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Tuesday, November 30, 2004
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HE SAID IT; I DIDN'T
"All three [college football conferences] fiercely lust for fans' money, but can't keep out of each other's way, much in the fashion of the old 'Three Stooges' hospital episode in which a simultaneous page went out for Dr. Larry, Dr. Moe and Dr. Curly. Patients and gurneys were everywhere. The only way to make order from this chaos is employing the same method used by all other Division 1-A sports, as well as Division II and III football -- a playoff system. Be it four, eight or 16 teams, it is the only solution, has been the only solution and will be the only solution, forever and ever, amen. But year after year, the university presidents resist, trotting out the same tired arguments, citing lengthening the football calendar, jeopardizing the student-athletes' time in class, and over-commercialization. They skirt acknowledging that those horses left the collegiate barn 20 years ago when the schools voted to continue expanding of the men's basketball tournament to its current 64 teams. Paring down that field requires the month of March. While some university presidents shake their heads, those gestures never happen when it comes to accepting tournament revenue. The charade of football and men's basketball players as students has long been over among the athletes. Another game or two for a handful of schools will do nothing to jeopardize either the universities' diploma mill or the athletes' general welfare. The one thing playoffs do is draw more money to the entertainment colossus that big-time college sports have become. We know what the industry is; we're just quibbling over price." |