Score one for The Evil Empire: BCS TKO's MWC / A summation of 2008 BCS Corruption

Contrary to popular opinion, The Evil Empire is not the New York Yankees. Rather it is the College Football Bowl Championship Series. Why? Simply put, so-call conference commissioners are ravaging any playoff hopes in the pursuit of money and power. It is a power play of such epidemic proportions that undoubtedly many dissertations have been written on this very subject.

The BCS is undeniably inept and corrupt. Remember last season when it became painfully obvious to the tartiest of dolts that there needed to be a playoff system in college football? Though it was clear to all honest and reasonable persons at its outset in 1997.

This week, the Mountain West Conference reluctantly signed onto the agreement, knowing that if they did not do so they would lose their potential consolation at-large bid and funds to help their football programs continue to evolve.

They did so, knowing that it would continue to be the same system that relegated a team like the 2008 Utah Utes (13-0) to the ranking of number two and snub them from a championship game that they so rightfully deserved.

We all remember how haywire the system was:

• USC was practically anointed to go to the championship game. They faced an uphill battle after losing at Corvalis to a good Oregon State football team that ended up being ranked #18. No amount of blowout victories could quite give USC redemption. Though, one could argue that cosmic justice was served as Pete Carroll, the USC head coach suddenly became an outspoken critic of the BCS. In USC's recent golden years of going undefeated a weaker conference, yet going unquestioned to the championship game, Carroll was unwilling to admit to the flaws that were grossly inherent in the system.
• Then how about Texas. They beat then #1 ranked Oklahoma at home, 45-35. Despite the belief of most pundits that Oklahoma would have easily won by ten or more on their home field, the BCS had no problem proclaiming Texas to be in the national championship game if they held serve.
• Alas then Texas Tech Red Raiders came onto the scene, beating the Texas Longhorns 39-33. Suddenly, they were championship contenders. And oddly enough, that loss not only propelled the Red Raiders, but it pushed the Longhorns behind the Oklahoma Sooners in the BCS rankings. What? As the great Gob Bluthe would say, "C'MON!
• Then when Texas Tech failed to punch their championship ticket, losing 65-21 at Oklahoma, all of the sudden the trio of Big Twelve teams that round robbin beat each other (Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech) were no longer in the championship picture. Instead we were looking at undefeated Alabama vs Florida. Undefeated Utah had beat Michigan at The Big House, beat #12 TCU and even if and when they beat #14 BYU it would not matter. Nobody was crying bloody rape about it, though we certainly saw that another Boise State type football team would not get the chance to leave it all on the field, with all due respect to the greatest game in college football history (as I am referring to rankings, not heart).
• And why was Utah, a viable championship contender completely denied any realistic shot at being in the championship game? If you said it is because there is no playoff system in place or you chose that the corrupt BCS that favors "big conference teams" then you'd be correct. In this case Utah's credentials were overlooked. They had to wait and see if the heavens aligned and one loss teams, USC, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma and possibly even Penn State would all lose their second games. Preposterous.

• Florida would be the chosen one (literally chosen) after a win over then undefeated Alabama.. This despite Florida losing to unranked and unhallowed Ole Miss. Though to be fair to Ole Miss; they were a good Oregon State type football team that probably deserved to finish in the top 25 as they went 9-4, only losing by a combined 19 points in there four losses. But alas, the media's obsession with Tim Tebow and their desire for his 'pledge' to come full circle in a Disney type, high selling story clearly gave the Florida the edge over the undefeated Utah, and other one loss contenders like USC, Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama. And without getting into mind numbing details, the schedule strengths and wins were generally of a comparable nature.
  
• The third estate's marginalizes any "small conference team" that comes along, thus propping up the corruption that is inherent in the sytem, to paraphrase Monty Python. Face it, a BYU, Utah, Boise State, Fresno State or whoever can be the best team or one of the best teams. But it is basically like a top Nascar race car starting in the 50th position in a 20 lap race.
• In the end, Oklahoma got the nod as the other one loss team to take on Florida in the national championship
  

In the end, Oklahoma got the nod as the other one loss team to be in the national championship. And what happened to Alabama, who would have went to the championship and would have denied Florida a championship game by simply winning their conference match-up? They would lose their BCS game to none other than the undefeated Utah.

Utah, the team which according to the BCS merited no consideration to be in the national championship game beat Alabama, who would have been assured a championship game with an undefeated season. It was as if they saw the opportunity to punch a corrupt system in the face and they took it!

Although, other fans like myself simply did not dignify a paper trophy championship, with some due respect to Florida and Oklahoma. I did not tune into a single down of that sham of a championship. Many Mountain West administrators likely did not either.

But sadly, those same indignant administrators caved by signing into the BCS through 2013. Or perhaps they took what they viewed as the best option on the table for their conference. After all, without the possibility of an at-large bid into one of BCS non-championship games, the schools would suffer financially and practically.

They could have taken the higher road and been a martyr, but perhaps that was not prudent (for them personally, besides the teams they represent). Instead the Mountain West had their eight team playoff idea shot down by ten other conferences and Notre Dame. This happened amidst, Senate hearings into whether the BCS broke anti-trust laws. But in these crazy times when ABC owns ESPN, General Electric owns NBC, the government has big stakes in AIG and GMC and many sports are natural (supposedly regulated) monopolies, why would we expect anything to come of those hearings?

Fans, you have to tune out if you want to see change. Money is the only language the "big conferences" know.
Picture 1: BCS corruption drawing
Picture 2: Utah fans celebrate their 13-0 2008 season
Picture 3: 'Bribery'