Proof is the bottom line for everyone
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| Wide open for the score. |
For years, fans of West Coast college football teams have argued that their teams haven't gotten the respect they deserve – that teams from the big conferences back east and in the Midwest have gotten more glory than they should.
Well, now most of the West Coast universities are in those conferences, and there's a playoff system in which a dozen teams from all around the country get a crack at the national title. So the validity of those complaints is being put to the test. And in this first year of the playoffs, the West Coast teams have bombed out.
The Oregon Ducks were humiliated by Ohio State in a playoff game yesterday, and the night before, Boise State was annihilated by Penn State. Arizona State put on a decent show against Texas, but in double overtime the Longhorns prevailed. And so the West Coast is now 0–3 all time in the tournament. Fans out this way will have to quiet down, at least for a while. (Today it's Notre Dame versus Georgia.)
While this drama was unfolding, I read some interesting writing by some legal types who wondered how long the NCAA, the national organization overseeing college sports, can continue to say with a straight face that it's a tax-exempt organization. So many of the players in the big sports are getting paid, in deals whose terms are secret, that it's hard to see the NCAA as being any longer operated exclusively "to foster... amateur sports competition."
I suppose that the same objection could be raised about the various conferences. And the universities might worry about crossing the line into operating a business that is "unrelated" to their educational mission, and therefore taxable. Traditionally, in interacting with the tax system, the college sports programs have thrown the word "amateur" around to an extreme degree. Nowadays, it's far, far removed from reality.
Anyway, condolences to the Duck fans. I'm sorry they lost. Honest.
Chip Kelly had a plan drawn up and his team executed it flawlessly in the first half. This Beaver fan got a good hee haw out of the whole exercise.
ReplyDeleteMy four-team parlay pays off handsomely should Georgia beat Notre Dame later today.
Georgia's out their regular quarterback. I'm not at all confident, but miracles do happen. Go Dawgs!
DeleteMany decades ago, a baseball legend responded to my adolescent inquiry by saying “ you win some, you lose some and some get rained out”. I kinda like his view of sports. I’m a beaver fan. But, I root for local teams. Yesterday wasn’t the Ducks day. They’ve had many this year and next year looks promising.
ReplyDeleteThat was a really tough matchup. Ohio State is likely the most talented team in the playoffs. Ironic that Chip Kelly drew up a brilliant offensive scheme that put the game away early.
ReplyDeleteAgree that teams that spend millions of dollars on football get the best players and the whole thing is definitely for profit.
Your observations about the business of College sports are right on. I am not a big sports fan in the first place, but do like to see local teams do well. Oregon is a great team and the program has become a true football powerhouse, however............if $100MM was poured over the years into Laramie, Grand Forks, Pocatello, or El Paso, those programs would attract the top players and coaches and be powerhouses as well.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about the money.