Dear AskChuck@knews.com:

After reading your article about UT president Dr. John Petersen's talk at the Knoxville Quarterback Club, I could see why so many college presidents are against a playoff for Division I college football teams.

The financial rewards of the current system are better than the risk of trying something that might not be better.

While it may not be the perfect solution, the BCS works well enough. I say leave it alone.

RONALD LOWE

Knoxville

I could not disagree more.

While the BCS was worth a try when it was implemented in 1998, it hasn't proved to be the answer many folks envisioned.

My solution is to incorporate a four-team playoff into the existing bowl structure. It could be expanded to eight teams rather easily.

(I understand the argument that a deserving team could still be left out. My response is simple: Play better).

There's a distinct possibility that Southern California, Oklahoma and Auburn could finish the regular season undefeated this year. It is ridiculous for a computer - or a poll - to determine which team gets left out of the national championship game.

Why not add one more team and settle this thing on the field? It is fairly common in numerous other collegiate competitions. Why not football?

Unfortunately, the bottom line is the dollar sign. Most university presidents - and many head coaches - don't want to slice up a financial pie that has 28 bowl games for 56 different teams.

Forget about a playoff Chuck,

There will never be any college football playoffs, and there shouldn't be.

Student-athletes (key word: student) already have to report as early as Aug. 10 for games over Labor Day weekend. If their school plays in a bowl game, they practice right up to New Years.

How much more can we squeeze out of these young men? They do have to go to class, don't they? Experience the college life? When?

Does anyone have any idea how many hours a week it takes to be a Division I football player or coach? Don't forget winter workouts (these normally begin two weeks after the bowl game) and spring football.

If you simply consider the time these young men put into their "jobs," how are they to get a quality education? (It is not a free ride because they are working their way through school.)

Who cares if they have to go to class with a painful limp or on crutches or with so many contusions on their arms they can't lay them down on top of their desk?

The NCAA is abusing these young men and, as fans, we are aiding and abetting. If the NCAA cared, it would limit the sports schedule to one semester.

MARTIN SIEROCINSKI

Morristown

There already are college football playoffs - you just don't see it in Division I.

Coaches can put in 70 to 80 hours a week, but the NCAA has a rule that limits athletes to 20 hours of supervised practice per week.

What about college basketball? I'm pretty sure that a lot of people would not want to limit it to just one semester of competition. Non-revenue sports - such as golf and track - could be facing cutbacks, though.

Kickoffs vary too much Chuck,

I am sick of all the different kickoff times for UT football games. You never know from one week to the next what time the Vols are going to play. This makes it extremely difficult for someone to plan a ballgame party or take care of the yard.

Please tell me the Vols do not have another night game this week. I might just scream.

PEGGY SHNIDER

Knoxville

Actually, the Vols have an open date this coming Saturday.

Jefferson-Pilot would love to have UT's final two regular-season games. This would mean 12:30 p.m. EST starts Nov. 20 at Vanderbilt and Nov. 27 in Neyland Stadium against Kentucky.

The SEC's contract for televised games has a pecking order that determines the starting times: CBS (3:30), ESPN (night), JP Sports (12:30) and ESPN2 (often later at night).

The Dec. 4 SEC championship game in Atlanta's Georgia Dome is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. CBS has the broadcast. The game is listed as a sellout, but participating schools receive more than 15,000 tickets.

He Said It WBIR news anchor Ted Hall had a geographically challenged explanation after sports anchor Steve Phillips said the station did not show any highlights of Knoxville's Todd Helton playing first base for the Colorado Rockies.

All of the station's highlights were of Helton batting. The former University of Tennessee and Central High School standout had a .997 fielding percentage during the 2004 season and earned his third Gold Glove award.

Hall said there weren't any highlights of Helton playing first base because his team plays "on the West Coast" and the games don't end until 1 a.m.

Denver happens to be in the Mountain Time Zone. Next thing you know someone will try and sell Hall a parcel of ocean front property in the Rockies.

Send questions or comments to AskChuck@knews.com. Chuck Cavalaris also hosts The Ticket Sports Page Live on Monday through Friday from 3-4 p.m. on WQBB 1040AM.