The NCAA might be Forced to Introduce a BCS Playoff

I want some kind of BCS playoff as much as the next person, but doesn’t Congress have more important things to worry about?

No, according to one representative.

According to reports, republican Representative Joe Barton of Texas (anyone surprised there, seeing as Texas is one of the schools getting the shaft?) introduced legislation today that, if passed, would force a playoff system to determine the national champion.

Actually, to be more specific, the bill will prohibit anyone from promoting  a postseason game as a “national championship” game unless it is the result of a playoff system. So, they could keep the BCS system as it is currently, but they couldn’t have a national championship game…they’d have to call it something else.

Barton? I suspect he’s a jaded Texas fan, but makes good points:

Point #1:

“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.”

Essentially, he’s saying that the best teams don’t necessarily always play in the title game. And he’s right. He also cited USC in 2003 and Auburn in 2004 as teams that possibly should have played for the title but didn’t.

Point #2:

“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.”

This one makes sense too. The flawed system isn’t just a knock to the pride of schools playing in the bowls. This is about money, plain and simple.

Point #3:

“Despite repeated efforts to improve the system, the controversy rages on.”

I think that this is the best argument for the legislation. People are still pissed about the BCS system, ten years after it was created. They’ve been tweaking the system for ten years, and still, the debate is hotter now than ever before. There needs to be an answer.

Still, I have to wonder if there aren’t more important things to deal with in Congress than football?

Correct answer: NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FOOTBALL.

Picture via Newscom.

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