Senate tackles a really big problem: college BCS

Just when you think the most exclusive club in the world is about to get serious, it starts tilting at windmills

The U.S. Senate is by any definition an ultraexclusive club. Limited to 100 members -- until the president makes Washington, D.C., the 51st state -- this elite group has power beyond most imaginations.

When I ponder the important responsibilities of our U.S. Senate, I want those powerful leaders to assure a strong national defense, a fair and shared tax burden and the freedoms promised in our Constitution.

But our Senate has more important matters. It seems it wants a hand in selecting the college national football champions.

And, yes, you read that right.

The Senate Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on antitrust, competition policy and consumer rights will soon hold hearings to examine potential antitrust issues involving the college Bowl Champion Series.

I won't attempt to explain the BCS math on selecting the top two teams in college football who play in the BCS championship game.

It's a complicated formula that calculates strength of schedule and a zillion other factors.

But the formula doesn't matter.

What matters is that our all-powerful U.S. Senate has the time or inclination to fiddle with college sports.

At the core of this wasted discussion is our old friend, Sen. Orrin Hatch from the fine state of Utah.

Seems that Utah had a pretty fair team this past year. Went undefeated. But they were bypassed to play in the "big game" because Florida and Oklahoma -- and others -- had impressive records against more powerful opponents.

So Hatch wants to offer legislation to "rectify this situation," according to his office, though they were evasive on specifics.

At stake -- or so the argument goes -- are millions of dollars in revenue that flow to the two teams playing for the national title.

But, for a Senate that is far too anxious to spend billions of our dollars, why should they worry about a few lousy million to some top college football programs?

I'm not a big fan of the wild card process in major league baseball. I also think the designated hitter rule is unfair. And since this week we witnessed the college basketball championship, why allow just 64 teams into the big show? Why not 128?

Where's Orrin when you really need him?

Am I wrong, or does our U.S. Senate not have more important issues to decide?

If this group of senators can have a hand in dictating the terms of a football game, then tomorrow they can decide that a newspaper columnist is unfair.

Anyway you cut it, that's just dangerous.

Michael Jensen is the publisher of the Standard Democrat in Sikeston, Mo.