V-BYTES
V-MAIL
V-SPEAK
V-VAULT
V-FILE
V-BOARD
V-GEAR

ALSO SEE:
Vitale: 2003-04 college-hoop preseason index

Dick Vitale Archive


AUDIO/VIDEO
 (B)rutal (C)omputer (S)ystem
Mike and Mike: That's the way Dick Vitale describes the current college football playoff system before he unveils his Stock Watch report.
Listen

  Vitale Home     College Basketball     ESPN.com  

BCS fix: Extend season, decide title on field

SPECIAL TO ESPN.COM

Dec. 8, 2003 | ESPN.com's College Football coverage

It was absolutely brutal to see the BCS situation unfold in college football over the weekend. How can computers decide a national champion? That's what the BCS must stand for, baby: the Brutal Computer System.

Think about it: USC is voted No. 1 in both polls, yet coach Pete Carroll's Trojans are left out of the national-championship game. It's ludicrous and absurd.

This is why college basketball is light years ahead of college football.
This is why college basketball is light years ahead of college football. The champion is determined on the court, in the arena. You can't tell me that the Division I-A champion shouldn't be decided on the field! It's done that way -- with a playoff -- on the Division I-AA, II and III levels.

Why don't the powers of college football do the right thing, right now? There should be an emergency meeting -- get all the people involved, contact the university presidents and do the right thing. Let's extend the season one extra week and play a championship game. Match up the LSU-Oklahoma winner against the USC-Michigan winner and get a true champion, right on the gridiron.

Make the players, fans, coaches, students and boosters happy. Millions of dollars could also be made and a large portion could be donated to a charity like the Jimmy V Foundation for cancer research (or another charity). I don't want to hear about a one-week extension of the season hurting the student-athletes in the classroom, because they'll be on winter break. It won't hurt academics.

Right now, the BCS is an embarrassment. You can't allow a national championship to be decided when neither team in the title game is ranked No. 1 in the polls. To many, the BCS is better than the old system, but the bottom line is, look at what's happening here. It's wrong, and people are upset and frustrated. Why not correct this mistake right now?

The problem is, what makes the most sense doesn't always happen. People are afraid to eat crow, but this is not defensible. It isn't right to the kids at USC.

Forget about computers deciding who should play. Get it done the same way it's handled in college hoops, baby! Extend the season just one week. Let the national title be decided on the field! This would be a great Christmas gift...

Hey Santa, how about it? A national-championship game on the field after the Sugar and Rose Bowls are played!

Click here to send a question for Dick Vitale for possible use on ESPNEWS.

Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories