CSNbbs

Anyone watch and eager to offer comments about the panel discussion on ESPN last nite ?

NCAA boss Brand , John Thompson and others discussed several hot button issues such as pay for play, illegal booster influences, graduation rates, disadvantages/ lack of adequate HS preparation of many minority athletes to succeed in college...etc.

I stumbled onto the show late and missed more than half of the discussion. It did not seem very conclusive nor offered any specific solutions to the problems confronting college athletic depts.

Brand flatly stated less than a dozen major college athletic programs operate in the black most years.

Some suggested lucrative TV contracts should enable ncaa to pay those athletes needing enough pocket change to go on a date and pay for a meal and a movie. It sure sounded that the under the table $ was rare and an isolated abuse and Brand challenged audience to report suspected cases which they would be happy to investigate.
Without naming names or institutions, the incident with Bama and a HS coach in Memphis was indirectly referenced. Ohio State's self imposed penalty was another.

A key unanswered question is how do some institutions manage to have effective controls in place to reduce likelihood of abuses by boosters while other institutions claim the responsibility is nearly impossible to police.

I don't think that payoffs are rare with the bigger programs. No way. I think people getting caught is rare. Whether it is Deon Thomas in Chicago or the fab five in Michigan or football players for Mike White and the Illini or whatever. I still think to this day that people leaving Illinois to go to the farm fields of Iowa, and I mean stud athletes, probably requires a little extra monetary incentive.

Just my opinion FWIW.

Yes getting a scholarship is great and helps a lot but these kids still need some income for extra things like going home for the holidays, going out on occasion. Many come from families at a poverty level who cannot afford to give them a lot of spending money. They should be giving a stipend in addition to the scholarship. The coaches make 6 figures and more and can switch schools with no penalty and use the talent of the players to do it.
There has to be a better way.

Why was Brand so emphateic that such dealings are the exception rather than rule? Does he have his head buried in sand or simply living in denial? Are hidden oincentives so widespread and the accepted practice of how business gets done that most simply wink at such "abuses" . Are they perceived as not violations but rather partr of the landscape.

Brand seemed to be genuinely uncomfortable about what the primary role of a Univerity and what college athletics is intended to be and all the pressures to circumvent rules created by free enterprise competition and alot of money at stake for many stakeholders.

He cannot be naive coming from Indiana during Knight era.

When you were a student, if you were on full ride, do you think you should get additional pocket change. The players stay up at school for the summer and get summer jobs. What about saving some dough for the school yr. I think paying athletes a stipend is a slippery slope

gcd Wrote:When you were a student, if you were on full ride, do you think you should get additional pocket change. The players stay up at school for the summer and get summer jobs. What about saving some dough for the school yr. I think paying athletes a stipend is a slippery slope

Specifically regarding basketball, I am really suprised the NBA or somebody with a ton of cash has not really pushed those "junior" leagues out there. In hockey, juniors is pretty much the only way into the NHL.
I think it could work for basketball.

I wish I had a stipend when I was in college. I had to borrow $3 to get into a party on the weekends. All that got me was Icehouse.

what if if student athletes were provided a monthly stipend thru an ncaa issued debit card but not having the authority to withdraw cash in order to track where $ was spent ....kinda like Huskiebux only nationwide. Who now pays for meals when team bus stops long enuff to eat after every tour de Midwest ride?

This will never happen but it is a fantasy and it would improve things.

What if we went the other way and everything became a club sport. Take all of the scholarships out of the game. Take full time coaches out.

Get back to playing for the love of the game. Take the pressure away. No fear that you r coach would be fired if they did not perform.

Get back to student atheletes.

Anyone been to a college cycling race. Those kids are good atheletes and they have a blast.