The BCS Debate Rages On

Even though the BCS has continued to tweak its formula, the debate about a playoff still continues. And it really amazes me that the powers that be at the NCAA and the conferences keep talking about everything but the one thing that is really preventing moving to a playoff system for Division I (excuse me, they now call it FBS series) football.

They talk about it not being good to extend the season, they talk about affecting the academics of the players, missing too much class, but you know I really haven't heard one serious, reasonable argument against a playoff system coming from the NCAA system itself. And that is because, in my opinion, it's all about one thing....money.

College football still likes to think of itself as purely amateur sports. But it has become big time business and, unfortunately in many instances, that is not a great thing. But when you look specifically at the current BCS football bowl structure, it appears that there is just too much money riding on it to get down to a serious discussion about a playoff system.

The four big bowls that are part of the current BCS system just won't give up the control and the big dollars that come with those games. I have heard it argued that in a playoff system you could rotate who gets the final games. But the problem with that is that when you got down to the final four games, you would still be at least 2 weeks away from the championship week and that would probably push it too far away from when people would travel and spend the money like they do now at the end of the year for the last week in December and first week in January. That equals big loss of revenue.

It's just hard for me to believe that if Division I basketball can have such an exciting tournament and all the remaining divisions of college football make it work, why can't it work for the biggest schools in the NCAA? Every other major sport, college and pro, let the championship get decided through a process of last man standing wins.

And I think that is one thing that people love about sports. That kind of format gives more of the underdogs a chance to win it all. Remember the movie "Hoosiers"? What a great story! People love the underdog. And every year in the NCAA Basketball Tournament there are major upsets. And every so often, some underdog who shouldn't have made it, makes a run deep into the tournament. And fans get excited. And people believe that anything is possible.

And to me, that is missing from the current BCS football formula. The last couple weeks of the football season, the discussion gets limited to just a handful of football teams that have a shot at getting to the championship game. I really would love to see all of the powers that be in college football take a serious and hard look at a playoff system. It may never happen, but I love to see those underdogs upset the big guys and take a shot at winning it all.

About the Author

David Stargel loves writing about sports and football. He is the owner of several sports related web sites. He is also known as The Football Nut. For great articles about college football at his web site at: http://www.the-football-nut.com.

The Football Fan's Buying Guide to NFL Helmets

Whether you need an NFL helmet as a collectible item or to wear while playing football, helmets have a number of features to consider. There are various price ranges depending on the brand name, and prices are generally less for youth-sized helmets. NFL helmets may also vary in the way they fit and the amount of protection offered. So depending on why you wish to buy a helmet, it's good to know all the facts before spending your money. Read these helpful tips before getting started.

For Players

College helmets and NFL helmets are stylish with your team logo of choice printed on them, but there's so much more to a helmet than appearance. It's important to choose a high quality helmet for ultimate comfort and protection if you plan to wear it while playing. Facemasks are generally made of carbon steel, titanium or stainless steel. They are designed to protect certain areas of the face while offering optimal visibility based on the player's position. Open cage masks are recommended for wide receivers, quarterbacks, running backs, and defense players in the backfield. Closed cage helmets are often used by linemen.

Consider the helmet shell materials. High-end helmets often have GE Lexan molded polycarbonate alloy, while others may use non-branded molded polycarbonate. For youth helmets, manufacturers often use ABS plastic, which offers protective shock absorbent properties. Other features to consider are the chinstraps, helmet padding, and air systems, which tend to offer better cushioning than foam pads.

Collectible NFL Helmets

If you plan on buying a keepsake helmet, safety features aren't as important but you'll still want a good quality NFL helmet that will last for years to come. This doesn't mean you should spend a fortune. Shop around for a great quality NFL helmet that fits your budget. You might consider shopping online to find great bargains. Some online sports shops offer helmets with NFL football team logos at reasonable pricing without sacrificing quality. No matter where you buy, expect to pay $150 to $250 for a full size collectible helmet, depending on the brand and team. High end products such as Riddell helmets are often around $235 to $250, but shop around to find these items on sale, especially around holidays or around the time of a special football event.

Creative Gifts for the Football Lover

If you're seeking a great gift for a football lover during the holidays, birthdays, Father's Day, or other occasions, consider Riddell or Schutt helmets for high quality gifts. If you're on a tight budget when gift shopping, opt for mini replica helmets. Mini replica helmets look and feel like the life-size helmets, but are usually about half the size. These cost around $35.00 with team logos and work well as a display on your loved one's collectible football shelf or in a display case! They'll make a wonderful gift for a co-worker, father, son, brother, husband, or even a lady friend who just so happens to adore football.

When shopping for NFL helmets online, you'll likely discover many great sports products. From MLB items to NASCAR merchandise, you can take advantage of bargain deals on throw blankets, duffle bags, doormats, NFL flags, cooler bags and more to demonstrate your team pride!

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.
Learn more about NFL Helmets.

Youth Football - Making Sure You Select the Right Team Mom

An important early decision, while coaching your youth football team, is picking your Team Mom. Many years you will get lucky and get the same mom that volunteers every year. Sometimes you will get no one to step forward. Occasionally you get a few moms that want the job and you have to choose one. Make sure you are compatible with the mom you select. You need a take-charge mom who will keep you informed but not be a pain in the butt. It will be a long season if you have to monitor or baby-sit the Team Mom. If you get the right Team Mom, she will be like having an assistant coach for all of the non-coaching duties.

You want to have her help you save time by taking care of the non-coaching things, like the snack list. The Team Mom should also be the eyes and ears for the coach. If there are parent concerns she is aware of, she should be able to talk them over with the coach. It is very important to have good communication between the coach and the Team Mom.

A quick note regarding the snacks is that I have pretty much gotten away from it. A lot of teams do a halftime and/or end of the game snack. I have eliminated both since I believe they are a distraction. An after game beverage like Gatorade is fine as long as the players listen to the coaches. I can remember times when the players have shown more energy grabbing for their snacks, than they showed during the game. The younger players will probably insist on snacks, but as they are older I believe it is best to eliminate this.

Your youth football year will go a lot easier with a good Team Mom. Please make sure to take care of her at the end of the year as well. A nice gift certificate will show your appreciation.

Jim has over 22 years of hands-on experience as a youth coach. The system he has used with great success for both youth football and youth basketball. His personal teams have won over 80% of their games.

Jim has over 200 Free Youth Football Articles at : http://www.jimoddo.com

Copyright 2009 Jim Oddo, jimoddo.com, Oddo & Oddo, Ltd., Mega Media Depot and http://www.jimoddo.com republishing this article in it's entirety or any parts of it without including this paragraph is copyright infringement