There's a trend that has been picking up steam ever since the release of Jose Canseco's book Juiced. The trend that I am referring to is the trend of Congress sticking it's nose in both professional and collegiate sports...both places it doesn't belong.
Since Congress has developed this interest in sports, it has wasted millions of dollars and weeks of time looking into sports and trying to find ways to "fix" them. The problem with this is that Congress has achieved nothing in its failed attempts at cleaning up the various sports.
For example, Major League Baseball has a steroids problem. That has been quite obvious from the massive increase in batting statistics over the past five to ten years. While MLB did nothing to correct this issue (and rightfully so..."Chicks dig the long ball"), Congress made a futile attempt at cleaning up the game (at Bud Selig's request). All that came of that attempt was a mile long list of names that may or may not have used steroids. Those names were mostly provided by a man who was facing thirty years of prison if he didn't cooperate with the investigators. Not exactly the most reliable of sources.
And what has happened to baseball as a result of Congress' time and money? Absolutely nothing. Attendance numbers are right on par with (if not exceeding) previous attendance numbers.
Way to go Congress.
How about college football? Three representatives from the House want Congress to take a look at the bowl system and are pushing for a playoff. Nevermind the fact that these three representatives are from the states of Hawaii, Georgia, and Idaho...the home states of the three schools that feel they were jilted by the BCS. This is a big deal for these guys. They think that a college football playoff is the biggest issue in our country right now.
But even if Congress is swayed enough to waste time on such a moronic topic (compared to the other issues our country is facing), nothing will come of it. Nothing.
Congress needs to take a hint, or several, and start focusing on the real issues. How about we focus on getting our soldiers out of Iraq and Afghanistan. How about we focus on our fledgeling healthcare system, or the incredibly high gas prices. These are the issues that Congress needs to take a look at. Not sports.
