House subcommittee OKs college football playoff bill

[Auggie]

Associated Press, 12-09-09

WASHINGTON -- A House subcommittee approved legislation Wednesday aimed at forcing college football to switch to a playoff system to determine its national champion, over the objections of some lawmakers who said Congress has meatier targets to tackle.

The bill, which faces steep odds, would ban the promotion of a postseason NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision game as a national championship unless it results from a playoff. The measure passed by voice vote in a House Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee, with one audible "no," from Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga. "With all due respect, I really think we have more important things to spend our time on," Barrow said before the vote, although he stressed he didn't like the current Bowl Championship Series, either.

The BCS selections announced last weekend pit two unbeaten teams, No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Texas, in the Jan. 7 national title game. Three other undefeated teams -- TCU, Cincinnati and Boise State -- will play in a BCS bowl game, but not for the championship.

"What can we say -- it's December and the BCS is in chaos again," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He said the BCS system is unfair and won't change unless prompted by Congress.

MORE: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4727426

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Another WTF moment, courtesy of House Republicans.

[Condem]

1. Knew it was coming.

Right on time.

[Forkboy]

2. This country deserves what ever comes it's way.

[madinmaryland]

3. So it takes an act of Congress to get a college football playoff series!

Too bad they can't pass health insurance reform.

[JonLP24]

5. This bill isn't passed either

It just made it out of a subcommittee and will go to full committee.

[JonLP24]

4. One of the co-sponsers is a Democrat

If money is involved that makes it a business and in many ways the system is unfair. I have no problem with it, really. I just wish the BCS people would do something about it.

Let me add a quote.
"Eight teams," he told "60 Minutes" last November. "That would be three rounds to determine a national champion. It would add three extra weeks to the season. You could trim back on the regular season. I don't know any serious fan of college football who has disagreed with me on this. So, I'm going to throw my weight around a little bit. I think it's the right thing to do." -- Barack Obama
http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=us%2F0_0_s_3_0_t&usg=AFQjCNGTWv7rdjrVMztzdrFBcApnkZjsGA&cid=1486138899&ei=rxQgS5BOm8wwge_IpwM&rt=STORY&vm=STANDARD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fblogs%2F2009%2F12%2F09%2Fpolitics%2Fpoliticalhotsheet%2Fentry5951874.shtml

[joeybee12]

6. Woo-hoo!

Great idea, even if Repukes are behind it...hell, Congress screwed up the stimulus, are screwing up healthcare, so they should focus their tiny little minds on something that won't devastate the already shrinking middle class!

[JonLP24]

8. I think it may have bi-partisan support

Bobby Rush is a co-sponsor and he is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection which is a subcommittee of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

If I'm reading this write only 1 voted no of the subcommittee and here are the rest of it's members.
Jan Schakowsky, IL, Vice Chair
John P. Sarbanes, MD
Betty Sutton, OH
Frank Pallone, Jr., NJ
Bart Gordon, TN
Bart Stupak, MI
Gene Green, TX
Charles A. Gonzalez, TX
Anthony D. Weiner, NY
Jim Matheson, UT
G. K. Butterfield, NC
John Barrow, GA <-----------the article names as the one 'no' vote.
Doris O. Matsui, CA
Kathy Castor, FL
Zachary T. Space, OH
Bruce L. Braley, IA
Diana DeGette, CO
John D. Dingell (ex officio)
Henry A. Waxman, CA (ex officio)
George Radanovich, CA, Ranking Member
Cliff Stearns, FL
Ed Whitfield, KY
Joseph R. Pitts, PA
Mary Bono Mack, CA
Lee Terry, NE
Sue Wilkins Myrick, NC
John Sullivan, OK
Tim Murphy, PA
Phil Gingrey, GA
Steve Scalise, LA
Joe Barton, TX (ex officio)

So I assume the rest here voice voted 'yea'? :shrug:
Anyways the bill passed this subcommittee and will be voted on the rest of Energy & Commerce Committee.

On edit/The article says Space and Stupak made arguments against it so I'm still trying to figure this out.

[madinmaryland]

9. Hmmm. My Rep, John Sarbanes, is on that committee.

Wonder what will be in his next newsletter.

:shrug:

[joeybee12]

10. Joe Stupid is against it?

Figures.

I'm glad they voted it out, but this will probably take a long, long time.

[Auggie]

7. This has politics written all over it

Imagine the campaign fodder these sponsors will reap.

[ticapnews]

11. Read the text of the bill

It requires all FBS schools to be eligible for a single-elimination tournament.

The BC$ is a single-elimination tournament (granted, only two teams qualify) and all FBS teams are ELIGIBLE.

If this bill was even passed by Congress, it wouldn't take the BC$ lawyers five minutes to argue their case. Of course, it's entirely symbolic, so it doesn't matter anyway. Barton may as well have made it a non-binding resolution.

[JonLP24]

12. It seems to go after promotion, marketing, and advertising

Basically what they are saying is they can't call it a "Championship or National Championship" unless it is the final game "of a single elimination post-season playoff system for which all NCAA Division I FBS conferences and unaffiliated Division I FBS teams are eligible." Rush also added an amendment to avoid the loophole of calling it the "Big Game" or something like that.

Good call about the single elimination but even if interpreted differently then you it doesn't create a playoff. It just makes it where they can't call it a "National Championship"