SMUmustangs
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RE: This sounds crazy...but will the government eventually have to step in?
(07-21-2014 08:36 PM)PiratePanther189 Wrote: We're obviously not there yet, but what finally got me to post this was the press conference that the Big 12 head had today. But with the war of words, the lack of consistency, and all of the craziness that has gone on within the NCAA looking like it's going to reach its peak over the next couple of years, could we be looking at a possible situation where the US Congress may have to step in and embark on an investigation of some kind?
This kind of thing has obviously happened with Title IX as well as professional and Olympic sports before. The reason that I bring it up (and yes, I know it sounds crazy), is because we're talking about a multi-billion dollar entity in the NCAA that appears to become in over its head more and more as the days go on. And what's worse is that its happening within the educational institutions of the United States.
Strategies of autonomy (among other things) are just flat out unsustainable in my opinion, and no matter what there's still going to be a tremendous separation of wealth amongst college athletic programs.
I just want to know what everyone thinks...is it possible? Is the "higher power" of the US going to have to eventually step in? Because this isn't just economics...we're talking about state government institutions as well.
You better hope Congress does NOT get involved, because I promise, you will not like it. President reagan once said the most feared words were: I am from the government and I am here to help.
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07-22-2014 12:34 PM |
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PiratePanther189
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RE: This sounds crazy...but will the government eventually have to step in?
(07-22-2014 11:58 AM)blunderbuss Wrote: I really think some of you grossly overestimate the number of voters that give a **** about college football.
Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App
I just really think that it depends on how much of a media story it becomes. If a major network (or 6) decides that they want the combination of the lack of effective management and cheating scandals of a multi-billion dollar entity dealing with government institutions to take up, say, 20% of their airtime. Congress would get flooded with inquiries and questions from the media - "How do you feel", "What do you have to say to", "Do you think ______ is a good practice to be going on in the institutions in your state"
Up until this point, that hasn't happened (perhaps luckily). But playing devils advocate, how many people REALLY would care about steroids in baseball if network news didn't blather on about it for 5 years and Katie Couric wasn't doing interviews with A-Rod. Would Congress really have stepped in and pressured the MLB to institute those crazy suspension and expulsion policies?
Like I said, we're not there yet. But if conference commissioners keep speaking out in this manner, and perhaps one more major scandal comes out, we're maybe talking about something different in a few years time. After all, a lot of it is "our tax dollars" right? That's how the media would spin it.
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07-22-2014 12:57 PM |
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ncbeta
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RE: This sounds crazy...but will the government eventually have to step in?
(07-22-2014 11:58 AM)blunderbuss Wrote: I really think some of you grossly overestimate the number of voters that give a **** about college football.
Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App
This.
I've looked up our reps and only 4 out of 13 went to a P5 school for their undergrad. All four of represented districts are heavily populated by ECU/Charlotte/App alumni (equally or more than the other schools). The rest come from small schools and the districts are split between NC P5 and G5 alumni. Our senators are drones to the P5.
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07-22-2014 03:32 PM |
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DMT
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RE: This sounds crazy...but will the government eventually have to step in?
Congress is unlikely to do anything. If we had a heavy handed government, like the EU, I'd say possibly but we don't. the fact is, if they had any moral backbone, they would have taken issue with state sponsored, non-profit status enjoying, institutions of higher learning taking corporate deals, entirely unrelated to education a long time ago.
So long as lobbyists have their ear and they have proxy wars to run, a fluid geo-political situation and bitter partisanship, they're not going to do anything productive.
Personally, I'd like it if every university who has division I athletics were forced to pay a retro-active tax on all their endowments so long as they were televised or promoted and that they and the companies responsible for broadcasting, advertising and brokering deals in collaboration with those universities was sued under the Sherman antitrust act for billions.
Won't happen, but it should.
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07-24-2014 05:59 PM |
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