"BCS champion", not "national champion"

Smokey Joe Barton finally introduces a bill I can support.

Rep. Joe Barton, R-Arlington, might have graduated from Texas A&M, but that didn't stop him from announcing a plan to put an end to college football's Bowl Championship Series.

"I'm introducing legislation today because despite every effort to fix the problems of BCS, college seasons still end in sniping and controversy, rather than clear winners and losers determined on the field," he said Wednesday. "This year, we again have two teams with one loss each playing for the 'championship' while two undefeated teams and four additional teams with only one loss will play in bowl games, but none can become 'champion.'"

[...]

Barton's bill would prohibit the BCS from billing itself as a national championship. Under the bill, any attempt to market the BCS as a championship would be treated as unfair or deceptive trade practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act.

Barton doesn't know what system would replace the BCS, but said the legislation "will prohibit the marketing, promotion, and advertising of a post-season game as a 'national championship' football game, unless it is the result of a playoff system."

Works for me. Remember, what was once called Division IA football is the only NCAA team sport that doesn't decide its champion via some sort of playoff. All other flavors of NCAA football have playoffs, and we all know how popular the basketball and baseball tournaments are. Going to a playoff system won't end all arguments - we do still quibble over "bubble" teams, after all - but it's the only way to ensure that all the teams that have a legitmate claim that they should be playing for the championship get that opportunity to do so. I just don't understand the arguments against this.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on December 17, 2008 to Other sports