O.K. -- just at the most superficial level pointing out why some are choking at your posts here:
1. You said "and the general public's own bias." Where in the determination of an athletic champion -- much less the rights of student athletes in mostly government institutions -- should the public's bias have any factor whatsoever?It shouldn't but it will. Television, namely ESPN will spend 4 months shaping that bias. The committee tasked with selecting the participants in this new playoff won't be above this bias. Do you really think MLB is going to forego the playoffs and just let the Yankees and Red Sox play in the World Series because that would generate the most interest? If they could get away with it, who knows? Personally I would be afraid to find out. Thankfully MLB has a 100+ year history of having its division champs, and now wildcards, play it out on the field. NCAA Football has a century+ of conference commissioners, bowl committees, and TV Executives deciding who would be allowed to play for a title. They will not cede that control over night. IMO The new tournament will be a simple evolution of an already corrupt existing formula.
2. You make statements about conferences being better as if that should be relevant. We are dealing with governmental entities? Why don't they have rights based on performance, where, for example, UConn's would be superior to say Vanderbilt's? Why do you -- why should anyone -- accept the starting point that any benefits from a governmental system should be distributed based on whom you associate, rather than individual characteristics of individual schools Personally I would have no problem with every school being independent, setting a schedule, and having to sink or swim on their own merits. However with schools sponsoring 30+ sports that is basically impossible. In an ideal world UCONN would be judged on what it achieves on the field. In the real world the public just says "Yeah but UCONN is in the AAC, so it is not that impressive." Fair? Hell no. Reality. Sadly yes.
Enough. There is no real theoretical justification for any of this. This is about ADs trying to grab money, not for the benefit of shareholders (which is the justification for self serving actions in the private sector) but so they can get bigger salaries and Presidents trying to improve their school's prestige to help their resume and ego. It deserves no more discussion than that.You'll get no argument from me. When it comes to the future of college sports I hope for the best but expect the worst. I.E. The SEC running a semi pro league with pros masquerading as "student athletes" Oh wait...
