How college football can learn a thing or two from soccer.

There has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth recently (including at this blog) over the attempt to manipulate the college football postseason system by senators from certain states that are home to non-automatic-qualifier schools.  And, now, the news breaks that the President himself is joining forces with the aforementioned senators et al, setting up a bipartisan battle against everything that is good and right in America the current BCS system.

There is one decision, however, that can forever abrogate the United States government's ability to unilaterally dictate what college football can and cannot do vis-à-vis its postseason structure.  American football in this country should follow soccer's example and create a semi-autonomous national sporting association regulated by a central organization that truly is autonomous.

It seems to me that I provide the following disclaimer before every post I write about the "other football," but it's still apropos:  I realize that I'm basically the only resident regular commenter around here who really cares about and follows soccer closely.  As such, I feel that it's my duty to, from time to time, point out certain places were we as Americans can learn from the beautiful game.  This is one of those times.

And now, the obligatory post-jump pictures...

via en.ce.cn

You know, the moniker "the beautiful game" doesn't necessarily refer to the play on the field.

via www.boreme.com

Well, ok... sometimes it does.

Soccer, as you may or may not know, is regulated worldwide primarily by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), which is fancy France-speak for the International Association Football Federation.  (The technical name for soccer around the world is "association football.")  FIFA is an autonomous organization that is, at its heart, basically a centralized body that regulates a collection of semi-autonomous national football associations.  The associations that make up FIFA are, with 4 exceptions*, aligned with a national entity/country and are only allowed to field players on its teams that are citizens of that country. 

From a legislative and athletic standpoint, however, the national associations that belong to FIFA are completely autonomous from the countries they represent. FIFA's most sacred and incontrovertible rule is that a national government is not allowed to interfere politically in any way in the structure and operation of its national football association.

Of course, football associations are still subject to the laws and ordinances in the areas in which they reside, and for non-athletic issues like law enforcement, financial stability requirements, and licensing/marketing rights, etc., they are still subject to regulation by the appropriate governmental authorities.  On all matters related to organization and athletics, however, each national association must be completely independent and free from the influence of any governmental entity or other third party. This also, notably, includes the the structure of their national football league system and manner for determining champions in each system.

via i522.photobucket.com

As for assault... well, you're on your own, bud.

An excellent recent example comes from Italy.  In 2006,  the world's favorite high-heeled boot was rocked by a referee/match fixing scandal (kind of like the Tim Donaghy NBA thing, but with virtually every referee that worked the big games), and the country's most historically successful football club, Juventus, was kicked out of the upper division of Italian football. In response, the club filed a lawsuit against the Italian football association in an Italian civil court, not the Court for Arbitration of Sport (where such a request should be directed).  In response, FIFA immediately threatened to expel the Italian national team and all Italian football clubs from all international competitions if Juventus' lawyers literally ever set one foot in an Italian courtroom. Practically the entire country protested en masse, and somebody paid somebody enough money that eventually Juventus dropped the lawsuit.**

Now, it might be difficult to see how this could be made to apply to college football.  Obviously, college football teams do not each represent a nation (literally), and more importantly, our brand of football is not played at an elite level anywhere other than the United States. That means that, if push came to shove, no real penalty could be assessed the way that FIFA assesses a penalty.  I mean, what's the "International Board of American Football" going to do... suspend the United States and declare the Stuttgart Scorpions the world champion?

via cdn3.sbnation.com

Well, at least they wear the right colors.

If we could create an International Board of American Football (IBAF), however, and get the American government to agree to recognize its autonomy in its athletic decisions, it would solve all our problems.  You could even put collegiate football and pro football both under the umbrella of the newly formed American Football Federation (AFF), and they could still be as distinctly separate and unique as they are now. (There are many soccer leagues in countries like England, France, Italy, and Spain, both professional and amateur.  It wouldn't have to be any different in this football organization.)  The NCAA could still be the governing board from an academic standpoint, but the AFF would control the rules of the game and the postseason structure.  They would most likely set up separate boards/committees for professional and amateur (collegiate) football, and each rulebook would be different, just as it is today.

The new IBAF structure could also have the positive side effect of promoting the American game abroad, and the IBAF could sanction local associations and leagues in any country in the same way that FIFA does today.  (Hey, they have small amateur soccer leagues in Liechtenstein and San Marino... why couldn't they have a small amateur American Football league in England or Spain?)

The most compelling argument for this organizational structure, however, is the mere fact that it has been so successful in international football.  If an organizational structure like this can keep the Italians, French, English, Brazilians, and even the Russians in line, why can't it keep Orrin Hatch and Barack Obama from screwing with our college football system?

via 1.bp.blogspot.com

For some reason, this picture was one of the highest results when I did a Google Image Search for "Orrin Hatch and Barack Obama."  Since Google thinks it's relevant, I'll post it here for your enjoyment.

I'm seriously considering a "Part II" post where I flesh this idea out a little more... let me know what you think.

* Because they are the oldest football associations in the world (also, because they have cool accents), the four British "Home Nations" of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland all field separate teams for FIFA competitions.  Don't ask me why one country region half the size of Massachusetts (N. Ireland) and one that's roughly the size of New Jersey (Wales) would want to field its own international soccer team... that's just the way it works.

** In true Italian fashion, however, Juventus and the four other clubs convicted of match fixing had virtually all of their punishments almost completely repealed when they appealed through the proper channels.  Only Juventus ended up with more than a slap on the wrist, and even that was significantly less severe than had been originally announced. Personally, I'm shocked (shocked) that this could occur in the country that founded and still habors (and almost celebrates) La Cosa Nostra.