the country, maybe so, but SC and Tenn loses was the answer for BCS.

By TuscaloosaDAWG

April 23, 2008 12:32 AM | Link to this

Hey, I’m a big UGA fan stuck in Tuscaloosa…however, I will be heading to Athens soon to watch the Dawgs play Bama in Hardball..any ideas of good resturants/attractions to see while I am there? I am bringing a Bama fan with me and I want him to see the best Athens has to offer…not so much the most expensive places…just the places with the best atmosphere..thanks for any help on this..email me if you like…tvradioguy@yahoo.com. Thanks!

By buck

April 23, 2008 4:14 AM | Link to this

The only facts to this story…are that LSU is the SEC Football Champions and LSU is the BCS Football Champion!!! Geaux Tigers….We have 2 Crystals….Got Any??

By Gator Nation

April 23, 2008 8:26 AM | Link to this

Georgia Fans

Please take a remedial reading course. Tony said that he thinks Georgia would have beaten LSU in the SEC championship game.

Reading comprehension……its a little bit important.

By Gen Neyland

April 23, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this

Why stop with Congress..? Get the U.N. involved. Send Jimma Kawtur on a fact finding mission to the BCS headquarters. Sic Al Gore on ‘em…Bring in Babs, Jane and the View Crew. They’ll get this straightened out lickety split…

By FLA DAWG

April 23, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this

Tony predicted LSU WOULD BE UPSET almost every other week last season. I’m not sure what he had against them but it was obviously there.

Read and grow wise.

By Jim Bergamo

April 23, 2008 12:15 PM | Link to this

Tony,

You must be shaking your head reading some of these comments. As a proud alumnus of LSU, I can take heart that Louisiana’s troubled educational system does at least one thing better than Georgia’s. It teaches people HOW TO READ!

Your column clearly states that if Georgia WOULD HAVE BEATEN LSU, if the Bulldogs had gotten to the SEC championship game. And I must admit, I agree with you. The Tigers were decimated by injuries at the end of year and won the SEC title game on guts and guile alone. However, it’s my opinion LSU would have beaten Georgia or anyone else in the NCG because, when healthy, there was no better, more complete team than LSU.

Also, as you correctly pointed out — Georgia, like the rest of the 2-loss teams with the exception of LSU, had at least one “stinker” of a game. It was the aforementioned “butt whipping” at the hands of Tennessee. For Southern Cal it was the Stanford loss AT USC! Virginia Tech’s embarrassment occurred at LSU. Neither of LSU’s two, triple overtime losses resonate as “stinkers.”

And I would like to remind Bulldog Nation that the 2006 season ended with LSU winning it’s last six in a row in convincing fashion. LSU almost finished ahead of Ohio State in the final polls after the Buckeyes first blowout loss to an SEC team in the NCG against Florida. But you didn’t hear LSU folks whining about how it “should have been us” in the championship game. We lost early that year, 7-3 to Auburn and by two TD’s to Florida. We took our losses like men and built on the momentum the following year, culminating in our NCG victory. I suggest the Bulldogs take the same approach. If not, all the talk will have them distracted and out of the running long before they come to Baton Rouge in October.

As for the point of the article, Tony is correct. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s better than what we had (can anyone remember BYU being named national champ after beating 7-4 Michigan in the Holiday Bowl) and it won’t be quite as good as what the future will unfold, and Congress needs to keep its hands off.

Bottom line — if you want to get to the Big Game take care of your business. And if you can’t win them all, try losing in triple overtime instead of by three touchdowns.

Jim in Austin

By FLA DAWG

April 23, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this

I’ve had nothing but praise for LSU during and after the season but it’s tough to keep defending LSU when I read some of their fan’s blogs!

By antitrust lawyer

April 26, 2008 5:39 PM | Link to this

Tony,

Stick to the day job. Your antitrust “analysis” is really lacking; the absence of duress is almost always true in cases involving competitive collusion. If you held yourself to the same standard as you hold some of the “fans” you ripped in your column, your next entry would be a mea culpa. You are a guy who I love to read, but that was probably the worst entry I’ve ever ready from you.

By Hi

April 28, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this

The commentary is questionable. To suggest that Hawaii should had played in the national championship game is is not right. A playoff/ tournament type system gives each team including Hawaii an equal opportunity for a shot to reach for the national title game. Just like that NCAA Basketball Tournament.

By L. E. Deaux [FWAA]

November 9, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this

I read your lambasting of of three men who have decided to tackle the legality of the BCS. I agree that access has been negotiated to some degree, but you are very wrong on the actual legal issues.

The same Barciaga Court that benefited Georgia, oklahoma and everone else, also included outlines for where the NCAA WAS EMPOWERERD and that included the elimination of any unfair advantages in recruiting. Money is access. exposure is money. Recruiting is most assuredly skewed towards the top 25 BCS schools as a result of money and exposure advantages given the BCS.

Compromise makes for a bad defense when you are wrong on a legal issue. It’s a type of plea bargain. Only the guilty bargain. So why then has the BCS made ANY concessions (as it has repeatedly)? The BCS would NEVER have begun compromising and increasing access as it has steadily over the last few years unless it knew it’s position under the law was WEAK. It is weak and remains grossly inequitable.

Barciaga NEVER intended for a BCS like coalition because that is essentially what existed in the old ABC-NCAA contractual arrangement he struck down! A Coalition of six conference entities hawking their wares in a restricted market at the expense of five excluded conferences is NOT the individual universities selling their broadcast rights. Bargiaga at the very most, granted that Conferences could be appointed to negotiate on their behalf, but no farther. Any coalition that aggregates one group of conference interests over another outside the relm of the NCAA’s jurisdiction was never intended by Barciaga and would have been stricken down. Your understanding and therefore underlying argument using the court’s position on the law is completely wrong!

By L. E. Deaux [FWAA]

November 9, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this

Regarding the COTTON BOWL….Just keep telling JERRY JONES it’s not going to be included as a 6th BCS game. JJ is smart and competitive and will probably NOT take no for a answer. If however the BCS rejects the COTTON BOWL then JONE is a smart guy…a very smart guy. He night just take HIS BOWL, HIS STADIUM and stage HIS OWN National Tile Game between the best NON-BCS team and the #3 BCS Team. The #3 BCS team might just tell the Sugar, Orange, Fiesta or Rose Bowls to take a hike if that happens because a NC is what everyone wants and whoever is #3 AGAIN is not ging to like playing third fiddle. JONES Bowl wuld likely make more in real profit and revenue because he could negotiate it with whomever does NOT have the BCS title game…say NBC or CBS! If you don’t think they would be interested, then you are living in la la land! They would take that idea in a heartbeat. The inevitibility of a split NC every year with JJ’s COTTON BOWL would force changes in the BCS or cause defections from it by the BIG-TEN and PAC-10 which are already unhappy with it.

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April 2, 2009 9:46 AM | Link to this

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