Should Congress be Involved in the BCS?

Congress has been involved in many sports issues anywhere from Olympic scandals to boxing regulations, and they have already dealt with the BCS once. In 2003 congress decided that the BCS favored colleges from six conferences and Notre Dame.

Congress ordered that the NCAA add a fifth BCS game that began being played in 2006.

Since the season ended with a 26 to 14 Florida Victory over Oklahoma, congress began to stir over the BCS once more.  The BCS (Bowl Championship Series) is the selection system for NCAA football’s National Championship game.

The BCS uses a formula that looks at several polls, strength of schedule and other methods to select the nation’s best teams. This is meant as a replacement for a playoff system.

Since undefeated Utah was overlooked for the national championship game many fans have been up in arms over the decision. Now Congress is looking into the situation. Some congressmen are even going as far as comparing the BCS to communism, and President Barrack Obama has also spoken out about the BCS system.

Republican Joe Barton has lead the case against the BCS telling them, “If we don’t see some action in the next two months, on a voluntary switch to a playoff system, then you will see this bill move,” but is this reaction needed from congress?

The United States is currently fighting through a recession, fighting two wars, dealing with the threat of terrorism, natural disaster, and going through a possible epidemic of swine flu. The BCS is college football should it really be looked at on a National level by congress?

The United States is going through tough times. Congress should be looking into protecting our country and helping it continue to be the greatest in the world. College football should be looked at by the NCAA not congress.

Congress has been involved in sports before. For some of the issues it is important that congress stepped in and did something. These issues include steroids in the MLB and outlawing sexual discrimination in high school sports. Congress should be involved in sports when a law is being broken or freedoms being infringed.

In an interview with YAHOO.com, constitutional law expert Jonathan Turley of George Washington University said, “This is a rare effort by Congress to prevent people from using what is a common description of sporting events.”

He said the law, “may run afoul of the contractual agreements between parties, wiping out benefits that have already been paid for by companies.”

Not all fans are for or against the BCS, but I am sure we can agree that most of us can say we don’t think Congress should be involved. Congress has more important things to deal with.

They should leave the BCS issues to the NCAA; the association meant to deal with colligate athletics.