The Official Forum - BCS letter to the editor in USA Today

What USAToday printed:

Quote:

Harvey Perlman, chancellor of the University of Nebraski-Lincoln and a member of the Bowl Championship Series Presidential Oversight Committee the age old argument that such a playoff system would disrupt exams, and inconvenience players and the fans. (Playoffs are no panacea. Opposing view, Bowl Championship Series debate, Wednesday) Of course, there is also the fear the BCS schools wouldn't be able to reap the large of the current bowl system.

Humbug! The NCAA Div I-A is the ONLY sector of college football which does not conduct playoffs. If the exam period is so important it not be disrupted, why are a good share of the NCAA teams conducting basketball games during this period? How is it that the teams at the lower divisions can complete a 16-game schedule, pass exams and still be home for the holidays if playoffs are such a detriment?

Maintaining the bowl system is still possible. It can be incorporated into the playoffs by arranging the dates. Schools not earning a berth in the playoffs can still partake in any remaining bowl games so athletes and fans can still enjoy the experience and the schools can reap in the almighty dollar.

The hard part will be determining the 16 team field. But with all the scholars involved, that shouldn't be too difficult.

What I submitted:

Quote:

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln deserves better representation than that of Harvey Perlman. In Mr. Perlman's Opposing View, Playoffs Are No Panacea (USAToday, 12/31/2003), the age old argument that such a playoff system would disrupt exams, inconvenience players and the fans. Of course, there is also the fear that the BCS schools wouldn't be able to garnish the large paydays is the present bowl system changes it's face.

Humbug! The NCAA Div I-A is the ONLY sector of collegiate football which does not conduct playoffs. Is Mr. Perlman insinuating that the student-athlete in Div I-AA, II and III is not the intellectual equal of those enrolled in BCS-participating schools? If the exam period is so important it not be disrupted, why are a good share of the NCAA teams conducting basketball games during this period? How is it that the teams at the lower divisions can complete a 16-game schedule with no bye weeks (accomplished by both participants in this years D I-AA championship game), pass exams and still be home by Christmas Day with their families if a 16-team playoff system is such a detriment?

Maintaining the bowl system is still possible. The bowl system can be incorporated into the playoffs, it is just a matter of arranging the dates. Those not earning a berth in the playoffs can still partake in what are presently meaningless bowl games so those student-athletes and the fans can still enjoy the experience and the schools can reap in the almighty dollar it adores.

The hardest part will be determining the 16 team field. However, with all the scholars involved in the process, that shouldn't be too difficult.