They always say (whoever "they" are) that if you want to solve a mystery, follow the money.
Like many other fans of intercollegiate athletics, I have for some time pondered the uncomfortable mystery of the effects of big-time money on the big-time (and not-so-big) sports programs that I love to follow. To wit, the report in today's (05/15/2012) USA Today comparing life at the "elite" Division 1 programs like the Universities of Texas, Florida, Alabama, Oregon -- and even my beloved Tennessee -- with the "bottom feeders" at schools like Mississippi Valley State, North Carolina-Asheville, and Maryland-Eastern Shores.
We have become inured -- other than the occasional pretend "gripe" about ticket prices-- to the big budgets and big payments (most of them legal) at the really big schools and their sports programs. As the crack staff at USAT remind us, multi-million dollar contracts for the head coaches of revenue-producing sports (read football, in most instances) are a matter of fact.
Mack Brown, coach of the Longhorns at UT (the school with the really ugly orange uniforms) and the current king of the contracts amongst Division 1 coaches, earns $5,000,000 each year -- win, lose, or draw. As Coach Brown was quoted as saying, "I think that when we make it, we have a right to spend it. That's the way America is."
Indeed.
But, that horse has done left the barn, as we say, and my issue is not really with the Mack Browns, the Nick Sabans, and the Urban Meyers of the intercollegiate world. What really struck me was just how pervasive the attitude of entitlement has become throughout the coaching ranks these days.
Witness the comments of Sean Woods, former head coach at the aforementioned Mississippi Valley State University. (Coach Woods just accepted a new job at Morehead State University -- whose athletic budget is twice the size of MVSU's -- as is, presumably, the coach's contract.)
Discussing the challenges of coaching at the "bottom levels" of the the NCAA, the coach cited the difficulty he had of having to deal with "kids' scholarship information, dorms, food, anything you can think of." Okay, a secretarial staff is one thing; certainly, it would be nice to have a little more assistance. But, then came the clincher:
"My assistants have to teach to supplement their income."
Excuse me? Are we not referring to higher education here? What do you mean your assistants have to teach?
I was immediately reminded of the college coaches I knew when I was growing up -- next door to one of those "bottom rung" schools, the University of Tennessee at Martin.
My best friends were the sons of head basketball coach Floyd Burdette; I lived across the backyard from baseball coach Vincent Vaughn; I regularly encountered (through their children, my classmates -- and in the community) football coaches Robert Carroll, Grover Page, Ross (Buster) Elder, and Jack Beeler. I even got to spend some time with Nadine Gearin, the coach and mentor of the winningest collegiate basketball coach of all time, Pat Head Summit.
To my knowledge, every single one of these men and women taught regular academic loads in the classroom every single semester. It was part of the job...and they were happy and proud to do it!
After moving to Gainesville, Florida, I met Coach Dave Fuller (who was a member of the congregation that I serve as pastor.) Coach Fuller passed away a couple of years ago -- as have most of those on this list -- and I had the chance to learn a few things about him preparing for his funeral service.
Hired to coach baseball and teach physical education at the University of Florida, Coach Fuller also did a couple of other things to "supplement" his income. He cleaned up the gymnasium after hours, where he was given permission to allow his children to shower so they could save money at home. He helped the football program as a part-time recruiter, once signing an underweight defensive end named Jack Youngblood who went on to become an All-American and NFL Hall of Famer.
Oh, and besides carrying his full-time load in the classroom, he also became the all-time winningest coach in the history of the Gator baseball program.
Perhaps Coach Woods can be forgiven; after all, he came through as a fairly pampered player in a big-time basketball program. (Perhaps you've heard of them: The University of Kentucky Wildcats.) He probably thinks that the atmosphere in Rupp Arena is "normal."
But I can't help but wonder if the true coaching greats -- like those mentioned above -- aren't shaking their collective heads at a game -- and a system -- gone awry. It used to be about men and women who were teachers first, instructing boys and girls who were students first, in games that simulated the larger and more important game of life.
Coaches, thanks; we were happy that we knew ye when.
Like many other fans of intercollegiate athletics, I have for some time pondered the uncomfortable mystery of the effects of big-time money on the big-time (and not-so-big) sports programs that I love to follow. To wit, the report in today's (05/15/2012) USA Today comparing life at the "elite" Division 1 programs like the Universities of Texas, Florida, Alabama, Oregon -- and even my beloved Tennessee -- with the "bottom feeders" at schools like Mississippi Valley State, North Carolina-Asheville, and Maryland-Eastern Shores.
We have become inured -- other than the occasional pretend "gripe" about ticket prices-- to the big budgets and big payments (most of them legal) at the really big schools and their sports programs. As the crack staff at USAT remind us, multi-million dollar contracts for the head coaches of revenue-producing sports (read football, in most instances) are a matter of fact.
Mack Brown, coach of the Longhorns at UT (the school with the really ugly orange uniforms) and the current king of the contracts amongst Division 1 coaches, earns $5,000,000 each year -- win, lose, or draw. As Coach Brown was quoted as saying, "I think that when we make it, we have a right to spend it. That's the way America is."
Indeed.
But, that horse has done left the barn, as we say, and my issue is not really with the Mack Browns, the Nick Sabans, and the Urban Meyers of the intercollegiate world. What really struck me was just how pervasive the attitude of entitlement has become throughout the coaching ranks these days.
Witness the comments of Sean Woods, former head coach at the aforementioned Mississippi Valley State University. (Coach Woods just accepted a new job at Morehead State University -- whose athletic budget is twice the size of MVSU's -- as is, presumably, the coach's contract.)
Discussing the challenges of coaching at the "bottom levels" of the the NCAA, the coach cited the difficulty he had of having to deal with "kids' scholarship information, dorms, food, anything you can think of." Okay, a secretarial staff is one thing; certainly, it would be nice to have a little more assistance. But, then came the clincher:
"My assistants have to teach to supplement their income."
Excuse me? Are we not referring to higher education here? What do you mean your assistants have to teach?
I was immediately reminded of the college coaches I knew when I was growing up -- next door to one of those "bottom rung" schools, the University of Tennessee at Martin.
My best friends were the sons of head basketball coach Floyd Burdette; I lived across the backyard from baseball coach Vincent Vaughn; I regularly encountered (through their children, my classmates -- and in the community) football coaches Robert Carroll, Grover Page, Ross (Buster) Elder, and Jack Beeler. I even got to spend some time with Nadine Gearin, the coach and mentor of the winningest collegiate basketball coach of all time, Pat Head Summit.
To my knowledge, every single one of these men and women taught regular academic loads in the classroom every single semester. It was part of the job...and they were happy and proud to do it!
After moving to Gainesville, Florida, I met Coach Dave Fuller (who was a member of the congregation that I serve as pastor.) Coach Fuller passed away a couple of years ago -- as have most of those on this list -- and I had the chance to learn a few things about him preparing for his funeral service.
Hired to coach baseball and teach physical education at the University of Florida, Coach Fuller also did a couple of other things to "supplement" his income. He cleaned up the gymnasium after hours, where he was given permission to allow his children to shower so they could save money at home. He helped the football program as a part-time recruiter, once signing an underweight defensive end named Jack Youngblood who went on to become an All-American and NFL Hall of Famer.
Oh, and besides carrying his full-time load in the classroom, he also became the all-time winningest coach in the history of the Gator baseball program.
Perhaps Coach Woods can be forgiven; after all, he came through as a fairly pampered player in a big-time basketball program. (Perhaps you've heard of them: The University of Kentucky Wildcats.) He probably thinks that the atmosphere in Rupp Arena is "normal."
But I can't help but wonder if the true coaching greats -- like those mentioned above -- aren't shaking their collective heads at a game -- and a system -- gone awry. It used to be about men and women who were teachers first, instructing boys and girls who were students first, in games that simulated the larger and more important game of life.
Coaches, thanks; we were happy that we knew ye when.
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