Memphis blues and representative democracy
Mar 25, 2009
Greetings from Memphis, where everything seems to be tied in to the Blues music scene: restaurants, bars, museums, street names. I've seen guitars in the airport and guitars in the lobby of our hotel. You name it, and it probably has "Blues" in it's name somewhere.
We even drove in on the BB King Highway, on a light blue rental car.
So with all that emphasis on the Blues, is that a good omen for North Carolina? I'm sure Gonzaga -- which wears its own shade of blue -- might beg to differ. And what do Syracuse and Oklahoma think about all of this?
As for more serious things, it appears the United States Senate wants to take a closer look at college football's BCS system. The Senate's judiciary subcommittee on antitrust apparently plans to hold hearings to determine if the current system leaves some schools at a comparative disadvantage.
The driving force behind this is Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch. They're still ticked off in Utah that the Utes were left out of the BCS title game, and I get that. But Senate hearings?
The country is in its worst economic plight since the Great Depression. Businesses are failing. People are losing jobs, and even their homes. Our elected officials have much more important things to worry about than college football.
Don't get me wrong, I think the BCS needs some work. I've been in favor of a four -- or even eight -- team playoff for years. But when I read this news I couldn't help but think about Mike Krzyzewski's comment on President Obama's bracket. He should be worried about the economy, and so should the U.S. Senate. The NCAA should clean its own house.
It's enough to make you want to play the Blues. And we are in Memphis, after all. ...
