I used to be a big fan of the idea of a playoff system but have all but abounded that idea as worse than anything we have now for a few reasons. The biggest is the increased number of games played by players that have the most chance to be paid on sundays. I know there is already too many games but any playoff system would add at least one extra game but most likely 2 to 3 extra games with the two final teams playing anywhere from 13 to 15 games. That is just an undue risk to the player for little reward for that player.

Second, it will kill the only regular season that means anything. Granted an early loss means less than a late loss but a team that with even one loss will still need help to play for the national championship. On top of that teams will be even more likely to load up on cupcakes than before to insure they get to 10 wins and a spot. Why would USC or OSU take a chance against each other in September when they could just wait for December in the playoffs.

Third, it will not end the arguments. Take the Big 12 this year but assume that Texas Tech only lost to Oklahoma there would still be 3 teams in the top 5 where only 2 get a chance to go. Not at all different than what we have with Texas and Oklahoma now. Or how about how the SEC will whine its way into a defacto automatic at large bid.

But, the biggest problem I have is fine this makes the schools a lot more money but what about the kids? They will not be seeing this cash and to the kid what is more important having a week or two vacation in sunny California going on the Tonight show and Knotts Barry Farm or staying in a hotel room in Columbus, Ohio or College Station? The bowls are one of the very few perks that the athlete can legally get. Why does anyone want to take that away?

Since most songs are either about love and or sex do these lyrics surprise you. Some are kind of cheesy but so what that does not mean they are degrading unless you think sex is degrading. The Usher line you quoted cheesy not degrading. Nickleback is not my thing but without context to know if it was said in a joking manner makes a world of difference and since this is broadsheet I will assume that Nickleback where joking around. Perry's song again not sexist or degrading unless you think your flow is some magical moment that can never be used in any fashion. Pharrell's line chessy as fuck maybe even crude but not sexist or degrading to anyone but himself are your sensibilities.

Finally we get to Lil Wayne. Love the snark about being the most acclaimed album of the year do you know what else was acclaimed as the best of the year, Raging Bull, Godfather 1 and 2, Pulp Fiction to name just a few so I guess they really aren't because they promote violence and view points I disagree with. But of course the line is not sexist just because he talks an issue that deals mostly with women.

Tylerfaith he claims that extra games mean extra risk of injury for potential pros - unless I'm mistaken, elite players can obtain insurance in case of catastrophic injury while still in college

A few points on this. The player has to pay for this out of their own pocket with a cheap one game policy starting at 10k and a policy covering the senior year starting at around 35k to 45k this for only a couple million. Yes the policy payout sounds like a lot but when you are talking about a rookie contract that guarantees that money for pretty much all first 3 to 4 rounders. The policy will only pay out if the player can not play for 1 full year and does not pay for the loss of draft slot. There might be 2 to 10 players that can pay for this policy with there own money so the rest have to depend on their family to pay which many if not most can not afford to pay.

If the NCAA would allow the players to sign with an agent before the senior year this might be a viable solution or if the schools could take out this insurance in the name of the players but loss of draft slot has to be included.

two, you don't need to scrap the bowls just because there's a playoff

If there is a playoff the bowls loose what makes them special. There is not a coach on earth that will let the players take part in the festivities if they know they have 1 or 2 more games afterward. Now the bowl game is a reward for most teams. That is why there are so many blowouts in the lessor bowls because there are so many coaches that know its a reward and not a real game.

J M F Q To be brief--the regular season matters except when it doesn't.

The regular season always matters its just us humans that can not see it correctly. Here is an example from just this year. Texas seems on the surface to have been screwed but here is why they where not. Ignore for a moment that they played each other.

Oklahoma lost one game to the number 3 team in the country by 10 points at a neutral site in a game that was closer than the game showed and had some questionable calls. They beat 6 ranked teams all by at least 20 points and four of them they scored 60 plus points.

Texas lost one game against the number 7 team by 6 on the road. They beat 3 teams in the top 25 one by 10, one by 4 and one blowout.

Texas Tech lost one game against the number 2 team in a blowout beat 2 top 25 teams in blowouts and won one by 6 points.

Oklahoma overall beat the common opponents by larger margins than that of Texas or Texas Tech.

Oklahoma beat the team that beat Texas by 44

Texas Tech beat the team that beat Oklahoma by 6

Texas beat the team that beat Texas Tech by 10

So by ignoring heads up it is easy to see why a computer would see Oklahoma would come out ahead in a match up between the 3.

Personally I would like to see teams get bonus points for tough OOC scheduling weighing first based on the record of the team 3 years ago than 2 years ago than current record. That way teams are rewarded for taking on teams that looked good when they signed the contract. Points should be taken away if one team backs out. This way a team like say Florida that has historically ran like a bitch from competition in the regular season would be punished instead of whining themselves into title games.

acarsaid The top sixteen teams (but making sure every conference champ gets in) would start a playoff the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. It would be over the Saturday before Christmas.

So the players should just blow off there finals then? You are asking for an additional 3 games over the current system. There will be teams than that could end up playing 18 game seasons. 12 regular season games, if they play in Hawaii the bonus game, Conference championship and your playoff.

Sorry but outside of the BCS conferences there is no team that would have a chance in hell of making it that far. Boise State a couple years ago played the game of there lives to win in overtime against a non-elite Oklahoma. Utah beat a team from the worse BCS conference. The difference between the conference is only growing with the new huge contracts that the Big 10 and SEC got. If you think the current system sucks wait until a playoff when the final four will at least 3 or these four teams in it every single year USC, Florida, Ohio State and Texas. Except for USC the other 3 teams spend 100 million on athletics each year, USC spends about 40 million less but has a huge talent poll to itself.

peteolski I take exception to a couple of The Jim's points. He says that a bowl game is one of the few perks a player gets. What about an $80,000 education?

Do you believe in the tooth fairy too? Sorry for the snark but lets be real for a few minutes instead of believing the fiction that the NCAA sells.

Here is the grad rate for the current BCS teams

Florida 68 percent

Oklahoma 46 percent

Ohio State 52 percent

Texas 50 percent

Utah 57 percent

Alabama 55 percent

Penn St 78 percent and this is a top 10 program

USC 54 percent

Even the ones that graduate are majoring in soft majors like sociology or criminal justice and not say hard sciences. Yes I know there are exceptions to this rule but that is what they are exceptions. These players are discouraged from taking say Organic Chemistry and pushed into rocks for jokes. Read Robert Smiths book for a good look at this. Smith is one of the smartest football players in the last couple of decades and they where trying to push him to an easier track. So its not like the players have full access to classes like most other kids do. The players at top 50 schools practice and work out about 40 hours a week plus travel. And hell there is a sizable number of kids that are just not anywhere close to there classmates in education.