Bowl games expose faults in BCS again.(Newport News, Va., Daily Press)

Byline: David Teel

NEW ORLEANS _ Happy 2005. What better way to ring in the first year of Dick Cheney's last term than with a Bowl Championship Series replete with backroom intrigue and contentious vote counts?

As always with the BCS, matters get a tad blurry, so let's mix some hair of the dog, knock back some Extra-Strength Tylenol and talk a little college football.

The four-game BCS commences with this afternoon's Rose Bowl, presented by Sprint, followed by the Doritos Fiesta Bowl. Come Monday _ Sunday is for worship at the NFL altar _ it's the Motorola Sugar Bowl, followed by Tuesday's national title game in the UPS Orange Bowl.

The games expose, yet again, the BCS's inherent flaws.

Here in New Orleans, where No. 9 Virginia Tech plays No. 3 Auburn in the Sugar, the talk is of preseason polls and their impact on the BCS pairings. The Tigers began the season ranked 17th by the media, 18th by the coaches. The Hokies were unranked, while Southern California and Oklahoma sat 1-2 atop both polls.

USC and Oklahoma then authored perfect regular seasons to remain 1-2, and since the BCS formula incorporates the polls, the Trojans and Sooners were ticketed to the Orange Bowl. Oh, Auburn went 12-0, too? Have some gumbo and better luck next time.