Obama backs college football playoffs
WASHINGTON – He doesn’t have a vote in the process, but President-elect Barack Obama says college football needs a playoff system.
Florida defeated Oklahoma 24-14 on Thursday night to win the national college football championship.
The Gators’ victory has not stopped the annual debate — mostly among sports writers and other fans of the game — over whether the top four or eight teams should play each other to determine a national winner.
Obama, in a light moment at the end of a news conference, congratulated Florida for its victory but said other top teams such as Utah, the University of Southern California or Texas might have a case to make for being No. 1.
“If I’m Utah, if I’m USC, or if I’m Texas, I may still have some quibbles. And you’ve heard my pitch. That’s why we need a playoff,” he said.
College presidents have argued against a playoff system by saying it would take the student-athletes away from their studies for an extended period.
Photo credit: REUTERS/Jim Young (Obama holds a press conference in Washington, Jan. 9)
Div 1-AA students take the extra time off for playoffs, are they any less of student-athletes than D 1-A players?
Hell, most high school teams need to play 4 playoff games to win the state championship, but they manage to make it work. Hell, by bowl time all of the players are out of school for winter break anyways.
The BCS is a joke, and a scam to the sport of college football. Completely and utterly ridiculous that this is the system in place.