Would I make the college football playoff conference champions only? Yes.

Would I hold the semifinals at home sites? Yes.

Would I bump the field from four teams to eight? Yes.

But compared to the status quo — or a perilous plus-one — the news Tuesday from Washington D.C. is worth celebrating.

There’s so much to digest and I’ve listed several links below. But I hope you start with an email debate between Sam McKewon and me. We don’t agree on a lot of things, which made for an interesting playoff discussion.

>> Dan Wetzel, who wrote “Death to the BCS,” says Tuesday’s news doesn’t change the problems of college football. But at least people at the top of the food chain throw us a bone. This column is a heavy hitter.

>> A critique of Wetzel’s work from Allen Kenney.

>> Gene Wojciechowski and Andy Staples take a more optimistic tone.

>> Dennis Dodd said nothing has really changed, especially for the little guy.

>> I ripped Harvey Perlman pretty good in Monday’s chatter. I feared that he would publicly denounce this playoff all the way to the end, giving Nebraska a bad name. He didn’t, staying out of the headlines. That’s a good thing. I hope Perlman, Tom Osborne and Bo Pelini — three prominent playoff opponents — come around as time passes.

>> Husker wideout Kenny Bell is on a Twitter rampage today. He called a playoff “the worst thing to happen” because it “potentially takes away importance of the Rose Bowl.”

Bell went on:

“Its a shame ppl are willing to throw away college football traditions. Ill b happy wen decisions like that r up to the men who actually play”

“Lets b real for a sec. Forget these playoff nonsense, the NCAA needs to start havin meetings about paying the athletes. #IndenturedServants”

“Its funny when ppl reply “ur getting a free education.” Lmaoooooooooo ignorance must be bliss.”

“This is America, when u work harder than other ppl providing a multi million $ entertainment, u deserve to b paid a portion of that money.”

“after bills, groceries, gas and clothes, i have a 79$ budget to live on for the month.”

“not only do i go to school but i practice 3-6 hrs everyday on my sport. So dont tell me that my education is “free.” Thank u, but shut up.”

“your job doesnt make lincoln nebraska 3-5 million dollars on a weekend. Ur job doesnt fill a stadium of 85000 ppl”

“This is AMERICA, when u provide a business that wouldnt exist without you, u deserve to see that money. Its not selfish, its fact”

I’ll withhold comment on paying the players (whether you think he’s right or wrong, a college kid never sounds good complaining about opportunity when he’s getting the chance to be a celebrity).

Bell’s remark about the Rose Bowl is a head-scratcher. Frankly, it scares me that Nebraska players have such reverence for a bowl game they’ve never played in.

>> Let’s close the playoff section with Michael Rosenberg’s tweet:
“Maybe I’m just terribly sentimental, but I hope the BCS goes out with 3 unbeaten regular-season teams.”

>> Monday’s CWS finale between Arizona and South Carolina was a great baseball game. But I have to admit, I miss the old CWS. A lot. When there’s virtually no chance for home runs in the late innings, it dramatically limits the unpredictability of a baseball game. Bring in those fences!

>> Compared to 2008, I’ve noticed a more subdued crowd for Olympic Swim Trials. Still intense, but not quite as frenzied. My guess is it has something to do with the lack of world records — in 2008, swimmers were seemingly setting them every night in Omaha. Why? The high-tech swimsuits, which have since been banned. I’ll have more on them later this week in the World-Herald.

>> The Wall Street Journal says the Olympic Trials, including the Swim Trials, are too close to the Olympics.

>> Tim Layden investigates the wildest track and field story I can remember in a long time. Two runners at the Olympic Trials tied for third — and only one can go to London. How did we get to this point?

>> The only thing more intense than college basketball recruiting? Private high school recruiting. Great story.

>> A profile of Iowa State’s Royce White, who is a very intriguing pro prospect. The NBA Draft is Thursday night.