I didn't feel like posting but ... I felt compelled ... this
article basically supports what I'm about to post.
I hate the BCS because it's easily the single worst system to determine a national champion in collegiate sports. EVERY SPORT, even lower level collegiate football like Div. I-AA (hello Appalachian State), etc. .. have a damn playoff. What's scary is that before the BCS was created in 1998, the system to determine a national champion was WORSE. Before the BCS existed, rarely would the #1/#2 teams in the nation play each other, yet somehow (via the polls), a national champion was declared. How ridiculous is that?
I'll tell you ... it's very ridiculous.
Even though the BCS does us the "favor" of pairing the #1/#2 teams in the nation against each other, it's still an unfair system to determine a national champion. Having a playoff is such an obvious solution that I'm not sure if we'll ever see it happen (I'll explain why later) ...
The question is, how do we structure the playoff?
Simple. Copy how the other divisions of college football do it, 16 teams. 11 automatic berths and 5 at-large bids. The first three rounds would be hosted by the higher seed and then the 2 teams that survive would play at one of the four major bowls (Fiesta, Orange, Rose, Sugar) on a yearly rotation, just how it is now. Neutral field, winner takes all.
The stupid argument we hear all the time is ...
that's too many games!!! No, it's not. Tell me, how is it a team like Appalachian State can play 15 games in a season yet teams like Florida, Oklahoma, USC, and Texas somehow "can't handle it"? Give me a break. I find it hard to believe a small school like Appalachian State can miraculously handle the extra games yet powerhouses like Florida, Oklahoma, USC, and Texas can't.
To "ease the idea" of a 16 team playoff, college football should cut back its games back to 11. It's been like this forever, just recently did college football add a 12th game. This way, the maximum amount of games a team could theoretically play is 15 (or 16, since there are conference championships for the ACC, Big 12, SEC, etc.).
Again ... if little ol' Appalachian State can handle 15 games a year, I'm pretty sure mighty Florida can handle just as many games.
Another argument we hear is that the regular season would become less important if a playoff was instituted. Well, no, it wouldn't. In fact, more teams would have something to play for BECAUSE of a playoff. If you reward the higher seeds in a 16 team playoff with home-field advantage until its down to 2 teams, then the regular season remains relevant.
Every team will be scratching and clawing to get a high seed to potentially host at most, three playoff games.
The conference championships, which aren't really relevant now, would mean something too because a higher seed and/or an automatic bid would be up for grabs.
Imagine if Mizzou had upset Oklahoma, they'd be given an automatic berth as the Big 12 Champ and Oklahoma would still make the playoffs with an at-large berth but their seed would lower a bit. See how that game had actual implications? If Mizzou upset Oklahoma in the current system, both teams would be screwed. Neither team wouldn't get a chance at the national title.
The final argument ... money. That's essentially why the BCS exists, because it's a huge cash-cow for the universities. Well, consider this. How lucrative could a 16 team playoff be, especially if higher seeds can host games until its down to 2 teams? The answer is, VERY LUCRATIVE. That's more money that goes to the universities with each hosted playoff game. Right now in the current system, universities only make 'major bank' if they make it to a BCS game (payout is roughly $17 million). In a playoff system, universities could make ... A LOT more money (as much as TWO times the current payout).
Also, the interest in a 16 team playoff would be crazy. We all know how popular March Madness is. Imagine a playoff for college football?
The interest would be insane because every playoff game would mean something. Right now in the current system, the only game that truly matters is UF/Oklahoma.
In short, a 16 team playoff would benefit everyone. 'BCS Busters' like Utah, Boise State, and TCU would actually have a chance to win a national title while those that got screwed by the current system like Texas, Alabama, Texas Tech, and USC would still have a shot at the title regardless of their one-losses.
The prospect of being able to host playoff games would add tons of revenue to universities, more than what the current system has to offer. The heightened interest in a playoff would surely increase television ratings. I mean ... seriously, there would be NO COMPLAINTS.
Now ...
.. here's why I'm not sure we'll ever see a college playoff.
Just recently, good ol' ESPN (in its classic monopolized manner) acquired the rights to host and televise the BCS until 2014. What does that mean? Well, the single most powerful sports network would have control over how college football determines its national champion. Do you really think ESPN would present the argument over a playoff when it controls the BCS? Of course not ... they're looking out for their best interest. So any hopes of having a playoff would have to wait for a while, and maybe longer.
Until then, cherish the stupidity of the BCS. Cherish the fact that teams are penalized for losing later in the season. Cherish the fact that, because of BCS rules, no more than 2 teams from the same conference can play in a BCS bowl. Cherish the fact that no matter what non-BCS teams do, they'll never get a shot to play for a national title. Cherish the fact that the BCS is a monopolized system that enforces an 'elitist mentality' when determining its bowl matchups.
12-08-2008, 04:30 PM
