BCS system has flaws, but it does work

ORLANDO, Fla. – Here are a few easy steps of self-help therapy for everybody who continues to whine about the BCS:

1. Go to amazon.com

2. Search for M. Scott Peck’s book called “The Road Less Traveled.”

3. Buy a copy.

4. Read it.

5. Feel better.

The premise of Mr. Peck’s book is that life is hard. Once we grasp that, we can move on and learn to deal with the hardships that follow. Or in his words, “We must be willing to fail and to appreciate the truth that often life is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be lived.”

There are too many people trying to solve the BCS “problem” in college football today. It’s not just any Dan or Dave in Utah still fuming about the lack of BCS love for the undefeated Utes.

No, we have Important People in on the conversation. Our President isn’t happy. He wants an eight-team playoff to determine a national champion.

“Amen!” say some legislators, who summoned BCS officials to a consumer protection subcommittee in Washington last week to chastise them for the way they do business.

Just what we need: political leaders waving their college pompoms in front of the ESPN cameras.

This country is dealing with a few more issues that, dare I say, are slightly more important.

The economy is still teetering, our health-care system needs overhauling, our auto industry may soon be reduced to manufacturing Hot Wheels, and we’re terrified that the swine flu is coming to town.

But here’s Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, out to save the world from a bigger threat, Hoss.

He’s introduced legislation that would prevent the NCAA from calling a game a national championship unless it involves a playoff.

“It’s like communism,” Barton said last week. “You can’t fix it.”

Next thing you know, Fidel Castro will be named associate commish of the SEC.

Excuse me. What’s there to fix?

The college system will always be imperfect. Even with a playoff, you’d still need polls and computer rankings to seed the teams. One proposal calls for creating a 12-member committee to select and seed the eight playoff teams.

The odd team out, and a handful of others, are still going to be peeved.

I’m not the biggest fan of the BCS system, either. But at least the lords of college football acquiesced to pressure to change the system from the good ol’ boy network picking bowl teams.

And at least the BCS gives football fans a credible matchup for a national title. The alternative could be chaotic.

The system continues to thrive despite its flaws.

“Celebrate our differences,” is another notable quote from Mr. Peck.

In trying to be everything to everyone, the playoff cheerleaders forget that not all college football teams are created equal. There can be much to celebrate if you cheer for Boise State, Hawaii, BYU or Utah. That experience doesn’t need the validation of the BCS, or a yappy Congressman with too much time on his hands.