Inside The W Hotel in Manhattan on Wednesday morning, they sat side-by-side on a platform. Five of the most powerful men in college athletics -- the conference commissioners from the Big Ten, SEC, Pac-10, Big 12 and Big East. Also part of the panel was Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson.

 

Although Benson was seated with the group at IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, it's very obvious: Benson and his league are clearly viewed as an outsider by the big boys.

 

And college football's behemoths -- the automatic qualifying BCS conference commissioners -- vow they'll keep it that way.

 

They indicated that after providing the non-automatic qualifying leagues unprecedented financial reward and access to the BCS bowls in the past, enough is enough. They flat out said if those leagues try to get even more there could be dire consequences.

 

"Don't push it past this because if you push it past this, the Big 12's position is we'll just go back to the old (bowl) system," Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe told FanHouse. "You're getting the ability to get to places you've never gotten before. We've Jerry-rigged the free market system to the benefit of those institutions and a lot are institutions that don't even fill their stadiums."

 

http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/12/09/jim-delany-warns-non-aq-leagues-dont-expect-more-than-youre/

Delany, then, not so subtly drew a line in the sand.

 

"The only thing I would say, if you think you (the non-automatic qualifying leagues) can continue to pressure the system and we'll just naturally provide more and more and more," Delany said. "I don't think that's an assumption that our presidents, athletic directors, football coaches and commissioners necessarily agree with.

 

"Karl (Benson) says we like this contract and we want more. Well, we've got fatigue for defending a system that's under a lot of pressure. The pressure is for more. It's never enough."

If they're willing to "draw a line in the sand," so to speak, then they should put their money where their mouth is and open up their scheduling to home-and-home oppos with the Boise States and TCUs of the world. On top of that, I would argue that there should be scrutiny over the garbage non-conference schedules that most BCS schools play. Schools like TCU and Boise are begging for better schedules, but they can't get them because the BCS schools are too pansy to give them the chance on the fear they might lose face (and lose their convenient argument against granting greater access to the franchise).

 

Bottom line is the Boise States and TCUs of the world are fighting the same type of battle black folks did in this country in the '50s and '60s. The sad part is there may be more money at stake now -- over something as ridiculously insignificant as football -- than there was then.

For what it's worth, my argument applies to college basketball as well.

If they're willing to "draw a line in the sand," so to speak, then they should put their money where their mouth is and open up their scheduling to home-and-home oppos with the Boise States and TCUs of the world. On top of that, I would argue that there should be scrutiny over the garbage non-conference schedules that most BCS schools play.

 

So you want teams to open up and play WAC/MWAC teams, but only the ones you deem worthy?

I would like the NCAA step in and take control of this. The NCAA acts like they have no control, but how do they have control of all other sports? I know this might be a novice view, but it sure seems like the NCAA wields a heavy hand in everything else then feigns "out of our hands" when it comes to football. It doesn't add up.

You really just compared the college football bowl system to the civil rights issues faced by African-Americans? Wow, now I've really heard everything...

If they're willing to "draw a line in the sand," so to speak, then they should put their money where their mouth is and open up their scheduling to home-and-home oppos with the Boise States and TCUs of the world. On top of that, I would argue that there should be scrutiny over the garbage non-conference schedules that most BCS schools play. Schools like TCU and Boise are begging for better schedules, but they can't get them because the BCS schools are too pansy to give them the chance on the fear they might lose face (and lose their convenient argument against granting greater access to the franchise).

 

Bottom line is the Boise States and TCUs of the world are fighting the same type of battle black folks did in this country in the '50s and '60s. The sad part is there may be more money at stake now -- over something as ridiculously insignificant as football -- than there was then.

Who do you think needs to play them? VT and Oregon St both played Boise. Oregon played them last year. Nebraska tried to schedule a home and home with them but Boise wanted more money. Oregon St and Baylor both played TCU this year. Clemson played TCU last year. OU played them in 08 and Baylor and Texas in 07.

I would like the NCAA step in and take control of this. The NCAA acts like they have no control, but how do they have control of all other sports? I know this might be a novice view, but it sure seems like the NCAA wields a heavy hand in everything else then feigns "out of our hands" when it comes to football. It doesn't add up.

 

Unlike other sports, football generates too much money for the NCAA to control.

 

Remember the College Football Association? When the NCAA tried to prevent the big time football schools from negotiating their own TV packages, the big schools formed their own organization to do so. When the NCAA threatened to expel members of the CFA, the association filed suit. The Supreme Court found the NCAA in violation of the Sherman Act and the organization was forced to acquiesce. The fallout of the CFA resulted in the way conferences negotiate their own deals now.

 

That was when there was a whole lot less money involved, relatively and literally. Do you think the NCAA will challenge the BCS schools now?

If this doesn't show you how bad of an idea the BCS is then we'll likely have it forever.

 

"The problem," Delany interrupted, "is your big stage takes away opportunities for my teams, to play on the stage they created in 1902."

 

Arrogance and ignorance, IMO.

 

Make an 8 team playoff, morons.

If this doesn't show you how bad of an idea the BCS is then we'll likely have it forever.

 

"The problem," Delany interrupted, "is your big stage takes away opportunities for my teams, to play on the stage they created in 1902."

 

Arrogance and ignorance, IMO.

 

Make an 8 team playoff, morons.

 

More like protecting their interests. If there is a playoff control moves to the NCAA and that simply isn't going to happen. No way in hell do the big 6 conferences let the NCAA get their paws in the cookie jar...

If this doesn't show you how bad of an idea the BCS is then we'll likely have it forever.

 

"The problem," Delany interrupted, "is your big stage takes away opportunities for my teams, to play on the stage they created in 1902."

 

Arrogance and ignorance, IMO.

 

Make an 8 team playoff, morons.

 

Teams like Boise are praying the system stays as is....They know in a 1 game situation where they have a month to let injuries heal, and gameplan, they can play with anyone. They also know in a playoff system, with only a week of recovery and gameplanning, they have no shot at a title.

More like protecting their interests. If there is a playoff control moves to the NCAA and that simply isn't going to happen. No way in hell do the big 6 conferences let the NCAA get their paws in the cookie jar...

 

Most definitely!

I love the college football system!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It makes games interesting in the regular system that would be boring without it.

Who would have cared about Auburn/South Caronlina except because it had National Championship ramifications.

I love the college football system!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It makes games interesting in the regular system that would be boring without it.

Who would have cared about Auburn/South Caronlina except because it had National Championship ramifications.

Even with a 16-team playoff, lots of people would for two reasons ... it was the SEC championship game and South Carolina would have been playing for a spot in a playoff.

 

Do you consider the college basketball regular season boring?