MWC making BCS case on deaf ears?
The Mountain West Conference has made its feelings known about being excluded from the BCS (Bowl Championship Series) automatic bid process.
Will the BCS do anything or will they continue their best, “I know nothing, I hear nothing, I see nothing” impersonation of Sgt. Schultz (Hogan’s Heroes).
That remains to be seen, but my guess for now is "nein."
Let’s take a look back at last season. Utah, TCU and BYU all finish in the Top 16 in the BCS standings, yet the Utes are the only BCS team invited, as they were allowed in from an at-large standpoint.
What the BCS is basically saying, “You can come up and play with the big boys -- just this once -- but don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.”
Well, as we all know, the Utes thumped big by Alabama and broke actually down the door.
According to an article by Steve Wieberg in USA Today, MWC Craig Thompson is pleading the league’s case with the BCS and will try to sit down with ACC commissioner and current BCS coordinator John Swofford in the upcoming weeks.
The BCS will have its annual spring meeting in late April in Pasadena, Calif., but my guess it will be “don’t call us, we’ll call you,” for a Thompson-Swofford brunch.
The ACC is one of six conferences, along with the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pacific 10 and Southeastern, whose champions automatically qualify for the BCS at the end of each football season. Winners of the five other major-college conferences, including the MWC, must meet minimum-ranking guidelines to get in.
“The argument I will hear back (from the BCS) is, “Craig, here it is. It's done. It's been agreed to. It's signed,’” Thompson said in the USA Today article. “That doesn't mean you can't put it on the table. One of the options would be to visit with the BCS coordinator … just to lay out our position.”
Thompson also said in the article, “I would not be optimistic. As I explained to them (the Mountain West presidents), it's a series of legal contracts among 11 conferences, four bowls, two TV partners with yet another TV partner coming in. I would not see much of a relaxation.”
According to USA Today, the BCS has created an opening for one of the non-automatic qualifying conferences to gain AQ status at least temporarily, drawing up a formula that factors in the number of Top 25 teams, finish of the highest-ranked team and average rank of all teams over a four-year period. But Thompson says his presidents are pushing for the same annual entree afforded the ACC, SEC and other marquee conferences.
Of course, Congress wants to get into the act and even President Barack Obama said he is not happy with the current BCS system; he prefers a national playoff.
The MWC would be better off if Congress just stuck to trying to fix the economy and protect us from terrorist attacks.
Of course, we all know Congress’s track record as of late.
What’s next for the Thompson and the MWC? I’d keep Swofford on speed dial and hit it a couple of times a day until they meet -- if they meet.
Flowers wouldn’t hurt.
Will the BCS do anything or will they continue their best, “I know nothing, I hear nothing, I see nothing” impersonation of Sgt. Schultz (Hogan’s Heroes).
That remains to be seen, but my guess for now is "nein."
Let’s take a look back at last season. Utah, TCU and BYU all finish in the Top 16 in the BCS standings, yet the Utes are the only BCS team invited, as they were allowed in from an at-large standpoint.
What the BCS is basically saying, “You can come up and play with the big boys -- just this once -- but don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.”
Well, as we all know, the Utes thumped big by Alabama and broke actually down the door.
According to an article by Steve Wieberg in USA Today, MWC Craig Thompson is pleading the league’s case with the BCS and will try to sit down with ACC commissioner and current BCS coordinator John Swofford in the upcoming weeks.
The BCS will have its annual spring meeting in late April in Pasadena, Calif., but my guess it will be “don’t call us, we’ll call you,” for a Thompson-Swofford brunch.
The ACC is one of six conferences, along with the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pacific 10 and Southeastern, whose champions automatically qualify for the BCS at the end of each football season. Winners of the five other major-college conferences, including the MWC, must meet minimum-ranking guidelines to get in.
“The argument I will hear back (from the BCS) is, “Craig, here it is. It's done. It's been agreed to. It's signed,’” Thompson said in the USA Today article. “That doesn't mean you can't put it on the table. One of the options would be to visit with the BCS coordinator … just to lay out our position.”
Thompson also said in the article, “I would not be optimistic. As I explained to them (the Mountain West presidents), it's a series of legal contracts among 11 conferences, four bowls, two TV partners with yet another TV partner coming in. I would not see much of a relaxation.”
According to USA Today, the BCS has created an opening for one of the non-automatic qualifying conferences to gain AQ status at least temporarily, drawing up a formula that factors in the number of Top 25 teams, finish of the highest-ranked team and average rank of all teams over a four-year period. But Thompson says his presidents are pushing for the same annual entree afforded the ACC, SEC and other marquee conferences.
Of course, Congress wants to get into the act and even President Barack Obama said he is not happy with the current BCS system; he prefers a national playoff.
The MWC would be better off if Congress just stuck to trying to fix the economy and protect us from terrorist attacks.
Of course, we all know Congress’s track record as of late.
What’s next for the Thompson and the MWC? I’d keep Swofford on speed dial and hit it a couple of times a day until they meet -- if they meet.
Flowers wouldn’t hurt.
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