When I saw the news that Condoleeza Rice had been put on the BCS Committee, I felt a little (to put it mildly) annoyed.

I wasn't annoyed because Condoleeza Rice is a woman, and I think women have no place in college football. I vehemently stood up for Mo Isom, a female who attempted to get on LSU's team last year as a kicker. The woman has a GUN for a leg. I was also happy to see women officials in college football games. As my times in Texas and the rest of the South have taught me, a woman can know as much about the game as a guy. Sometimes, a lot more (see Bowles Reynolds, Erin).

I wasn't annoyed because Condoleeza Rice is black. For me, sports doesn't really have a race line - particularly the ones that I watch. Unlike in the normal world, you're good enough, you progress....regardless of colour. If you aren't, you don't....regardless of colour.

I was annoyed because Condoleeza Rice is a politician. For me, politicians and sports do not mix. I've had some personal experience with politicians and sports, and they've all irritated the hell out of me (see Cameron, David for details).
But in college football, the hiring of Ms Rice is akin to Richard Nixon's proclamation that Texas was the country's national champion in 1969. Penn State was also 11-0 that year. Now, although you could argue that Texas beat more ranked teams (3-2), and higher ranked teams, and was therefore the better team. You could also argue that Penn State had a much better defensive record, and didn't like to run the score up on people. I would have loved to see Penn State and Texas play a National Championship Game....not have a politician to give their proclamations?
So what has all of this got to do with Condoleeza Rice? Well, when she sits on the football committee, she'll be giving her opinions. But she hasn't lived and breathed college football all of her life...she's a politician. She's also a controversial politician, because she's part of a cabinet that sent a country to war in Iraq that millions of people think should never have happened. Now whether you were pro-war or against the war, the last sentence I've written is a statement of fact. And because of her controversy, I would want her anyway near an already controversial committee. Nor would I have wanted Gerald Ford (had he been alive)...and he actually played the game (for Michigan).
Listen, Ms Rice may be a passionate college football fan (she attended the Universities of Denver (go Pioneers! (Although they don't have football)), Notre Dame (You'll never get me to say "Go Irish!" in a million years, folks) and was a fellow and worked at Stanford from 1981-1993, when the years were -shall we say - mixed. But above all else, she's a politician.



So who would I vote? Funnily enough, I do see the logic of having a woman on this college football play-off committee. In the same way, I see (and want) a person of colour on the college football play-off committee.

So here's my nomination: Erin Andrews. Here's why: Erin Andrews has lived and breathed college football almost all of her adult life since attending the University of Florida (Goooooo Gators Dazzlers!). She's passionate about college football, and has worked in it professionally since 2000, and for ESPN's College Gameday and Fox College Football since 2004. She's one of the most respected voices in the business, and comes with the sort of gravitas that college football fans love. It's not like when she presents she's ever sounded like she doesn't know what she's talking about, and she'll know whether No.5, 10-2 Penn State should be in there instead of No.4, 10-2 Washington....or not.

Also, Erin Andrews is not a politician. And I think that unlike President Nixon, she won't vote for her alma mater if it's obvious that they shouldn't get in a play-off.