BCS Battle Isn't Political

It's the kind of headline that the Sean Hannitys and Glenn Becks of the world live for:

Obama administration to explore legality of BCS.

For the president's staunchest critics, this is shooting fish in a barrel.

"It's not like we've got wars or an economy on life support to worry about."

"Just the latest example that Barack Chavez and the liberal elite all think they know better than the rest of us working stiffs."

"Keep the government out of college football!" (This one seems to be one of the more popular complaints. It reminds me of a classic point-counterpoint from The Onion.)

I usually try to keep politics out of this blog. It's not what I'm here for. However, I think this is an appropriate forum to explore this issue.

Because it's not about politics.

Sure, the suits in the Justice Department probably wouldn't have much interest in this if not for the pestering of one of the Senate's most senior members, Utah Republican Orrin Hatch. And Obama has put himself on record as saying he may "throw his weight around" to affect a playoff in college football.

Yet, this isn't a matter of the White House coming down from on high to determine just how to decide college football's national championship. We're talking about a legitimate legal question: Does the BCS violate federal antitrust laws?

I mean, an entire division of the Justice Department exists for just this reason. If you have a problem with it, take it up with John Sherman.