Presidents approve college football playoff
Staff and wire report June 26, 2012 11:14PM
From left, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, BCS executive director Bill Hancock and SEC Commissioner Mike Slive smile during an interview after a BCS presidential oversight committee meeting and media availability, Tuesday, June 26, 2012, in Washington. A committee of university presidents on Tuesday approved the BCS commissioners' plan for a four-team playoff to start in the 2014 season. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Article Extras
Updated: July 28, 2012 6:42AM
Playoffs and tournaments long have determined champions of every college sport from baseball to bowling. The exception was major college football. That ended Tuesday. Come 2014, the BCS is dead.
A committee of university presidents approved a plan for a four-team playoff put forward by commissioners of the top football conferences.
The move completes a six-month process for the commissioners, who have been working on a new way to determine a major college football champion after years of griping from fans. The latest configuration is certain to make even more money for the schools than the old system.
No. 1 will play No. 4, and No. 2 will play No. 3 on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The sites of those games will rotate among the four current BCS bowls — Rose, Orange, Fiesta and Sugar — and two more to be determined. The winners will advance to the championship on the first Monday in January that is six or more days after the last semifinal. The first championship Monday is set for Jan. 12, 2015.
Pistons deal ex-Bull Gordon: The Detroit Pistons have traded guard Ben Gordon and a future first-round draft choice to the Charlotte Bobcats for swingman Corey Maggette.
Stoudemire fined for tweeting gay slur: Amare Stoudemire has been fined $50,000 by the NBA after the New York Knicks star tweeted a gay slur. Stu Jackson, the league’s executive vice president of basketball operations, announced the fine Tuesday in a release, calling Stoudemire’s language offensive and derogatory.
Sakic, Sundin among four entering Hall: Twelve-time All-Star Joe Sakic was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Tuesday in his first year of eligibility, joining Mats Sundin, Pavel Bure and Adam Oates as the newest class of inductees.
Serena wins a day after sister falls: Four-time champion Serena Williams, meanwhile, returned to the same Court 2 where big sister Venus was upset a day earlier and restored family pride by beating Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-4 at Wilmbledon.
Williams seemed to be in control after going up 3-1 and then 5-3 in the second set. But, serving for the match, she was broken back for 5-4. Williams broke again in the next game, letting out a scream after Zahlavova Strycova struck a forehand long on the second match point.
Lochte tops Phelps again: Ryan Lochte scored another win over Michael Phelps at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, but it was only the semifinals of the 200-meter freestyle. Their next big showdown is Wednesday.
Local briefs
Hole in one: Mike Kozuch of DeMotte had a hole in one on the fifth hole at Oak Knoll on Tuesday. He used a 3-wood from 170 yards. The shot was witnessed by Chuck Romanenko, J.D. Hill and Tim Hughes.
USBC to hold meeting: The LakeShore USBC will be conducting its annual membership meeting at 1 p.m. July 15 at Stardust Bowl II. On the agenda are various reports, annual elections and elections to the hall of fame. All members of the Lakeshore USBC are eligible to vote.
