Spring Break
MWC BCS proposal's chances slim to none
BCS could use some change
Sean Star
Issue date: 3/6/09 Section: Sports
It's the gift that keeps on giving - at least for a sports writer. A source of endless dialogue, debate and discussion.
Even President Obama has given his two cents, saying that before he was elected it was the one thing he'd change about sports.
It's the BCS. And on Wednesday, Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson outlined a way to fix it, continuing his quest to bring equality to the way college football crowns its national champion.
Thompson's proposal is concise, organized and complete with notes, an appendix and tables.
If it were an assignment for class, it'd probably get an A. Best of all, it suggests what everyone outside the Rose Bowl wants: a playoff.
Problem is, the chances of it being taken seriously are slim to none.
Thompson deserves credit, though. The guy has turned the Mountain West into the biggest, baddest little brother in the NCAA, and he's taken his initiative to fix sports' biggest flaw as far as Washington.
Unfortunately, as with anything else that seems illogical on the surface, the BCS mess all boils down to money. Shocking, I know.
Under the current system, the six BCS conferences are guaranteed a piece of the cash cake every year, and they're simply reluctant to consider any system that would routinely let everyone else have a taste.
It's hard to blame them. After all, it's how the rest of the country works. The haves on one side and the have-nots on the other.But what about winning? Shouldn't that solve everything? Can't anyone become president if he or she works hard enough?
Maybe, but probably not.
When asked if prolonged success by the Mountain West will eventually help the conference's chances at annual BCS inclusion, Athletic Director Paul Kowalczyk said it would, but only to a certain extent.
"... You've got a cartel here that has all the money, and they're not particularly interested in spreading that wealth around. So that does make it particularly challenging no matter how good we are on the playing field," he said.
Even President Obama has given his two cents, saying that before he was elected it was the one thing he'd change about sports.
It's the BCS. And on Wednesday, Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson outlined a way to fix it, continuing his quest to bring equality to the way college football crowns its national champion.
Thompson's proposal is concise, organized and complete with notes, an appendix and tables.
If it were an assignment for class, it'd probably get an A. Best of all, it suggests what everyone outside the Rose Bowl wants: a playoff.
Problem is, the chances of it being taken seriously are slim to none.
Thompson deserves credit, though. The guy has turned the Mountain West into the biggest, baddest little brother in the NCAA, and he's taken his initiative to fix sports' biggest flaw as far as Washington.
Unfortunately, as with anything else that seems illogical on the surface, the BCS mess all boils down to money. Shocking, I know.
Under the current system, the six BCS conferences are guaranteed a piece of the cash cake every year, and they're simply reluctant to consider any system that would routinely let everyone else have a taste.
It's hard to blame them. After all, it's how the rest of the country works. The haves on one side and the have-nots on the other.But what about winning? Shouldn't that solve everything? Can't anyone become president if he or she works hard enough?
Maybe, but probably not.
When asked if prolonged success by the Mountain West will eventually help the conference's chances at annual BCS inclusion, Athletic Director Paul Kowalczyk said it would, but only to a certain extent.
"... You've got a cartel here that has all the money, and they're not particularly interested in spreading that wealth around. So that does make it particularly challenging no matter how good we are on the playing field," he said.
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