Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is upset about Utah not receiving a chance to win a National Championship. He's so upset, in fact, that he is investigating the BCS for possible anti-trust violations, saying that it unfairly puts Utah at a disadvantage. After their second undefeated season and BCS Bowl win in 5 years, it's obvious that there's nothing that Utah will ever be able to do that will allow them to win a National Championship as long as they are in the MWC.

Is it fair? Of course not. In fact, I think Shurtleff is completely correct that the system is corrupt, broken and unethical. However, as a sports blogger, it's essentially my job to discuss these things, and rip the BCS once in a while. That's why I'm not the Attorney General of the state of Utah. As much as I think that he has an extremely valid point, it's simply not his point to make. Not in this sense, at least.

I had no problem with it when president-elect Obama called out the BCS. He was asked a question in an interview, and he answered it appropriately. He would love to see the BCS scrapped in favor of a much more legitimate playoff system. Obama (and Shurtleff) have every right to speak their mind on that. And if it's something that they feel strongly about, then they absolutely SHOULD do so. When it comes to legislation, however, there's a line that should not be crossed.

"Separation of sports and state" isn't a term that you hear frequently. It shouldn't be, for that matter. It should be easy for people to recognize that aside from a fleeting interest in each other, the two worlds shouldn't collide. We shouldn't ask athletes for their political endorsements, and the athletic allegiance of our politicians should be considered irrelevant as well. Most importantly, however, is the fact that politicians should not be putting their hands into the sports world.

It was wrong when Arlen Specter went after the Patriots in SpyGate, it was wrong when George Mitchell spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and man-hours on compiling the Mitchell Report, and it's wrong when Utah AG Mark Shurtleff tries to charge the BCS with anti-trust violations.

For centuries, sports have been a refuge for people, an opportunity to have fun, regardless of the circumstances around them. Even in times of depression, poverty and other difficult times, sports have been the source of joy for millions of people throughout the world. Politics, on the other hand, are the exact opposite. The more these two worlds start to melt together, the more we will see the world of sports become diluted, and become exactly what we try to escape.

In a slightly unrelated story, Florida congressman Cliff Stearns asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to reschedule various voting sessions, so he could attend the National Championship game between Florida and Oklahoma. Although I'm sure that it could be done, and wouldn't necessarily hinder the performance of the House of Representatives, he should be embarrassed by his request. His job is to represent his constituents and make sure that their voices are heard. The fact that he is more concerned with a football game than voting on the issues is mind-boggling.

Can't politicians just stay out of sports? Every day on the news, we hear about disasters, recessions, crime, injustice and lawlessness, but politicians still can find nothing more important than some college football games. Please... leave that to the millions of people who genuinely don't have anything better to do... like myself. There must be something more valuable for guys like Mark Shurtleff and Cliff Stearns to do with their time. There MUST be.


Utah AG: BCS may violate antitrust laws [ESPN]
Congressman Asks Pelosi To Change Schedule So He Can Go To BCS Title Game [SportsRubbish]