So Jim Delany, the man who has spent his years as Big Ten commissioner steadfastly lobbying against a college football playoff, now apparently sees the light.
Dissatisfaction with the BCS and the bowl system in general — from fans, coaches, administrators and even politicians — has become so pervasive that even Delany, the power broker of power brokers, has had to turn heel and run from the disaster of a system college football uses to determine its champion.
“I think sports fans are conditioned to playoffs. I don’t begrudge them that,” Delany told the Chicago Tribune this week. “They’re looking for more games, but we’re trying to do the right thing. It’s a matter of coming up with something that does not kill the baby with the bath water.”
Though short of a full endorsement of a four-team playoff, it’s close enough. This is no denial. The Big Ten is now on record as being open to change, which means there isn’t a single conference still publicly supporting the BCS. A playoff is coming, and it’s coming soon. Only the details are left to sort out.
And instead of appearing to be dragged kicking and screaming into this, the Big Ten is going to be at the forefront of creating the new rules of engagement. It’s a smart move, albeit a bit humorous. Even Christopher Columbus, upon discovering America by accident, wasn’t so arrogant as to pretend that’s what he was aiming for all along.
We know better. But what matters here is the result, not the motive behind it. If the Big Ten wants to position itself to drive this train, all the better. When you’re talking about a group of people that embraces change at a glacial pace, it’s important not to let perfect be the enemy of good.
And what’s about to happen is going to be good for everybody but the bowl executives whose six-figure salaries depend on maintaining the status quo.
If college football is really going to do this, there are two issues on which there should be no compromise, no matter what system emerges.
First, this must be a playoff, not a “plus-one.” The term “plus-one” implies that the bowl system remains as it is, with the traditional BCS bowls providing the venues for semifinal games and the winners playing in what we now know as the BCS Championship. But why placate the BCS bowls and let them serve as middlemen to run (and profit from) a playoff? They’re not needed anymore. Whatever plan emerges should reflect that.
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