Money's Corruption Of College Athletics

by Wild Weasel on Mar 17, 2010 8:18 PM EDT

Interview with Mark Yost author of Var$ity Green and here's his conclusion:

"It is clear that when the decision comes down to academics versus athletics, some schools have chosen athletics to the detriment of their overall student body,"
A Behind the Scenes Look at Culture and Corruption in College Athletics Behind the Scenes Look at Culture and Corruption in College Athletics.

Some interesting numbers in the piece: March Madness brings in $6.1 billion to NCAA (so one can easily understand the enthusiasm of the folks in Indianapolis for expansion of the field); only 3% of high school basketball players earn Division I scholarship and only 2% of that 3% (.0006) will earn money playing basketball. A quote from Jerry Tarkanian:

"9 of 10 major basketball programs cheat and the 10th is in last place"

I was somewhat amazed that during the discussion of high salaries for coaches and multimillion dollar practice facilities neither Calipari or UK was mentioned.

Tweet Comment 17 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Tark

His attitude is what is wrong with college athletics. Bob Knight and many others who didn’t participate in illegal actvities seemed to do very well without facturing any rules.

by Ken Howlett on Mar 17, 2010 8:34 PM EDT reply actions

Maybe

But he’s right.

MANY colleges cheat. UK no longer does (since 1989).

UK cheated in 1950’s (NCAA Death Penalty in 1953), 1970’s (NCAA Probation in 1976), and 1980’s (Letter of Reprimand in 1988, NCAA Sanctions in 1989).

The latter two decades were in Tark’s era.

by FortyYearCatFan on Mar 18, 2010 6:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe he's right? You don't really believe that do you?

And UK didn’t cheat in the ’50’s, that was the point shaving deal that we’ve beat to death here. The rest of the problems, well, those are closer to what Tark participated in for thirty year or so at Vegas.

But what’s ironic — UK enjoyed its greatest success since the 40’s and 50’s in the 1990’s, and no one has ever accused Pitino/Smith of cheating during their respective time at UK. So no, I don’t believe he’s right. Tark is full of crap, just like he’s always been.

by Ken Howlett on Mar 18, 2010 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions

It's perception Ken......

Tarkanian has convinced a good portion of the world that the NCAA singled him out over places like UK. And MAYBE they did, but Tarkanian never went so far as to out and out deny that he was doing anything wrong, just that others were and he was the one getting punished……sour grapes if you ask me, but there is a big part of the collegiate athletics community as a whole that believes exactly what Tarkanian is saying. And it’s not just the University of Kentucky.

What was the line he used to say, “the NCAA got so mad at Kentucky they put Cleveland State on probation?”…..that was one of the funnier one-liners I ever heard.

I read “Shark Attack” a few years back. Tarkanian really believes what he is saying, even if he really doesnt have a lot of facts to back it up. Most of the claims he makes are impossible to prove or disprove anyway.

I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Mar 18, 2010 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, they singled him out ...

because he was a rogue coach.

His “defense” is similar to what my three-year old would use … I’m doing it because everyone else is doing it. It’s garbage.

And by the way, here’s anther fairly successful coach who was never accused of cheating … Dean Smith.

ABC — Perception? I’m not sure what you mean.

by Ken Howlett on Mar 18, 2010 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions

the "perception" of the people who were not around at the time it was going on.

Tarkanian has made his retirement livelihood talking about the NCAA and it’s pitfalls, to people who werent even born for the most part when his headaches with the NCAA began. I agree with him about the NCAA being a poorly managed corrupt version of a dictatorship. I just am not so inclined to believe that they were out to get him alone. I think they go after whomever they feel like going after. And we know for a fact that it doesnt matter if they are right or wrong, otherwise Memphis wouldnt be in the situation they are in.

I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Mar 18, 2010 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Perception -- I see. Yeah, people who weren't around are more likely to believe his bull

I’m not saying the NCAA isn’t in need of an overhaul, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get it right ever so often — That’s what folks need to remember whenever his lips move:)

by Ken Howlett on Mar 18, 2010 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I Think Tark Is Right

Most teams DID cheat in 60’s – 70’s – 80’s.

He never said he didn’t cheat, just that others who did were treated with kid gloves by NCAA.

by FortyYearCatFan on Mar 19, 2010 7:13 AM EDT up reply actions

1950's

The 1953 NCAA sanctions were for paying players $. Check NCAA Major Infractions database.

That was discovered during the investigation of the point shaving scandal.

by FortyYearCatFan on Mar 19, 2010 7:12 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree, Tubby is another good example. Played by the rules and couldn’t recruit with the so called successful programs.

I have be correctly accused of having a 'football fetish'. You know, someone who doesn't think football is the warm up sport to basketball season.

by ParisGuy on Mar 17, 2010 10:18 PM EDT reply actions

Couldn't Recruit?

Tay Prince, Keith Bogans, Marvin Stone, Jason Parker, Cliff Hawkins, Rashaad Carruth, Chcuk Hayes, Kelenna Azubuike, Randolph Morris, Joe Crawford, Rajon Rondo, Jodie Meeks, Derrick Jasper (to name a few) would diagree.

This Tubby Couldn’t Recruit notion has always been false.

by FortyYearCatFan on Mar 18, 2010 6:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

It was his style of play that didn’t appeal to the TOP recruits, among other things. Tubby recruited very well.

I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.

by bluecrip on Mar 18, 2010 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions

we had great players......and I think you hit the nail on the head with the

“style of play” comment. Calipari and his flashy DDMO hit the scene about the time that Tubby started his downward trend. Coaches whose schemes feature today’s premier college players are going to get the “game changing” type of recruit. Tubby has some good kids in Minnesota, but his teams are always going to be about what the team acheives, not the individual, as it should be. Cal has just simply found a way to do both.

I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Mar 18, 2010 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions

I wasn't clear on what I meant.

i meant to say that he wouldn’t sell his soul to the agents, hanger ons, the guys with posses, etc.
I think Tubby was a great recruiter. And the list you all posted shows just how good he was. No in vestigations, no probations, just like Bobby Knight.
Sorry I wan’t clearer on what I meant to say earlier.
Didn’t have to worry about who took who’s test, etc.

I have be correctly accused of having a 'football fetish'. You know, someone who doesn't think football is the warm up sport to basketball season.

by ParisGuy on Mar 18, 2010 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions