ESPN pulls out of coaches' poll, BCS process

[greasywheels121]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2079442&num=0

 

ESPN cites conflict of interest issues with poll

Associated Press

ESPN withdrew from the college football coaches' poll Tuesday, the second major news organization to say it didn't want to be a part of the Bowl Championship Series' weekly rankings.

 

The cable sports network said it no longer wanted its name attached to the rankings unless all ballots were made public, not just the final ones. USA Today will continue running the poll, which helps determine who plays for the national championship.

 

In December, The Associated Press told the BCS to stop using its media poll in its weekly formula.

 

"Coaches have the perfect right to conduct their voting the way they see fit," said Vince Doria, ESPN's vice president and director of news. "We just feel, in our best interests here, we couldn't reconcile having our name on the poll and being able to cover any controversy that might arise."

 

Unlike the AP voters, the coaches' ballots have always been secret. ESPN asked this year that they be public, but the coaches agreed only for the final regular-season poll. Doria said ESPN wanted it for the entire year.

 

"We just felt that to be as ethical as we possibly could in this situation, that's what we needed to do," Doria said. "This wasn't a case of us questioning the ethics of the coaches or the validity of the voting. These things tend to create controversy. When there is some vetting to be done, it needs to be done thoroughly and we didn't feel it could be done."

 

Doria said ESPN notified USA Today and the coaches' association of its decision, but not the BCS.

 

"There will still be a coaches' poll, and it will be used by the BCS, but we don't have a comment on ESPN's decision," said Bob Burda, spokesman for BCS coordinator Kevin Weiberg.

 

The AP poll and the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll had been the major components of the BCS rankings.

 

However, the AP said such use was never sanctioned and had reached the point where it threatened to undermine the independence and integrity of its poll.

 

ESPN had sponsored the coaches' poll with USA Today since 1997.

 

Doria said the network became uncomfortable last season, when California lost a shot at a major bowl after dropping in the final coaches' poll, causing a public outcry and debate among fans.

 

The Golden Bears finished fourth in the coaches' poll, but six coaches dropped them below No. 6 on the final ballots – four at No. 7 and two in the eighth slot. In the previous week's poll, nobody picked Cal lower than sixth.

 

The final vote came after Cal's 26-16 win at Southern Mississippi – a close game, but a tough road contest that wasn't in doubt in the final minutes.

 

The drop cost Cal its first Rose Bowl bid in 45 years. The Golden Bears instead went to the less glamorous Holiday Bowl while Texas got into the Rose Bowl.

 

"In essence, that was really the determining factor," Doria said. "The poll was more than something that is there primarily for fans to discuss and debate. It was a determinant element in the BCS poll."

 

Monte Lorell, managing editor for sports at USA Today, said he was surprised at ESPN's decision.

 

"As recently as a week or so ago, my understanding was that if the coaches were to move to the level of transparency that ultimately they did, that that would satisfy ESPN," Lorell said.

 

In November, the BCS signed a four-year deal with Fox to televise the Sugar, Fiesta and Orange bowls from 2007-10 and the national title game from 2007-09. The Rose Bowl has its own television deal with ABC.

 

"Our BCS interest is focused only on our TV coverage, which begins in January of 2007," Fox spokesman Dan Bell said.

[Pauly8509CWS]

Good, BCS :fyou

[SoxFan562004]

The BCS is such a trainwreck at this point. It's so beyond f***ed up, with AD's just trying to protect their slice of the money.

 

I liked that Congress looked into the steroid problem in sports, and would love to see them take further steps to regulate some sports. For starters I would want them to clean up the boxing mess, then look into the college sports cluster f*** that goes on... I'm not advocating paying these kids salaries, but when the schools are making millions of them and some can't even afford to go out for pizza or stories of guys who can't even afford basics, it really makes me sick.

[Chisoxfn]

The BCS is such a trainwreck at this point.  It's so beyond f***ed up, with AD's just trying to protect their slice of the money. 

 

I liked that Congress looked into the steroid problem in sports, and would love to see them take further steps to regulate some sports.  For starters I would want them to clean up the boxing mess, then look into the college sports cluster f*** that goes on... I'm not advocating paying these kids salaries, but when the schools are making millions of them and some can't even afford to go out for pizza or stories of guys who can't even afford basics, it really makes me sick.

A few of my good friends have played collegiate sports (I'm not near as talented) and from there instances (and this is limited) they have been pretty well taken care of. Its definately hard work and you have to put in a lot of time working with the team, etc, but you also get a free education (in most instances) and are doing something you love. Most people work in college to pay for their education and athletes that get scholarships don't really need to. They also get spending money often and obviously a full scholarship includes perks for living and all that good stuff. Plus they get food allotments during road trips (pretty good ones at that).

 

Now its definately rough on a guy that doesn't have a scholarship, but at the same time you make sacrifices in life for things you want to do and they are doing that. They wont' be able to work but they are doing something you love. High Schools make money off sports (well many sports don't, bad example) but what about the ones that do (the major major programs). Should the huge money making football schools in Texas (high school) pay the kids?

 

Sure maybe they deserve some deals on room and board and other things since they can't work and are helping out, but I wouldn't say they deserve salary or things like that. I'd make sure that athletes got food and at least a discounted dorm (at a lot of schools they do) and I think thats a rather fair tradeoff.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[SuperSteve]

A few of my good friends have played collegiate sports (I'm not near as talented) and from there instances (and this is limited) they have been pretty well taken care of.  Its definately hard work and you have to put in a lot of time working with the team, etc, but you also get a free education (in most instances) and are doing something you love.  Most people work in college to pay for their education and athletes that get scholarships don't really need to.  They also get spending money often and obviously a full scholarship includes perks for living and all that good stuff.  Plus they get food allotments during road trips (pretty good ones at that). 

 

Now its definately rough on a guy that doesn't have a scholarship, but at the same time you make sacrifices in life for things you want to do and they are doing that.  They wont' be able to work but they are doing something you love.  High Schools make money off sports (well many sports don't, bad example) but what about the ones that do (the major major programs). Should the huge money making football schools in Texas (high school) pay the kids?

 

Sure maybe they deserve some deals on room and board and other things since they can't work and are helping out, but I wouldn't say they deserve salary or things like that.  I'd make sure that athletes got food and at least a discounted dorm (at a lot of schools they do) and I think thats a rather fair tradeoff.

 

Just my 2 cents.

I feel kids who are not on scholarships should recieve some type of money from the school or NCAA. I know kids who are on scholarships who actually make a few thousand dollars when the year is all said and done. I also know some kids who are on scholarships and get more scholarships from the school because they cannot afford very much as they had been poorer growing up. Schools can give kids alot of stuff (equipment, tutors, et al), but football and basketball are the only real ones who make it off well. Most sports have minimal scholarships (wrestling has 9.9 for 30 kids compared to footballs 85).

[kev211]

Isnt this just another clue that there need to be a playoffs. God how much more bad stuff needs to happen before they realize a playoff is the best thing to do.