I can’t
stomach the stuff that is going in collegiate sport. The tail is wagging the
dog. We have anointed the players and are not holding them accountable for their behavior. Forty Florida players have been arrested during Urban Myers tenure at Florida
and they preach family and values. You could go down the list, it not just Florida, but since I live in the middle of gator nation I see more of them. Reggie Bush returning
the Heisman trophy and making sure to tell us it was not an admission of guilt.
In his eyes he did nothing wrong, hell he did what USC football players have been
for as long they have had football at USC, got paid by the boosters. Tennessee and Florida could have a
great game this weekend outside the stadium with the players both programs have
had arrested over the past few years.I am sure they could find an ESPN channel to broadcast it.
Why don’t we just recognize it for what it is, a roman
circus These guys and & now in some cases women are not student athlete’s,
they are
mercenaries, hired guns, entertainers paid to put 100,00 plus people
in the stadium on Saturday afternoon. Why don’t we stop the charade and have
the NFL, NBA and the other pro leagues subsidize these as farm teams. They
could wear the school colors and play in the stadiums. They would not have to
class, not like many of them do anyway. It would save the schools money and
they could still license the merchandise, get the gate receipts. They could have their cake and eat it too. Maybe they
could get the fat cat alumni to pony up for better pay for professors, more
academic scholarship, thing that would make a make positive contribution to
society and that are congruent with the mission of education.
I want to end on a positive note, my good friend, colleague, and mentor Dr. Joe
Vigil is being honored for his achievements as a teacher and coach at Adams
Sate College in Alamosa Colorado on November 12. At that time there will be an unveiling
of a life size statue of “Coach.” I am honored to I have been chosen to be one a group of
people who have worked, were taught by or were coached by Coach Vigil to do
a small video tribute. Coach Vigil stands for everything collegiate athletes
should be. He is the consummate coach and teacher. There is hope for collegiate
sports because of people like Dr Vigil and the people he has taught, coached
and inspired. We need more Joe Vigil's in leadership positions. Joe thanks for the wisdom and information you have shared with me over the years.