Lawmakers want probe of college football bowl system

[Guest]

Fine...open it up to all IA conferences. I doubt you'd see much of a change. What are the

odds that the Akron Zips or San Jose Spartans ever get a sniff of the NCS game. All this does

is remove the caveat of 'regardless of performance, you are ineligible from the first snap'.

Remember...whatever 'playoff' is instituted, it's not going to be some 16-8-4-2 series. It's going

to be, at most 4-2.

Okay, so Akron or San Jose may not be the best examples there... why not say Baylor, Duke, or Vanderbilt??  Oh, that's right, because those teams - while perennially BAD football teams - actually start the season with something Akron and San Jose can not: a chance.

Not saying they have a strong case against the BCS... but it can't just be summarily dismissed because of the perceived strength of the talent level of the various programs.

[Bullschmutz]

There is also a massive class action lawsuit pending against the NCAA for making millions of dollars on the atheletes while imposing strict income rules on the players. From what I understand the case has legal merit.

[CoolBull1]

Given the length of time that Microsoft was dragged through Anti-Trust investigations and more recently, the Sirius - XM merger, this could take decades!!  I agree it's worth investigating; it's the only NCAA sport where all teams can't pretend to compete on a level playing field.  In the long run, the traditional schools will still have the upper hand.  Just hope we can enjoy that same stature given our recent burst on to the scene.  We'll see what happens.....probably nothing.

[Guest]

There is also a massive class action lawsuit pending against the NCAA for making millions of dollars on the atheletes while imposing strict income rules on the players. From what I understand the case has legal merit.

My guess is if the NCAA member institutions have to pay athletes, they will - in turn - ask for reimbursement of the costs of their education.

---

As for what will happen with the BCS legislation, CoolBull is right: nothing.  Local politicians winning points back home... no need to actually pass the bill.

[bull2saintleo]

By BEN EVANS, Associated Press Writer

Apr 17, 5:05 pm EDT

WASHINGTON (AP)â€â€Forget government corruption or corporate fraud. Three members of Congress want the Justice Department to investigate whether college football’s Bowl Championship Series is an illegal enterprise.

Reps. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., and Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, are introducing a resolution rejecting the oft-criticized bowl system as an illegal restriction on trade because only the largest universities compete in most of the major bowl games. The resolution would require Justice’s antitrust division to investigate whether the system violates federal law.

Anyone notice 2 of the guys fighting for this bill are from Idaho and Hawaii (Boise State and UHawaii)?

[Bullschmutz]

and the 3rd is from Georgia who got "screwed" out of the National Champ game till LSU jumped them in the final poll.

Note: "Screwed" is in quotations.

[smazza]

By BEN EVANS, Associated Press Writer

Apr 17, 5:05 pm EDT

WASHINGTON (AP)â€â€Forget government corruption or corporate fraud. Three members of Congress want the Justice Department to investigate whether college football’s Bowl Championship Series is an illegal enterprise.

Reps. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., and Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, are introducing a resolution rejecting the oft-criticized bowl system as an illegal restriction on trade because only the largest universities compete in most of the major bowl games. The resolution would require Justice’s antitrust division to investigate whether the system violates federal law.

The measure also would put Congress on record as supporting a college football playoff.

“Who elected these NCAA people? Who are they to decide who competes for the championship?†Abercrombie said at a press conference Thursday on Capitol Hill, gripping a souvenir University of Hawaii football.

Abercrombie said the matter is worthy of federal review because college football is big business with hundreds of millions of dollars at stake.

“It’s money. That’s what this is all about,†he said.

But it’s no coincidence that all three lawmakers have home-state schools with recent beefs against the bowl system.

The University of Hawaii and Boise State University in Idaho each had an undefeated season in recent years, but were denied a shot at the championship. And Westmoreland said he is still smarting about his University of Georgia Bulldogs being passed over for the national championship game last year.

Georgia instead was matched up against undefeated Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl, winning 41-10.

Westmoreland and Abercrombie said they started talking about the resolution after that game, as Abercrombie was paying off a bet with chocolate-covered macadamia nuts.

The lawmakers say the bowl system is rigid and blocks all but the largest universities from competing in post-season bowls, denying dozens of others not just the opportunity to compete but also a shot at the big payoffs and national exposure that come with bowl appearances.

Abercrombie maintained that television markets are one factor in selecting which teams go to high-profile bowls.

“We shouldn’t have to argue about who the champion is,†Westmoreland said, citing the excitement and unpredictability of the NCAA college basketball tournament. “That should be decided on the field.â€Â

The BCS was created in 1998 by the six most powerful conferences. It relies on polls and computer ratings to determine which teams qualify for the top bowls.

Congress held a hearing on the BCS in 2005, but no legislation came of it.

In a statement, ACC Commissioner and current BCS Administrator John Swofford said the BCS allows all qualified teams to participate and is beneficial for student athletes, universities and fans.

“This issue has been looked at before,†Swofford said. “We’re confident that it complies with the law.â€Â

i bet the two gop guys campaigned on "less government" bulll crap

these idiots need to leave congress so people can do real important work

[BleacherBull]

Westmoreland is actually my representative here in the great state of . . . . Bulldogia.  I think this is the most publicity he has attracted this term.  He will be reelected without a doubt, based on the way the districts are drawn.  Nevertheless, I'll probably cast my usual Libertarian protest vote this Fall.

[Kyle]

The thing that humors me is that in the Pre-BCS age there was no problem with the Rose Bowl only taking a Pac10 and a BigTen. No problem with the alliances the bowls had with the conferences. Hate to break to to you, Boisie St, Hawaii, and Georgia fans...you're wouldnt have ever played in the Rose Bowl anyway.

I liked the line that people shouldnt have to argue about who the champion is as if it makes any difference what so ever in the scope of things.

[WoolyBully]

...Not saying they have a strong case against the BCS... but it can't just be summarily dismissed because of the perceived strength of the talent level of the various programs.

That may be true, but is this really - at the end of the day - about removing the caveat of 'having a chance'?

This is much more complex than removing the caveat, it's about money. TV money, bowl games, revenue sharing.

This is business. No one is going to volunteer to cut the pie in any more pieces than is absolutely necessary.

Why would they? What's their incentive?  Remember...this is just like the NCAA tournament. That 65th team...that

would be Hawaii or Boise State. Not saying you don't have a chance...but "chance" is in the eye of the beholder.

Just asking...:satan