Here We Go Again

Now it's time for the University of Miami to visit the chopping block.  It looks as if "the U" is gonna face some serious sanctions, if not the death penalty, for its latest transgressions.  If you are not aware of all the details, I highly suggest reading the article done by Charles Robinson with Yahoo! Sports.  It is some amazing work in a day when sports journalism tends to be a joke, thanks to EsPN.  Here is a link to the article, http://sports.yahoo.com/investigations/news?slug=cr-renegade_miami_booster_details_illicit_benefits_081611 and be sure to check out the detail provided for each individual implicated.  Again, great work! 

So now for the larger question, what can be done about all the problems in college football.  Recently there has been a rash of incidents at schools across the country, including Oregon, USC, THEE Ohio State University, Auburn, Alabama and now most notably at Miami(FL).  Reporters and talk shows are abuzz of what can be done to fix the ills and who is to blame.   The athletes tend to get a pass, after all, they are just kids looking for some fun and a little extra in their pocket.  Hard to argue this, especially when most of those kids are smart enough to see the administrators getting rich off their back.  Still, if you are in an industry with rules, you should follow those rules, so some blame has to go to the players.  Then there are the administrators at the schools, getting paid big dollars to run these big programs.  On top of the taxpayer money they get in the form of salaries and bonuses(at state institutions only) they also get trips and perks courtesy of networks and bowl games.  Read "Death to the BCS" by Dan Wetzel for more of the details on this element, it's mind blowing.  The administrators, and this includes conference commissioners as well, make deals with the networks for millions and millions of dollars that the schools get, but the players see zero.  On top of that, most schools do not even make money with their athletic programs, so then require more tax dollars from the state or higher student fees to pay for everything they need to keep up with the top schools.  It is a system that has gotten way out of control in terms of competition off the field.  Schools compete to have the biggest training facility, largest scoreboard, newest weight room...where does it stop?  All in an effort to impress recruits and entice them to their institution.  So are the networks to blame?  They are the ones spending the millions of dollars to televise the games.  But these are for profit businesses, so I doubt they are losing money on these deals.  Which leads us to the true source of the problem, me.  And you.  We, as fans, are the ones that tune in every Saturday for non stop college football.  We spend big bucks on jerseys and memorabilia to decorate our houses and fly flags outside our front door.  We put stickers on our cars announcing our allegiance.  Hell, we even watch Sun Belt and MAC football games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.  So the ultimate blame lies at our feet.  It's our obsession that allows for the millions of dollars to even be available.  How on earth can we expect people to act honestly and like human beings when there is that much money on the line.  Yet we are the ones up in arms over the behavior.  We are the ones pushing for changes, debating if players should get paid or not and criticizing the NCAA for its lengthy rule book but in essence always reacting rather than being proactive.  Not only is the rule book huge, but everything is getting bigger.  The season gets longer in football, March Madness continues to grow in dollars and teams involved.   And we say you're killing the what is good about the game...but we still watch.  So ask yourself, do you really want change?  Are you really outraged at the behavior?  I've asked myself that lately, and I'm really not.  In fact, I'm done with the Miami situation and could care less what punishment they get.  I'm ready for the next school to "come on down".  It's like a train wreck, you just have to watch.  But if you are truly fed up, then stop watching.  Turn the television off and read a book...I dare you.  Bet you cant do it. 

So we are slumping with the picks.  Lost last night to fall to .500 at 21-21.  Not too upset since we're always picking dogs and still slightly ahead on dollars, but definitely want a better winning percentage.  If you want to follow along with my daily picks, I'm on twitter, handle is vegasobie.  Good luck, and remember, never bet what you cant afford to lose.