Drew Sharp as Yoda
I did not read Drew Sharp's column in the Free Press cause I won't and therefore have no link. But this summary from the front page of the online version is 100% correct.
"The NCAA might have no alternative but to stain the sainted image of Michigan football if it means protecting the greater fallacy of major college football as a part-time academic diversion. Football is a full-time job at Michigan."
Because the Free Press shone a light on what Michigan is doing, which is exactly what all winning programs do, which is exactly what everyone expects, and which is the only way you start, compete, possibly make it to the NFL -- and the only way you get employed as the head coach of a big-time winning program -- by focusing on being the best football player and the best football team, then, sadly, it may be that Michigan gets burned, gets sanctioned, and we lose a great coach who should be bringing us two national champions, because the NCAA would rather pretend something exists when we all know it does not.
And that is a bitch.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:40 AM ^
there likely will be no sanctions so that's one less thing to worry about. this isn't as big a deal as ESPN would like you to believe
September 1st, 2009 at 9:47 AM ^
Was that last paragraph one sentence? The NCAA knows that it's continued prominence depends on the success of major college sports (football and basketball). It seems unlikely that it would diminish the value of these assets by discouraging extra work towards team improvement. The rules in place do not disallow players making an extra effort, they disallow coaching staff involvement in these efforts. Any ruling and/or punishment would need to be aimed exclusively at violations by the staff (which seem difficult to prove).
The "out" for Michigan and the NCAA will be the improved academic performance under Rodriguez. In other words, the NCAA shouldn't be compelled to punish Michigan to maintain the illusion of academic emphasis since the school and team in question are doing the job in the classroom. This detail was likely left out of Drew's latest "contribution".