PDA

View Full Version : Bill proposed to end BCS system



DiscGo
12-10-2008, 02:01 PM
Bill proposed to end BCS system

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Taking aim at a BCS system he said "consistently misfires," a member of Congress planned to introduce legislation Wednesday that would force college football to adopt a playoff to determine the national champion.

Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, didn't specify what sort of playoff he wants -- only that the BCS should go.

"In some years the sport's national championship winner was left unsettled, and at least one school was left out of the many millions of dollars in revenue that accompany the title," Barton said in a statement released ahead of the bill's introduction. "Despite repeated efforts to improve the system, the controversy rages on."

He said the bill -- being co-sponsored by Reps. Bobby Rush, an Illinois Democrat, and Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican -- "will prohibit the marketing, promotion, and advertising of a postseason game as a 'national championship' football game, unless it is the result of a playoff system. Violations of the prohibition will be treated as violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act as an unfair or deceptive act or practice."

The BCS was created in 1998 by the six most powerful conferences. Since then, the system has been tweaked to make it easier for teams from smaller conferences to qualify for the top games. The sites for the four BCS bowls -- the Rose, Orange, Sugar and Fiesta -- take turns hosting a championship game between the top two teams in the BCS standings, which are based on two human polls and six computer ratings.

This season, Florida (12-1) and Oklahoma (12-1) will meet in the BCS title game Jan. 8 in Miami.

Barton cited Southern California in 2003 and undefeated Auburn in 2004 as examples of worthy teams left out of the BCS national championship game.

"This year, we again have two teams with one loss each playing for the 'championship,' while two undefeated teams and four additional teams with only one loss will play in bowl games, but none can become 'champion,"' he said.

When an Energy and Commerce subcommittee held a hearing about the BCS in 2005, lawmakers said they weren't going to pursue legislation.

"The BCS method of determining who is No. 1 consistently misfires," Barton said Wednesday. "Simply exposing the flaws and subjecting them to discussion ... hasn't led to improvement by those who run the system."

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/ncaa/12/10/congress.ap/index.html?eref=si_ncaaf

CarpeyBiggs
12-10-2008, 02:09 PM
wow. another case of "are you FRIGGIN' serious???"

the bcs sucks. but government sucks worse.

Scott Card
12-10-2008, 03:49 PM
the bcs sucks. but government sucks worse. I don't know, man. It is a toss-up. :haha:

Iceaxe
12-11-2008, 09:08 AM
Government has a history of steeping into football that has actually led to a safer game.... it was the feds stepping in that outlawed the old flying wedge where players would interlock arms and fly down the field with the ball carrier behind. The flying wedge was the cause of several deaths and serious injuries. Also, the right to become a free agent was the result of the feds stepping in..... to the best of my knowledge every time the feds have stepped into football it has made for a better game.... YMMV

And if I'm reading this correctly the feds only want to outlaw the claim to a "National Champion" without a playoff of some type.... the BCS can keep the bowls, they just need to drop the NC claim..... the national champoin currently is just a mythical title.

:rockon:

trackrunner
12-11-2008, 09:51 AM
Government has a history of steeping into football that has actually led to a safer game....

I believe this is how the NCAA was created. Alarmed by the # of deaths in college football President Teddy Roosevelt signed an executive order creating the NCAA (first know as Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States IAAUS). So using past precedent if you want a playoff, a President can sign an executive order.


the national champoin currently is just a mythical title.

:rockon:

A big QFE here.

People forget there is already a Div 1 football playoff to crown a true national champion. It's called Football Championship Subdivision formally Div. 1-AA

Iceaxe
12-11-2008, 10:47 AM
People forget there is already a Div 1 football playoff to crown a true national champion. It's called Football Championship Subdivision formally Div. 1-AA

Yeah.... that's why everyone just rolls their eyes when the bowl guys say you can't do a playoff.....

The current bowls are really about money and not a National Championship... and everyone knows it. I have always figured it would take the government or TV to step in and fix the current mess because those in the "have" are not going to voluntarily share with the "have nots".... I figured TV could fix the mess because they supply the money.