Don’t be fooled by all the college conference expansion discussions. Yes, the Big Ten and Pac-10 want to balance the conference schedule and have a playoff, but that is only part of the reason.

The number one reason: Money, what else.

The move in college football to expand conferences is picking up steam. The Big Ten doesn’t just one team, it really wants five to have a 16-team conference. The Pac-10 has similar ideas.

The thought behind this would make super conferences: the Big Ten, Pac-10, Big 12, the ACC and SEC. The Big East would probably become swallowed up by the other conferences and be dissolved.

Since there won’t be a playoff system — the bowls make too much money — the four major conferences could create a four-team playoff.

The top conference champions could play in two BCS bowls and the winners could meet for the national title. There has already been talk about the top four teams playing and the winners meeting for the title.

Conferences not involved in this format would become irrelevant. With so many conference games, teams would all be looking for weaker non-conference schedules and virtually eliminate any marquee intersectional games unless it was in a bowl game.

The idea behind this would corral all the money among the four major conferences. The rich would get richer and to hell with everyone else.

Yes, let’s use these amateur student/athletes to generate even more money for the schools. They won’t get anything financially. This is about the schools and the coaches. And forget the fans. All the colleges want is your money.

College football is a great game. Let’s not let greed ruin it.

—— Sinatra ——

Jim Walker is sports editor of The Ironton Tribune.