It's all about ME 2!

After losing his starting position, former University of North Carolina guard Larry Drew II asked to transfer from the school. What can we learn as athletic administrators from his great show of teamwork and fortitude?

Drew left school after his parents allegedly pressed for the coaching staff to move their son back to a starting position after spending four games coming off the bench. They then approved their son's departure from the team when he wasn't reinstated as the team's starting point guard.

While this is a college-level incident, this type of thing has occurred for years at the high school level. Over-zealous, unrealistic parents place demands upon a coach or athletic administrator and create a ruckus when they don't get their way.

It is purported that athletics is a great vehicle to develop life-long values. One has to wonder what can we take away from this example?

Here are some critical points for athletic administrators to consider in times like these:

1. Parents may not be the most realistic judge of their child's athletic ability. Love usually overrides logic and reason.

2. All rules, policies and procedures are great until they directly affect a parent's child.

3. While athletics does not develop character, it is revealed in participation and competition.

Athletics is, after all, a privilege and not a right. Being part of a team and how much one plays should be based upon what is done in practice and what is best in terms of the team--not individuals. Demands from unrealistic parents cannot be allowed to influence this critical part of education.

Dr. David Hoch, CMAA

It's all about ME!

Please watch this video

Yes, sadly in todays sports environment, it is all about 'me'.  In school sports parents always want to talk about playing time.  They could care less about the success of the team, or the morale of the team.  They are only interested in their little Johnny.  He (she) may not have the skills or experience of other players, but that doesn't count with their little Johnny (Jane).  Such parents and weak administrators have run good, caring coaches out of the profession. 

Such attitudes are not just found in middle- or high schools.  The colleges have their share of prima donas.  Bobby was a high school stud.  He was offered scholarships by several schools.  Yet if he doesn't get significant playing time as a freshman, he complains and wants to transfer.

Or worse, look at the pros, particularly the NFL.  A defensive lineman sacks the opposing quarterback, then jumps up and pounds his chest.  Look at me, look at me.  Well he practices sacking quarterbacks every day in practice.  He gets paid to sack quarterbacks.  Sacking quarterbacks is his job.  Why celebrate or call attention to oneself for doing what is expected of you?  Oh well.  Nobody asked me.
Please see Look at me 

Money, Money, Money. But not for education

It's the basketball time of year referred to as March Madness.  Millions, maybe even billions of dollars will change hands for game tickets, colas, popcorn and hotdogs, and parking by fans.  Television will rake in millions in advertising.

Two years ago CBS promised the NCAA $6 billion for the rights to televise tournament games for 10 years.  Pretty good wad of money there.  Where does it all go?  Obviously the participating basketball teams will get some of it, depending how far in the brackets they advance.  This will allow those schools to pay expenses for participating in the tournament.  I suppose that most of the coaches have an incentive clause in their contracts, so they will get a portion.  But one thing is for sure:  The  Biology professors at the university won't get a dime of this money.

March Madness is all about education, isn't it?  Maybe every school in the tournament has a major in basketball or entertainment or tattooing or proper  use of the F-word on the court or bench area.

Why do we need a national champion in any sport?  Bragging rights?  Is a national champion school a better school academically?  Didn't I read in my newspaper that 23 of the 64 teams in this year's tournament failed the APR (academic performance rating) criteria.  This caused the Knight Commission, which is an academic watchdog of big time college sports, to publicly call for having the acceptable APR numbers as a qualification for participating in the tournament.  Where are the college presidents in supporting this proposal? 

Folks, people in this country don't care about anything but winning.  They don't care if their gladiators go to class, or commit a felony as long as MY University beats the crap out of yours.  An APR?  Who gives a s**t about that stuff.  Besides these aren't really college teams, but NBA minor league franchises that are allowed to use college names and venues.  This tournament has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with education.

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