Lou Holtz has the right idea
By Staff
Charles Prince, Sports Editor
South Carolina head football coach Lou Holtz is known for his one-liners, in addition to his coaching.
Holtz delivered the most memorable line of SEC Media Days when he was questioned about Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer's decision not to attend the event due to his possibly being subpoenaed in a lawsuit currently pending in the state of Alabama.
"I'm surprised at his decision," Holtz said. "Because I've always said, 'I'd rather talk to a lawyer than the media any day.'"
After the eruption of laughter died down in the room, Holtz went on to add several more quips.
He would later make some of the most profound comments of the week when he discussed the possibility of a college football playoff.
"I'd like to see the bowls go back to the tie-ins with the conferences and do away with the Bowl Championship Series," Holtz said. "I may get fined for saying this, but it would be the best way for college football to proceed."
"No one really cares about any of the games in the BCS, except the championship game," Holtz continued. "The other games don't sell out. Let's make them important again.
"I'd like to see the conference champions of the SEC and ACC meet in the Sugar Bowl," Holtz said. "The Big 12 champion would meet an at-large team or a conference champion in the Orange Bowl. Put the PAC 10 and Big 10 champs against each other in the Rose Bowl. Determine which of the other teams deserve to play in the Fiesta Bowl.
"After the four major bowls are played, take the winners and have a two-week playoff," Holtz said.
Thinking ahead, knowing that some people would object to this idea because this might cause the players to miss class time, he pointed out that most colleges are not holding classes the first week of January.
"Then the two winners meet two weeks after New Year's and decide the championship," Holtz said. "If we do it that way, the four major bowls will all be sold out, because they'll be important. They'll be producing the teams going into the playoff."
I must admit his statements make more sense than anything else I have ever heard proposed on a college playoff. It's certainly more reasonable than the system we have in place now with the BCS.
To call it a championship series when only one game decides the title is nothing short of stupid.
His idea would bring back the days of several teams having a shot at the title on New Year's Day. That made each game an important one with everyone watching to see if the outcome would affect their team's chances at a title.
Lou Holtz has put forth the best idea ever for what college football fans really want-a playoff, with the champion decided on the field.
