The Kennedy Proposal

[EWURanger]

Interesting read(s), and what the FBS really needs. Really no big suprise that it came from an EWU alum.

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http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Ia ... osts/81165" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Brandon E. Kennedy submits the following proposal (the Kennedy Proposal) to improve the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) to its fellow Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences and the University of Notre Dame. The Kennedy proposal covers the 2010 through 2013 seasons. The Kennedy proposal addresses the current inequities and unfairness within the BCS system by affording each FBS team their divine right to win an undisputed National Championship. In a nutshell, a bracketed playoff tournament will be inserted between the NCAA FBS regular season and the January BCS bowl games.

The Kennedy Proposal helps the BCS by

1. Improving team selection by creating an official partnership between the BCS and NCAA.

2. Using a familiar NCAA college playoff format.

3. Maintaining the relationship with the current Bowl system.

4. Keeping the academic schedules of the student-athletes reasonable.

5. Enhancing the integrity of the FBS regular season.

Improving Team Selection

On BCS Selection Sunday, the BCS would use their 7* Automatic Qualifiers and 3 at-large bids to select which teams will compete in their BCS bowl games. After the teams have been selected, the BCS will use their final rankings of the season and seed the teams 1-10. These ten teams will play in a bracketed tournament (see diagram A) This is similar to the NCAA basketball selection. The eight schools that do not advance to the National Championship through bracket play are still rewarded with their respective BCS bowl games as announced on Selection Sunday. The NCAA must protect the students-athletes’ abilities to maintain proper rest and adequate study sessions; therefore, the BCS must allow each team at least seven days rest before asking them to compete in their January bowl games.

This method creates the following benefits:

A. Smaller margin for inequities and unfairness within the BCS system

B. Official partnership between the BCS and NCAA; NCAA has ownership of playoffs, and BCS still controls their bowl games

C. Current or future BCS contracts are not breached

D. Completion of the FBS season on the current system’s date

E. Millions of dollars generated for the universities, the conferences, the communities, and the NCAA

F. Definitive and more widely accepted National Champion

*If any team is undefeated and ranked in the Top12 of the final BCS poll they will receive an Automatic Qualifier.

The Format

The number one and number two teams of the final BCS rankings always receive a two-game bye, which essentially inserts them into the semi-finals. Using the 2008 season but the 2009 dates as our model, Oklahoma and Florida would have been No. 1 and No. 2 respectively and thus would receive a two-game bye.

The Texas Longhorns (3), Alabama Crimson Tide (4), USC Trojans (5), Utah Utes (6), Penn State Nittany Lions (7), Ohio State Buckeyes (8), Cincinnati Bearcats (9), and Virginia Tech Hokies (10).

This playoff structure is similar to the Pac –Ten basketball tournaments. Team with highest seed will host games. (see diagram A)

This method creates the following benefits:

A. Allowing the majority of FBS teams a chance at the National Championship

B. Affording the players, coaches, and fans a playoff while keeping the BCS bowl games

Maintaining the Relationship with the Bowl System

The Kennedy proposal adds a playoff without ridding the FBS post-season of the 100-year relationship with the bowl season.

This method creates the following benefit: Enhances the FBS post-season by adding eight games.

Academic Schedules

The maximum numbers of games any team could compete during any FBS season is 17. This is one additional game than the Football Championship Series (FCS). Instead of having three resting weeks the teams will compete and settle a national championship on the field of play.

This method creates the following benefits:

A. Limits the FBS season to one semester/quarter

B. Honors the student-athletes’ study sessions and resting periods

C. Enables a playoff while enhancing the greatest regular season of all sports

Enhancing the FBS regular season

An opening week loss and/or a closing week loss may still dramatically affect the outcome of teams’ BCS bowl chances, or possibly eliminate them. One loss could be the difference between starting the playoffs in the semi-finals or the first round.

This method creates the following benefits:

A. Games gain importance because teams could gain/lose home field advantage.

B. No team will benefit from resting players during the last week of the season.

The Kennedy Proposal does NOT replace the BCS bowls with a playoff. Instead, it just adds a mini-playoff BEFORE the BCS games to definitively match the number one and number two teams within the bowl system in the national championship game while creating exciting match-ups in four other bowl games. The Kennedy proposal decides a more widely accepted FBS National Champion while enhancing fairness, equality, and the integrity of the FBS season.

First round: ** (3)Texas *vs.* (10) VTech ** (5)USC vs*.* (8) Ohio State

winners of those two games advance, compete, and winner will play at *(2) Florida*

First Round: *(6) Utah vs.* (7) Penn State *(4) Alabama vs.* (9) Cincinnati

winners of those two games advance, compete, and winner will play at *(1) Oklahoma*

Note: Highest seed remaining host game BCS Bowl games:

Rose Bowl presented by Citi: January 1*, 2010

AllState Sugar Bowl: January 1*, 2010

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: January 4, 2010

Fed Ex Orange Bowl: Januaury 5, 2010

BCS National Championship Game: January 7, 2010

*The Rose Bowl and/or Sugar Bowl may have to be played on January 2, 2010 depending on bracket play.

I am currently living in the streets of D.C and promoting my proposal. Senator Cantwell and her staff are reviewing my work, (138 pages Microsoft Word). I will soon be heading down to Congressman Joe Barton (R-Texas) and asking him to review my work as well.

To join the fight please log on to Facebook and search the Kennedy proposal. Or click the link below

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/grou ... 075&ref=mf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The more support that we have than the more pressure we can put on the BCS. Remember, it's pressure that turns coal into diamonds.

Thanks,

Brandon E. Kennedy

[SDHornet]

This is a fix but it doesn’t level the playing field. If a playoff system is adapted and the BCS is allowed to select which teams get bids, it will solve nothing as the “little guys” will continue to get shat on. If a playoff system is ever decided upon, every conference needs to get at least one bid and no less than a 16 team playoff should take hold. I heard this was used somewhere but right now I can’t recall where I have seen this before…

[youngterrier]

This is a fix but it doesn’t level the playing field. If a playoff system is adapted and the BCS is allowed to select which teams get bids, it will solve nothing as the “little guys” will continue to get shat on. If a playoff system is ever decided upon, every conference needs to get at least one bid and no less than a 16 team playoff should take hold. I heard this was used somewhere but right now I can’t recall where I have seen this before…

I like it, but honestly it's not fair to give say a 7-4 WAC champion a bid over an 11-1 SEC runner up. Boise State is different, they've only lost like 3 conference games in the last 5 years and compete consistently with "the big boys" and have gained national respect and are rewarded with a high BCS ranking every year. There should probably be a rule about a non-AQ finishing in the top 10 in the BCS being guaranteed a bid

[SDHornet]

This is a fix but it doesn’t level the playing field. If a playoff system is adapted and the BCS is allowed to select which teams get bids, it will solve nothing as the “little guys” will continue to get shat on. If a playoff system is ever decided upon, every conference needs to get at least one bid and no less than a 16 team playoff should take hold. I heard this was used somewhere but right now I can’t recall where I have seen this before…

I like it, but honestly it's not fair to give say a 7-4 WAC champion a bid over an 11-1 SEC runner up. Boise State is different, they've only lost like 3 conference games in the last 5 years and compete consistently with "the big boys" and have gained national respect and are rewarded with a high BCS ranking every year. There should probably be a rule about a non-AQ finishing in the top 10 in the BCS being guaranteed a bid

There are 11 FBS conferences, that means there would be 5 at-large berths with a 16 team playoff. The 11-1 SEC/PAC-12/Big-10 runner ups will be eligible for an at-large berth as would any independents (Notre Dame).

If the BSC is kept in the loop, they will continue to skew the system in favor of “the big boys”. Any playoff system needs to be run by the NCAA and them only.

[youngterrier]

I like it, but honestly it's not fair to give say a 7-4 WAC champion a bid over an 11-1 SEC runner up. Boise State is different, they've only lost like 3 conference games in the last 5 years and compete consistently with "the big boys" and have gained national respect and are rewarded with a high BCS ranking every year. There should probably be a rule about a non-AQ finishing in the top 10 in the BCS being guaranteed a bid

There are 11 FBS conferences, that means there would be 5 at-large berths with a 16 team playoff. The 11-1 SEC/PAC-12/Big-10 runner ups will be eligible for an at-large berth as would any independents (Notre Dame).

If the BSC is kept in the loop, they will continue to skew the system in favor of “the big boys”. Any playoff system needs to be run by the NCAA and them only.

call me an elitist, but I think that the 2 11-1 Big Ten teams that aren't champions, Stanford, Virginia Tech at 10-3 without an autobid, 10-2 LSU, 10-2 Arkansas, and a possible 12-1 Auburn, and even Boise/Nevada (whoever wouldn't get the autobid) have a better resume then The CUSA, MAC, and Sun Belt champions. following that formula 3 teams would be left out that quite frankly are better than those teams presented. The Sunbelt deserves nothing. The MAC deserves nothing. Conference USA deserves nothing. The WAC without Boise would only have a shot with Nevada (this year) but that's about it. My point is that outside of the "big 6" conferences, now that Utah and BYU have bolted from the Mountain West, there are only about 2 or 3 teams that deserve consideration. With Boise, Nevada, and Fresno leaving for the MWC, the MWC may have a shot at getting an autobid someday. Outside of those 3 teams and TCU I don't see any other team playing on the level of championship football minus Hawaii once every blue moon (but Hawaii isn't consistent)

[nwFL Griz]

There are 11 FBS conferences, that means there would be 5 at-large berths with a 16 team playoff. The 11-1 SEC/PAC-12/Big-10 runner ups will be eligible for an at-large berth as would any independents (Notre Dame).

If the BSC is kept in the loop, they will continue to skew the system in favor of “the big boys”. Any playoff system needs to be run by the NCAA and them only.

call me an elitist, but I think that the 2 11-1 Big Ten teams that aren't champions, Stanford, Virginia Tech at 10-3 without an autobid, 10-2 LSU, 10-2 Arkansas, and a possible 12-1 Auburn, and even Boise/Nevada (whoever wouldn't get the autobid) have a better resume then The CUSA, MAC, and Sun Belt champions. following that formula 3 teams would be left out that quite frankly are better than those teams presented. The Sunbelt deserves nothing. The MAC deserves nothing. Conference USA deserves nothing. The WAC without Boise would only have a shot with Nevada (this year) but that's about it. My point is that outside of the "big 6" conferences, now that Utah and BYU have bolted from the Mountain West, there are only about 2 or 3 teams that deserve consideration. With Boise, Nevada, and Fresno leaving for the MWC, the MWC may have a shot at getting an autobid someday. Outside of those 3 teams and TCU I don't see any other team playing on the level of championship football minus Hawaii once every blue moon (but Hawaii isn't consistent)

And that is the problem with your thinking. So should noone outside the Big East and ACC get an invite to the basketball tournament, too? That's basically what you are proposing.

If the FBS is going to exist, every team within that division should have an equal shot at making this playoff. If you are going to exclude 5 conferences because you don't feel they deserve a shot, then why continue to allow those 5 conferences to remain in the division? Until your way of thinking changes, or FBS itself changes....the status quo will continue, and the "little guy" will continue to be pushed farther into the margin.

[SDHornet]

Exactly. Basically the current system being used doesn’t give the C-USA, WAC, MAC, MWC, and S-Belt a legit shot at a title so with that line of thinking YT, nothing should be changed and a playoff system is not needed.

[youngterrier]

honestly, no non-AQ team has showed me other than Boise/TCU/Utah, year-in and year-out, that they are teams deserving to contend for a national title. Call it unfair but a 7-4 WAC champ does not deserve a shot at the playoffs over a 10-2 SEC team just as in years past a 10-2 Liberty Big South Champ hasn't deserved the playoffs over a 9-2 SoCon team. The BCS is not perfect and it has a list of flaws, but from a historical perspective people have disliked it not for keeping out the Boise States, but for keeping out the 2004 Auburns, and the 2007 Georgias. Like it or not SOS is a legitimate excuse and the only way I'd feel a non-AQ would deserve a shot at the National title is if it has been dominant in a consistent way such as TCU/Boise/Utah. If Temple went undefeated next year I would not want them playing for the national title over any 10 win AQ team. The BCS is not a perfect system I assure you, but it has gotten better, adapting to past mistakes (such as non-conference champions not being allowed in the title game). A playoff like the Kennedy proposal would be perfect IMO. If they don't go to the Kennedy proposal I suggest maybe expanding the games to 12 teams and 6 games and giving the mountain west an AQ.

[SDHornet]

honestly, no non-AQ team has showed me other than Boise/TCU/Utah, year-in and year-out, that they are teams deserving to contend for a national title. Call it unfair but a 7-4 WAC champ does not deserve a shot at the playoffs over a 10-2 SEC team just as in years past a 10-2 Liberty Big South Champ hasn't deserved the playoffs over a 9-2 SoCon team. The BCS is not perfect and it has a list of flaws, but from a historical perspective people have disliked it not for keeping out the Boise States, but for keeping out the 2004 Auburns, and the 2007 Georgias. Like it or not SOS is a legitimate excuse and the only way I'd feel a non-AQ would deserve a shot at the National title is if it has been dominant in a consistent way such as TCU/Boise/Utah. If Temple went undefeated next year I would not want them playing for the national title over any 10 win AQ team. The BCS is not a perfect system I assure you, but it has gotten better, adapting to past mistakes (such as non-conference champions not being allowed in the title game). A playoff like the Kennedy proposal would be perfect IMO. If they don't go to the Kennedy proposal I suggest maybe expanding the games to 12 teams and 6 games and giving the mountain west an AQ.

I agree with you that those teams probably won’t be able to compete with the BCS conferences but that is not the point. The point is the belief that these conferences should not be included in a playoff system or BCS system because they haven’t been historically dominant. Will those teams be able to beat the “big boys”? Probably not. Should they be given a chance to knock them off in playoff? Absolutely. You must really hate how the NCAA hoops tournament is run if you think the teams that “won’t contend” should not be included in a shot at a national title.

[youngterrier]

honestly, no non-AQ team has showed me other than Boise/TCU/Utah, year-in and year-out, that they are teams deserving to contend for a national title. Call it unfair but a 7-4 WAC champ does not deserve a shot at the playoffs over a 10-2 SEC team just as in years past a 10-2 Liberty Big South Champ hasn't deserved the playoffs over a 9-2 SoCon team. The BCS is not perfect and it has a list of flaws, but from a historical perspective people have disliked it not for keeping out the Boise States, but for keeping out the 2004 Auburns, and the 2007 Georgias. Like it or not SOS is a legitimate excuse and the only way I'd feel a non-AQ would deserve a shot at the National title is if it has been dominant in a consistent way such as TCU/Boise/Utah. If Temple went undefeated next year I would not want them playing for the national title over any 10 win AQ team. The BCS is not a perfect system I assure you, but it has gotten better, adapting to past mistakes (such as non-conference champions not being allowed in the title game). A playoff like the Kennedy proposal would be perfect IMO. If they don't go to the Kennedy proposal I suggest maybe expanding the games to 12 teams and 6 games and giving the mountain west an AQ.

I agree with you that those teams probably won’t be able to compete with the BCS conferences but that is not the point. The point is the belief that these conferences should not be included in a playoff system or BCS system because they haven’t been historically dominant. Will those teams be able to beat the “big boys”? Probably not. Should they be given a chance to knock them off in playoff? Absolutely. You must really hate how the NCAA hoops tournament is run if you think the teams that “won’t contend” should not be included in a shot at a national title.

the Basketball tournament is a different monster than football. The chances of getting hurt enough to miss substantial amount of playing time in 1 football game I'm willing to wager is far greater than probably a whole basketball tournament (and there are too many basketball games anyway ). As for "do they deserve a chance?" I don't think so. A program like Boise does. Boise traditionally beats conference opponents by 20-30 year-in and year-out and contends with AQ teams and beats them regularly. Would a team like, as I said, Temple deserve a shot if they went undefeated next year after beating (I don't know their schedule) a MAC schedule, a lower-tier Big 10 team, FCS opponent, Big East team, and say Army? I wouldn't give that team a shot the first time, but if they consistently "lined em up and knocked em down" for 2-3 years straight, I would give them respect because they'd be showing me something most non-AQ teams don't show me: CONSISTENCY.

[SDHornet]

Yes the problem with that consistency theory you have going there is the BCS boys want a consistency that lasts decades. That’s where I don’t buy it at all. There is no reason why a "one hit wonder" shouldn't be included. The NCAA hoops tournament is a perfect example of how a "one hit wonder" can make a splash and provide good entertainment and revenue that benefits all involved.

[youngterrier]

Yes the problem with that consistency theory you have going there is the BCS boys want a consistency that lasts decades. That’s where I don’t buy it at all. There is no reason why a "one hit wonder" shouldn't be included. The NCAA hoops tournament is a perfect example of how a "one hit wonder" can make a splash and provide good entertainment and revenue that benefits all involved.

and if it wasn't a game where you try to rip each-others' legs off every play I would agree with you but it isn't worth say the number 1 team losing X amount of players for the rest of the year to a 6-5 conference champ of the toilet conference that they beat 50-0 and are thus hampered from winning the national championship, granted you may say "it's football, it happens" but it just isn't worth it. The only problem with the MWC getting a bid is the fact that none of the programs in it (besides TCU) have a prestigious program that was prestigious 30 years ago; if they get all the programs will benefit, resulting in legitimate programs being built

[SDHornet]

Whoa whoa whoa. I thought these “little guys” can’t compete with the “big boys”? Why should they be afraid to play them and risk injury if they are so much better then them? And last I checked both teams will be getting banged up and be at risk of injury. In fact all teams playing in a playoff system, or that currently play a conference championship game and a bowl game on top of that. Sorry not buying the health argument. These teams have upwards of a hundred players on their roster.

[youngterrier]

Whoa whoa whoa. I thought these “little guys” can’t compete with the “big boys”? Why should they be afraid to play them and risk injury if they are so much better then them? And last I checked both teams will be getting banged up and be at risk of injury. In fact all teams playing in a playoff system, or that currently play a conference championship game and a bowl game on top of that. Sorry not buying the health argument. These teams have upwards of a hundred players on their roster.

you were asking why I wasn't pissed about the NCAA tournament and that was my answer. You get injured in football, not so much in basketball. Anyway, unless you beat somebody, you don't belong. Most non-AQ's don't beat anybody and I don't think the conference champion of a non-AQ should take precedent over many of the second place AQ teams

[SDHornet]

Whoa whoa whoa. I thought these “little guys” can’t compete with the “big boys”? Why should they be afraid to play them and risk injury if they are so much better then them? And last I checked both teams will be getting banged up and be at risk of injury. In fact all teams playing in a playoff system, or that currently play a conference championship game and a bowl game on top of that. Sorry not buying the health argument. These teams have upwards of a hundred players on their roster.

you were asking why I wasn't pissed about the NCAA tournament and that was my answer. You get injured in football, not so much in basketball. Anyway, unless you beat somebody, you don't belong. Most non-AQ's don't beat anybody and I don't think the conference champion of a non-AQ should take precedent over many of the second place AQ teams

Fair enough. There are still no logical reason's why the FBS should not have a playoff.

[youngterrier]

you were asking why I wasn't pissed about the NCAA tournament and that was my answer. You get injured in football, not so much in basketball. Anyway, unless you beat somebody, you don't belong. Most non-AQ's don't beat anybody and I don't think the conference champion of a non-AQ should take precedent over many of the second place AQ teams

Fair enough. There are still no logical reason's why the FBS should not have a playoff.

true, but who you let in the playoff is the topic of speculation, and what we were arguing about. non-AQs should not get an autobid.

[SDHornet]

Fair enough. There are still no logical reason's why the FBS should not have a playoff.

true, but who you let in the playoff is the topic of speculation, and what we were arguing about. non-AQs should not get an autobid.

Disagree. Since the regular season acts like the playoffs , it only makes sense to make sure every conference is represented.

[youngterrier]

true, but who you let in the playoff is the topic of speculation, and what we were arguing about. non-AQs should not get an autobid.

Disagree. Since the regular season acts like the playoffs , it only makes sense to make sure every conference is represented.

if we are talking about letting teams in a playoff that argument isn't used.

[SDHornet]

Disagree. Since the regular season acts like the playoffs , it only makes sense to make sure every conference is represented.

if we are talking about letting teams in a playoff that argument isn't used.

Only use it when it fits the need huh? WAFJ.

[BlueHen86]

The fairest way to solve the problem is a 16 team playoff, with each of the 11 conferences getting an autobid.

Keep in mind, if the Sunbelt and MAC are given the same shot at a title as the SEC and Big 10, they would also be on more even ground in terms of recruiting. There is a good chance that a 16 team playoff would improve the play of the lesser conferences. I'm not saying that the Sunbelt would be as good as the SEC, but I do think that the gap would close a bit.

I suppose that you could also go with a 20 team playoff, FCS does it, so why not FBS.

[SuperHornet]

I would prefer 32. It's easier to conceive a tournament in a power of 2.

Here's my proposal loosely ordered per the bogus B(C)$ "poll." As with any bracketing, there is some cross-region stuff going on, but I tried to limit that.

WEST

#8 Central Florida @ #1 Oregon
#7 Hawai'i @ #2 Michigan State
#6 Arizona @ #3 Boise State
#5 Nevada @ #4 Alabama

SOUTHWEST

#8 Tulsa @ #1 Texas Christian
#7 Navy @ #2 Arkansas
#6 West Virginia @ #3 Oklahoma
#5 Utah @ #4 Nebraska

SOUTHEAST

#8 Florida International @ #1 Auburn
#7 Florida @ #2 Ohio State
#6 Florida State @ #3 Louisiana State
#5 Texas A&M @ #4 Oklahoma State

EAST

#8 Connecticut @ #1 Stanford
#7 Northern Illinois @ #2 Wisconsin
#6 Mississippi State @ #3 Missouri
#5 South Carolina @ #4 Virginia Tech

[EWURanger]

The fairest way to solve the problem is a 16 team playoff, with each of the 11 conferences getting an autobid.

Yep. There's really no legitimate reason why there should not be a playoff system within the FBS.

[tampajag]

I would prefer 32. It's easier to conceive a tournament in a power of 2.

Here's my proposal loosely ordered per the bogus B(C)$ "poll." As with any bracketing, there is some cross-region stuff going on, but I tried to limit that.

WEST

#8 Central Florida @ #1 Oregon
#7 Hawai'i @ #2 Michigan State
#6 Arizona @ #3 Boise State
#5 Nevada @ #4 Alabama

SOUTHWEST

#8 Tulsa @ #1 Texas Christian
#7 Navy @ #2 Arkansas
#6 West Virginia @ #3 Oklahoma
#5 Utah @ #4 Nebraska

SOUTHEAST

#8 Florida International @ #1 Auburn
#7 Florida @ #2 Ohio State
#6 Florida State @ #3 Louisiana State
#5 Texas A&M @ #4 Oklahoma State

EAST

#8 Connecticut @ #1 Stanford
#7 Northern Illinois @ #2 Wisconsin
#6 Mississippi State @ #3 Missouri
#5 South Carolina @ #4 Virginia Tech

I know you can be slightly nuts but why would Florida be in anybody's playoffs?

[89Hen]

There should probably be a rule about a non-AQ finishing in the top 10 in the BCS being guaranteed a bid

Why are you guys glazing over this point? Maybe ten isn't the right number, but there should be a number. The Sun Belt champ might be good one year, but I recall a 5-6 SunBelt champ not long ago and this year 7-5 is the best FIU can get to. Give me a break if you think a team that lost EVERY OOC game they played this year deserves a playoff bid.

[SDHornet]

There should probably be a rule about a non-AQ finishing in the top 10 in the BCS being guaranteed a bid

Why are you guys glazing over this point? Maybe ten isn't the right number, but there should be a number. The Sun Belt champ might be good one year, but I recall a 5-6 SunBelt champ not long ago and this year 7-5 is the best FIU can get to. Give me a break if you think a team that lost EVERY OOC game they played this year deserves a playoff bid.

Sure they do. They will get matched up against the SEC #1 seed and get smashed. And the NCAA/host school will make millions from the TV revenue, concessions and tickets sold from that blow out. The result from the bottom line ($$$) says they should get a playoff bid.