US Congress gets busy with college football

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:50:39 GMT

http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=113316&sectionid=3510203

At a time when President Barack Obama is struggling with the economy, two unpopular wars and growing unpopularity at home, Congress is taking the time out to press for a playoff system for college football.

A House panel is expected on Wednesday to discuss a ban on promoting a postseason NCAA Division I football game as a national championship unless it is the outcome of a playoff.

"With everything going on in the country, I can't believe that Congress is wasting time and spending taxpayers' money on football," Bill Hancock, the Bowl Championship Series executive director, said in a phone interview with the Associated Press.

"We feel strongly that managing of college sports is best left to the people in higher education."

Texas congressman Joe Barton, who has sponsored the legislation, says Congress should focus on college football since, at this level, it is "a multibillion-dollar business."

"With telecommunications, you're dealing with AT&T and Verizon and Sprint, and in this case you're dealing with the SEC and the Big 12 and the Pac-10," said Barton, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "It's the same basic economic model."

Football officials, meanwhile, seem unworried by the prospects of Barton's bill.

"We just can't imagine that the members of Congress will think it's their job to dictate how college football should be played," Hancock said.