Thankful for a President-elect Willing to Challenge the Ossified Status Quo... of College Football
This Thanksgiving I am grateful we have a president-elect with the clarity to see evil and the courage to confront it. In his final interview as a presidential candidate, and again in his first interview as president-elect, Barack Obama stood strong against the focus of evil in the modern world: the BCS college football bowl system.
The night before the election, Mr. Obama told ESPN's Chris Berman, "I think it's about time we had playoffs in college football. I'm fed up with these computer rankings and this, that and the other. Get eight teams -- the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a national champion."
After that interview -- let's face it, because of that interview -- Mr. Obama routed Sen. John McCain almost as thoroughly as Oklahoma throttled Texas Tech last week. And Mr. Obama didn't stop there. In his first post-election interview the president-elect told 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft, "If you've got a bunch of teams who play throughout the season, and many of them have one loss or two losses, there's no clear decisive winner. We should be creating a playoff system."
Just as he does with less intractable problems -- health care, energy, Middle East peace -- president-elect Obama approaches fixing college football with intelligence, fairness and relentless logic. "Eight teams," he told Kroft. "That would be three rounds to determine a national champion. It would add three extra weeks to the season. You could trim back on the regular season. I don't know any serious fan of college football who has disagreed with me on this. So, I'm going to throw my weight around a little bit. I think it's the right thing to do."
God bless America. And God bless Barack Obama.
After eight grey years in which the First Fan was a man who had traded Sammy Sosa and fainted trying to eat a pretzel, we finally have a real reformer in the Oval Office.
As an orange-blooded Texas Longhorn, I must admit that my team is advantaged by the BCS -- this week. The Horns are ranked ahead of other one-loss powerhouses like Oklahoma, Florida and Southern Cal. But I'd trade a momentary advantage for a long-term solution: the Holy Grail of college football fans everywhere; Nirvana, El Dorado... a playoff. And so would Texas head coach Mack Brown -- a beacon of integrity whom Obama should consider for the Supreme Court.
"Send the best eight teams and let them play it off," Brown said. "There's a lot of good teams that are going to be left out of the BCS this year. What I would welcome is more conversation [about changing the BCS system]. I really wish we could hammer out some ideas and get it down to what's workable... whether we do it now or three or four years from now. In most years, there are going to be six to 10 teams better than the others and it's tough to say who is best without a playoff."
So this Thanksgiving I will pop open an ice-cold Shiner Bock, pull on a burnt orange sweatshirt and settle in to watch my beloved Horns kick the stuffing out of the right-wing, Bush Library-hosting, Phil Gramm-producing Texas A&M Aggies. And as the Horns run up the score, I will say a silent prayer of thanks for an incoming president who truly understands college football fans.
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Obama playoff -- take top eight teams, total their points togther, spread some points to lower ranked teams who are disenfranchised (no matter that they may not practice or play harder), make every one feel better, declare no champion, but everyone is no more equal.
Those who would disparage Paul Begala for his views on college football while the rest of the world seems to be collapsing all need to take a deep breath and up their Zoloft prescriptions. We can take Thanksgiving to ponder the fate of college football because life does indeed go on. And afterwards, we'll all get back to work. Including Mr. Begala. And don't worry friends, we will be alright. Barack's got our back!
I'd be much happier if we had a president who saw college and pro sports for what they are; a scam to divert our attention and resources into the pockets of those who controll the issues. In the mean time PBS and other sources of information that delve into the complexities instead of the histrionics, go begging for coins to keep their programming on the air.
Here is the system.... 4 playoff games that are part of the Bowl system at Christmas week.... 2 more Bowl Games as semi-finals on New Year's week. Then a new "College Bowl" for the championship to be played the weekend before the Super Bowl. 8 teams and the top 4 Bowl Games now alternate on the semi finals weekend each year.
I think what Begala means is that with the world financial system in collapse, Americans still dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, murderous rebels taking over India, the Arctic in a meltdown, Bush still making a fool of himself in the White House, corporate CEOs arriving in private jets to ask for government bailouts, department stores opening their doors to ravenous mobs who trample on people because a TV set is on sale, and more homes being foreclosed on than sold, there isn't anything to be thankful for.
Except, oh yeah...the president-elect want a new college football playoff system. That's what we need.
Paul, I always enjoy and appreciate your insightful political comments on CNN. I only wish you had your own show!
USC is the best team! We need a college playoff.
None of those overrated Southern teams want to play the Trojans.
Hahahaha! Oh, my sides....stop, please. The Trojans TOTALLY want to play Florida, let me tell you.
ps -- I despise Florida with a passion, have no particular beef with USC, but COME ON. LOL.
Or did you mean to say, "overrated Big 12 teams?" Because that would actually make sense.
Really? Then how come my Longhorns keep kicking their butts??? Longhorns can whup upon your Trojans any day of the week and twice on Saturdays.
And all the people said.......Amen!
Im not so sure about that, USC is just a unstoppable dominant force. Besides look at the weak minded players Texas spits out(Vince Young). Reggie Bush, Polamulu, two modern day legends.
...Mr. Begala- if you are as truly this enthusiastic about college football, and your heralded longhorn tradition, PLEASE indulge yourself in terry frei's remarkable book, "Horns , Hogs and Nixon's Comin'' about the awesome 1 vs. 2 Texas- Arkansas game in the frezzing rain and the fog in December, 1969. The writer weaves an incredible tapestry of the late 60's social and political era into for my money the most dramatic college football classic ever during a storybook texas national title season.... the freddie steinmark aspect of that season alone is worthy hollywood material...
I remember well that day, CatfishJ. I was a scrub tech at the local hospital. The parking lot at the hospital was cleared of parked cars to accomodate the helicopter should it be necessary for Nixon. As a born in Fayetteville, dyed in the wool Razorback fan, going to games with my Dad , when ladies dressed up and dying a little each time they lose. I'll never forget that day.
To this day, I root for the Razorbacks and whoever Texas is playing. I miss the SWC.
.....beign part of the grandest conference of them all - nothing beats SEC football- should ease some of your sense of loss of the fabled SWC. we too are an SEC family, as my daughter is a rabid UK Wildcat...and dont forget you have been part of the unparalelled majesty and memories of college football in the South all these years...
"After eight grey years in which the First Fan was a man who had traded Sammy Sosa and fainted trying to eat a pretzel, we finally have a real reformer in the Oval Office. "
Paul, you forgot Bush's illustrious career as a Yale Cheerleader.
Bush was a cheerleader?? Nooooooo.
Yesssssss, indeed, he was. But, historically, that will be his only claim to fame.
After kicking Alabama's butt in Atlanta a week from now we're just going to go back where we came from and wait for some nice fat longhorns to wander down into the swamp.....where my gators can drown em and eat em up. We'll be seeing you soon Mr. Begala.
Paul, how come your commenting about college football and NOT Obama will make the corporations pay their fair-share instead of us taxpayers bailing them out, the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, cutting down on unemployment, the immigration issue, what have you? I think whether or not there are college football playoffs is the least of our problems.
Go with 16 teams! It adds one more game and it greatly reduces those who can complain about being left out. Go with a 10 game regular seaon, plus a possible 4 playoff games, for the final two teams that adds one more game than expected to the traditional 12 games plus 1 bowl appearance, and that's more than doable. Usually the first game or two of the season the big teams just steamroll a smaller non-conference school anyway, so the reduced regular season will still have all the quality conference games as usual.
Talk about change we can believe in :o)
i love paul begala he is so halarious!!!
Oregon State Rosebowl, two phrases I thought I would never say, everyone root for the Beavs.
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