College Football Commissioners an Example of When Smart People Do Dumb Things

The title of my post sounds like a Fox TV special, but it's really about the the men that run college football.

These men presumably have degrees from the top universities and have résumés full of experience that qualify them to be leaders of the NCAA or the top conferences around the US.

You would think these leaders could make sound decisions and do what's in the best interests of college football and the fans that support the system. Think again! These guys continue to make decisions/mistakes and give zero reasons on why they made that decision.

Case in point: An early signing period (mid-December) for College Football recruits that was just proposed by the coaches. Per USA Today: But just as quickly as the proposal was sent to Division I conference commissioners, it was shot down.

"It wasn't that close a vote," SEC associate commissioner Greg Sankey, who attended the vote at the NCAA convention, told The Associated Press. "I would say for now an early signing period is done. I wouldn't want to suggest there's not another idea out there. But there's not one that's been identified at this point."

OK, why was it shot down? "When you start breaking it down and dissecting it, you say, 'That's not going to work. That's not going to work. That's not going to work,'" Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson said. "I'm not sure our coaches have really thought it through."

That is not an answer Commissioners! Why was it shot down? Give us at least one valid reason!

As you might have expected, they didn't.

Here are some of the Cons to an early signing period.

It hurts the little schools.

"I'm definitely in favor of an early signing period," North Texas safeties coach/recruiting coordinator Chuck Petersen said. "It takes kids and coaches out of the middle of the whole situation after they've been committed for months. It also saves time and money, which is a big deal when you recruit for a school that doesn't have quite the same budget as a (school) in the SEC, Big 12, or Big Ten."

What if kids are still in high school playoffs?

In the proposal, recruits who still are playing high school games would have not been eligible to sign early.

What if the head coach gets fired or moves jobs?

Most of that activity is done before mid-December, and of course, if there is a transition, recruits wouldn't have to sign early.

So those are the points I have heard against an early signing period, and none of them seem like deal breakers to me. I also don't understand if the coaches are for it, why would the commissioners care? 73 percent of FBS (i.e., Division I-A) head coaches and 82 percent of FCS (i.e., Division I-AA) head coaches backed the plan.

Then there is that whole playoff system problem, which ND's Athletic Director said had no momentum last night on ESPN. Really? Which world are these guys living in?