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Shurtleff considers probe of the BCS

Shurtleff is the most publicity hungry AG that Utah has ever had (at least in the past 30-40 years). This is just another example of a guy who thirsts for more headlines, and you gave him another one.

Utes are undefeated and had a great year. The Game was exciting and entertaining. So now what? The Utah AG wants to sue the BCS! Why not just save the money. Every year someone wants to sue the BCS because their feelings got hurt. How about just enjoy the moment until next season.

As a Democrat and fairly liberal one at that, I am not usually a Mark Shurtleff fan.

However, as a University of Utah Football fan, all I can say is go for it . . . the BCS is a monopoly, it does not represent the National Championship, it's a bunch of made-up nonsense, at best it's a sham at worst it's a lie!

You have my full support. Go Utes . . . Go Mark!

I am a big time Utes fan, but this has to be about the dumbest route to get rid of the BCS system - by being pouty, sore losers about it and launching a ridiculous state-run investigation. Good use of our tax dollars! I was wondering where to throw around our state deficit.

Better battles worth fighting. Just grandstanding and trying to get votes.

Remember the "Goldern rule" The one with the gold rules. The BCS is made up of the various college football conferences and the University of Notre Dame have the gold they make the rules. Why should they be required to allow MWC to share in the gold? It doesn't need to be fair it's about money. Follow the money!!

With the stench of corruption and fraud still hanging in the air from the Wall Street debacle, we now have the get a new whiff of the stink that is the BCS.

Consider this solution, which wouldn't require all the court time & expense: Start a letter-writing campaign to the President asking him to issue an Executive Order suspending all federal grants issued under the Executive Branch to any institution belonging to a BCS Conference, due to their restraint of trade practices.

There would be a scramble to create a playoff system before the day was out.....

The BCS meets all the definition of a monopoly. It is better than it was, but it is definitely broken when the only unbeaten team is not allowed to play for the Championship. Please note, that the only unbeaten team didn't have a record like Hawaii last year, but a record that is actually better than one of the BCS Title Contenders. Florida has only beaten two currently ranked BCS teams (Alabama and Georgia). Utah has beaten three (Alabama, TCU, and BYU). Utah also beat Oregon State who beat USC, and who would've won the PAC 10 if their running back wasn't out injured during the Oregon game. Utah has no losses, while Florida has a loss to Mississippi! Yet Florida is playing for the title, and Utah had to settle for Alabama.

You went to the University of Utah and are liberal? Imagine that! I didn't know you could graduate if you weren't brainwashed toward that tendency.

Without the BCS the undefeated Utes play in the Las Vegas bowl at best. Count your blessings. Great season.

Response to: "You went to the University of Utah and are liberal? Imagine that! I didn't know you could graduate if you weren't brainwashed toward that tendency."

This is why posting boards are so useless. People are able to make faceless comments on the boards with no repercussions to themselves. Amazing how outspoken-ness, rudeness, and what disregard for others people show when they do not have to identify themselves in any way, shape or form.

At any rate, I suggest that we wait and see what pressure the AP and fans put on the BCS this year and its aftermath. Utah is doing a great job of almost single-handedly breaking down the BCS. Busted the BCS . . . and now the first non-BCS to dominate a top BCS team to the point that people are really asking why we put up with this.

Everyone (except Florida and Oklahoma) wants to know who is the best. Even Alabama fans are wondering why Utah is not #1 right now (read the Birmingham and Alabama papers).

I agree with an earlier posting that questions whether this is the best use of taxpayers' money.

Eric Wallentine

What I fear is that the BCS conspirators will invite the MWC to join and share in the plunder. The MWC will be so flattered that they will join the Gadianton Robber Band, selling their souls in the process.

The only right solution is to overthrow the alliance; then establish and protect fair competition for the honor, glory, and rewards of a National Championship, with liberty and justice FOR ALL!

WE THE PEOPLE....
I'm a BYU grad but felt Utah deserved the reward of national champ status because their program cranked out a great season and culminated with beating Alabama.I propose a fund be establishe through Zions banks or Utah Community Credit Union where Utahns can donate to funding legal efforts to investigate the BCS.Money where the mouth is...count me in for a $15 donation if such a fund gets created

With all the other problems we're facing right now we want to spend government resources on an investigation like THIS??? Congratulations to the Utes from a sad Cougar fan on their great season and YES, the Utes were deserving of a shot at the Title game no doubt (and have a legit claim to at least a share of the title with their undefeated season), but COME ON, let's be rational about this. Yes, the BCS is a TOTAL fraud, but I think our Attorney General needs to be helping with our REAL pressing issues, the economy, our education system, etc. Just my two cents.

Congrats again to the Utes on their fantastic (national) championship season.

1) The BCS is better than what we had before.

Completely irrelevant to the question of creating a playoff. A D- is a better grade than an F. A grade of B+ is still a whole lot better than either.

2) A playoff system won't be perfect. You'll still have schools complaining about not getting in.

Again, a grade of B+ isn't perfect. Its still better vastly superior to the D- that is the BCS.

3) A playoff will interfere with academics.

No, it won't. The current bowl system lasts for three to four weeks, during the time schools are on winter break. The playoff would occupy that same three to four weeks. Furthermore, did the "don't interfere with academics" crowd object to extending the season to 12 games? Do those hypocrites complain about weekday games? NO. And those two things "interfere with academics" far more than a playoff system would.

Read the article again. That fund has been set up.

If the AG is serious, and I hope he is this time, I am not worried about the cost of overthrowing the BCS as they will ultimately be the ones paying the bill if the anti-trust suit wins.

We are talking about an estimated $28 Million Dollars in payout (per bowl game) over the past 11 years. With 4 - 5 bowl games and only 4 non-BCS teams having collected from the system, you are talking about a lot of money.

47 games x 28 Million = $1.316 Billion Dollars
4 Non BCS teams = 14 Million x 4 = 56 Million

BCS Conferences = 47 National titles
Non BCS Conferences = 0 National titles

BCS Conferences = $1.260 Billion in Revenue
Non BCS Conferences = $ 56 Million

Simple Math defines this as a Monopoly and I say the damages requested should be 1/2 the difference or just over $600 Million plus interest and lost earning potential.

Here's a simple solution. Just replace the "National Championship" title given to the winner of the BCS title game to "BCS Champion". The big boys can use their formulas to determine 1 vs 2 but then release all the polls to determine their own National Championship. The BCS champion may or may not be the AP or Coaches poll #1. It makes more bowl games count. The polls vote all season long and then after all teams play their biggest games (bowls) the Coaches poll isn't allowed to change their vote? Otherwise, why don't we be honest and list the 80+ teams each year that aren't eligible for the National Championship because of the BCS. This year could end up:
BCS Champion - Florida
AP Champion -USC
Coaches Champion - Utah

At least Utah could have a shot to be named National Champion in some poll.
For the record, I don't think Utah is the best team in the country this year, Top 5 yes. They won too many games they should have lost (OSU, TCU, UNM). The 2004 team, however, would have gotten my vote for #1 as they could have beaten anyone.

If I was the AD at U of U I would raise a National Championship banner at the first home game next year and I would let it stand forever. Who is going to question you? The BCS? They aren't the NCAA and your (Utah's) opinion of being national champion is just as valid as the winner of FL vs OU.

I take that back, UTah'scase is even more valid than the winner because you will have zero losses. That is exactly what the BCS was supposed to do, reward the team who demonstrated that they were the best during the season. That is EXACTLY why there is no playoff according to BCS pundits, because they want the season to mean something. Well UTAHs season did mean something and they are the last and only team standing. Congrats from a die hard cougar fan. Please raise a championship banner!!!!!