Congress May Probe NCAA Bowl Championships

Bipartisan Trifecta Wants To Investigate College Football's Championship Series; Is It A Racket?

(CBS/AP)  Forget government corruption or corporate fraud. Three members of Congress want the Justice Department to investigate whether college football's Bowl Championship Series is an illegal enterprise.

Reps. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., and Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, are introducing a resolution rejecting the oft-criticized bowl system as an illegal restriction on trade because only the largest universities compete in most of the major bowl games. The resolution would require Justice's antitrust division to investigate whether the system violates federal law.

The measure also would put Congress on record as supporting a college football playoff.

CBS News correspondent Jim Chenevey reports the resolution's backers say the championships are illegally restricted because only the largest universities compete in most of the major bowl games.

"Who elected these NCAA people? Who are they to decide who competes for the championship?" Abercrombie said at a press conference Thursday on Capitol Hill, gripping a souvenir University of Hawaii football.

Abercrombie said the matter is worthy of federal review because college football is big business with hundreds of millions of dollars at stake.

"It's money. That's what this is all about," he said.

But it's no coincidence that all three lawmakers have home-state schools with recent beefs against the bowl system.

The University of Hawaii and Boise State University in Idaho each had an undefeated season in recent years, but were denied a shot at the championship. And Westmoreland said he is still smarting about his University of Georgia Bulldogs being passed over for the national championship game last year.

Georgia instead was matched up against undefeated Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl, winning 41-10.

Westmoreland and Abercrombie said they started talking about the resolution after that game, as Abercrombie was paying off a bet with chocolate-covered macadamia nuts.

The lawmakers say the bowl system is rigid and blocks all but the largest universities from competing in postseason bowls, denying dozens of others not just the opportunity to compete but also a shot at the big payoffs and national exposure that come with bowl appearances.

Abercrombie maintained that television markets are one factor in selecting which teams go to high-profile bowls.

"We shouldn't have to argue about who the champion is," Westmoreland said, citing the excitement and unpredictability of the NCAA college basketball tournament. "That should be decided on the field."

The BCS was created in 1998 by the six most powerful conferences. It relies on polls and computer ratings to determine which teams qualify for the top bowls.

Congress held a hearing on the BCS in 2005, but no legislation came of it.

In a statement, ACC Commissioner and current BCS coordinator John Swofford said the BCS allows all qualified teams to participate and is beneficial for student athletes, universities and fans.

"This issue has been looked at before," Swofford said. "We're confident that it complies with the law."

[jt_lancer]

hungry1968 - "Are you kidding?!?! AGAIN - you clowns have NOTHING better to worry about than this garbage?!?!"

These busybodies are never satisfied unless they''re able to control every aspect of our lives.

Thanks to the voters who put these idiots in office.

[kevzgrl]

Oh, for God''s sake - don''t those clowns in Washington have anything better to do with their time and OUR money - like for example, GETTING US THE HE_LL OUT OF IRAQ AND GETTING OUR ECONOMY BACK ON TRACK??? Are you idiots on the Hill even LISTENING to the American people?

[kansas1946]

That would suit me. I have never understood this bowl system and it has always seemed unfair. Why can''t they have playoffs like they do in college basketball. That way, any school with a great team has a chance. I HATE the bowl system. It is just all about money.

[mjvw2]

Are you kidding?!?!


AGAIN - you clowns have NOTHING better to worry about than this garbage?!?!

Posted by hungry1968

Personally, I haven''t worried about anything in 10 years.

[mjvw2]

Congress May Probe NCAA Bowl Championships

Congress should probe Congress

[asheleybg]

If solving this means getting money more spread out between universities and improving education at some colleges, then I am all for it. Spread the wealth. If the school has a talented football team, then let them pay the ticket for those pursuing an education.

[s1ckd09]

Are you kidding?!?!


AGAIN - you clowns have NOTHING better to worry about than this garbage?!?!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hungry1968 at 08:21 AM : Apr 18, 2008


Wait... you took the time to read the article, read the comments, and then you make a comment criticizing people who read the article, read the comments and make comments?

[ov442]

Thank you!

Right now The regular season + 1 bowlgame is 2-3 weeks shorter than most highschool seasons including the PLayoffs. Its 2-3 weeks shorter than all over levels of college football playoffs. Its 3-5 weeks shorter than the NFL season with playoffs.
Using an argument against a longer season makes you a PU$$IE.

Right now the span of time from the end of the college regular season to the championship is like 7 weeks.
Thats stupid.

Make the regular season 11 games with 1 mandatory conf championship for every conferance.
After that, the polls used to seed the playoffs with top 4 teams getting a first week bye.
Next 24 teams play first round creating 12 winners and add top 4 to make a sweet 16.
Each game is a minor bowl game.
The 8 games for the sweet 16 are medium bowl games.
Coming out of that 2nd round is 8 teams and 4 major bowls.
Then you have a final 4, repeating 2 major bowl venues and a final that gets rotated to a 3rd major bowl, and a consolation that uses the 4th major bowl. all 4 rotating.
Done.
Everyone gets a season and playoff that ISNT too long, ISnt complex, USES the existing bowls and everyon has a great time and everyone feels vindicated and treated fairly.


and its
We need a playoff series based on

[slim1h2o]

Rafterman1; I don''t necessarily disagree with you,,we just have better things to do, than worry about who''s playing in what bowl game,,as a nation.

And my analogy, about the drunk driver was to prove a point, which, I think escaped you.

BTW,,,I am a college football fan,, and I did think that Hawaii, did get snubbed. But they did lose their Bowl game, so how good were they?

[hungry1968]

Are you kidding?!?!


AGAIN - you clowns have NOTHING better to worry about than this garbage?!?!