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Updated on Thursday, May 20th, 2010 at 9:01 pm in Football.

BCS to Congress: Stay In Your Own Yard

BCS to Congress: Stay In Your Own Yard

I loved this link today, where the BCS told Congress to stick to what ever it is that they do.

“While I appreciate your interest, I believe that decisions about college football should be made by university presidents, athletics directors, coaches and conference commissioners rather than by members of Congress.”  That was a quote from Bill Hancock, head of the BCS.

Senator Orrin Hatch from Utah didn’t like that very much:  ”Today, the BCS simply confirmed what most fans of college football have known for some time, that the BCS system is biased, secretive and harmful to schools and competitors.” Hatch said.

Boo freaking hoo.

OK…yes, I am a fan of a school that is in a BCS conference, so this might come off as elitist thinking to the likes of Hatch, who come from a state that is not in a BCS conference (Utah).  I realize that Utah didn’t get to play for the 2008 national championship.  I am of the opinion that if Utah, or Boise State or TCU played week in week out in a league like the Big Ten, Big 12 or the SEC, they wouldn’t come close to playing for the national championship.

There are rules in place now that guarantee a non-BCS conference team inclusion into the BCS system and the payday that comes with it.  That rule might show up in a big way in 2010, if a Big Ten or Pac 10 team plays for the national title, and a non-BCS conference team is ranked in the final BCS Top 12; that school would replace the Big Ten or Pac 10 slot in the Rose Bowl the first time this happens over the next four years.  To learn more about that, read our article from a few weeks back linked here, and how it might impact the Hawkeyes this year.

So you have a table at the party.  But you have to earn the shot to play for the title, and that takes place over several years.  TCU and Boise State have earned such respect; both are likely to start the season inside the Top 10, with Boise somewhere in the Top Five.  That gives them a chance to suffer a loss, possibly even two, and still finish in the BCS Top 12.  Such a luxury used to only be afforded to BCS conference teams, as it was for Iowa last year with a 10-2 record and an at large BCS bid to the Orange Bowl.

So Mr. Hatch, BCS Buster teams have earned more respect and they are getting a ticket to the big party; did you miss last year’s Fiesta Bowl matchup between TCU and Boise, or does this only really, really matter when Utah is involved?

Folks like Senator Hatch should focus on doing their job and helping to figure out the country’s financial woes as opposed to worrying about whether or not the Utah Utes get to play for a national title.  They already have a seat at the table, they just have to go out and earn it.

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  • bec32173

    Had Iowa went undefeated last, they would most likely have not even sniffed a chance at the National Championship Game, the BCS does not have the capabilty to deal with multiple undefeated teams whether they are BCS conference teams or not. You can have your inherently flawed BCS system, I will support my legislators to help make college football championships’ based on equality and fair play. Isn’t this what college sports should be about? College Football Championship should be a result of football potential not ratings and monetary potential.

  • GO4ROZS

    Whatever one’s opinion on the current BCS system, it is completely asinine to suggest that the United States Congress should have any role in the process whatsoever.

  • Clonehomer

    I think this is a pretty arrogant statement made by the BCS official. While it is true that decisions need to be made by AD’s, school presidents, and the like, college football is still funded publicly at most schools. Furthermore, all donations to the athletic dept. and expenditures are tax exempt. Because of this, congress has a right and a responsibility to make sure that everyone is represented, not just the big schools. If there continues to be a movement to larger conferences that further shuts out small schools from the BCS / NC opportunities and AD budgets continue to swell, I think that eventually congress will step in and force changes.

  • marcr57

    Is the BCS system flawed? Many would say yes. Is the U.S. Congress flawed? I don’t even know where to begin with that answer. My comment to Senator Hatch would be to focus on fixing the many problems our nation faces. When you have those problems taken care, then feel free to take on college football.

  • HawkForce

    The US government has NO business in college football…and I am not a supporter of the BCS…but they have much BIGGER issues…like idk…the economy? ending TWO wars? Health care? Education? Social Security?…Get to work Washington.

  • JHHawk

    Hatch is so full of it. I hope Utah and Boise end up in the Pac Ten so they get to prove their worth week after week…earn their way to the BCS games,not skate in like they do now.

    I am so hoping that Va Tech knocks off Boise St in that early game next year. C’mon Hokies.

    Oh,and for the ISU loser above…I can smell the fear of ISU dropping into the MAC after the Big 12 disolves all the way from here.

  • rschneider

    Although some good points are made on both sides, the BCS sometimes doesn’t put the two best schools up against each other. Which is dumb. Also congress has every rite in telling our government funded schools how to operate, they have total control, just not in sports, but they will if they want. On the other side they do need to worry more about political issues right now.

  • MrArndt

    I for one feel that those already familiar with College Athletics are best suited to make these decisions / if you think Congress is going to be any less biased in this / you should really get a clue. I also grow very weary of listening to those that feel the government has all these rights to mandate whatever they feel they need to – maybe you should familiarize yourselves with the constitution. It starts with “We the People” amd basically lays out governments obligation to and not control over the citizens of the United States. Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem…. We’ve been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. Well, if no one among us is capable of government himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else? All of us together, in and out of government, must bear the burden. The solutions we seek must be equitable, with no one group singled out to pay a higher price.

  • IAHwks70

    “Also congress has every rite in telling our government funded schools how to operate, they have total control, just not in sports, but they will if they want.” FYI – Congress is just our elected representatives spending OUR money. They are here to protect OUR interests which are granted by the Constitution. Unfortunately most of them don’t even know what that document is. Current government officials believe we have no rights and unfortunately not enough of us are willing to stand up for them and vote these idiots out of power.

  • YGS4HKS

    I like the mid major schools so don’t get me wrong, but if Boise State had to play there starters for more than 3 quarters every game and were hit and abused every weekend in a much more physical type of game that the bcs conferences show every weekend. As much as I like to see those schools do well, they wouldn’t stand a chance week after week playing those teams that take a toll on your body and team everyday. They would be a 4 to 5 loss team at the best I think!!

  • rschneider

    Not trying to start an arguement here, but do you really think Bill Hancock, the University presidents, or athletic directors want what the people want, NO they want whatever makes them money, same with congress, but we elect congress, we have no choice who our BCS president is.

  • rschneider

    America is all about small bussiness’ and entreprenuership. Or at least it was.

  • Str8TalkHawk

    Tough luck BCS (B_tching, Crying Sissies)! If you private sector business people and college administrators want to control all this money and college football, SOMEONE has to keep an eye on YOU! Actually, BCS, who died and made you king anyway? What happened to competition and LETTING THEM PLAY? How do four 16-team super conferences and a real playoff on their terms sound to you? Whiners!

  • MrArndt

    Better question would be who died and made you King? Now let me ask you this (who should control the money – you?).

  • Jondmiller

    Mrarndt,

    on this site, yeah :)

  • uihitman

    financially speaking, a playoff is not the way to go. IF you can’t wrap your head around that, then you don’t belong in this discussion. Something else nobody talks about is the players and coaches. There was a pole on ESPN that said that over 95% of coaches were content with the BCS system. On top of that, college football is exactly what it says it is. Collegiate. IF a playoff were implemented, then teams with a conference championship could end up playing 17 games a year if they make it all the way. These are not paid professionals, they are students, and making them play an extra 3 or 4 games increases the chance for serious injury. I realize that a playoff is the only way to really determine who’s best, but in college football, no. and ya obama and congress both have more important things to be doing right now, like trying to put another 17% of our economy under government control (health care).

  • rschneider

    ya cuz playoffs don’t work in every other sport. . . even in the fbs people complain about it. . . NOT

  • rschneider

    Most athletes want to play the game no matter how many games, they want to play and win, if they don’t then they can graduate early and go to the pros.

  • YGS4HKS

    If they go to a playoff scheme, there will still be a team that didn’t get a bid to get into the playoff that will complain and say they deserved one. So I think no matter what scheme you do, there will always be a complaint from someone.

  • JailBreak81

    I ma fine with anything that gets us closer to a playoff. Let’s be real here people our congress does very little to begin with. It is not as if they are now just focusing on the BCS and shirking their other duties. They have more than enough time to get nothing done as usual. A playoff is used in all other sports at all levels. Nothing will ever convince me that CFB should be different. YGS4HKS there is a HUGE difference between the #9, #13, or #17 team being left out and complaining versus the current format which can in any given year leave out multiple undefeated teams. The BCS is a joke. I pay absolutely no attention to any bowl other than the one Iowa plays in anymore. Seeing fictitious national champions crowned is not worth my time.

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