Obama, McCain on what to change in sports

Presidential candidates talk to "Monday Night Football" on eve of election The Associated Press updated 8:01 p.m. ET, Mon., Nov. 3, 2008

WASHINGTON - Democrat Barack Obama tells ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” it’s time for college football to pick a champion with a playoff system while Republican John McCain wants to put an end to performance-enhancing substances.

On the eve of the election, the two presidential candidates were interviewed via satellite by ESPN’s Chris Berman. The taped interviews were to air during halftime of game between the Washington Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Both candidates were asked to name one thing they would change in sports.

“I think it is about time that we had playoffs in college football. I’m fed up with these computer rankings and this and that and the other. Get eight teams — the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a National Champion,” Obama said.

College football uses a Bowl Championship Series system, commonly known as BCS, that is based on computer rankings.

McCain said he would “take significant action to prevent the spread and use of performance-enhancing substances. I think it’s a game we’re going to be in for a long time. What I mean by that is there is somebody in a laboratory right now trying to develop some type of substance that can’t be detected and we’ve got to stay ahead of it. It’s not good for the athletes. It’s not good for the sports. It’s very bad for those who don’t do it, and I think it can attack the very integrity of all sports going all the way down to high school.”

Not lost on the candidates, who have spent millions on campaign advertising, is the ratings for Monday Night Football. ESPN said this year’s Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys telecast on Sept. 15 attracted cable’s largest audience ever — 13 million homes and 18.6 million viewers.

Obama had another sports encounter Monday when he recognized a familiar face while stopping by a local campaign office in Charlotte, N.C.

“It’s M.L. Carr!” Obama exclaimed, clearly excited to spot the former Boston Celtics’ star.

“The next president, the next president,” said Carr, who lives in Boston but said he was in Charlotte for a visit and heard about Obama’s stop.

 

© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

URL: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/27524802/