You certainly cannot go more than a day or two without new allegations popping up for some major football or basketball program. A sample from the past year:
-UCONN men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun is found guilty of major recruiting violatons
-Former Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez is found guilty of major violatons
-Former Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl is found guilty of multiple major and secondary recruiting violations
-Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton's dad is accused of soliciting almost $200K cash for his son's services during the recruitment process
-Ohio State suspends five players for selling memorabilia for cash and tattoos, and consequently suspends Jim Tressel for covering up the violations
-Oregon's football program is accused of major violations in regards to alleged use of recruiting services
-Four former Auburn football playes accuse multiple schools of offering cash during their recruitment, and indicate Auburn paid them large sums of cash throughout their time at the university.
Again, these are just a sample of the major stories that have broken out over the past year, and has created quite the black eye for not just the individual universities, but for the NCAA as a whole.
HBO ran a piece last week that focused on two central, intertwined issues: alleged recruiting scandals and the pay-for-play issue. It was a fascinating (though highly one-sided) look at both topics, including reporting features as well as a panel of guests for discussion (find the story here: www.hbo.com/#/sports). To be clear, the two sports these discussions always focus on are football and men's basketball, as they are the primary revenue generators for colleges and universities.
The reason these two issues play hand-in-hand with each other is the thought that if players were paid, they may not be accepting 'illegal' benefits. There is basically two schools of thought I have found surrounding the pay-for-play argument:
1) Players are already paid through scholarship and minimal living expenses
2) Players need to be paid due to school's profiting off of services these individuals are providing on the field/court
I'm not sure I have a stance on this that I am ready to take; I see good reasoning for both sides. First of all, a free education is worth a significant amount of money today; not for just the immediate cost, but for the value it allows for future earnings. However, the NCAA is the only organization I can think of that provides zero literal compensation for its 'employees' (which is essentially what these athletes are).
HBO's panelists consisted of former college basketball player/annoucer Billy Packer, former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez, former Ivy League commissioner Jeff Orleans, and columnist Jason Whitlock. Of all the fluff that was passed back and forth between this group, I thought Whitlock (for once) had a valid suggestion: in lieu of paying them directly while they play, why not pay those who finish their degree a graduation bonus? This would do two things at once: first and most importantly, it could encourage a larger percentage of these athletes to actually finish school; and second, it will provide those who finish a small cut of the money they assisted in earning that program. While this would not alleviate certain individuals from accepting extra benefits while in school, it should help focus several others on finishing their degrees. Graduation rates are atrocious for these two sports (55% of less for the two, according to HBO); if schools want to consider the 'student' part of student-athlete at all, they need to put some focus back on academics.
While not a perfect plan, this does provide some sort of structure for a type of "revenue-sharing" between schools and their athletes. However, their are some dicey issues that would need to be resolved:
1) How much do you pay them? My thought is you could pay them a small percentage of that sports' profit for the year, therefore allowing small programs to stay afloat (as opposed to a flat amount regardless of school; Duke's football program, which loses money, could not pay the equivalent of Texas). If a sport does not earn a revenue, than the players don't receive a portion (after all, they are still getting the free scholarship).
2) Does this discriminate against females? If you follow the model from my first point, then the answer is no. If Tennessee women's basketball earns a profit, then their playes would be compensated for that.
3) Does this penalize the supreme athletes who leave school early for the pros, who are probably the ones more responsible for the profits? It doesn't necessarily penalize them, since they are freely choosing to leave school early. The hope is that it may encourage a larger percentage of those who do play to stay in school (less than 1% of all college athletes ever play at the professional level).
4) Where does the money come from? This would be my largest concern; college sports that are profitable use that money to pay for better facilities, support non-revenue sports, scholarships, department salaries, etc... My fear would be that schools would end up cutting smaller, non-revenue sports to make up for the shortfall that they may be paying. The fan would also most likely see an increase in ticket prices, as budgets would become more strained.
While I tend to like this solution better than straight up paying college athletes, there really is no one perfect answer. However, something needs to be done to clean up what is creating all the current messes. Too much money is at stake, and with money comes greed from all parties (see: NFL).
I am certainly curious to hear other thoughts - what would work in your opinion?
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Thoughts on the Madness....
I'm back!!! After an 8-month hiatus, it's time to get back into this, especially with so much going on in the world of sports since we last convened here (more Tressel, anyone??). Anyways, time to focus my thoughts on this past college basketball season, starting with the most recent developments and working a bit backwards. Please let me know your thoughts.... hope to continue to get more posts rolled out soon.
Without further ado, let's get going.....
1) What the heck is Matt Painter thinking? Rumor has it the Purdue coach is considering leaving the Boilers for Missouri. Is an extra half-a-million dollars worth a conference about to become extinct; a program that sits second-rate to Purdue (which, by the way, is where Painter attended); a lethargic fan base; and significantly harder recruiting grounds? Mizzou sits in between KC and St Louis; if he thought recruiting against the likes of Ohio State, IU, and Notre Dame was hard, wait until he tries going into KC and pulling someone from the backyard of Kansas (ain't going to happen!). I'm convinced this has to be nothing more than a leverage ploy for more money, but if so, this is the most transparent and ridiculous attempt I can remember. Here's a guy who is obviously a quality coach, who can recruit well, and has built Purdue into a consistent top-15 team over the past 5 years (not to mention again that this is his alma mater). I hope for Purdue's sake this doesn't happen, but a strange story. Interestingly enough, I was talking to my buddy Phil tonight and we both agreed that if Painter does leave, it's too bad for Counzo Martin. He has revived the Missouri State program and is a rising star, and another guy who would love to coach at Purdue..... except for the fact that he just accepted the Tennessee job three days ago to be Bruce Pearl's replacement.
2) Speaking of which, anyone surprised that Bruce Pearl was fired? If so, you should come out from under the rock which you live. It's bad enough that he lied to NCAA investigators, but the truly appalling part was Pearl calling the recruit and his family and asking them to also lie on his behalf. Good luck getting another high-profile job; he is essentially untouchable at this point (just ask Jim O'Brien and Kelvin Sampson).
3) I'm happy for the teams who made the Final Four, but I imagine CBS isn't too pleased. While the four teams there all deserved it, I'm going to guess this is going to be one of the lowest-rated Final Four's in quite a few years. The UCONN/Kentucky game is certainly intriguing (and both bring national cache to the game), but VCU/Butler? Great stories, but blah....
4) Kansas looked completely disinterested the first half against VCU, which is amazing considering a trip to the Final Four was on the line. Bill Self unfairly takes too much criticism (think of how consistently good KU has been over the past 8-10 years; quite amazing!), but he needs to figure out these mid-majors, who they have no business losing to.
5) I feel robbed I'm not getting to watch Ohio State play Kansas in the championship game. In a season full of parity, these two clearly played more consistent good basketball than anyone else. But such is life during the NCAA tournament, where one bad game ends the season. However, Sullinger against the Morris twins and both teams pure athleticism would have been quite the clash.
6) Which segues me into my experience watching the OSU game: is anything more sudden-ending then when your team loses in the tournament? While not the best played, OSU/Kentucky engaged in a highly entertaining game that ended when Brandon Knight hit the game-winner with 5 seconds left. Just like that, ballgame and season over in seconds; took my breath away...
7) Still havan't made up my mind on Jimmer Fredette, BYU's soon to be player-of-the-year. Very creative, unbelievable range....but yet horrible, reckless shot-taker and plays absolutely zero defense. In a clutch situation, I would take Kemba Walker any day over Fredette; not just because I believe he would make the shot, but because I think he would make the better decision.
8) Walker has hands-down been the best basketball player since mid-February. This has been the greatest run of games I have seen since Gerry McNamara from Syracuse saved the Orange's season in 2005-2006 by winning 4 games in 4 days in the Big East tournament.
9) Hate to say it, but Tim Hardaway Jr looks like the real deal at Michigan; great length and athleticism, and lots of time to put muscle on that frame.
10) My 2011-2012 Big Ten breakout players: the aforementioned Hardaway, Purdue's Terone Johnson (the guy just looks the part, and played well in limited minutes); Ohio State's Deshaun Thomas (who will shoot the ball until you notice him); and Michigan State's Keith Appling (should step out of Kalin Lucas' shadow).
11) I feel bad for Indiana-bound Cody Zeller, the Hoosiers' first big-time recruit since Eric Gordon. Too many expectations on him to save IU basketball, who is still a long way from being competitive consistently in the Big Ten.
12) I can't remember two teams who fell harder to start a season than Michigan State and Kansas State, who enetered the season ranked #2 and #3 in the country. K-State doesn't surprise me all that much with the marginal talent they had (I think Jacob Pullen is the most overrated player in the country), but I was stunned to see Tom Izzo's team disintegrate the way they did. Kicking two players off the team didn't help, but they suffered for two reasons: 1) Kalin Lucas did not look fully recovered from his achilles tear until the last month of the season; and 2) they missed Raymar Morgan's toughness and defense on the inside. Didn't think I would come to see the day when a Tom Izzo team would get pushed around by the majority of their schedule.
That's all I have for now..... enjoy the first week of baseball, which is a great time of year (hope literally springs eternal, even for the Indians)!
Without further ado, let's get going.....
1) What the heck is Matt Painter thinking? Rumor has it the Purdue coach is considering leaving the Boilers for Missouri. Is an extra half-a-million dollars worth a conference about to become extinct; a program that sits second-rate to Purdue (which, by the way, is where Painter attended); a lethargic fan base; and significantly harder recruiting grounds? Mizzou sits in between KC and St Louis; if he thought recruiting against the likes of Ohio State, IU, and Notre Dame was hard, wait until he tries going into KC and pulling someone from the backyard of Kansas (ain't going to happen!). I'm convinced this has to be nothing more than a leverage ploy for more money, but if so, this is the most transparent and ridiculous attempt I can remember. Here's a guy who is obviously a quality coach, who can recruit well, and has built Purdue into a consistent top-15 team over the past 5 years (not to mention again that this is his alma mater). I hope for Purdue's sake this doesn't happen, but a strange story. Interestingly enough, I was talking to my buddy Phil tonight and we both agreed that if Painter does leave, it's too bad for Counzo Martin. He has revived the Missouri State program and is a rising star, and another guy who would love to coach at Purdue..... except for the fact that he just accepted the Tennessee job three days ago to be Bruce Pearl's replacement.
2) Speaking of which, anyone surprised that Bruce Pearl was fired? If so, you should come out from under the rock which you live. It's bad enough that he lied to NCAA investigators, but the truly appalling part was Pearl calling the recruit and his family and asking them to also lie on his behalf. Good luck getting another high-profile job; he is essentially untouchable at this point (just ask Jim O'Brien and Kelvin Sampson).
3) I'm happy for the teams who made the Final Four, but I imagine CBS isn't too pleased. While the four teams there all deserved it, I'm going to guess this is going to be one of the lowest-rated Final Four's in quite a few years. The UCONN/Kentucky game is certainly intriguing (and both bring national cache to the game), but VCU/Butler? Great stories, but blah....
4) Kansas looked completely disinterested the first half against VCU, which is amazing considering a trip to the Final Four was on the line. Bill Self unfairly takes too much criticism (think of how consistently good KU has been over the past 8-10 years; quite amazing!), but he needs to figure out these mid-majors, who they have no business losing to.
5) I feel robbed I'm not getting to watch Ohio State play Kansas in the championship game. In a season full of parity, these two clearly played more consistent good basketball than anyone else. But such is life during the NCAA tournament, where one bad game ends the season. However, Sullinger against the Morris twins and both teams pure athleticism would have been quite the clash.
6) Which segues me into my experience watching the OSU game: is anything more sudden-ending then when your team loses in the tournament? While not the best played, OSU/Kentucky engaged in a highly entertaining game that ended when Brandon Knight hit the game-winner with 5 seconds left. Just like that, ballgame and season over in seconds; took my breath away...
7) Still havan't made up my mind on Jimmer Fredette, BYU's soon to be player-of-the-year. Very creative, unbelievable range....but yet horrible, reckless shot-taker and plays absolutely zero defense. In a clutch situation, I would take Kemba Walker any day over Fredette; not just because I believe he would make the shot, but because I think he would make the better decision.
8) Walker has hands-down been the best basketball player since mid-February. This has been the greatest run of games I have seen since Gerry McNamara from Syracuse saved the Orange's season in 2005-2006 by winning 4 games in 4 days in the Big East tournament.
9) Hate to say it, but Tim Hardaway Jr looks like the real deal at Michigan; great length and athleticism, and lots of time to put muscle on that frame.
10) My 2011-2012 Big Ten breakout players: the aforementioned Hardaway, Purdue's Terone Johnson (the guy just looks the part, and played well in limited minutes); Ohio State's Deshaun Thomas (who will shoot the ball until you notice him); and Michigan State's Keith Appling (should step out of Kalin Lucas' shadow).
11) I feel bad for Indiana-bound Cody Zeller, the Hoosiers' first big-time recruit since Eric Gordon. Too many expectations on him to save IU basketball, who is still a long way from being competitive consistently in the Big Ten.
12) I can't remember two teams who fell harder to start a season than Michigan State and Kansas State, who enetered the season ranked #2 and #3 in the country. K-State doesn't surprise me all that much with the marginal talent they had (I think Jacob Pullen is the most overrated player in the country), but I was stunned to see Tom Izzo's team disintegrate the way they did. Kicking two players off the team didn't help, but they suffered for two reasons: 1) Kalin Lucas did not look fully recovered from his achilles tear until the last month of the season; and 2) they missed Raymar Morgan's toughness and defense on the inside. Didn't think I would come to see the day when a Tom Izzo team would get pushed around by the majority of their schedule.
That's all I have for now..... enjoy the first week of baseball, which is a great time of year (hope literally springs eternal, even for the Indians)!
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