Utah AG: BCS may violate antitrust laws

[Pirate Pride]

Agree that it would be better than nothing, but I really hope we don't get plus 1. Reason being, it would take another 5-8 years get people to wake up and realize that stinks too.

[SEMPERFIFALCON]

What violation has been committed? What does the state of Utah and its citizens get out of this ? What crime is being investigated?

 

Seemed pretty simple to me. It was plainly stated in the first paragraph, but I’ll post it here without all the fluff in the middle.

 

Attorney General Mark Shurtleff contends the BCS unfairly puts schools like Utah, which is a member of a conference without an automatic bid to the lucrative bowl games, at a competitive and financial disadvantage.

"We've established that from the very first day, from the very first kickoff in the college season, more than half of the schools are put on an unlevel playing field," Shurtleff said Tuesday. "They will never be allowed to play for a national championship."

 

Shurtleff said his office is still in the initial stages of reviewing the Sherman Antitrust Act to see if a lawsuit can be filed. To succeed in a lawsuit, he would have to prove a conspiracy exists that creates a monopoly.

 

So there it is Utah AG thinks there is a system in place which creates a monopoly, doesn’t seem hard to prove to me, how many non-BCS conference teams have won the National Championship or for that matter even had the chance to play for it, that seems like a monopoly to me…

[RockPride]

While I think the AG has a very valid argument....and he's dead on, that when the season starts, only 55 or so teams "can" win the title.....here's what I'd do to up the pressure.

 

If I were Utah's AD, I would take ad's out in the biggest newspapers in the country, publicly asking USC, OSU, Texas, LSU, Florida, etc...for games....if those teams don't give in, then put the pressure on in the media.....if you go undefeated with a schedule that has only 2 of the above teams, it would be awfully tough to leave you out.

[woodsrider]

Seemed pretty simple to me. It was plainly stated in the first paragraph, but I’ll post it here without all the fluff in the middle.

 

Attorney General Mark Shurtleff contends the BCS unfairly puts schools like Utah, which is a member of a conference without an automatic bid to the lucrative bowl games, at a competitive and financial disadvantage.

"We've established that from the very first day, from the very first kickoff in the college season, more than half of the schools are put on an unlevel playing field," Shurtleff said Tuesday. "They will never be allowed to play for a national championship."

 

Shurtleff said his office is still in the initial stages of reviewing the Sherman Antitrust Act to see if a lawsuit can be filed. To succeed in a lawsuit, he would have to prove a conspiracy exists that creates a monopoly.

 

So there it is Utah AG thinks there is a system in place which creates a monopoly, doesn’t seem hard to prove to me, how many non-BCS conference teams have won the National Championship or for that matter even had the chance to play for it, that seems like a monopoly to me…

How many have deserved the chance to play for it? One, maybe? If Utah doesn't like the system they should put USC on the schedule. I guarantee you if they would have beaten USC in a regular season game this year they would be playing Thursday night. All of these mid majors that want to whine and cry about getting left out need to have at least one monster program on their schedule. I didn't see that on Utah's schedule this year. Yes, they had some nice wins but their best regular season win was TCU and that was a conference game.

[woodsrider]

While I think the AG has a very valid argument....and he's dead on, that when the season starts, only 55 or so teams "can" win the title.....here's what I'd do to up the pressure.

 

If I were Utah's AD, I would take ad's out in the biggest newspapers in the country, publicly asking USC, OSU, Texas, LSU, Florida, etc...for games....if those teams don't give in, then put the pressure on in the media.....if you go undefeated with a schedule that has only 2 of the above teams, it would be awfully tough to leave you out.

There is a pretty good reason for that. Non BCS conference schools have made 7 appearances in BCS bowls with a record of 3-4 overall.

[formerkywrestler]

How many have deserved the chance to play for it? One, maybe? If Utah doesn't like the system they should put USC on the schedule. I guarantee you if they would have beaten USC in a regular season game this year they would be playing Thursday night. All of these mid majors that want to whine and cry about getting left out need to have at least one monster program on their schedule. I didn't see that on Utah's schedule this year. Yes, they had some nice wins but their best regular season win was TCU and that was a conference game.

They put Michigan on their schedule...they couldn't predict that Michigan would fall off the football planet in two years.

[RockPride]

There is a pretty good reason for that. Non BCS conference schools have made 7 appearances in BCS bowls with a record of 3-4 overall.

What's the Big 11's record the last seven years?

[formerkywrestler]

There is a pretty good reason for that. Non BCS conference schools have made 7 appearances in BCS bowls with a record of 3-4 overall.

I only know of four appearances:

 

2004-05 Season

 

Utah def. Pittsburgh

 

 

2006-07 Season

 

Boise State def. Oklahoma

 

 

2007-08 Season

 

Georgia def. Hawaii

 

 

2008-09 Season

 

Utah def. Alabama

 

I only see these four and their record is 3-1...not too shabby.

[SEMPERFIFALCON]

How many have deserved the chance to play for it? One, maybe? If Utah doesn't like the system they should put USC on the schedule. I guarantee you if they would have beaten USC in a regular season game this year they would be playing Thursday night. All of these mid majors that want to whine and cry about getting left out need to have at least one monster program on their schedule. I didn't see that on Utah's schedule this year. Yes, they had some nice wins but their best regular season win was TCU and that was a conference game.

 

For the sake of argument lets agree and say one, how many does it take getting left out to make it a valid argument? Seems as though one would be enough.

[SEMPERFIFALCON]

They put Michigan on their schedule...they couldn't predict that Michigan would fall off the football planet in two years.

 

Lets not forget that Utah also beat the only team that beat USC (Oregon St.)…

[woodsrider]

They put Michigan on their schedule...they couldn't predict that Michigan would fall off the football planet in two years.

When was Michigan scheduled?

[woodsrider]

What's the Big 11's record the last seven years?

8-11 with a national title.

[woodsrider]

I only know of four appearances:

 

2004-05 Season

 

Utah def. Pittsburgh

 

 

2006-07 Season

 

Boise State def. Oklahoma

 

 

2007-08 Season

 

Georgia def. Hawaii

 

 

2008-09 Season

 

Utah def. Alabama

 

I only see these four and their record is 3-1...not too shabby.

ND has 3 with 3 losses.

[formerkywrestler]

When was Michigan scheduled?

I'd assume sometime last year when Michigan was still highly regarded.

 

Let's not forget, last year Utah came to Louisville and handed the Cards an L...this was right after Louisville's Orange Bowl victory. I think that the argument Utah avoids teams is weak. They schedule good teams and their conference isn't that weak at all.

[formerkywrestler]

ND has 3 with 3 losses.

Notre Dame is a BCS school. They make a special exception for them. So they don't count.