MWC, WAC rushed into signing on with the BCS

Ever had one of those salesmen apply the pressure really hard and demand that the special will expire immediately and you must act now? You've heard the pitch.

The moguls who govern the BCS tossed exactly that kind of deadline to the Mountain West and Western Athletic conferences this week. The deadline to sign on as a partner in an extension of a contract with ESPN is today at 3 p.m.

The presidents of both conferences talked at length on Wednesday amongst themselves. They then ordered their respective commissioners, Craig Thompson and Karl Benson, to ink the pact.

Unfortunately, this boiled down to a decision to take BCS money and ESPN exposure rather than stand up on principle and see where being victimized took them.

The MWC missed a great chance for a Sir Thomas More moment before King Henry VIII.

The MWC released the following statement on Wednesday: "While the Mountain West has expressed serious concerns with the various fundamental flaws in the current BCS system, our various good faith initiatives to generate reform have thus far not been accepted.

"Therefore, the Mountain West believes it has no choice at this time but to sign the agreements. If a conference wishes to compete at the highest levels of college football, and the only postseason system in place for that is the BCS, no one conference can afford to drop out and penalize its football programs and student-athletes."

It's sad to see this acceptance of what amounts to another bow before BCS powerbrokers.

But the MWC and WAC were over the proverbial barrel. It was considered a long shot that they not sign.

"The Mountain West will continue its efforts for change, including a request for dialogue with representatives of the BCS," read the league statement.

"Our goal is to ensure the eventual outcome of these endeavors is what our universities and student-athletes need, what the vast majority of American sports fans want, and what is long overdue: an equitable system."

All other non-BCS, or non-automatic qualifying conferences such as Conference USA, already had signed.

The WAC and MWC held out because, in my opinion, they believed they could be providing fodder for the BCS to extend what is considered the status quo — an unfair access to a college football championship and accompanying revenue.

In Tuesday's hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, one of the arguments by the BCS that it wasn't violating the Sherman Antitrust Act was that it had "agreements" with non-BCS conferences like the MWC and WAC, that "we are partners" and so we can't be breaking the law.

So, the MWC and WAC trod carefully here.

They were in a tough spot. In some circles, it's called hush money.

In reality, it was practicality.

If the WAC and MWC didn't sign the pact, they would not be eligible for the Bowl Championship Series after the 2010 season, or the payoff, which amounted to about half a million to each MWC team after Utah's appearance in the Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama.

Back in December, under a ton of pressure to make college football more fair, the BCS threw this contract at conferences, and nine of them, plus Notre Dame, signed it. The MWC did not.

On Tuesday, MWC attorney Barry Brett pointed out the current ESPN contract doesn't expire for months, so what's the rush?

The guy made a great point.

But today, the deadline will be met, ink will be put to paper.

The rush worked.

For now, the show goes on.

E-MAIL: dharmon@desnews.com