Friday’s Sugar Bowl was a treat to watch, and it’s not because we hold a grudge against Nick Saban for leaving LSU. We think the former Tiger coach is a nice guy and deserving of the success he has achieved on the gridiron.
But Utah players could do no wrong and let the world know their undefeated record was not an accident. They ruled supreme against one of the strongest teams in the country.
The Utes remind us of Tulane, which was the only major undefeated team in the country in 1998. But the Greenies managed to claim only the number seven spot in national rankings after their win over Brigham Young in the Liberty Bowl, which was a great injustice. Hopefully, Utah will do better. Having beaten Alabama so decisively should give them a shot at No. 1.
Unfortunately, the designation of teams from the major conferences as BCS teams, which makes them more entitled to compete in the major bowls, is unfair to other Division 1-A teams. They are at a disadvantage in attracting players and fan support.
Colleges are already placed in divisions in accordance with their size and competence in athletics. Other than that, they should be on an even field in competition for national rankings and bowl bids.
Now, Oklahoma and Florida will vie for the BCS championship Thursday and the winner will probably claim the national title. Both have been defeated and by lesser teams than Alabama.
Utah showed the country that its undefeated record was no fluke. And we should rank the team accordingly.
It’s time to renew relations with Cuba
We just observed the fiftieth anniversary of Fidel Castro turning Cuba into the first communist country in the New World, which led to the severance of relations between our countries.
Perhaps we were right in repudiating establishment of a government that denied its people their God-given freedom. But the time has come to at least establish relations with our neighbors bordering the Gulf of Mexico and try to lead them into the right way of running a government.
Fidel has retired and his brother Raul has taken over. Reportedly, the latter is more tolerant of change. And with the possibility of putting more on the table for his people, he may let loose some in allowing more freedom for his people.
We have welcomed trade with China, another communist nation, which has helped open the doors there to some of the freedoms we enjoy. Why not Cuba?
When we first repudiated the Cuban revolution of Fidel, we were in the midst of the Cold War in which Russia was trying to convert the world to communism by force if necessary. We won that war and communist expansionism is no longer a threat.
We owe it to the Cuban people to renew our relations with their country and trade with them. This will do more in the long run to help them gain the freedom we want them to have.
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