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The Scorecard: And the Winner is Oops

Aired January 05, 2004 - 15:14   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Not one but two college football teams can say they're national champions. LSU staked a claim last night by beating Oklahoma in the national title game. But then a short time later, the Associated Press announced its champion, Southern California. But of course, about all you can say is oops.
Joining us now to talk about it, Matt Morrison with CNN Sports.

All right, what's wrong with two champions? Even though USC is really No. 1, what's wrong with two champions?

MATT MORRISON, CNN SPORTS: Why is it that USC is really No. 1, because The Associated Press says that it's so and because Kyra, of course, went to Trojanland?

PHILLIPS: Nobody would have known.

MORRISON: Yes. Well I don't really have a problem with it, to be quite frank with you.

PHILLIPS: Really?

MORRISON: It made the Rose Bowl a lot more watchable for me knowing that there was something on the line on Thursday's game. And then, of course, Sunday night, the LSU and Oklahoma match up in the Sugar Bowl, which was deciding the contracted national championship.

Now let's review here. It wasn't a particularly pretty game. LSU's defense did come up big against Oklahoma and Heisman Trophy winner Jason White who was picked off twice. And you saw the touchdown run back there by the LSU defensive lineman. The Tigers had just enough to outlast Oklahoma in a game that was decided really more by miscues than big plays.

Nevertheless, there sure was a lot of drama in this contest. It wasn't over until the final gun sounded. And it's LSU with the victory. The final score was 21-14. And they take home The Sears Trophy as the BCS National Championship.

Now for review, we return to Thursday's action where the Southern California Trojans left no doubt against Michigan. This was pretty. You saw a wide receiver throw a touchdown pass to the quarterback. Matt Leinart, by the way, of the Trojans is my pick for the preseason Heisman front-runner next year. And this is coming from a UCLA guy.

PHILLIPS: And it's coming from you. MORRISON: Yes, exactly. And the Trojans whooped up big on Michigan. In fact, it wasn't even as close as the 28-14 final score. And because the Trojans were No. 1 going in, according to The Associated Press, and they were even No. 1 going in, according to the coach's poll, they have earned the AP version of the National Championship, while it was LSU getting the contracted No. 1 vote from the BCS system. Which is interesting to note, Kyra, that three of the coaches actually opted to vote for Southern Cal as their national champion, which goes against the grain of what the BCS is all about. What does it mean?

PHILLIPS: I should do my homework. You went to UCLA?

MORRISON: I did.

PHILLIPS: So you were one of those guys that came to our campus and like decorated Tommy Trojan in really unethical attire?

MORRISON: Yes, I know, I ran for my life when I was up (INAUDIBLE) campus.

PHILLIPS: Yes.

MORRISON: Now people want to know if this is going to affect the BCS system.

PHILLIPS: Right, absolutely.

MORRISON: And because...

PHILLIPS: A lot of controversy over that system.

MORRISON: Right. And everyone is saying why don't they have a playoff system like they do in Division I-AA and Division II and Division III? Well the school presidents are not going to go for a playoff at this time, so get that out of your mind.

Will it mean an adjustment to the current BCS system? Probably. Will it make a difference? Probably not. What you're going to see is some more tinkering with the polls and the computer polls that are used to determine the one and two teams that are supposed to meet for the BCS title game. But nothing will change in the next year or two, although there has been some talk about potentially adding a second national championship game so that teams like USC and LSU could play next week for an undisputed. But is there a problem with, you know, two national title holders? I think not.

PHILLIPS: I guess not. No.

MORRISON: It's all right with me.

PHILLIPS: But there is a bit of an issue with Pete Rose.

MORRISON: Yes. I mean the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California isn't even the most famous Rose on the horizon right now. It's Pete Rose, as he is about to, or he already has, admitted that he bet on baseball, something he's been denying for the last 14 years.

In his latest autobiography, Rose does indeed admit that he bet on the game. He is the game's all-time hits leader and thus reverses the denials he's issued since 1989. He admits he committed the cardinal sin of organized sports, betting on games, including the ones he's been involved in.

Baseball's all-time hits leader was accepted, himself, a lifetime ban in 1989. He always denied though that he bet on baseball. And now with the clock ticking on his Hall of Fame eligibility, he's coming clean with the hopes of gaining reinstatement and election to Cooperstown. His book is out Thursday.

And Rose also sat for an interview with ABC News for Thursday night's "Prime Time Live" program. And part of that interview aired today on "Good Morning, America."

(BEGIN VIDE CLIP)

PETE ROSE: I think what happened is you're at the time you're betting football and what's after football is basketball and then the NCAA tournament, in those days. And obviously the next thing that follows is baseball. And it's just a pattern that you got into. And that's what happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MORRISON: Again, you can see that full interview Thursday night on "Prime Time Live." And "Sports Illustrated" out Wednesday has excerpts of his new book "My Prison Without Bars, Pete."

PHILLIPS: Boy!

MORRISON: Yes, he has just created this mess for himself.

PHILLIPS: Yes, I know.

MORRISON: And you wonder why now? Well,...

PHILLIPS: Digging a little deeper.

MORRISON: Yes, it's because he's only got two years left for the writers to vote him into the Hall of Fame. Beyond that it would take a vote of the Veterans Committee, which he is not likely to gain entry through, because there's a whole lot of old timers, old schoolers in baseball that are just absolutely sickened by the fact that Pete Rose bet on games when in every clubhouse it says do not associate with gamblers.

PHILLIPS: All right. Matt Morrison, the only Bruin besides my brother that I adore, thank you.

MORRISON: All right, Kyra, I'll take it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Aired January 5, 2004 - 15:14   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Not one but two college football teams can say they're national champions. LSU staked a claim last night by beating Oklahoma in the national title game. But then a short time later, the Associated Press announced its champion, Southern California. But of course, about all you can say is oops.
Joining us now to talk about it, Matt Morrison with CNN Sports.

All right, what's wrong with two champions? Even though USC is really No. 1, what's wrong with two champions?

MATT MORRISON, CNN SPORTS: Why is it that USC is really No. 1, because The Associated Press says that it's so and because Kyra, of course, went to Trojanland?

PHILLIPS: Nobody would have known.

MORRISON: Yes. Well I don't really have a problem with it, to be quite frank with you.

PHILLIPS: Really?

MORRISON: It made the Rose Bowl a lot more watchable for me knowing that there was something on the line on Thursday's game. And then, of course, Sunday night, the LSU and Oklahoma match up in the Sugar Bowl, which was deciding the contracted national championship.

Now let's review here. It wasn't a particularly pretty game. LSU's defense did come up big against Oklahoma and Heisman Trophy winner Jason White who was picked off twice. And you saw the touchdown run back there by the LSU defensive lineman. The Tigers had just enough to outlast Oklahoma in a game that was decided really more by miscues than big plays.

Nevertheless, there sure was a lot of drama in this contest. It wasn't over until the final gun sounded. And it's LSU with the victory. The final score was 21-14. And they take home The Sears Trophy as the BCS National Championship.

Now for review, we return to Thursday's action where the Southern California Trojans left no doubt against Michigan. This was pretty. You saw a wide receiver throw a touchdown pass to the quarterback. Matt Leinart, by the way, of the Trojans is my pick for the preseason Heisman front-runner next year. And this is coming from a UCLA guy.

PHILLIPS: And it's coming from you. MORRISON: Yes, exactly. And the Trojans whooped up big on Michigan. In fact, it wasn't even as close as the 28-14 final score. And because the Trojans were No. 1 going in, according to The Associated Press, and they were even No. 1 going in, according to the coach's poll, they have earned the AP version of the National Championship, while it was LSU getting the contracted No. 1 vote from the BCS system. Which is interesting to note, Kyra, that three of the coaches actually opted to vote for Southern Cal as their national champion, which goes against the grain of what the BCS is all about. What does it mean?

PHILLIPS: I should do my homework. You went to UCLA?

MORRISON: I did.

PHILLIPS: So you were one of those guys that came to our campus and like decorated Tommy Trojan in really unethical attire?

MORRISON: Yes, I know, I ran for my life when I was up (INAUDIBLE) campus.

PHILLIPS: Yes.

MORRISON: Now people want to know if this is going to affect the BCS system.

PHILLIPS: Right, absolutely.

MORRISON: And because...

PHILLIPS: A lot of controversy over that system.

MORRISON: Right. And everyone is saying why don't they have a playoff system like they do in Division I-AA and Division II and Division III? Well the school presidents are not going to go for a playoff at this time, so get that out of your mind.

Will it mean an adjustment to the current BCS system? Probably. Will it make a difference? Probably not. What you're going to see is some more tinkering with the polls and the computer polls that are used to determine the one and two teams that are supposed to meet for the BCS title game. But nothing will change in the next year or two, although there has been some talk about potentially adding a second national championship game so that teams like USC and LSU could play next week for an undisputed. But is there a problem with, you know, two national title holders? I think not.

PHILLIPS: I guess not. No.

MORRISON: It's all right with me.

PHILLIPS: But there is a bit of an issue with Pete Rose.

MORRISON: Yes. I mean the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California isn't even the most famous Rose on the horizon right now. It's Pete Rose, as he is about to, or he already has, admitted that he bet on baseball, something he's been denying for the last 14 years.

In his latest autobiography, Rose does indeed admit that he bet on the game. He is the game's all-time hits leader and thus reverses the denials he's issued since 1989. He admits he committed the cardinal sin of organized sports, betting on games, including the ones he's been involved in.

Baseball's all-time hits leader was accepted, himself, a lifetime ban in 1989. He always denied though that he bet on baseball. And now with the clock ticking on his Hall of Fame eligibility, he's coming clean with the hopes of gaining reinstatement and election to Cooperstown. His book is out Thursday.

And Rose also sat for an interview with ABC News for Thursday night's "Prime Time Live" program. And part of that interview aired today on "Good Morning, America."

(BEGIN VIDE CLIP)

PETE ROSE: I think what happened is you're at the time you're betting football and what's after football is basketball and then the NCAA tournament, in those days. And obviously the next thing that follows is baseball. And it's just a pattern that you got into. And that's what happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MORRISON: Again, you can see that full interview Thursday night on "Prime Time Live." And "Sports Illustrated" out Wednesday has excerpts of his new book "My Prison Without Bars, Pete."

PHILLIPS: Boy!

MORRISON: Yes, he has just created this mess for himself.

PHILLIPS: Yes, I know.

MORRISON: And you wonder why now? Well,...

PHILLIPS: Digging a little deeper.

MORRISON: Yes, it's because he's only got two years left for the writers to vote him into the Hall of Fame. Beyond that it would take a vote of the Veterans Committee, which he is not likely to gain entry through, because there's a whole lot of old timers, old schoolers in baseball that are just absolutely sickened by the fact that Pete Rose bet on games when in every clubhouse it says do not associate with gamblers.

PHILLIPS: All right. Matt Morrison, the only Bruin besides my brother that I adore, thank you.

MORRISON: All right, Kyra, I'll take it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com