So I know the news about Jim Tressel resigning happened nearly 2 weeks ago, but I've been quite busy. Despite my busy schedule, I have been able to listen to all of the conversations being had on the situation and how it has continued to develop as more information has come out about the coach, players, and more specifically Terrel Pryor.
As a Michigan fan there's lots of different ways you might think I could come at this subject, but I would like to come at it from the perspective of a coach and parent. I'm really not that interested in how all that has happened and is happening in Columbus will affect the Michigan/Ohio State rivalry. There will always be a rivalry between the two schools and there will always be stretches of good and bad for each school - the Cooper years, the RichRod years, etc. The potential hammer that could come down on Ohio State University will only be a minor blip in the overall rivalry.
What really interests me about this story is all the speculation about why Tressel lied to the NCAA in December and why he didn't report the possible infractions to his compliance department when the information was thrust upon him in April of 2010. A lot of people have used the argument that he was looking out for his players, that he had their backs. How in the world is he looking out for his players by not teaching them to take responsibility for their actions? As coaches, we are asked to help shape the lives of the athletes that come before us. We teach them how to work, work together, win, lose, and most importantly in my mind, to put forth everything you can to always be able to walk away knowing you did everything you possibly could to succeed. When you see one of your athletes trying to take short cuts, side step rules, cheat, etc., that is when it is MOST important to step in and teach them the right lesson.
Most people will say that the actions of the players off the field didn't have an affect on the play on the field. This couldn't be further from the truth in my mind. When Tressel failed to act as the coach and upstanding citizen he has always preached to be when given the information on his star players, he not only failed to teach those players the lessons I mentioned above, he also made it clear that star athletes get star treatment. When you as a coach start giving "star" athletes longer leashes and more privileges this undermines the entire team concept. Now don't get me wrong, all athletes are different and any good coach knows you can't treat them all the same. However, this does not mean that they should be held to a different standard. It should not have mattered in the least that one of the players mentioned in the emails to Jim Tressel was his star quarterback, he should have just seen that players - void of status - were committing violations that could affect his team and taken it directly to his compliance office. Once players know that their treatment is based on star status you begin to lose trust between players and coaches. And I think we have all seen over the past couple of weeks, that the locker room on the Ohio State Football team was falling apart. Most have blamed this on Terrel Pryor, but Jim Tressel deserves as much blame by allowing his star player to feel he could do whatever he wanted without consequence.
Now the other side that I mentioned was as a parent. I have 3 kids and I have no idea if any of them will be collegiate athletes. I do know that if any of them do decide and are able to play sports in college I will want them to have a coach that will continue to teach and instill in them the qualities and lessons I have been teaching them as a parent. I would want a coach that is willing to teach them the reality of their actions and that there are consequences to all actions. A coach that will have no reservations about how to act when faced with a difficult situation that could affect their team and University. A coach that knows no one is above the team and University. If I had been the parent of one of the players mentioned in the original scandal I would have been extremely disappointed in my child AND in the coach that promised to watch over my child. Jim Tressel promised those parents he would watch their children and teach them to be honest, hard working, and respectable men. And when he turned a blind eye he failed those boys and their parents.
So now Ohio State is left with a mess to likely be cleaned up by the NCAA. By all accounts Jim Tressel was a wonderful coach, but if you fail to live up to your promises and stop practicing what you preach there are bound to be consequences.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Why I continue to cheer for LeBron James
In June of 2003 LeBron James was selected #1 overall in the NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. At about the same time, I became a Cleveland sports fan. I didn't become a fan because of LeBron, I happened to meet my husband in April of 2003. He was born and raised in Cleveland and a die hard fan of Cleveland sports. Cleveland sports are a huge part of who he is and thus important to me as well. I grew up outside of Detroit and followed Detroit sports, but was more of a college fan growing up in Ann Arbor, the home of the University of Michigan. I tell people I'm a Cleveland fan by marriage. What I mean by this is that I am a Cleveland sports fan unless they are playing a Detroit team. We tend to not have many problems when the two cities meet, and actually had a lot of fun during the 2-3 years that the Cavs and Pistons were going at it in the playoffs.
I am a Cleveland fan, but since I didn't grow up there and have only been a fan for the past 8 years or so I don't fully understand and never will understand the meaning of being a Cleveland fan and all of the heartache the fans have endured over the decades. The Fumble, The Drive, The Shot are all examples of how the heart has been ripped out of Cleveland fans. I can empathize to a small degree having been present for Chris Webber's infamous timeout, but that's only one instance of heartache for a Michigan fan, the Cleveland fans have countless moments like these. The Name John Elway cannot be muttered in our household without utter contempt and disgust.
Clevelanders thought LeBron might be the answer to their championship drought and maybe he could bring some peace to a city that has had such heartache. He came close 3 times, reaching the NBA Finals once and having the best record and top seed in the playoffs the past two years. Coming so close and the hometown star surely knew the city's history with sports, he would certainly stay and sign another contract with Cleveland during his free agency. Instead, LeBron decided to leave Cleveland for Miami in hopes of finding a championship elsewhere. And now Cleveland has The Decision to add to its long list of sports disappointments.
LeBron's decision had an impact like no other because of the way he did it and the city he did it to. Had LeBron been playing in almost any other city the reaction would most likely have been different. My husband said to me just last night that no one cares that he left, its the way he left. He was a hometown kid that publicly in a one hour special on ESPN with millions watching humiliated his franchise and home and his decision would certainly cripple a city already hurting in tough economic times.
So being a Cleveland fan and having to hear about the losses and heartache for 8 years you may wonder how I can possibly cheer for LeBron. The answer is simple: I cheer for greatness. LeBron is arguably the best player in the NBA. The amount of talent, poise, skill, and heart he has for the game of basketball is tremendous. How can I not cheer for such a talent? When the stars are playing and winning, the game of basketball is better. The playoffs, which start tomorrow, will be better if LeBron is playing and winning.
Now I don't agree with the way LeBron left Cleveland, but having seen Dan Gilbert's reaction - which reminded me of a five year old's temper tantrum - there might be more behind why LeBron choose to take such a route. However, it really doesn't matter how he left, the important thing is why he left. He wants to win. Period. Isn't that the point of being the best player? Having championship(s) to show for all of your talent? And he felt that going to Miami was his best chance at winning.
I understand and respect any Cleveland fan that wants to see LeBron fail. I'm sure I might feel differently had I grown up in Cleveland. However, for all of the other fans out there, I don't get it. We should cheer and applaud greatness and those willing to do what it takes to win even if it means letting down his hometown.
I am a Cleveland fan, but since I didn't grow up there and have only been a fan for the past 8 years or so I don't fully understand and never will understand the meaning of being a Cleveland fan and all of the heartache the fans have endured over the decades. The Fumble, The Drive, The Shot are all examples of how the heart has been ripped out of Cleveland fans. I can empathize to a small degree having been present for Chris Webber's infamous timeout, but that's only one instance of heartache for a Michigan fan, the Cleveland fans have countless moments like these. The Name John Elway cannot be muttered in our household without utter contempt and disgust.
Clevelanders thought LeBron might be the answer to their championship drought and maybe he could bring some peace to a city that has had such heartache. He came close 3 times, reaching the NBA Finals once and having the best record and top seed in the playoffs the past two years. Coming so close and the hometown star surely knew the city's history with sports, he would certainly stay and sign another contract with Cleveland during his free agency. Instead, LeBron decided to leave Cleveland for Miami in hopes of finding a championship elsewhere. And now Cleveland has The Decision to add to its long list of sports disappointments.
LeBron's decision had an impact like no other because of the way he did it and the city he did it to. Had LeBron been playing in almost any other city the reaction would most likely have been different. My husband said to me just last night that no one cares that he left, its the way he left. He was a hometown kid that publicly in a one hour special on ESPN with millions watching humiliated his franchise and home and his decision would certainly cripple a city already hurting in tough economic times.
So being a Cleveland fan and having to hear about the losses and heartache for 8 years you may wonder how I can possibly cheer for LeBron. The answer is simple: I cheer for greatness. LeBron is arguably the best player in the NBA. The amount of talent, poise, skill, and heart he has for the game of basketball is tremendous. How can I not cheer for such a talent? When the stars are playing and winning, the game of basketball is better. The playoffs, which start tomorrow, will be better if LeBron is playing and winning.
Now I don't agree with the way LeBron left Cleveland, but having seen Dan Gilbert's reaction - which reminded me of a five year old's temper tantrum - there might be more behind why LeBron choose to take such a route. However, it really doesn't matter how he left, the important thing is why he left. He wants to win. Period. Isn't that the point of being the best player? Having championship(s) to show for all of your talent? And he felt that going to Miami was his best chance at winning.
I understand and respect any Cleveland fan that wants to see LeBron fail. I'm sure I might feel differently had I grown up in Cleveland. However, for all of the other fans out there, I don't get it. We should cheer and applaud greatness and those willing to do what it takes to win even if it means letting down his hometown.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Should College Athletes Get Paid?
I find this to be one of the most misguided questions asked. In reality, ALL COLLEGE ATHLETES GET PAID. And I'm not talking about the hush, hush $50 hand shake that HBO currently talked about in its Real Sports with Bryant Gumble, if you haven't seen the most recent episode you should check it out. What I am talking about is tuition, apparel, tutors, housing, food, early registration, coaching, strength trainers, doctors, tickets to other sports events, tickets for your sports events for family members, the list goes on and on.
Now you might think I'm biased by being a former college athlete. Well maybe I am, but only to a small degree. I was never a scholarship athlete. I didn't have tuition, books, room and board, or any of what you think of when you hear scholarship. However, even though I didn't have a scholarship I enjoyed SEVERAL perks being an athlete. I can't begin to put a price on having early registration, knowing I would not only get the classes I needed, but I would be able to get them at times convenient to my schedule. If I was having trouble in a class there were tutors available to me, at no cost. I can't even remember the amount of free clothing I received as an athlete, and most of it I didn't "need" for training purposes - I was a diver, all I needed was a suit and towel. I had doctors to go to for illness or injury. I was given a stipend while traveling to meets or training over winter break. I was able to travel for free to all of my competitions. The list is endless.
Any way, the point is athletes are getting paid even if they don't have a salary or hourly rate. In 2008 the New York times valued the average scholarship at $10,409. Take that over four years and that's over $40k a student athlete doesn't have to worry about in student loans. And that's just the average, Colin Cowherd stated on his radio show a few weeks ago that the average basketball scholarship (full-ride) is worth $120,000!
Now I'm totally naive here, colleges and universities are making millions of dollars on the two major sports - basketball and football. However, without the income from those sports there would be only a few other sports able to operate. Most college sports operate in the red, meaning they don't generate enough money to be able to run the program. Without that money there would be no swimming, tennis, rugby, golf, tennis, etc. And there would certainly not be scholarships for those athletes. The money is not all being pocketed, the colleges and universities need the money-making programs to make all other programs exist. And although all of the money in college athletics stays in the athletic department they certainly also help to promote the rest of the college/university to help bring in more of your average students. Think of all the adds you see for a particular school while watching a game featuring that team. All of that money is used to make a better school for EVERYBODY. This may not seem fair to the star football/basketball player helping to bring in that money, but without all of the star whatevers before him/her how do you think he's able to go to school for free?
The bottom line is student athletes are being given a chance at an education, usually a discounted education. An education/degree will pay them more than any salary the school can pay out while they are athletes for that school, that is if they choose to take advantage of it.
Now you might think I'm biased by being a former college athlete. Well maybe I am, but only to a small degree. I was never a scholarship athlete. I didn't have tuition, books, room and board, or any of what you think of when you hear scholarship. However, even though I didn't have a scholarship I enjoyed SEVERAL perks being an athlete. I can't begin to put a price on having early registration, knowing I would not only get the classes I needed, but I would be able to get them at times convenient to my schedule. If I was having trouble in a class there were tutors available to me, at no cost. I can't even remember the amount of free clothing I received as an athlete, and most of it I didn't "need" for training purposes - I was a diver, all I needed was a suit and towel. I had doctors to go to for illness or injury. I was given a stipend while traveling to meets or training over winter break. I was able to travel for free to all of my competitions. The list is endless.
Any way, the point is athletes are getting paid even if they don't have a salary or hourly rate. In 2008 the New York times valued the average scholarship at $10,409. Take that over four years and that's over $40k a student athlete doesn't have to worry about in student loans. And that's just the average, Colin Cowherd stated on his radio show a few weeks ago that the average basketball scholarship (full-ride) is worth $120,000!
Now I'm totally naive here, colleges and universities are making millions of dollars on the two major sports - basketball and football. However, without the income from those sports there would be only a few other sports able to operate. Most college sports operate in the red, meaning they don't generate enough money to be able to run the program. Without that money there would be no swimming, tennis, rugby, golf, tennis, etc. And there would certainly not be scholarships for those athletes. The money is not all being pocketed, the colleges and universities need the money-making programs to make all other programs exist. And although all of the money in college athletics stays in the athletic department they certainly also help to promote the rest of the college/university to help bring in more of your average students. Think of all the adds you see for a particular school while watching a game featuring that team. All of that money is used to make a better school for EVERYBODY. This may not seem fair to the star football/basketball player helping to bring in that money, but without all of the star whatevers before him/her how do you think he's able to go to school for free?
The bottom line is student athletes are being given a chance at an education, usually a discounted education. An education/degree will pay them more than any salary the school can pay out while they are athletes for that school, that is if they choose to take advantage of it.
Here goes nothing!
So I've finally done it, I started my own sports blog. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE leave lots of comments about whether or not you like the blog, your feelings on my current or former rants, anything that can help to make this a better site. I hope that you all enjoy and will follow along wherever my crazy mind may go!
On a side note, I'm not a writer and don't claim to be, english was by far my worst subject. I expect there will be lots of grammatical errors. I hope you enjoy anyway!
On a side note, I'm not a writer and don't claim to be, english was by far my worst subject. I expect there will be lots of grammatical errors. I hope you enjoy anyway!
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