Parks Draws Attention to BCS

USC’s players and coaches are past being angry about losing out on a bid to play in the Sugar Bowl, this year’s bowl championship series title game.

But that did not stop a Los Angeles city councilman from playing political football with the BCS issue on Friday.

Bernard Parks, who represents the 8th district and attended graduate school at USC, introduced a motion calling for the NCAA to address the BCS system, which placed Oklahoma and Louisiana State in the Sugar Bowl.

USC, ranked No. 1 in the media and coaches’ polls, finished third in the BCS standings and will play Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

“The whole system defeats the whole issue of what competition is supposed to be about,” Parks said in a telephone interview. “The competition is supposed to be settled on the field, not by computers or in an office.”

Parks told council members that the BCS has failed to produce the correct championship game matchup three times in six years and called what happened to USC, which is situated in his council district, “a grave injustice done to one of our universities.”

Concluding his remarks, Parks said, “I’d ask even those from UCLA to step forward and vote on this.”

Councilman Ed Reyes, noting change was necessary for, “when UCLA is playing in that championship game,” offered his support.

“If this is the one time USC really needs UCLA, OK,” said Reyes, who attended UCLA.

Councilman Martin Ludlow spoke out on behalf of Ohio State fans who he said were “robbed by the Michigan Wolverines,” before Councilman Tom LaBonge called the BCS issue “moot.”

LaBonge then moved for a friendly amendment to Parks’ motion that called for the city of Los Angeles to encourage the Trojans to defeat Michigan.

Council members voted unanimously to approve.

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The Trojans took the day off Friday and will also be off today. They resume practice on Sunday.