Fixing Football

Hi!

I promise this won't become a sports blog that occasionally touches on other topics. However, football has been on my mind lately. I'm not a huge fan, but have been to two (college bowl) games in the past couple of weeks. (These are the only two games I've seen in years.)

It seems that every January there is an argument about the BCS. When the argument is about which team is the best at the end of the year, a play-off makes sense. When the bigger picture is considered, meaning the quality of the regular season and the fact that bowls allow a lot of teams to end their season with a win, things get a bit fuzzy.

In the NFL this weekend, I'm rooting for San Diego. I'm glad that Arizona won. I'm rooting for Philly because I'd love for the NFC Championship to be in Glendale. I'd LOVE to see the Cardinals and the Chargers play in the Super Bowl. THIS, the 8-8 Chargers versus the 9-7 Cardinals, would be an argument AGAINST a play-off. What's the point of busting your butt all season for a top seed if you can back into the play-offs and still win your Conference?

What's the solution? For college, I don't know. I think all the money football factory schools make is a problem and spreading it around should be a goal of whatever system is used. Adding a couple of weeks to the season would make it impossible for some schools to participate because some have rules that prohibit playing after the start of the spring semester. Shortening the season would mean a LOT fewer games over all. For a LOT of writing on college football, see the writing of Gregg Easterbrook on ESPN.com. He covers the issue well.

For the NFL, just get rid of the Divisions and Conferences. This would mean that the best team in a weak Division wouldn't get any advantage. It would also mean that good teams in strong Divisions wouldn't be penalized. Schedules could be more balanced. At the end of the season, the top 12 or 16 teams would play in a seeded tournament. It's simple and could lead to a MUCH more interesting Super Bowl...

Take care!
Matt