Rodgers has long memory, rages at BCS

Green Bay has a lot on its plate.Chasing history as an undefeated defending champion. Clinching homefield for the playoffs. Preparing for a wounded but still dangerous Raiders team on Sunday.But that did not stop Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers from remembering his roots -- "What's up, West Coast?" is how he greeted Bay Area reporters on a conference call this week -- or a perceived wrong that cannot be righted.
It was in Rodgers' senior year at Cal when the Golden Bears appeared headed to their first Rose Bowl since Joe Kapp was under center in 1959, what with conference champ USC headed to the BCS championship game. But some late politicking by Texas coach Mack Brown got the Longhorns some much needed votes and Texas went to Pasadena instead to face Michigan. A disappointed Cal was shipped to San Diego for the Holiday Bowl and was summarily thrashed by Texas Tech.Seven years later, and the scab is fresh on Rodgers, who was asked if it still bothered him that Texas received the Rose Bowl invite rather than Cal.The sigh on the other end of the phone was as palpable as it was lengthy."Yes," he said with a sad laugh. "Well, we got them now in the Holiday Bowl, so"Cal will play Texas in San Diego on Dec. 28, and the Longhorns are 3 12-point favorites."Yes, Im still upset about it. That was something that I would have really loved to have been a part of. The last Rose Bowl for Cal, I want to say, was in the '50s. Got to get back there soon."And while the Chico Kid is on his way to his first NFL MVP award, he still has his thoughts on the college game's BCS system to crown a champion while maintaining the integrity of the bowls."There's a lot better way to do it, and it's called a playoff system," Rodgers said. "It's ridiculous. I don't know what they're calling Division II and III anymore, but they all play a playoff system to get a definite winner. There's no reason that the FBS or FCS, or whatever it's called now, there's no reason that they shouldn't have at least a four-team, eight-team, 16-team, 32-team playoffs."There's no bowl games for at least 2 12 weeks, at least two weeks from right now. You've got plenty of time. Wipe out the conference championship games and get a playoff system where there's a definite winner. Thanks a lot."No, thanks to Rodgers for being a voice of reason in the inanity of the BCS wilderness.