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Dr. Saturday

Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:46 am EST

Obama wants what's best for America: a college football playoff

By Matt Hinton

This is not even remotely a political blog, and I'm frankly a little terrified of the comments it might get today if it ventures too close to that other, you know, thing that's going on. Call me an idiot or make fun of my mug shot if you must (hey, why not both?), but when the candidates get involved, things get nasty. Utterly false, most of the time, but definitely nasty. So I'd just as soon steer clear of this bit of history.

But these are pressing times, people, on which the history and future of our nation turns. As Americans turn out in record numbers to make their voice heard, silence is not an option, for the Doc or anyone else. It is your solemn duty as a citizen to go to the polls and uphold the dignity of out great nation's democratic tradition by casting your vote for the candidate who is on the right side of the greatest challenge of our age: the fight for a college football playoff. Only Barack Obama has the courage and vision to declare it on national television -- Down with the BCS!

The man has his finger on the pulse of the American people. Energetic prankster and ardent Obamaniac Pete Carroll is for a playoff. Hobbled legend and staunch Republican Joe Paterno is for a playoff, too. In his opposition to the dreaded Series, Obama is bringing people together on the issues that really matter to them.

So now is the hour to ask yourself: after the last decade, ten long years of disputed polls, unconscionable snubs and inscrutable algorithms, can we defeat the BCS? Can we, as a nation, forget our regional pride, cross conference boundaries and throw off the yoke that has prevented us from crowning a true national champion throughout our otherwise noble history? I ask you, America: Can we walk united into the promise of a future where a one-loss team from the Pac-10 has the same opportunity as a one-loss team from the Big Ten to prove its merit on the field?

Barack Obama has the answer: Yes. We. Can.

- - -
Hat tip: FanIQ. On second thought, I'm not sure the playoff vs. non-playoff comments are going to be very civil, either.

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  1. gtne91
    1. Posted by gtne91 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:43 pm EDT

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    The important question is: Does the playoff Obama supports have all 11 conference champions (at a minimum) invited? If not, it is worthless.
  2. CuseFanInSoCal
    2. Posted by CuseFanInSoCal Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

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    I think the best playoff plan is 16 teams, 11 conference champs +5 at-large. But even a 4-team mini-playoff (aka a seeded plus one) is an improvement, and an 8-team playoff (BCS 6 + 2 at-large, or just BCS top 8) isn't too bad. I like a larger playoff basically because I'd prefer that every FBS team (well, except for the handful of independents) to be able to get a playoff spot no matter what the polls and computers think.
  3. Brian
    3. Posted by Brian Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:13 pm EDT

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    @ gtne91: It is not worthless to exclude teams that are not good. It is illogical to include teams in a playoff that have no legitimate shot at winning the national title. Say what you will about Senator Obama's policies, I happen to agree with his proposal for an eight team playoff. Even if you just use the current BCS selection criteria to select and seed the teams, it would be terrific. Six conference champions, plus two at-large. Most likely it would be one undefeated mid-major (if it existed) and then the second best team from the best conference that year. For example this year it would likely be two teams from the Big XII (let's just assume TTU and UT) and two teams from the SEC (Florida and Alabama) plus the four other conference champs: ACC, Pac-10, Big Eleven, and Big East.
    1. Alabama
    2. Texas Tech
    3. Penn State
    4. Texas
    5. Florida
    6. USC
    7. West Virginia
    8. Maryland
    Maybe make a rule that teams from the same conference always have to be on opposite sides of the bracket (swap USC and florida to achieve this) Now tell me what would be wrong with that system?
  4. Sam @ WWAHT
    4. Posted by Sam @ WWAHT Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    As an Obama voter, if this decides your vote, I pity you.
  5. SpartanDan
    5. Posted by SpartanDan Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:11 pm EDT

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    I think that part was tongue in cheek, pogue (though also as an Obama voter, I agree).
  6. Gbdup
    6. Posted by Gbdup Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:40 pm EDT

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    thats very true, USC and penn state are in crap conferences. the 2 1 loss teams with merit are Florida and Texas and oklahoma. the national championshp should be between one of these 3 teams, bama and texas tech. all the other teams are hiding behind slack schedules. its time that the bcs and voters crack down on these slack schedule teams. USC is a good team they just dont have the balls to play anybody. teams like penn state and USC should try to schedule some inter conference big games if they want to be taken seriously for a national championship birth (thats all that matters in college football)
  7. gtne91
    7. Posted by gtne91 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:43 pm EDT

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    Bpop,
    Tell that to George Mason. And, yeah, its a different sport, but the point still stands.
  8. Sam @ WWAHT
    8. Posted by Sam @ WWAHT Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    @ SpartanDan.
    True. I doubt Dr. S. is dumb enough to vote solely based off of this, but we're on yahoo. I know for a fact 80% of commenters here would vote for Satan himself if he promised them a playoff.
  9. SpartanDan
    9. Posted by SpartanDan Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:11 pm EDT

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    Gbdup: You mean like USC-Ohio State and PSU-Oregon State?
    I agree that neither has any margin for error - USC with one loss is done, and PSU does not deserve to be in if they lose one (or ahead of an unbeaten Bama or TTU even if they win out). But it's not like these guys are playing Hawaii's schedule from last year. If PSU finishes unbeaten, it will have wins over two, possibly three ranked teams (OSU, probably MSU, maybe Oregon State). Going unbeaten against that is enough to prove you deserve a shot.
  10. Be Honest
    10. Posted by Be Honest Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    Sports & cooking seem to be the only things caucasions dont mind minorities having major input in. That's not meant to come across as ignorant but it amazes me how obama is cool for supporting the playoffs yet the same people non receptive to change or a minority being president will vote against him for that reason alone. I dont get it.. as if they're not losing their factory jobs, houses and facing bankruptcy like other americans i need of change.
  11. MAD
    11. Posted by MAD Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:16 pm EDT

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    I agree we need a play off. down with the computers...
  12. tommyjacksonville
    12. Posted by tommyjacksonville Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:15 pm EDT

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    "i know for a fact 80% of commenters here would vote for satan himself if he promised them a playoff."
    i know for a fact that 98.2% of all quoted statistics are made up.
  13. Matt Mort
    13. Posted by Matt Mort Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:07 pm EDT

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    Gbdup: Good teams can be found in crap conferences... But you'll never know how they match up against the other teams unless you allow them to PLAY for the national title.
    USC played Ohio State and won 35-3. Hard to say they didn't try to schedule a tough opponent, regardless of your opinion of Ohio State, they are still ranked in the top 15.
    College schedules are made years in advance. Penn State played Notre Dame the past two years, a game that would seem to be a tough non-conference opponent. They also play Alabama the following two years. They just got unlucky that this year they don't have an opponent that stands out.
    Bottom Line - Let them decide on the field. Its crazy to rule out ANY undefeated opponent until you see them lose on the field.
  14. Davy C.
    14. Posted by Davy C. Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:37 pm EDT

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    I'm told that whether or not we have a college football playoff will be the least of America's problems if and when Obama becomes president. :)
    On a sports-related note, I can't understand why Penn State is ranked #1 in this week's Sagarin rankings if the Big Ten conference is such a joke??
  15. Fred M
    15. Posted by Fred M Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:44 pm EDT

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    Joe Paterno has also endorsed Obama, staunch Republican or not.
  16. moose
    16. Posted by moose Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:53 pm EDT

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    finally an issue that matters.....hahaaaahha
  17. kwilliamenterprise
    17. Posted by kwilliamenterprise Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:55 pm EDT

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    i think what obama would do if he were in charge of the BCS is take the top eight teams that worked hard on recruiting and played well all season to get in the top 8 and evenly distribute their best players to the "less fortunate" teams so that everyone has an equal piece of the NC. sounds great if your team sucks, but to those of us who's teams have fought for respect, it's not so peachy. that's what he's trying to do with our wealth, why not do it in NCAA football?
  18. jason
    18. Posted by jason Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

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    With the comments about tough schedules. With the exception of THIS year, how often does a team from the Big 12 actually play a tough schedule? Not my icon here I am a UT fan, but I am smart enough to realize that no one in the Big12 really plays tough non-conference schedules either. Yeah Texas played Ohio State a couple years ago. Also Oklahoma has played MAYBE one decent non-conference team a year. Take that, and the fact that the Big 12 is typically a sub-par conference every other year except the last two and were not that far off from the Big 10 and PAC 10. Just my input coming from the Big 12...the only conference that can really talk about a tough schedule consistantly is the SEC....as far as Obama saying a college football playoff most of you should know by now that a politician is going to say whatever he can to get a vote...I suppose we will see if he is going to try and do anything about it or not but I seriously doubt it.
  19. adder30
    19. Posted by adder30 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:13 pm EDT

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    @3
    I agree completely. 8 seems to be a good number, 16 seems to be too many. If the MAC champ wants a shot at the crown they should have to earn it with OOC wins and be in the BCS top8 at seeding time.
    @7
    George Mason? Seriously? Being a different sport is EXACTLY the reason why the point does NOT STAND. Going on a streak and winning 3 games is an ordinary occurrence in college basketball (which is probably why its almost as popular as college football), but do you really see a Boise State / Central Michigan / Tulsa beating the likes of Florida, USC and Penn State in consecutive weeks?
    Cinderellas are for basketball, college football's postseason is all about Goliath v. Goliath
  20. First Name L
    20. Posted by First Name L Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:59 pm EDT

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    If you settle on 8 teams, then everyone will be arguing about who got left out. Again.
    Look at college basketball...they still argue and politic constantly...and there's 65 teams they can't agree on!
    If the other conferences would step up and have a conference championship game, half the argument would go away! At least it's a start.
  21. tideman28
    21. Posted by tideman28 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:16 pm EDT

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    whatever!!!
  22. cali_guy
    22. Posted by cali_guy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    As a Cal fan and avid USC hater...I agree that USC's lack of strength in non conference games will keep them out of national title hopes. The fact that we had "Co" National Champions should be reason enough to create some type of playoff. The National Championship game has only had one great game over the last several years but has had several blowouts...with a playoff we will be ensured that the best two teams will finally play for the title instead of the two teams who lost at the begining of the season instead of the end. Go playoff.
  23. Andrew E.
    23. Posted by Andrew E. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:53 pm EDT

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    University Presidents and Athletic directors are the biggest blockers of the idea of playoff so until they can be moved out of the way, will still have the same system.
  24. Michael g
    24. Posted by Michael g Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm EDT

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    Politicians never say what they mean anyway, so why was this blog even posted?
  25. Alaska Hokie
    25. Posted by Alaska Hokie Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:36 pm EDT

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    Fair point, First Name, but there's far less room to argue when you admit a whopping 65 teams to a tournament. There's very little room to argue if you aren't among the top 65 teams in the country. Scale that down, and there's very little room to argue if you aren't in the top eight in the country. Consider how many teams outside the top eight feel they have a shot at a national championship game -- right now.

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