Editorial comment

Winslow believes in decorating.

This makes it really intriguing for those of us who drive around a lot. Halloween is interesting, but Christmas is just beautiful, all over town. There are so many places with lights, the city glows.

Light in the winter has so many implications, and the feeling for light goes so far back in time, that every culture shares traditions about light.

From the Swedish Festival of Light to the Spanish Luminaria, light at midwinter is a tradition for all. In Winslow there are seasonal creches and scenes, and miles of lighted icicles.

If you get a chance, go out at night and ride around Winslow. Any area, or all of them if you have time. It will just make you feel good. It is part of our heritage and it is meant to be enjoyed.

It's enough to make you feel sorry for those poor souls who live in the southern hemisphere. How do they ever get it straight?

L.S. Scala

As Sam Sees It

Like the Presidency of the United States, the National Collegiate Football Championship will be decided by a contest in Florida. Also like the presidency, there will likely be those who question the legitimacy of the winner to the title. Undefeated Oklahoma will play once beaten Florida State in the Orange Bowl in Miami for the mythical National Collegiate Football Championship on Jan. 3, 2001.

The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) which sponsors this and two other bowl games would quarrel with the "mythical" designation of their game. Strange things happen in Florida.

The Miami Hurricanes, who handed the Florida State Seminoles their only loss of the season and who are once beaten themselves, will no doubt dispute the awarding of the championship trophy to the Seminoles should they defeat the Florida Gators in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2.

The Washington Huskies, who defeated Miami and also lost only once, may also have a claim to the title. Theirs would be harder to make, though, as either Oklahoma or Florida State will win their game.

Oregon State, Virginia Tech and Texas Christian also have only one loss each. Oregon State has a real test in the Fiesta Bowl against 9-2 Notre Dame. The Beavers might get my vote (if I had one) should they win and Florida State defeat Oklahoma in a tight game.

Where this gets sticky is that the BCS selects the participants in its title game based on a complicated formula including national rankings, strength of schedule and computer data.

Oklahoma is rated first in both major polls. However, both rank Miami ahead of Florida State. Given the fact that Miami also defeated Florida State, it is difficult to understand how the Seminoles rated ahead of the Hurricanes in college football's equivalent of the Electoral College.

The system is broken. Fixing it would be relatively simple. Just devise a play-off system involving at least four and preferably eight teams. The Electoral College would be even easier to fix: just do away with it. In both cases we would then get legitimate winners.

Sam Conner