The biggest issue facing the Beltway today?
posted at 3:24 pm on May 1, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Unemployment is skyrocketing. GDP is falling. Iran is building nuclear weapons, and North Korea is launching missiles. No one knows what happened to almost a trillion dollars of TARP money. So what are your elected representatives doing about all of that? Nothing, because they’re too busy hyperventilating over college football:
The coordinator of the Bowl Championship Series told Congress Friday that a switch to a playoff would threaten the existence of celebrated bowl games, but skeptical lawmakers called college football’s system of choosing its top team unfair.
Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, who has introduced legislation that would prevent the NCAA from labeling a game a national championship unless it’s the outcome of a playoff system, said that efforts to tinker with the BCS were bound to fail.
“It’s like communism,” he said at the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s commerce, trade and consumer protection subcommittee hearing. “You can’t fix it.”
The stupidity wasn’t limited to one side of the aisle:
Under the BCS, some conferences get automatic bids to participate while others do not. Conferences that get an automatic bid — the ACC, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10 and SEC — get about $18 million each, far more than the non-conference schools. Swofford is also commissioner of the ACC.
“How is this fair?” asked the subcommittee chairman, Democratic Rep. Bobby Rush of Illinois, who has co-sponsored Barton’s bill. “How can we justify this system … are the big guys getting together and shutting out the little guys?”
Memo to all sides in Congress: Get back to work. The BCS isn’t a federal issue, and in fact it’s not a government issue. The NCAA is a private organization, and if the Mountain West conference doesn’t like the arrangement, its schools can opt out. Let the schools work out the “fairness” issue between themselves.
And to Joe Barton, get a grip. The NCAA is not like “communism” at all. It’s a private enterprise with voluntary membership. It’s not a government agency.
I don’t like the BCS, but I hate government interference in private enterprise. That’s like communism, and maybe Barton should start spending his time and our money fighting that instead of worrying about college football championships.
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I saw the hearings on CNN today. Complete waste of time and resources. The government has no business holding hearings on sporting events
offroadaz on May 1, 2009 at 3:26 PM
Go Terps!
Akzed on May 1, 2009 at 3:27 PM
Hey baby, when the universities need bailout money, Obama’s gonna be picking who starts at quarterback.
BigD on May 1, 2009 at 3:28 PM
The government shouldn’t be bothering with this issue.
Besides, now that Pat White has graduated, I am short on caring about the cruelties of the BCS.
myrenovations on May 1, 2009 at 3:29 PM
Your tax dollars at work.
Mulligan on May 1, 2009 at 3:29 PM
Umm…here’s an idea! The more time congress wastes on college football the better off for all of us! What are they going to do for you? Find you a job? Pay your mortgage? Buy your household goods? Tuck you in at night and rub your tummy until you go nighty-night? Grow up? They do nothing useful! They are all idiots! They are congressmen!
sabbott on May 1, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Pitiful…
ladyingray on May 1, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Great Reagan joke as only The Gipper could tell it.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on May 1, 2009 at 3:31 PM
I wonder what the Congressional Bowl will look like.
elderberry on May 1, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Why are so many people up in arms about them doing this? Do you really want them
workingscrewing up health care? Education? Economy? Environment? Card check? Gay marriage? Etc. . .?Notorious GOP on May 1, 2009 at 3:32 PM
I wish they worked on this issue 365 days a year instead of the current craptastic laws that are coming down the pikes. Or would your rather they start working on cap and trade energy scheme?
Shtetl G on May 1, 2009 at 3:33 PM
True. But as awful as the current BCS system is, Congress could make it much, much worse.
myrenovations on May 1, 2009 at 3:33 PM
But I agree that the BCS needs changing, so I will discard me principles! /sarc
This Communism talk on May Day make me want to listen to Billy Bragg.
WashJeff on May 1, 2009 at 3:33 PM
Didn’t you get the memo – everything is a federal issue these days.
lorien1973 on May 1, 2009 at 3:34 PM
Just wait until the U of WA gets stimulus money to renovate Husky Stadium. $150 million is a drop in the bucket. I’m sure Patty Murray is hard at work on this.
rw on May 1, 2009 at 3:34 PM
I was grabbing a quick bite to eat @ my school’s student center when ESPN did a story about this. I made a snarky remark about how unimportant this issue is compared with something, like, you know, the economy. The guy who was sitting next to me made a similar remark. With the point of this story being that many people feel the same way. :)
dglenn on May 1, 2009 at 3:34 PM
Hey, don’t you guys have better things to do?
Like telling GM what kind of cars to build when they come back from summer vacation??
cntrlfrk on May 1, 2009 at 3:35 PM
Look, I’m a fan of a Mountain West school. You think we haven’t tried to fix things? Ed, I echo some others here: I’d rather Congress did this than work on Health Care.
And Ed’s suggestion of the Mountain West leaving the BCS? Exactly how would that help us? Suddenly we have no one to play except each other–THAT helps our schools out!
This is a monopoly, and I can’t see how anything other than some sort of legislation will get the greedy SEC (who is terrified of playing Mountain West schools, as they usually lose) to let anything like real competition happen.
Vanceone on May 1, 2009 at 3:36 PM
I’m sure that congress has noticed how few women coaches there are on college football teams. Maybe they’ll straighten that out.
Akzed on May 1, 2009 at 3:36 PM
Impeach every damn last one of them.
daesleeper on May 1, 2009 at 3:38 PM
Look. I’d much rather have Barry O and company redesigning the BcS than further implementing their fascist plans for the economy.
corona on May 1, 2009 at 3:38 PM
Just go for it all.
BigD on May 1, 2009 at 3:38 PM
YAY, Go Pat!!
As for our delightful congress critters, seriously…get it together!
hollygolightly on May 1, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Take something convoluted and give it to Congress to “straighten” out. Now there’s a plan. I’d like to ask those jokers just where D.C. draws their line of involvement?
Cindy Munford on May 1, 2009 at 3:40 PM
Nero was overheard……..
Seven Percent Solution on May 1, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Please, I’m begging Congress at this point to waste as much time as humanly possible on ‘fixing’ the BCS. Every moment spent on this is a moment not spent trying to cram cap and trade or socialized health care down our throats.
I never understood the BCS, and eventually, I stopped watching college football. Congress would probably make it 100x worse, though – that’s what they’re best at.
Anna on May 1, 2009 at 3:41 PM
BTW, for those who say “this isn’t government’s business”. The BCS itself, the bowls, and the universities are all tax-exempt institutions. If you took the time to see what is done with the millions of dollars generated by the BCS bowl games, I bet you would change your tune.
corona on May 1, 2009 at 3:42 PM
ever get the feeling that TERM LIMITS are just the cure for what ails Washington? After all, the president is limited to two terms, why not Congressmen and Senators?
GarandFan on May 1, 2009 at 3:42 PM
Some have suggested term limits. But this nonsense, on top of last year’s hearings on Roger Clemens and what we’ve learned in the past year that these clowns have fracked up, makes me seriously wonder whether summary executions for everyone involved in these hearings aren’t a bad idea.
BuckeyeSam on May 1, 2009 at 3:44 PM
I must disagree strongly. Continue the hearings! Drag them out as long as possible?
Don’t you see, the more Congress focuses on this stuff, the less time they have to raise our taxes and nationalize our industries.
Techie on May 1, 2009 at 3:44 PM
Not living like a bunch of brainwashed lemmings might be a good step in the right direction.
volsense on May 1, 2009 at 3:44 PM
AG Holder giving our sovereignty away to Spain. Barack redistributing our wealth and taking back his glorious tax break for 95% of us. Energy prices about to soar. TARP money disappearing. Big government taking control of the largest companies and “the people.. eh er.. unions getting majority stakes in car companies and we have Congress looking into the BCS. Folks, Glenn Beck’s rant is becoming more true everyday. I don’t think we can wait until the midterms to do something about this. To quote REM, “it’s the end of the world as we know it. And I feel fine?” NOTTTTTT!
Atlanta Media Guy on May 1, 2009 at 3:47 PM
So when does our government get to pick the players for Real Madrid?
kirkill on May 1, 2009 at 3:47 PM
What the heck!!
I would much rather they spend ALL their time on the BCS issue rather than spend time on destroying our healthcare system or trying to fix the economy with government aids. In other words, the more that this horrible group of leaders are diverted from ruining our country further, the better.
Well, maybe its more like fascism. But whatever it is, it isnt a fair market. At best, its a monopoly and its collusion of certain players in the market to exclude others from participating in the same market.
On of the few things that congress and the government is supposed to do is make sure that the playing field is fair for all industries (no monopolies, no breach of contract, etc.). So, this is actually an area that the government can do a positive thing by taking away this disturbing monopoly.
No offense, but that is a dumb comment. The NCAA is college football. You are saying that if a non-BCS school doesnt like that they are bound to be secluded from the big money that they can just leave the industry. Yeah, I guess all the schools not in the monopoly can just quit college football….riiiiiiight, thats fair.
Even the BCS bullies, who are only doing this because they can get away with it, dont want the non-BCS schools “opting out” or leaving college football. They just want them to serve as their footstools and make money off them too.
My note to congress: Keep working on this monopoly and fix this corrupt. Dont worry about the economy or healthcare or other things that correct themselves. Just protect the citizens of the country from outside dangers and ensure a fair playing field in the profit making industries to ensure our capitalistic society will continue.
Yes, fix college football from the bully monopoly of the BCS that is ruining the game.
The Wall on May 1, 2009 at 3:48 PM
It’s not fair that Detroit got the 1st pick in the NFL draft for being the crappiest team in the league…but that’s socialism for you, in everything from sports to the shoe’s Michelle wears, life is just not fair.
kirkill on May 1, 2009 at 3:49 PM
Congress combines the ethics of the University of Miami with the team speed of Northwestern.
Ted Torgerson on May 1, 2009 at 3:49 PM
Nuff said.
But:
This is heavily on my mind.
Badger40 on May 1, 2009 at 3:50 PM
What are they going to do for you? Find you a job? Pay your mortgage? Buy your household goods? Tuck you in at night and rub your tummy until you go nighty-night? Grow up? They do nothing useful! They are all idiots! They are congressmen!
sabbott on May 1, 2009 at 3:30 PM
To true, and to funny! ROFL!!!
fyi. If Franks, Dodd, Pelosi, Reid, or any of them, rubbed my tummy, I’d have to become a radical conservative extremist, and be put on the Napolitano list. Oh wait. I probabaly already am on that list. Muwhahahahahahahaha
capejasmine on May 1, 2009 at 3:50 PM
Hey maybe while they’re at it, McCain will renew his call for a Boxing Commission. Good lord, this is asinine.
CP on May 1, 2009 at 3:51 PM
Considering what those pack of Marxists in Washington do when confronting serious political issues, I welcome this relatively trivial distraction.
Sign of the Dollar on May 1, 2009 at 3:51 PM
Winner
thomasaur on May 1, 2009 at 3:51 PM
That can be told today with two Americans talking about Obama as president today..
DaveC on May 1, 2009 at 3:51 PM
OT:
President Obama To Visit ‘American Idol’?
Why? He already won Celebrity Apprentice.
faraway on May 1, 2009 at 3:52 PM
NOW hotair is upset over the government talking about frivolous things?
This has never happened before?
What a non-story.
Dave Rywall on May 1, 2009 at 3:52 PM
I do find it curious that Congress is worried about this monopoly, but not worried about the monopoly of say-
THE FOOD INDUSTRY & THE PACKING INDUSTRY.
Their silence on these monopolies is deafening.
Badger40 on May 1, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Meanwhile, 600K people are filing for unemployment, our allies are trying to shove kangaroos up are arses, and people are filing in across our borders to do heaven knows what……and our stupid, good for nothing, waste of air congress is dealing with COLLEGE FOOTBALL??????
What the tin horn *$&(@& banana republic *#$@(&# of good money and time to deal with ($&(*@^&# FOOTBALL!?!?!?!?!
WTF?????????????????????????????????????
HornetSting on May 1, 2009 at 3:54 PM
I do find it curious that Congress is worried about this monopoly, but not worried about the monopoly of say-
STATE RUN SCHOOLS
Their silence on these monopolies is deafening.
WashJeff on May 1, 2009 at 3:54 PM
You better buy your moose a gun, drywall. Don’t forget to put the safety on when you are making the moooooves on her later, though.
HornetSting on May 1, 2009 at 3:55 PM
I use to be in a fantasy football league where the two worst teams played in a final game call…
“Turd in a Punch Bowl”
That was the first thing that came to my mind.
PappaMac on May 1, 2009 at 3:55 PM
Dave you said a funny there.
faraway on May 1, 2009 at 3:55 PM
Could you buy a sense of humor? If you birthday’s coming up maybe we could all chip in.
Cindy Munford on May 1, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Good, at least that will keep them from finding more ways to steal our money and curtail our freedoms and liberties.
-Dave
Dave R. on May 1, 2009 at 3:57 PM
And who can forget Dumbya tackling steroid abuse in his State of the Union address?
benny shakar on May 1, 2009 at 3:57 PM
I love hotair’s indignant outrage at things that have gone on since 1776 but suddenly they’re super outrageous because Obama is president.
Dave Rywall on May 1, 2009 at 3:57 PM
Typical broad…doesnt like football…wants to ruin it for all the guys.
The Wall on May 1, 2009 at 3:58 PM
Drug abuse and ‘We’re #1″ are two seperate issues. Try to keep up or you will have to do night school.
thomasaur on May 1, 2009 at 3:59 PM
Why do I have a feeling that if the gubmint gets involved the BCS will look something like the playoff system in “BASEketball”?
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on May 1, 2009 at 4:01 PM
Typical wall…is a complete idiot on ALL subjects.
HornetSting on May 1, 2009 at 4:01 PM
Well at least Dumbya ended steroid abuse in sports, ya gotta give him credit for that.
benny shakar on May 1, 2009 at 4:01 PM
Follow the money! The BCS is big $$$ and those crooks in DC are salivating to get their grubby crooked hands in the pot. And FluBama wants to control which teams go to the bowls (diversity, you see) and it will turn into an “everyone gets a trophy” libfest.
Brat on May 1, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Let’s start with the unelected, all-too powerful politicians for life on the Supreme Court.
Sign of the Dollar on May 1, 2009 at 4:02 PM
I like the current BCS system. Every Saturday’s the biggest game of the season.
RightXBrigade on May 1, 2009 at 4:03 PM
The only “monopoly” I’m concerned about is the Democrat party.
Sign of the Dollar on May 1, 2009 at 4:03 PM
To show them that he is the REAL American Idol.
Brat on May 1, 2009 at 4:03 PM
Pretty sure the “O” will take over pro basketball first.
Tim Zank on May 1, 2009 at 4:03 PM
I used to work with a guy who called his apprentices ‘walls’: because they didn’t know anything but at least the were usually not in the way.
thomasaur on May 1, 2009 at 4:04 PM
Holy cow, am I the only person who thinks his face is on TV way to much?
Cindy Munford on May 1, 2009 at 4:06 PM
Yeah, and keeping us safe for seven and a half years and keeping the economy running through a terrorist attack and a war, at least until 2006, when the democrats took over congress and effed it all up.
But, you know, talking to our enemies, making our allies believe we are no longer a superpower, shutting down gitmo and sending terrorists back to the playing field and to a neighborhood near you, and ruining any prosperity for our future generations is CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN! Oh yeah, excuse me, they are no longer terrorists, they are masters of man-made disasters. Not to mention allowing NK to get out of control, allowing the taliban to get close to overtaking a nuclear superpower, bending over and taking it in the culo from Hugo Chavez and the Castro brothers, and of course, allowing Iran to continue their nuclear program while we ask pretty please to talk to them. We can’t even torture them anymore, because that would be mean.
Change we can believe in….I spit on your new world order.
HornetSting on May 1, 2009 at 4:08 PM
The BCS has been around since 1776? I forgot, you are a typical leftist authority on everything, especially beer commercials.
And forgive me if I find your indignant outrage over our indignant outrage a bit phony. I can only imagine what your side would be saying about this if it took place under a GOP administration.
ClassicCon on May 1, 2009 at 4:08 PM
Dumb as a doorknob, dumb as a wall, saur…:)
HornetSting on May 1, 2009 at 4:09 PM
That will not make my wife very happy, at all!
thomasaur on May 1, 2009 at 4:09 PM
Drywall’s just cranky because his moose isn’t putting out….eh, drywall?
HornetSting on May 1, 2009 at 4:10 PM
Because it is an industry with employees, employers, working conditions, etc… Congress does have some oversight responsibilities as they would with any business.
Mandating the way the industry picks the “national champion” does not fall anywhere within that responsibility. It’s only a small step to the point where Congress decides that the Superbowl cannot be won if the team doesn’t have the right mix of races, genders, and species to reflect diversity within the NFL. Or, for that matter, mandating the NBA has to have a token number of whites and the NHL has to have a token number of blacks in order to call themselves “teams.”
highhopes on May 1, 2009 at 4:16 PM
for crying out loud….
1. Could we get Joe Biden to come and testify for some entertainment value??
2. Gov’t to BCS: Hello, we are with the government and we are here to help.
kringeesmom on May 1, 2009 at 4:18 PM
That’s pretty much in the Constitution. Better to focus on getting rid of the political class that confirms these justices without due dilligence.
Souder will retire and the filthy liar will pick somebody that thinks Ginsberg is way too conservative. That’s the result of elections. The balance is supposed to be the Senate’s role in confirmation where they put the nominee through their paces but this collection of criminals will simply rubber stamp whatever the filthy liar wants without question or criticism. The whole political class needs to be turned out starting with the traitors of the GOP who never vote against Democrat initiatives.
highhopes on May 1, 2009 at 4:20 PM
term limits … Term Limits… TERM LIMITS!!!!!!!1one11!!!
Vote all out for this shyte (and steroids etc.)
This is not the peoples buisness. This is a waste of our tax dollars in “congressional salary”/time.
Vote all the bums out!
I know, I know … “Cadian how do you really feel?” :P
Cadian on May 1, 2009 at 4:21 PM
The BCS isn’t perfect, but it beats the h#ll out of either poll.
MarkTheGreat on May 1, 2009 at 4:23 PM
What about Joe the Plumber? Seriously, this is one of those issues where anybody who follows sports is going to have an opinion. There is no way that Congress will be able to mandate anything that the majority of Americans will agree with and is likely to enrage an equally large number of individuals in the process. Barton is a complete idiot.
highhopes on May 1, 2009 at 4:23 PM
It is not about the sports, it is about the money, and who gets a cut (including the congressmen).
Vashta.Nerada on May 1, 2009 at 4:25 PM
What about Joe the Plumber?
highhopes on May 1, 2009 at 4:23 PM
C’mon, everybody knows Norm the Teabagger replaced Joe the Plumber in the hearts of true conservatives.
benny shakar on May 1, 2009 at 4:27 PM
I want this BCS issue resolved!!!!! Especially where it concerns UT.
mimi1220 on May 1, 2009 at 4:31 PM
No system is going to be perfect because of all the variables involved. Polls are absurdly unfair because they merely reflect the bias of the sportswriters who cover collegiate football. A “playoff” system is unworkable because of the number of games that would have to be involved.
Congress should just keep their grubby corrupt mitts off of this “issue” and concentrate on what they know best. Destroying the nation by a neverending number of laws that provide for creeping socialism.
highhopes on May 1, 2009 at 4:32 PM
We are about three weeks out from the American Idol finale. Look for the filthy liar to pre-empt television on that night to lay out his plan for solving this pressing problem. He will appoint some has-been liberal like George Mitchell or Robert Reich as the “bowl czar” and promise transparency. The final report will call for mandatory unionization of all college athletes and Congressional veto power of any “national championship” line-up.
highhopes on May 1, 2009 at 4:35 PM
The BCS has been around since 1776? I forgot, you are a typical leftist authority on everything, especially beer commercials.
And forgive me if I find your indignant outrage over our indignant outrage a bit phony. I can only imagine what your side would be saying about this if it took place under a GOP administration.
ClassicCon on May 1, 2009 at 4:08 PM
——-
Of course the left would bytch about it.
And it would be just as stupid.
But me, I am not complaining about it because it’s not a big deal.
Dave Rywall on May 1, 2009 at 5:52 PM
To quote Jim Mora:
“PLAYOFFS? YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT PLAYOFFS?”
Rbastid on May 1, 2009 at 6:37 PM
Banks, auto manufacturers, insurance companies, health care, breathing (CO2), …….why not sports! Why should sports fans get a pass? I say we should calculate the carbon footprint on a professional sports season. All the air travel, the carbon for the fans to get to the games, the energy to run the stadiums!
JeffVader on May 1, 2009 at 8:24 PM
If President Obama likes college football so much, why can’t he get that university he taught at to reinstate a big-time gridiron program?
radjah shelduck on May 1, 2009 at 8:41 PM
Wow they were fighting over the BCS in the late 1700s. Hmm learn something new everyday.
Jamson64 on May 2, 2009 at 12:35 AM
Yes, but if they opt out, then what? The NCAA is one of the legal monopoly’s we have now, so there is no one else to go to if they opt out. I agree with you that the government should not be interfering here, but not your logic on what private schools can do for a resolution because there is none when one organization has a monopoly on it.
Another point is I disagree that the NCAA is a private organization, because over 90% of the schools are public government funded schools that participate.
I also disagree with the NCAA that they can’t do a playoff because it would blow the bowl games, because the game themselves could be setup for the playoff.
This actually shows the problem with government where they feel they need to step in to solve any issue and yes I think that is a problem we have now.
JeffinSac on May 2, 2009 at 7:50 AM
Hatch is just upset because the Utes weren’t named co-champs. Having the BCS to smack around is part of what makes cfb fun. It’s all about bragging rights for the year. Go Gators! Look out because they’re back.
Congress needs to get over themselves as the fixers of everything in the universe. When have they ever fixed anything.
Kissmygrits on May 2, 2009 at 9:31 AM
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