July 23, 2009

Mountain West calls off BCS dogs, takes the money

Despite the threatened lawsuits, Congressional testimony, and various fits of stomping & holding his breath to bring about a change in the BCS, Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson has apparently called off the dogs.

With little fanfare, the MWC signed onto the BCS television agreement this month, securing the conference's participation in (and cash flow from) the BCS until 2014. But... it's not about the money, Thompson insists. Oh no, he's doing it for the kids.

"We couldn't take our kids voluntarily out of the chance to play in a BCS bowl game," Thompson said during a state-of-the-conference address to media members at a Las Vegas-area casino resort. "As much as we would like to see change in the system, it is the only system."

Thompson said the conference will continue to pay $265,000 to a Washington lobbying firm to keep the BCS issue before Congress and will push for a change when the BCS contract expires in 2014.

Thompson vowed to "fight within and challenge within, and try to coerce and convince and cajole ... our fellow 10 conferences to change the system over the next couple years."

In the interim, the Mountain West Conference -- and every other conference -- will have the opportunity to play its way into an automatic qualifier status over the next four years.

Following the 2012 season, the BCS will review each conference to determine its automatic qualifier status based upon a combination of the following for the 2008 - 2012 seasons:

To his credit, Thompson acknowledged the MWC's opportunity to work within the system:

"If you perform and you win games and you're playing quality opponents and you're beating the Oklahomas, the Alabamas, the UCLAs, the Michigans, and all the people we've beaten," he said, "that should be our statement."

I couldn't agree more, Commissioner.

Comments:

Mountain West calls off BCS dogs, takes the money
Despite the threatened lawsuits, Congressional testimony, and various fits of stomping & holding his breath to bring about a change in the BCS, Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson has apparently called off the dogs. With little fanfare, the MWC signed onto the BCS television agreement this month, securing the conference's participation in (and cash flow from) the BCS until 2014. But... it's not about the money, Thompson insists. Oh no, he's doing it for the kids.
"We couldn't take our kids voluntarily out of the chance to play in a BCS bowl game," Thompson said during a state-of-the-conference address to media members at a Las Vegas-area casino resort. "As much as we would like to see change in the system, it is the only system."
Thompson said the conference will continue to pay $265,000 to a Washington lobbying firm to keep the BCS issue before Congress and will push for a change when the BCS contract expires in 2014.
Thompson vowed to "fight within and challenge within, and try to coerce and convince and cajole ... our fellow 10 conferences to change the system over the next couple years."
In the interim, the Mountain West Conference -- and every other conference -- will have the opportunity to play its way into an automatic qualifier status over the next four years. Following the 2012 season, the BCS will review each conference to determine its automatic qualifier status based upon a combination of the following for the 2008 - 2012 seasons:
highest ranking of a conference team in each year's final BCS standings,
each year's conference strength based on BCS computers,
the number of teams in each year's final BCS poll.
To his credit, Thompson acknowledged the MWC's opportunity to work within the system:
"If you perform and you win games and you're playing quality opponents and you're beating the Oklahomas, the Alabamas, the UCLAs, the Michigans, and all the people we've beaten," he said, "that should be our statement."
I couldn't agree more, Commissioner.