You know we’ve been doing this telethon for years, but there is still so much more need. So many people, gifted in so many ways, suffering needlessly. We have the capabilities to end their pain, but need support from you, the college presidents to make a change.

Last year the entire Auburn football team fell tragically. Four of the Tigers were forced to quarantine themselves, choosing to be drafted in the first round of the NFL draft rather than face further exposure

In 2003 a strong LSU team contracted the illness and became so infectious, coach Nick Saban had to relocate to Miami. The devastating syndrome is known only by three chilling letters: B C S

Year after year the computer rankings take a beating from press, fans and players, and every year college presidents take one look at their bulging endowments and shoo shoo the complainers.

And for once I agree with the greedy ones. It’s not the computer that is the problem (though it is flawed). It has consistently placed, at least arguably, the number one and number two teams in the championship game. It can be said that even had Auburn met USC in the title game, there would have been a great deal of huffing and puffing coming from Oklahoma. Currently, the Harris and AP Polls have the exact same teams in the top eight as its computer generated counterpart.

Hmm, eight teams. There is a consensus top eight…

A Playoff! The Elite Eight! January Madness!

Well not January Madness because that just sounds stupid, but you get the idea. We need a playoff, match 1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, I think we all know how a bracket works. Three rounds closing with a National Championship game. Why didn’t anyone think of this?

My dripping sarcasm aside, the key to the playoffs is the green-eyed monsters at the head, who have been put to a vote and consistently vetoed the idea, citing “we don’t want the kids to play anymore games.” This from the same group who will ship their basketball teams to freak states Hawaii and Alaska, forcing them to miss a week of school. I’m sure the students’ education is the first thing on their minds.

To get through to these stubborn geezers sitting in their plush chairs you have to appeal to their charitable side, the charity being the need for high definition televisions in the football lounge and a new Rolls Royce to celebrate his 23rd year as president (it’s the luxury car anniversary).

A team like USC or Texas will get approximately 10 million dollars just to show up to the game. A playoff would divide up that money amongst seven games and eight teams. Try convincing teams that no, this year they can’t have a pool full of groupies to celebrate the end of the season.

But wait, salvation lies ahead. What if NBC, ABC and CBS all agreed to share the revenue generated by the ads that run during the game, say 30 percent of the money split between the two teams could that cover the difference?

The Super Bowl sells its commercials at about 2.3 million for a 30 second spot, the Final Four, 900,000. Split the difference and round off at a cool 1,000,000 per half minute ad, times approximately 100 commercials a game…that’s 100 million dollars which leaves about 15 million a team. Per game.

Obviously the National Championship game would be the only one to garner that exorbitant sum, but even if the other games drew half that amount it would increase profits for the schools. A team knocked out in the first round would probably pull five million. Thats more than Oregon would normally get for the Tamagotchi Bowl.

On the Saturday before the Wild Card playoffs begin in the NFL, the first four games are played at rotating sites around the country. The following Saturday the next two games, and finally the cou-de-gras: Play the National Championship on the Saturday between the NFC/AFC Championship and the Super Bowl, also known as the dead week the media uses to milk every ounce out of the big game they can.

Wouldn’t the entire country be watching that game? Is there enough beer and Domino’s drivers in the world to satisfy the amount of people parked in front of the couch? Within two years the event would be the second biggest sporting event in the country, behind only the Super Bowl. That kind of audience gives networks a license to print money, and they would pay out the ears to continue the playoff.

There may be more problems than I’m letting on (where to play the games, how to get the bowls themselves to give up their conference match-ups), but anytime these nagging doubts occur, think of the first week of the playoffs this year, Notre Dame/USC II, Penn State/Ohio State II. I get goose bumps. All I’m saying is give it a chance. If not for me, then for the kids.