The University of Colorado finds itself in the unwelcome position of being the poster child du jour for all that ails college sports.
Since the case includes allegations of rape, the state's attorney general and governor have gotten involved while the football coach is on suspension, not because of the incidents themselves but rather, over some comments involving one of the alleged victims. Seems people are just now figuring out that drunken sex parties are part of the recruiting process, not just at Colorado but at several other schools. The bedwetters at the NCAA want to know how this happened.
Really?
Take a bunch of teenagers, fly them first-class to any number of major colleges, show them the stadium/arena and a jersey with their name on it, dine them in restaurants they can't afford, and then have potential teammates "show them a good time." This, of course, means ply them with alcohol and for good measure, put them in the company of some "hostesses." Shake this mix up and then you're surprised when trouble occurs? Better question is - how come it doesn't happen more often. Oops ... seems that it does though not usually on quite so grand a scale:
* Not too long ago, 60 Minutes did a broadcast involving the University of Georgia's football program and found that a few coeds moonlighted as escorts for recruits.
* The St. John's basketball program practically imploded after several players hired a hooker, and were later charged with rape after refusing to pay her. Maybe they should have gone to Georgia where the school foots the bill.
There have also been some individual incidents that make it clear why the on-campus incidents occur:
* A prime UNC basketball recruit may wear prison orange instead of Carolina blue after being caught up in a drug sweep.
* Miami's prize football recruit was arrested during a visit to rival Florida, his 11th arrest; Miami is pleading ignorance to the first 10 and the scholarship offer is on hold.
In each case, of course, lots of people professed their shock, outrage, or both and everyone pleaded innocence and tried to claim ignorance. Well, you can't see things if you pretend they don't exist. In each case, too, we have adults acting like everything but, choosing instead to wax piously about balancing the student with the athlete, touchy-feely things like sensitivity training for all, and de-emphasizing winning at all costs (though not at Nebraska), all the while ignoring the truths surrounding the monster they've created.
Players could give a damn about a school's academic reputation; few intend to be around until graduation anyway and many have no business on a college campus to begin with. Coaches are not interested in SAT scores; look at how they complain at any hint of imposing academic standards. Of course, those same coaches are paid six- and seven-figure salaries to win games, period. The administration wants to win, too, and if some players happen to graduate, that's a nice bonus.
Otherwise, make the top-25, earn a bowl berth, and keep those alumni dollars coming because we can't add on to the stadium and build luxury boxes by losing. There's a 24-hour media beast to feed with video highlights, phone calls from Joe in Oxnard, self-righteous indignation from talking heads, rumors of who's in and who's out, who's unhappy with their playing time, and what the latest mode of celebration is. And, this all revolves around the curious notion that second place is another definition for first loser.
None of this minimizes the allegations of rape at Colorado but this is what happens when there is a hyper-emphasis on getting to the proverbial next level and staying there. Doesn't matter if recruits are solid citizens or that schools only rent them for a couple of years; doesn't matter, either, if the coach is a character guy or not as long as he wins. Tommy Bowden needed a late-season streak to keep his job; Matt Doughtery lost his over the lack of one; Herb Sendek is teetering; and years ago, a young basketball coach at Duke was almost gone after a ragged start. By today's standards, Coach K wouldn't have been around long enough to be referred to as Coach K.
But, let's not address any real issues when it's so much easier to fire the coach, slap a little probation on a single program, and call it good. Oh sure, we'll enact some guidelines about recruiting that give the appearance of toughness and we'll hold a news conference to profess how we found ethical religion. Then, we'll act surprised when the same thing happens at the next university and we'll wonder anew how the cancer spread out from under the Band-Aid.
Hey, long as ole State U is winning and the alums keep writing those checks, what does a felony or two matter?
http://www.zwire.com
Since the case includes allegations of rape, the state's attorney general and governor have gotten involved while the football coach is on suspension, not because of the incidents themselves but rather, over some comments involving one of the alleged victims. Seems people are just now figuring out that drunken sex parties are part of the recruiting process, not just at Colorado but at several other schools. The bedwetters at the NCAA want to know how this happened.
Really?
Take a bunch of teenagers, fly them first-class to any number of major colleges, show them the stadium/arena and a jersey with their name on it, dine them in restaurants they can't afford, and then have potential teammates "show them a good time." This, of course, means ply them with alcohol and for good measure, put them in the company of some "hostesses." Shake this mix up and then you're surprised when trouble occurs? Better question is - how come it doesn't happen more often. Oops ... seems that it does though not usually on quite so grand a scale:
* Not too long ago, 60 Minutes did a broadcast involving the University of Georgia's football program and found that a few coeds moonlighted as escorts for recruits.
* The St. John's basketball program practically imploded after several players hired a hooker, and were later charged with rape after refusing to pay her. Maybe they should have gone to Georgia where the school foots the bill.
There have also been some individual incidents that make it clear why the on-campus incidents occur:
* A prime UNC basketball recruit may wear prison orange instead of Carolina blue after being caught up in a drug sweep.
* Miami's prize football recruit was arrested during a visit to rival Florida, his 11th arrest; Miami is pleading ignorance to the first 10 and the scholarship offer is on hold.
In each case, of course, lots of people professed their shock, outrage, or both and everyone pleaded innocence and tried to claim ignorance. Well, you can't see things if you pretend they don't exist. In each case, too, we have adults acting like everything but, choosing instead to wax piously about balancing the student with the athlete, touchy-feely things like sensitivity training for all, and de-emphasizing winning at all costs (though not at Nebraska), all the while ignoring the truths surrounding the monster they've created.
Players could give a damn about a school's academic reputation; few intend to be around until graduation anyway and many have no business on a college campus to begin with. Coaches are not interested in SAT scores; look at how they complain at any hint of imposing academic standards. Of course, those same coaches are paid six- and seven-figure salaries to win games, period. The administration wants to win, too, and if some players happen to graduate, that's a nice bonus.
Otherwise, make the top-25, earn a bowl berth, and keep those alumni dollars coming because we can't add on to the stadium and build luxury boxes by losing. There's a 24-hour media beast to feed with video highlights, phone calls from Joe in Oxnard, self-righteous indignation from talking heads, rumors of who's in and who's out, who's unhappy with their playing time, and what the latest mode of celebration is. And, this all revolves around the curious notion that second place is another definition for first loser.
None of this minimizes the allegations of rape at Colorado but this is what happens when there is a hyper-emphasis on getting to the proverbial next level and staying there. Doesn't matter if recruits are solid citizens or that schools only rent them for a couple of years; doesn't matter, either, if the coach is a character guy or not as long as he wins. Tommy Bowden needed a late-season streak to keep his job; Matt Doughtery lost his over the lack of one; Herb Sendek is teetering; and years ago, a young basketball coach at Duke was almost gone after a ragged start. By today's standards, Coach K wouldn't have been around long enough to be referred to as Coach K.
But, let's not address any real issues when it's so much easier to fire the coach, slap a little probation on a single program, and call it good. Oh sure, we'll enact some guidelines about recruiting that give the appearance of toughness and we'll hold a news conference to profess how we found ethical religion. Then, we'll act surprised when the same thing happens at the next university and we'll wonder anew how the cancer spread out from under the Band-Aid.
Hey, long as ole State U is winning and the alums keep writing those checks, what does a felony or two matter?
http://www.zwire.com
