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An Open Letter to
Mr. Obama: How To Fix The BCS
Dennis Justice
Dear President Obama:
Sir, I seek a public audience through this
correspondence to offer opinion on a subject you discussed briefly before
the last election. In an interview, you and your rival, Senator John
McCain, were asked what you would fix in the sports world if you could.
Senator McCain admirably commented on the illicit steroid problem.
However, you discussed that it is time we had a
playoff in college football. This may be the only time you and I agree on
any issue. It seems every year, new “unforeseen” controversies occur with
the Bowl Championship Series. It’s almost as if they want the controversy
for ratings’ sake. Yet whenever the fans scream for a playoff, the
“powers that be” scoff. Perhaps you perceived their self-righteousness it
in their response to your suggestion.
People look at the problem at the end and not the
beginning. The fundamental problem with the Bowl Championship Series is
that is disqualifies just under half of Division I-A teams right away.
Please recall, Mr. President, the years it took for your home state
of Hawai’i to get to the position of a BCS bowl game, and not their
national championship, despite being the only team in 2007 with an
undefeated record. Imagine a recruit being told, “no matter what, this
school cannot compete for a national title.” Where is the justice?
Should not a system be compelled to where every team
at the start has an honest chance for the national championship, no matter
how it hassles current “traditions?” The very idea of taxpayer money
being sent to colleges that allow this fraud is insulting.
The President and Congress should be involved
because the nature of college football itself is inherently fraudulent,
and therefore must violate principles and laws of interstate commerce.
Either the Tulanes and Boise States of the world have a chance at a
national championship from the start, or they have no business in Division
I-A football. It is reprehensible to allow the NCAA to continue this
fraud.
The “powers that be” keep fronting excuses as to why
a playoff cannot be implemented, which cannot be reconciled with planning
and common sense. The simple man that I am laid out such a playoff on a
website I invite you to visit:
www.bcsproposal.com
That website presents a proposal where all 119
college football programs are rearranged to eight super-conferences, or
alliances, for football only. Such an arrangement is not that
far-fetched, for college hockey has six conferences that are
hockey-specific. Even the current BCS conferences are not split up in my
proposal; indeed, schools would be added to them.
The concept is simple: Eight alliances with two
divisions each, so each alliance championship itself is a playoff game.
(Actually, a de facto sixteen team playoff.) No polls, no computers, no
traditions getting in the way. Teams earn their chance for a national
championship on the field. Seven bowl games will take the alliance
champions by region, as my hypothetical schedule demonstrates in my
proposal. I even included an alternate proposal as a fall-back.
Traditions are fine only when traditions make sense.
In the end, even the staunchest traditions must give way to justice. It
is apparent the “powers that be” are not interested in such justice.
We have seen how Senator McCain’s work has greatly
reformed the commercial enterprise of mixed martial arts. Does not this
enterprise (that taxpayers partially subsidize) deserve more serious
attention?
I implore on you, Mr. President, to offer
support for the concept of my proposal, while suggesting Congress
(including my own Congressman Heath Shuler) to join you on your job to
maintain truthful interstate commerce.
(Update) ONE MORE SUGGESTION: There IS
something you can do that won't cost taxpayers a dime! Don't allow
an NCAA champion in the White House until the NCAA adopts a plan where
EVERY Division IA program has a chance for a national championship.
My plan achieves it.
Thank you for your consideration.
Dennis Justice
Fletcher, North Carolina
Justice is a Sports Management major at American
Military University. He is a guest writer for oursportscentral.com, a top minor league sports webring.
NEWS: Congress may take up BCS issue.
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