I've just read that the AP is pulling its poll out of the BCS formula. Given their original concern about making news rather than reporting it, that's probably a good thing. Consider the Alabama sportswriter who, voting Auburn third on his ballot, was taken to task by his editor - in print. Also consider the Texas sportswriters who moved the Longhorns up on their ballots just in time for Texas to pass Cal in the BCS standings.
Clearly, if you don't want to make the news, not being part of the BCS formula is logical.
What worries me about this is the possible idea that a "blue ribbon" panel will select the teams that play for the national title. Unlike (I believe) Carl Carlson, I am not appeased.
At this time, what college football least needs is to put the decision of who plays for the national title into the hands of a self-interested (and self-selected) committee.
But what of the committees that pick the teams for other events, like March Madness? Three significant differences:
1. Those committees pick teams for a playoff. Two teams do not a playoff make. Well, OK, they do, but it's a really crappy one.
2. Most or all conferences get an automatic bid in those playoffs.
3. The NCAA has authority over those playoffs, and thus to some extent has oversight over the selection committees. The NCAA doesn't award the national title in division 1 football, so no oversight.
To sum up, committee bad. Bad bad bad bad bad.
21 December 2004
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2 comments:
Mark, as strange as this sounds, I actually think the committee will make many people happier. People tend to be more forgiving of smoke filled rooms because they know that this is how they are supposed to be. Formulas (coughS-valuecough) tend to make people suspicious, because they don't get the math. But the committee, which would be made up on non-interested actors, would likely have the human element of a number of people who have seen a number of games and who can comment on a wide-range of things. I think it's a good thing, if for no other reason, it pushes us that much closer to a playoff.
Have you ever seen the press conference held after the selection of the 1-AA football tournament field? Let's just say that the non-interested committee members aren't cut a lot of slack.
I would also challenge that the committee members won't be self-interested, given the financial implications for keeping the big games in the vest pocket of the major conferences. My solution - make the committee up of ADs from schools that don't have football. Clearly, they don't care.
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