This NY Times article reports on the latest developments in the Auburn University academic scandal involving the school’s intercollegiate athletic program. The university’s report on its internal probe indicates that at least one scholarship athlete had his grade changed from an incomplete to an “A” in a course without the professor knowing about it in order to allow the athlete to fulfill eligibility requirements. And it’s not as if the course was even a real academic exercise — it was something called a “self-study” course. Earlier posts on the scandal and the tension between academic institutions financing and operating minor league professional sports franchises are here, here and here.
Is there really any question at this point that minor league professional football is more important than academic integrity at Auburn?
Houston's Clear Thinkers
Longtime Houston attorney Tom Kirkendall's observations on developments in law, business, medicine, culture, sports, and other matters of general interest to the Houston business, professional, and academic communities.
Tom,
You continuously choose to dwell on what is wrong with college athletics but you seem oblivious to what is right with college athletics. At least since the 1920’s their have been stories of college athletes being paid by alumni and of institutions choosing to break the rules in a ‘win at all cost’ mentality. So be it. There always have been and always will be people who believe that the end justifies the means and that it is the final destination, not the journey that is most rewarding.
this year we have such perennial minor league football powerhouses such as Rice going to bowl games and all 4,000 students of that powerhouse know as Wake Forest are celebrating yet another conference championship. You rail against schools such as Texas playing schools the like of Louisiana – Layfayette, yet you never give us an insight what it is like being an athlete at a smaller school that was shunned by the major programs but still able to experience playing in front of 100,000 fans on national television.
We all are aware of the schools who have lost their way. I personally believe that no college athletics program should be able to participate in post season play unless the program has met minimum graduation rates for the past 5 years.
Think for a moment what it felt like for the students at Rutgers, Wake Forest, Rice, Boise State, etc. Kids at those schools enjoyed an experience those at Ohio State will never understand. Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Charles, unfortunately, to get my full view on college athletics, you have to read all of the hyperlinks. As I noted here, college football may be corrupt, but it is entertaining corruption. Also, I make a proposal on an approach that would largely fix the problem here.
I agree that it’s nice to have Rice play UT on a level-playing field. Unfortunately, the current system prevents that from happening. Except in baseball, that is. ;^)