Florida leading playoff push

The first college football game is another three months from taking place, but a development out of the SEC could lead to a storyline during the upcoming season.

Florida president Bernie Machen will present an idea for a college football playoff for Division I-A programs when the SEC holds its annual meetings this week. What makes this development more interesting is that Florida is the team that gained the most, obviously, last season from the BCS when it defeated Ohio State for the national title. If there is ever going to be a change in the BCS that leads to a playoff, it must originate in the SEC, since it is where the college football power originates currently.

Can a playoff system work? I think so, and it’s about time.

Machen’s plan would call for the creation of a new corporation outside of the BCS and NCAA to run the postseason tournament. I think that may be too much.

A Division I-A playoff could simply be completed by giving an automatic bid to the conference champions with at large bids to fill the tournament to 16 teams. You could use bowl sites to host tournament games with the championship game taking place at the Rose Bowl annually.

The problem that comes with a playoff lies with the Rose Bowl, which will have a hard time separating itself  from the tradition surrounding the Big 10-Pac 10 match-up. Though the game has allowed the national championship to be played at the Rose Bowl in recent years, it took several bowl alliances, that did not include the Big 10 or PAC 10, for that to occur.

Any playoff proposal has to overcome concerns that the Rose Bowl will present as well as other of the more traditional games.

Regardless, anything is better the current system where a computer determines who wins a trip to the major games and who is playing in the mid-card games.

Welcome back to the Grind

There is something about the first day of work after a weekend-plus one that leaves a lot to be desired. You’re playing catch-up on work that was neglected on the day before the weekend while you daydreamed off mystical beach locations. But, after a weekend filled with double takes on I-40 wondering if there actually wasn’t a state trooper in the car that I passed going a few miles over the speed limit, it’s time to get back to work.

For our little space in the world, that means making some comments on the week that was and the week that will be.

The “Peace Mom” Cindy Sheehan is quiting the anti-war movement. Sheehan wants to spend more time at home, as her protests against President Bush and the war has led to a strained relationship with her family, including her husband and surviving children.

In Sheehan’s article, she makes mention of how the left began to vilify her when she attempted to hold the Democratic Party to the same standards as the Republican Party, claiming she is also leaving the Democrats. While we hate to see any family suffer because of ones beliefs or views, Sheehan’s resignation does show a point we’ve attempted to make before. That being for some in the political world all that matters is having more people of your team color in office than the other guys. It’s an argument that I first heard from WBT’s Keith Larson and one I particularly agree is the case.

The University of Colorado is preparing to fire the controversial Ward Churchill. This is the same professor who linked the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to Nazis. Other ethics charges for the ethnic studies professors have led to the possible firing.

This is a move that has been two years in the making. Hopefully, the University of Colorado will move appropriately on the recommendation of termination made by President Hank Brown.

Of course, Churchill is saying he will sue if fired.

Speaking of being fired, could Michael Vick be in the cross hairs of the NFL’s new conduct policy? If allegations of Vick’s involvement in dog fighting are true, then the new policy - which led to the year suspension of Adam “PacMan” Jones - will be tested.

Roger Goodell will have the interesting decision of adhering to the policy when it comes to one of the game’s most recognizable athletes. This could be one to watch.

And finally Rosie O’Donnell claims she will never speak to Elisabeth Hasselback again after last week’s tit-for-tat on “The View.” I say, who cares.