Rotorooter wrote:

Frankly, this type of fan, one who never went to the school they support, and don't care about anything but W's and L's, causes much of the problems. This is not just an "LSU" disease. People at Ohio State are embarrassed by Maurice Clarett, but are embarrassed up until the start of the next football season, when the W's and L's start again. Same is true at Auburn, Georgia, 'Bama, (name any SEC school save Vandy), OU, Nebraska, etc., etc. What I call the "non-connected" fan, or ncf, on average, could give a care less whether or not athletes graduate or even go to class or the "watering-down" of the degree. The NCAA gets in their way. One Ohio St. ncf friend of mine suggests the old "Football is a Major" solution, like that should solve everything. The media feeds this mentality, their vested interest is showing sports programming and making a buck. The fact that the athletes come "free" (not paid) makes the economics work even better. The money flows to the school, so everyone says, "see, football (or basketball) makes money for the University, it is too important to water down. Let the athletes play." No wonder the classroom is of secondary consideration (at best) in all of this. In Louisiana, where public education is mediocre at best, to spend $2M per year on the football coach's salary just amplifies the misplaced priorities.

On this subject, the priorities are screwed up. Cowen has it correct on this one. Either you are a University first with your students playing the sports and going to classes, or you are in a semi-pro league that should have no connection with a University, from a responsibility or budget standpoint. To me, the ncf and the media have led us to where we are. The media goes where the money is, which is understandable. The ncf is the one that needs to be held in check.



I wonder what it is that makes Roto think that even a majority of Tulane fans actually went to Tulane? Do you think that it has occurred to him that the overwhelming majority of booster club members never attended Tulane? Or does he realize that many Tulane fans attended schools such as Loyola, UNO, Southeastern, etc.? The only cross allegiance that I find irritating is the number of Tulane grads who support LSU first. It seems that is a common situation in Slidell.