Comments on: Football playoffs not an issue for Congress http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/07/football-playoffs-not-an-issue-for-congress/ The Wichita Eagle Editorial Department Blog Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:35:13 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5.2 hourly 1 By: Regular http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/07/football-playoffs-not-an-issue-for-congress/#comment-617234 Regular Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:38:05 +0000 http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/?p=14788#comment-617234 Of course, Utah did whip the dog breath out of Alabama, a former number 1 team, in a sound fashion in their bowl game to go undefeated - twice in three years. Of course, Utah did whip the dog breath out of Alabama, a former number 1 team, in a sound fashion in their bowl game to go undefeated – twice in three years.

]]> By: TomPaine http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/07/football-playoffs-not-an-issue-for-congress/#comment-617114 TomPaine Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:56:32 +0000 http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/?p=14788#comment-617114 GMC whats the Constitutional authority for the government to outlaw weed, or imprison Tommy Chong for selling bongs, or Michel Vick for Dogfighting, or outlaw Internet gaming? but I would have to agree that congress has better things to do, at the same time the BCS is a joke and their probably should be a playoff system GMC whats the Constitutional authority for the government to outlaw weed, or imprison Tommy Chong for selling bongs, or Michel Vick for Dogfighting, or outlaw Internet gaming? but I would have to agree that congress has better things to do, at the same time the BCS is a joke and their probably should be a playoff system

]]> By: Monkeyhawk http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/07/football-playoffs-not-an-issue-for-congress/#comment-617086 Monkeyhawk Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:03:32 +0000 http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/?p=14788#comment-617086 I dunno... What else do you have to be proud of in Nebraska if not the football team? Orin Hatch is pretty much in the same boat with Utah and BYU. And what, really, on a national scale does Kansas have to offer other than Jayhawks basketball or (back when they were paying the players) K-State football? College sports are the minor leagues. Somehow those smart people at universities figured out a way to make the minor leagues important to sports fans. This is the quintessential "Shiny Thing" distraction so often convenient in political rhetoric. It's Orin Hack being a Hatch. (Something like that.) As he's always been, it's what passes for comedy with the Mormons. (Not "edgy," like Donny and Marie.) The man has enough starch in one of his shirts to feed Biafra for a month. I dunno…

What else do you have to be proud of in Nebraska if not the football team?

Orin Hatch is pretty much in the same boat with Utah and BYU.

And what, really, on a national scale does Kansas have to offer other than Jayhawks basketball or (back when they were paying the players) K-State football?

College sports are the minor leagues. Somehow those smart people at universities figured out a way to make the minor leagues important to sports fans.

This is the quintessential “Shiny Thing” distraction so often convenient in political rhetoric.

It’s Orin Hack being a Hatch. (Something like that.) As he’s always been, it’s what passes for comedy with the Mormons. (Not “edgy,” like Donny and Marie.)

The man has enough starch in one of his shirts to feed Biafra for a month.

]]> By: BobChi http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/07/football-playoffs-not-an-issue-for-congress/#comment-617060 BobChi Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:10:59 +0000 http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/?p=14788#comment-617060 Nebraska's chancellor is either naive or thinks people listening to him are. There is no way Utah could play the same schedule Nebraska does unless Utah were admitted to the Big 12. And very few if any Big 12 schools would be willing to schedule Utah on a home and home basis as a nonconference series. They are too busy scheduling home games with Southwest Northeastern Podunk School of Cosmetology to pad their win record and revenues. Utah did beat serious opponents, such as Alabama (ranked #1 for several weeks of the season) and Oregon State (beat USC and one win from the Rose Bowl) among others. I can't believe Brownlee falls for such a disingenuous quote. Nebraska’s chancellor is either naive or thinks people listening to him are. There is no way Utah could play the same schedule Nebraska does unless Utah were admitted to the Big 12. And very few if any Big 12 schools would be willing to schedule Utah on a home and home basis as a nonconference series. They are too busy scheduling home games with Southwest Northeastern Podunk School of Cosmetology to pad their win record and revenues. Utah did beat serious opponents, such as Alabama (ranked #1 for several weeks of the season) and Oregon State (beat USC and one win from the Rose Bowl) among others. I can’t believe Brownlee falls for such a disingenuous quote.

]]> By: BobChi http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/07/football-playoffs-not-an-issue-for-congress/#comment-617058 BobChi Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:06:08 +0000 http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/?p=14788#comment-617058 There seems in Brownlee's post to be some quaint notion that big-time college football is a sport. I suppose it has elements of a sport, but really it is a multi-billion-dollar business arrangement. The issue for Congress is NOT how a champion is determined; the issue is one of antitrust. And antitrust is a very legitimate concern of Congress. The way the system is set up, a group of schools (the BCS conferences) have rigged it so that they automatically, year after year, without regard to performance, get big money bowl bids; while other schools, no matter what their performance, are scrambling to maybe get ONE bid, and then it is never in the "championship" game. If any other business association operated that way - guaranteed superior revenues and outcomes for some members, and guaranteed inferior revenues for others - it would be a clear antitrust violation. The fact that this arrangement is centered around a sport seems to blur the probable illegality of the BCS system in people's minds. Yes, when a multi-billion dollar business arrangement may be operating outside the law it is indeed a legitimate issue for Congress to investigate. There seems in Brownlee’s post to be some quaint notion that big-time college football is a sport. I suppose it has elements of a sport, but really it is a multi-billion-dollar business arrangement. The issue for Congress is NOT how a champion is determined; the issue is one of antitrust. And antitrust is a very legitimate concern of Congress. The way the system is set up, a group of schools (the BCS conferences) have rigged it so that they automatically, year after year, without regard to performance, get big money bowl bids; while other schools, no matter what their performance, are scrambling to maybe get ONE bid, and then it is never in the “championship” game. If any other business association operated that way – guaranteed superior revenues and outcomes for some members, and guaranteed inferior revenues for others – it would be a clear antitrust violation. The fact that this arrangement is centered around a sport seems to blur the probable illegality of the BCS system in people’s minds. Yes, when a multi-billion dollar business arrangement may be operating outside the law it is indeed a legitimate issue for Congress to investigate.

]]> By: Regular http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/07/football-playoffs-not-an-issue-for-congress/#comment-617048 Regular Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:22:41 +0000 http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/?p=14788#comment-617048 It sounds like a case of contract law to me Counselor. That is, contract that is verbal or otherwise implied set forth by an administration that can control the outcome of those under said administration. It sounds like a case of contract law to me Counselor. That is, contract that is verbal or otherwise implied set forth by an administration that can control the outcome of those under said administration.

]]> By: JMWalker http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/07/football-playoffs-not-an-issue-for-congress/#comment-617045 JMWalker Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:17:27 +0000 http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/?p=14788#comment-617045 Absolutely nothing to do with football,or anti-trust, and everything to do with getting votes. Typical politics. Absolutely nothing to do with football,or anti-trust, and everything to do with getting votes. Typical politics.

]]> By: bth http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/07/football-playoffs-not-an-issue-for-congress/#comment-617044 bth Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:14:58 +0000 http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/?p=14788#comment-617044 GMC - not sure about Constitution but we do have a long history of 'trust-busting' - I would assume under an interpretation of the Commerce Clause. GMC – not sure about Constitution but we do have a long history of ‘trust-busting’ – I would assume under an interpretation of the Commerce Clause.

]]> By: GMC70 http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/07/football-playoffs-not-an-issue-for-congress/#comment-617040 GMC70 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:51:38 +0000 http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/?p=14788#comment-617040 More important, would Sen. Hatch like to cite some Constitutional authority for Congress getting involved in this area? At least, with a straight face? More important, would Sen. Hatch like to cite some Constitutional authority for Congress getting involved in this area? At least, with a straight face?

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