The 13 members of the newly named College Football Playoff committee are prepared for scrutiny to come their way. Perhaps the most polarizing name on the list is former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. The only woman on the selection committee, Rice understands that college football fans can be cruel, but she plans on ignoring all doubters when the process begins in 2014.
Rice's name was leaked weeks before the official announcement was made, drawing plenty of criticism from football fans across the nation. Recently, ESPN's college GameDay analyst David Pollack said that no woman belongs on the committee. Former Auburn coach Pat Dye echoed the same beliefs claiming that Rice did not deserve a spot because she never played the game of football. Rice simply laughs off the criticism.
"I think I've experienced plenty of heat in my life," Rice said, via Fox News. "There will undoubtedly be people who disagree with the outcome."
Rice is a self-described "student of the game" when it comes to college football. Growing up in Alabama, she has been a constant presence on the Crimson Tide sideline, but the Stanford alum has also played rolls in hiring coaches for the Cardinals. Rice was approached for the role by the Pack-12 Commissioner. While she is the only woman on the committee, Rice says she is simply there to stand up for college football fans everywhere.
"Condi definitely earned her spot on this committee," said Bill Hancock, the executive director of the BCS. "Obviously, part of this is going to be the ability to make judgments under scrutiny, and Condi has that."
Rice certainly has the resume to make tough decisions and this newly designed playoff system certainly will have its obstacles in its first year. Rice dealt with all kinds of global controversies while being a trusted adviser for former President George W. Bush.
"I've been in enough positions to respect people who have different views," Rice said. "Not everyone on the committee has played football. I'm a student of the game and I believe that I will work very, very hard."
Rice believes she understands all aspects of the game. She has seen everything from the administrative end to the x's and o's of the plays on the field. She believes an important part of this committee will be asking tough questions and answering them in the most fair way possible.
"We've been trying to get this right for long time," Rice said. "My father was always frustrated as a fan. Now, we enhance the chance that the best teams go head to head. That's going to be good for college football."
