NCAA Handwringing

I personally believe that college sports, and the world in general, would be a much better place if the NCAA ceased to exist. That’s why I find this post on the NCAA from EDSBS very amusing.

Essentially, Myles Brand is whining about how much college football coaches are getting paid. “More than their professional counterparts” he says. Then again, he makes more than most of them do, at $750,000 a year. Also of note, when the NCAA’s tax-exemption was investigated, they spent over $160,000 to lobbyists to protect it. Iiiinteresting.

“I think we have to begin asking some very hard questions,” Brand said. “It raises the question of propriety for colleges and universities. Is this the appropriate thing to do within the context of college sports?”

Billy Donovan, Florida basketball coach, will enter football coach level-salary whatever happens to him post-tourney. Either Florida’s paying him jillions, or Kentucky’s paying him jillions. You will hear nothing about that, however, because the NCAA funds its amorphous activities via the Big Dance. The NCAA makes nothing close to this from football, who farms its postseason out to a cartel of schools without the NCAA’s logo and involvement.

Greed with the NCAA logo? Integrity-laden excitement. Greed without it? An “arms race” threatening the very integrity of college academics.

It’s good. Read the whole thing.