Legislation intended to alter the process by which the U.S. determines its annual major college football champion - the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) - dodged one more tackler on December 9, winning the approval of the House subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
By a voice vote, the Subcommittee sent H.R.390, the College Football Playoffs Act, forward for consideration by the full House Energy and Commerce Committee. The bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), would prohibit the marketing, promotion, and advertising of any post-season game as a 'national championship' college football game, unless the game is the result of a playoff system.
Rather than a playoff system, the often-criticized BCS uses a series of weekly polls and computer programs to decide which two NCAA Division 1-A football will play for the national championship.
"They keep trying to tinker with the current (BCS) system and to me it's like -- and I don't mean this directly -- it's like Communism. You can't fix it. I think they should change the name to the BES - Bowl Exhibition Series - or just drop the C and call it the BS system because it isn't about determining a champion on the field," said Rep. Barton on May 1, 2009, when he introduced his bill.
Barton, a Texan, introduced the bill mere months after the computerized BCS system placed the University of Oklahoma Sooners above the University of Texas Longhorns to play in the 2008-2009 season national championship game, despite the fact that Texas had defeated Oklahoma during the regular season. The Florida Gators defeated the Sooners in the championship game on Jan. 8, 2009.
With other issues, including health care reform, climate protection, job creation and immigration reform already facing Congress, the College Football Playoffs Act has about as much chance of passing this year as Boise State, TCU or Cincinnati have of ever getting to play in a BCS system championship game.
Also See:
College Football Goes to Congress (May 2009)
The Legislative Process
Comments
Am I alone in feeling that Congress has better things to do than worry about whether college football has a playoff? My God! What a waste!
After hearing about how no one wants government controlling their life and telling them what to do, with unemployment, with the economy of this country the way it was. I do not understand why congress, the senate feel they need to find time for this at all. We have children going hungrey in this country, and they waste time and tax payers money on this? Do I smell pork?