Deseret News | Reader comments: Senate to begin BCS hearings

Reader comments
Senate to begin BCS hearings

rvalens2 | 4:15 p.m. July 6, 2009

YES!!!

Hallelujah ... let's hope this all leads to the end of the BCS farce and a real NCAA National Championship playoff system!

Please make it a 16 team playoff with all conference champions automatically in and the remaining 5 seeds chosen via a committee similar to the basketball playoffs.

Fair Voter | 4:27 p.m. July 6, 2009

Change "BCS" to "two-party" and you have the arrogance problem that many voters in America and Utah face when it comes to representative and competitive elections.

Will Sen. Hatch use this hearing to also call on Democrats and Republicans to create a level-playing field for Greens, Libertarians, and other voters independent of the bipartisan cartel?

Test | 4:31 p.m. July 6, 2009

This is an interesting test to see if our government will follow ethics instead of going back to the good O'l boy system.

It doesn't take a lawyer to figure our the unfairness of the BCS.

Go Hatch! Go Shurtleff! Go Young!

Comments continue below

Old News | 4:38 p.m. July 6, 2009

I hope that they make some sort of crossroads with this, but I doubt it. It's been going on a long time and the disparity between the haves and have nots is only getting bigger.

Ute Fan | 4:44 p.m. July 6, 2009

I guess it remains to be seen if Mr Young is brave to testify or stupid. If it helps all the non-bcs schools, then he was brave, if it hurts, stupid.
I think the BCS will not change anything they do. They are arrogant and now we see where the SEC gets the arrogance. They get more money than anybody in the BCS so they can afford to do what ever they want!

Anonymous | 4:44 p.m. July 6, 2009

A little cheese with your whine?

senator | 4:54 p.m. July 6, 2009

I would say the same thing about the Senate and government in general. Too Arrogant to Change.

Anonymous | 5:02 p.m. July 6, 2009

Hatch is just political grandstanding. Of course the BCS won't do anything. They know congress is to inept to enforce anything.

8 Team playoff | 5:05 p.m. July 6, 2009

Mid majors can only be included if they are in the top 3, undefeated and the SEC doesn't have 2 qualifying teams

Anonymous | 5:10 p.m. July 6, 2009

Why doesn't our blow hard senator introduce legislation that bans any NCAA school from receiving public money until they change to a playoff system. Football is the only sport that doesn't have a playoff. The NCAA is the problem here they will ban schools from using Indian mascots and other stupid stuff but making a system fair no way. They are way to arrogant for that. Look at the basic ed requirements for a degree they push schools to have for accreditation most are a joke and just add years which is money to the cost of a degree. Maybe the NCAA should just go green since that seems to be the cool thing of today and not have any sport games just let schools practice with the B team call it a STAYOMPETITION and then let the press vote for all championship teams.

BCS impregnable | 5:27 p.m. July 6, 2009

There is nothing illegal about the BCS.

If the NCAA wants a football champion, they can institute their own playoff.

Of course, the BCS runs the NCAA, too.

We should be very excited about the way our teams play and the way they are coached.

Looking forward to the season!

Anonymous | 5:36 p.m. July 6, 2009

"Hatch also complained, "80 percent of BCS revenue goes to the privileged conferences, and around 12 percent to non-privileged conferences."

While I don't believe the government should intervene; it is a foregone conclusion that BCS schools' academics and overall standing benefit way beyond athletics because of this revenue stream.

It is this simple: Boycott all ads during football games between BCS teams. Watch the games, enjoy the fun, punish the advertisers.

Anonymous | 6:02 p.m. July 6, 2009

Waste you right George Bush dis say our constitution was just a piece of paper. The greed that ruined our economy to benefit those already wealthy, has ruined sports. Be glad you don't live in Greece where the Summer Games bankrupted the nation.

Ed Barham | 6:14 p.m. July 6, 2009

Sen Hatch is too kind towards the BCS and it's leaders. Arrogant is one word to describe their self interests, but the more accurate and truthful word to clarify their position is CORRUPT.

Play off! | 6:34 p.m. July 6, 2009

Go get em.

New Blood | 6:35 p.m. July 6, 2009

Hopefully this will be one of Hatch's last battles for a state he claims to "represent." It's hard to root for him, but on this issue I wholeheartedly do. I make myself sick.

re: Figures | 7:13 p.m. July 6, 2009

Why is it the job of the government to fix the economy exactly? Last I checked, that wasn't a constitutional item.

In fact, a government getting in the way of the economy is AGAINST the constitution.

The government getting it's dirty hands involved only makes it worse. An economy based on goods and services can only fail if it is not guided by the principles of a free market unconstrained by the government.

Our founders felt that way, and they were right. The only way for our government to fix our economy is to get out of our way, and stop spending money on things that they have no business spending on.

Ciao

Time to move on... | 8:17 p.m. July 6, 2009

Utah had a great year - don't spoil it by whining endlessly about it. No one thinks the BCS is a perfect system, far from it. But the schools are also not going to put these players through another 3 or 4 games a year just for bragging rights. These are schools.... remember?

Re: Time to move on... | 9:33 p.m. July 6, 2009

Yeah, I guess wanting a fair way to settle the national championship and to distribute millions of dollars of revenue is simply whining!

Anonymous | 9:44 p.m. July 6, 2009

so why don't all the other Division I school refuse to sign the agreements and then all the BCS has is a glorified multi-conference championship that doesn't include the rest of the nation?

re: Figures | 9:53 p.m. July 6, 2009

It is the government's responsibility to prevent unfair competition, such as monopolies. Clearly the BCS is a monopoly and greed is why it is what it is today. I don't believe that there can't be just as much money in it for the BCS anyway. In a 16 team playoff, there would be 8 games in the first round, 4 in the second round, 2 in the semis, & 1 championship game. The current 5 BCS games could inclued the national championship, the semis, and 2 of the 4 second round games. I would much rather watch Boise State vs. the number 1 team in the nation in a second round game, than West Virgina vs. Texas A&M. The playoff system would give teams a fair chance at a championship, and the top 15 bowls would likely generate more revenue than they already do. The smaller bowls would likely become less meaningful than they already are, but it doesn't mean they still couldn't have them.

Wah Wah Wah | 10:37 p.m. July 6, 2009

The Utes had a great season last year. They went undefeated in a weak conference and shocked a team from a killer conference. Way to go Utes!

However, one sweet game doesn't make for a national champion. Try playing five or six nationally ranked teams back to back in your regular season. Perhaps if the Utes had dominated all of the MWC games they would deserve more respect.

Utah was best MWC team last year, but National Champ Material? Hardly!

re: wah wah wah | 12:03 a.m. July 7, 2009

I agree with you! How many top 25 teams could have gone undefeated with Utah's schedule? I'd guess a few!

Small conferences complain about equity, yet the so called big boys generate big money during the regular seasons. Look at the BYU-Oklahoma game. BYU will make 1.5 million (OU 2.5 million). For BYU that's around what they make by winning the conference title and going to Vegas Bowl. Just another game for OU... another 'money maker'. The BCS does favor the teams who go the most often because of the money. Utah's been twice! Several teams have made BCS bowls multiple times, very few others have gone twice (like the Utes). They are in a select group. If anything they are as much a part of the BCS system as anybody? They've cashed the checks when given the chance. Hypocrites! Isn't that what you call people who say one thing and do another! If Utah is so "deprived" by the BCS they should have said "NO" to the Sugar Bowl, taken roughly a 14 million pay cut and gone to Vegas!

Wah Wah Wah!!!!!

Football Fan | 12:16 a.m. July 7, 2009

Lets see...If BYU fans were in this situation, would they call it whining? Good luck getting any support on that if the time ever comes for you.
(Yea, we know you already one a championship!)

Red Neck | 6:13 a.m. July 7, 2009

And Who Cares, We have other problems more important.

Anonymous | 7:05 a.m. July 7, 2009

Hearings are often held to placate certain audiences. The real test will be in the introduction and push of actual legislation. A hearing with no bill is just a roundtable. Markup a bill, then we will see how serious Congress is.

BCS = Big Tobacco | 7:41 a.m. July 7, 2009

I believe that this is the perfect storm that we need to finally be rid of this cartel. Cash strapped states are going to see an opportunity to take money from the BCS to cover some of thier budget shortfalls. A few years ago many of the states piled on the big tobacco companies in lawsuits because of a legal feeding frenzy. Most of that money went straight to the budget and had nothing to do with preventing smoking. I think that the BCS Lawsuit could turn into a similar situation. I know the state of California could use some money right now. They could sue in behalf of Fresno State and other colleges that are not BCS members. As much as I do not want to see this type of vigilante legal action, I'm afraid that it's the only thing that will get the BCS broken up.

I hate the BCS too | 8:40 a.m. July 7, 2009

But with all the other problems pressing upon our society, is this the best Orrin Hatch and Congress can do?

amed | 9:23 a.m. July 7, 2009

For the guy who is complaining about the two party system, which has nothing to do with the BCS. Consider this: Hitler was elected with 33% of the German vote! That means 2/3rds of the German people DID NOT vote for him! Is that what you want here???

BCS = Big Tobacco | 10:49 a.m. July 7, 2009

I am really getting tired of people who say "doesn't congress have more important things to do?". No, they don't. The BCS is about breaking laws to make money. That is exactly what got this country in to the financial crisis it is in right now. The housing crisis, the bank crisis, ponzi schemes...corruption is the name of the game. Yes, Congress does have a reason to get involved in this. If it's illegal, it's illegal, should the government just ignore it becuase it's not "an important" type of illegal? Come on people, wake up!

Willie | 11:29 a.m. July 7, 2009

This is about giving money to all universities that have competative football teams. The "great teams" are great because they defeat other teams. Any university which has played a BCS team should share in the profit generated. It's about fairness. Good hunting President Young and Senator Hatch. Those who are making this a Utah team issue should step aside.

Clueless... | 3:54 p.m. July 7, 2009

This BCS hearing is for the future of all non-BCS teams. I am a BYU fan, but for those of you who think this is just about Utah's season (a great one) last fall, are CLUELESS! DOWN with the BCS, please!! GO Cougs and Utes!

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