Football is Serious Business

[Vene]

Senate to hold hearing on BCS

Obama and some members of Congress favor a playoff-type system to determine the national champion. The BCS features a championship game between the two top teams in the BCS standings, based on two polls and six computer ratings.

Behind the push for the hearings is the subcommittee’s top Republican, Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah. People there were furious that Utah was bypassed for the national championship despite going undefeated in the regular season.

...

In the House, Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the top Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee, has sponsored legislation that would prevent the NCAA from calling a football game a “national championship” unless the game culminates from a playoff system

How the fuck is this a priority? Aren't there more important things to worry about than a fucking game? I may watch college football, and yes, I think the BCS is fucked up. But I'd much rather have my elected officials work on something like, oh I don't know, the economy than I would worry about a fucking game.

[Sandafluffoid]

This is like when Brown made a press release about Jade Goody, except much stupider. I mean seriously, I don't care how bored congress is or how fucked up utah's football team are, this is not real politics, and real politicians shouldn't be wasting their time with this.

[ironbite]

This is actually something that's been bouncing around for years now. Believe it or not, this is kinda important to certain aspects of the country.

Ironbite-but really....IT'S STUPID!

[Sigmaleph]

Effing sports. Now, usually I hate the attitude that whenever elected officials stop for five seconds from discussing the huge issues every random idiot starts yelling "Don't you have more important things to attend to!!eleven!!", but in this case it's completely justified.

[Shano]

Um... It's not that simple though.

The game is not just a game. It is a multimillion(billion?) franchise for all involved colleges and their states as well. So those representatives do have legitimate interest in it. Then again all the states that do not have good teams couldn't care less. So it is a question of balance.
Finally Congress is supposed to be a multitasking creation... They must consider a lot of legislation at the same time. I am sure the economy is the top priority, but that doesn't mean it should be the only thing to be worked on.

[m52nickerson]

One, there are more important things going on, as Vene said.

Two, it is funny that a rep from Utah is bringing this up because they feel somehow slighted, those are the breaks.

........besides Florida would have run through Utah as well.

[Old Viking]

I've always enjoyed the English lady's description of American football: "It's huge, heavily padded men running into one another with full force for no discernible reason."

[Doctor Fishcake]

Elected officials have to take on a broad range of issues. It increases the likelihood of them getting something right once in a while.

[trike]

American football is bollocks, we should do away with the sport entirely.

[m52nickerson]

You most likely think that because you don't understand it.

[canadian mojo]

Well, while they are at it, maybe they could do something about calling it "The world series" of baseball. Maybe throw in a third country or something.

[Mantorok]

Mar 29, 2009 22:04:22 GMT -5 canadian mojo said:

Well, while they are at it, maybe they could do something about calling it "The world series" of baseball. Maybe throw in a third country or something.

Or they could just play Cricket like everyone else.

[Shano]

Mar 29, 2009 17:45:28 GMT -5 trike said:

American football is bollocks, we should do away with the sport entirely.

Well it certainly is more entertaining than running after a ball for 90 minutes and only getting close to scoring for a total of 2-3 minutes per game. Way to keep your attention...
It's almost as boring as baseball. Then again baseball is almost as boring as cricket.

And to put some notion of objectiveness let me say that I was born in europe and lived there for 26 years. I have only lived in usa for 7.

[ltfred]

Mar 29, 2009 15:47:38 GMT -5 Old Viking said:

I've always enjoyed the English lady's description of American football: "It's huge, heavily padded men running into one another with full force for no discernible reason."

I prefer George Orwell's 'Sport is just war minus the shooting.'

[JonathanE]

Considering the large amount of revenue and "prestige" that college football generates, schools are loathe to drop it. As to the "national championship", since most of the sportswriters who actually rate the teams are from the south, it is little wonder that the preponderance of teams at the top of the list are southern schools.
I still don't think it's something that Congress should waste time on, though. I mean, it's a fucking game, entertainment. WTF?