Football

The question: Can the defensive line hold up?

Discussion: The defensive line was my biggest concern heading into camp. J.D. Brookhart was pretty uncertain, too. Has it changed? Yes and no.

In scrimmage situations, the defense was able to penetrate and rush the quarterback. What does that mean? For one, it shows the pass rush is ahead of last season, when even bad offensive lines were able to protect their passers. Maybe Akron’s offensive line is really bad at pass blocking. Maybe the Zips’ blitz has improved. It will be hard to decipher the real reason until Sept. 1 against Army.

In terms of run stopping, the line performed fairly well. Sure, the Zips offense moved the ball, but it should have. The ground game will be the focus of the new offense, and the roster is peppered with talented running backs.

As far as personnel goes, the 3-3-5 scheme includes a tackle, nose guard and end on the defensive line. The coaches added a potential four-year starter at defensive end in Almondo Sewell. Don’t expect him to be a star right away, but the fact that he displaced Eric Lively should say something. With the injury to Jared Cecchetti (which I will soon discuss further), Lively moves again — from guard to tackle. Wallace Pendleton will start in the middle of the formation at guard.

Of course, the real concern never has been the starters. It’s the depth. Nate Robinson can backup at tackle and guard. Until Cecchetti returns, the rest is a crapshoot. The coaches don’t quite know what they have in Mitchell Magloire, Viktor Rajek, Shawn Lemon or the seven true freshmen. Of the newcomers, the most imposing appears to be Marquinn Davis, who stands 6-foot-6, 280 pounds. Brookhart said at least two of the true freshmen will burn their redshirts to help in 2007.

Cecchetti could return from his broken foot by the end of September. That grants Brookhart the flexibility of a five-man rotation, and perhaps six if one the “unknowns” emerges. But that’s only if the line hasn’t suffered another injury.

So yes, the defensive line’s play has been better than expected this month, but depth still is a monumental concern. If I’m defensive coordinator Jim Fleming, I insert and substitute the unproven defensive linemen like a manager switching pitchers in a late-inning nailbiter. He must find a couple more players who will step up and provide energy. I understand the concern of wasting their true freshman redshirt rights, but what good is a bulk of defensive linemen who never see the field until their junior year?

Looking ahead to next season, the starting line probably will include Iowa transfer and consensus “beast” of the team, Ryan Bain, along with Sewell and Lively. By then, the young players should be prepared to add an imposing two-deep field.

But this year, the line’s viability depends on health, quick learning on the job and the full recovery of Cecchetti.

Answer: Maybe

Miscellaneous

UofAZips.com has added a new feature called RooTube (how appropriate).

You can view Zips-related videos on the site or send new clips to site administrator Jason Roberts at contact@uofazips.com.

Men’s soccer

Even without three regulars, Akron beat Michigan State 2-0 in the Zips’ first exhibition match.

Ben Zemanski and Elliot Bradbrook scored the game’s only goals. Matt Tutich, Ossie Michalsen and Anthony Ampaipitakwong sat out with minor injuries.

Akron will play Cleveland State in the preseason’s final game tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Lee Jackson Field.

Miscellaneous

Alumni Jason Roberts and Don Olson have announced the creation of a Zips fan club for non-students.

With strong professionalism and organization, they launched a Web site, complete with policies, features and goals. They also have the university’s blessing.

Even if you’re still enrolled in classes, check it out. If the group thrives, it appears to be a great way to keep up with fellow Zips fans after graduation.

Football

Charlie Frye, your days as “the man” in Cleveland are limited.

I have never been a big Brady Quinn fan. He seemed to struggle against solid defenses in college. He held out of training camp for far too long. Oh yeah, and he’s too much of a pretty boy for my liking as the face of an NFL franchise.

But, man, did he look good on Saturday night!

Some people rightly will say his performance came against scrubs. However, if you more closely analyze his performance, you will see he was making quick decisions. He read defenses like a psychic.

Miscellaneous

I dreaded Sunday mornings. Mom’s screeching howl echoed through the house. “Mike! Nate! Abby! Wake up for church.”

Knowing I could read Terry Pluto’s weekly column on the ride there made it a whole lot easier to roll out of bed.

It would be a stretch to say the Beacon Journal’s lead sports columnist delivered me from the depths of hell, but his spiritual columns afforded me growth as a person. His sports columns helped me learn to write like a pro (a process painfully still in progress).

Pluto is the writer that I grew up with. Many people my age will say the same. The way he looked at sports became the way we looked at sports. He was one of three remaining “voices” from a newspaper that once won Pulitzers like the Tribe once pulled down pennants (the others being Bob Dyer and Chip Bok).

Pluto accepted a job at the Cleveland Plain Dealer. My bosses won’t appreciate this endorsement, but Cleveland.com is just a click away, so it’s not a total loss for area sports fans who loved to read his assessment of Northeast Ohio sports.

In my ventures across the midwest as a college journalist, I told seasoned industry-types that I’m from Akron and I was a business writer for the Akron Beacon Journal. “Whoa,” they usually responded. “Great newspaper for that size.” When I added that I intended to be a sports writer, they often responded, “In Terry Pluto, you have a great mentor.” Bob Kravitz, my former colleague at the Indianapolis Star who frequently is seen on ESPN, especially sung Terry’s praises. Kravitz, now the Star’s top sports columnist, said Pluto was a mentor when they both worked at the Plain Dealer.

I have sat next to Terry on several press rows. I’ve spoken with him at length about sportswriting. He genuinely is a good person. After I told him about my plans for law school, he provided me with one warning that will stick: “One day, you’ll wake up and wish you were writing about sports again.” (That ugly truth rings inside me each time I post a blog entry, as silly as that sounds.)

This sounds way too much like an obituary. For that I apologize. I suppose I’m just a bit upset my writer won’t write for my newspaper anymore. I’m certain many fans agree. It’s must be like seeing Bob Huggins leave for Cincinnati. You knew his talent too big for this town, but you hoped he’d stay anyhow.

A lot of people complained about the way Terry wrote about the Zips — that he was too patronizing, that he believed UA was just a sideshow for when the big boys weren’t playing. That isn’t the way Terry feels. You could always tell he loved sitting on press row at Rhodes Arena, watching the Zips. Although he didn’t necessarily give the games the same magnitude as Ohio State, maybe it’s for the best. What serious sports fan would give merit to a columnist who does?

Anyhow, my guess is that the ABJ will name a new columnist from within. Typically, that’s how it works at newspapers this size. What reader will connect with a writer from, say, San Diego talking about the significance of the Cavaliers’ playoff run? And although I am flattered by your consideration, it’s more likely that Mike Rouse bats cleanup tomorrow evening than the ABJ calls on yours truly.

If anyone, like myself, is thankful for having Terry around for 22 years, let him know. His e-mail address is terrypluto2003@yahoo.com.

Miscellaneous

Just read the story. Those bastards!

I wonder if Nike would like a new collegiate partner.

Miscellaneous

I’m driving out to Detroit for a couple nights of gambling and a Paul Rodgers concert.

Since Rodgers is the most debated topic ever on this blog, I’ll toss out this fun fact: He has the best voice of any musician, ever.

Feel free to discuss.

When I get back in town, I should have the $2 million stadium plan for your anxious eyes.

Miscellaneous

I have written about 150 columns in the Buchtelite to go with my about 300 straight news or sports stories.

Since I’m graduating in two weeks, here is my final column, summing up the four years of Zips sports I witnessed…

This is my last week before graduation.

In this final installment of “Rasor’s Edge,” I will be your guide as we reminisce through the roller coaster’s hills and valleys of the past four years in University of Akron sports.

…

The ride noisily creaks to a start.

“Who’s got the WD-40?” asks a smart-aleck Dru Joyce from the back.

To your left, you will see the building of a great foundation for the men’s soccer, men’s basketball and football teams. There is J.D. Brookhart and Keith Dambrot. They are signing contracts to become head coaches at UA. On the other side of the train is Ken Lolla, recruiting Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Ross McKenzie.

Riders begin to sense the train is about to descend.

“Holy cow!” former athletic director Mike Thomas shouts. “Is the coaster seriously going down there?”

(Heh. You have no idea where this thing is going, I think to myself.)

In Brookhart’s first year, and Charlie Frye’s last, Akron will be the only bowl-eligible team not to play in the postseason.

“Dang. That hurt my groin just seeing it,” Dambrot jokes to assistant coach Jeff Boals.

Don’t get too comfortable, coaches. This ride shifts quickly. As a matter of a fact, the men’s basketball team will miss out on the NIT in Dambrot’s first year as head coach, despite an RPI that almost qualified the Zips for the Big Dance.

But please nurse your bruises quickly, gentlemen. We are preparing for a steep incline. This is the fall of 2005. The men’s soccer team will reach the ultimate regular season pinnacle: a No. 1 national ranking. The football team will shock the Mid-American Conference by coming back to score two touchdowns in the final minutes to win the title over Northern Illinois. Yep, that’s right. Wee-little Akron is on SportsCenter and getting national publicity. There’s Chris Berman, calling the Zips the athletic department of the week.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” a bitter Buckeyes fan says from the back of the train. “The only school in Ohio is The Ohio State University.”

Jay Rohr and John Mackey, the most intense football players you’ll meet, begin to growl. Concerned about self-preservation, the OSU fan buttons up.

Don’t get too excited Zips fans. This won’t last. As you’ll learn, one of the themes of this ride is that the powers-that-be won’t let this roller coaster reach too high. And so begins our descent. The NCAA gave the soccer team a nine-seed for the national tournament, despite Akron losing only one game. The courageous Zips will fight to the Elite Eight, but lose in a shootout against Maryland, the eventual national champions.

Thomas and Lolla unlatch their harnesses.

Sirs, I don’t recommend…

Thomas and Lolla leap off the train. Their parachutes open to reveal logos for the universities of Cincinnati and Louisville, respectively.

Ladies and gentleman, we just lost two talented men, but the coaster will continue as planned. Actually, we’re heading up. Welcome to the ride, Mack Rhoades and Caleb Porter.

On your left, you can see Dambrot leading the Zips to a 23-win season in 2006. This team actually got an NIT berth and beat Temple on the road in the first round, thus ending the career of the legendary coach John Chaney.

All of a sudden, riders on the train begin to stir. They anticipate the football team has a chance to be special in 2006.

I hate to disappoint you, but this team is going nowhere. Look to your left as the offensive line won’t protect quarterback Luke Getsy. The kickers will miss extra points. Players will squabble. No leaders will emerge.

“So what’s the damage?” asks Rhoades, the new athletic director.

(Gulp.) Five and seven, including a blowout at the hands of Kent State.

But please remain in your seats. Don’t follow your colleagues off the rollercoaster. Joyce and Romeo Travis are about to take this train to new heights. How does 26 wins sound?

The riders erupt into a chorus of cheers.

“Obviously, this means we’re going to the Big Dance,” a giddy Cedrick Middleton says with a giant grin consuming his face.

Ced, you’re not going to like this. But take a look to your right. That is you clanking a free throw with 6.6 seconds left in the MAC Championship. After Miami’s Doug Penno banks in a 3-pointer, the Zips’ two-point lead will turn into the most disastrous defeat in tournament history. And no, Cedrick, the NCAA Tournament did not invite Akron. (Gulp.) … Neither did the NIT.

“That’s utter bull—-,” Dambrot says as he loosens his harness.

I know, I know. Try to sit tight, coach.

The other riders slip out of their seatbelts, too.

People, please!

Rather than taking the plunge, the riders crawl across the train to console Middleton, Dambrot and the team.

Dozens of fans write letters to the selection committees and the MAC, decrying the injustice. About 700 fans plan to meet for a postseason pep rally to give the Zips a proper sendoff.

Rhoades leans over to Dambrot and pulls out his university checkbook. “You mean so much to us,” he says, as he rewrites the coach’s contract.

Fans alternate chanting, “Rom-e-ooooooh!” and “Let’s go Zips!” The school’s spirit is higher than ever.

I hate to stop the party, but you must return to your seats. This train is going up again.

You’ll never believe the view.

Golf

As you might expect to hear from a coach who lost a tournament by one stroke, Tom Porten blamed putting for Akron’s second-place finish at the FirstEnergy Intercollegiate.

The team is still going strong heading into the MAC Tournament, which begins Wednesday in Westerville, Ohio.

Track

The Buchtelite’s Tony Bosma wrote an interesting feature about coach Dennis Mitchell, who built up a rotten program to one of the nation’s elite during his 11 years at the helm.

Football

The Buchtelite’s Vincent Dorsey wrote about Andy Alleman’s reaction to being drafted by the Saints.

On Sportscenter, Mel Kiper Jr. just said Alleman could be a factor on New Orleans’ offensive line soon.

MACReportOnline.com is keeping a running list of MAC players who have latched on with NFL teams. Of those players, I like Ohio linebacker Matt Muncy the most.

The ABJ’s David Lee Morgan wrote about Getsy landing with the 49ers. He mentions how the MAC set a new high for players taken in the draft’s first three rounds with five. Brookhart says the lack of respect for the MAC in football is more with the public, not insiders and professionals.

Miscellaneous

I did some snooping this semester about where the athletic department – and the university as a whole — spend their money.

There might be some stuff in the story you might not know.

I’ll post that story below. If you’re interested, here’s the link to the main story, which focuses on the whole university.

Mack Rhoades stood over his desk, placed his hand on his jaw and sighed.

“We have to get a football stadium built,” said the University of Akron’s athletic director.

“The Rubber Bowl prohibits us with attendance - especially with students,” he continued. “The lack of amenities, the deteriorating seats, et cetera. It prohibits us from maximizing revenue.”

Having the $54 million on-campus stadium ready for 2009 is a goal held by many at the university, but especially by the fans.

An entirely different contingency among the university community is asking, “Why bother?”

UA subsidized its athletic department $13.1 million last year. That is $13.1 million that could have gone to improve academic programs, they say.

The football program alone lost more than $3 million. No sport came even close to breaking even (see chart on A2).

Also, coaches spent $500,000 last year in recruiting. In layman’s terms, the university is paying $500,000 to coax high school students to accept a full-ride scholarship at UA. It’s a double whammy.

Rhoades offers several defenses against these points.

Although Akron sports don’t come close to paying for themselves, only a handful of the teams at the 119 Division IA schools do.

The national standard is that a university subsidizes athletics with about 5 percent of its total budget. The $13.1 million subsidy is just less than 4 percent of UA’s $345 million budget.

Some sports also help by attracting paying students. The track team, which awards only a small fraction of its 90 athletes with scholarships, increases tuition by attracting students to UA, who normally would go elsewhere. That figure could reach $1 million for the track team alone.

“We are, by far, a great bargain with what we bring in and provide,” track coach Dennis Mitchell said.

About 200 athletes on campus are without a full scholarship, Rhoades said. Those students pay tuition, but that money is not calculated as athletics revenue.

Rhoades also points to the publicity sports garner for a university. The football team will play twice on ESPN next season. Ninety million homes receive that network, and each of the viewers, conceivably, could walk away from the television set with a higher level of respect for UA.

“For most universities, the greatest marketing window is athletics,” Rhoades said. “It can lead people to investigate the academics, which is most important.”

Another intangible benefit is the cohesion that university athletics offer.

“It can be a focal point of celebration,” Rhoades said. “If you’re winning, it brings a sense of school spirit to the campus.”

Still, Rhoades said his department must improve upon the $3 million in total revenue it generated last year.

The department has improved already since Rhoades arrived in January 2006. Football ticket sales brought in $349,000 last season, which is double the total from 2005 when Akron won the Mid-American Conference Championship. With Keith Dambrot’s Zips winning 26 men’s basketball games, attendance income jumped 15 percent to $270,000, and that’s even with a massive blizzard wiping out attendance for the game against Ohio University which was expected to be a big money maker.

Women’s basketball is considered the third-largest collegiate sport. Akron’s team brought in only $25,800 last year. That is a figure with perhaps the highest potential to grow, Rhoades said.

“It hasn’t been a successful program,” Rhoades said. “People want to see a quality product. Before we can think about making money, we have to have a better product.”

That illustrates the importance of winning to a financially successful institution. Take Ohio State University, for example. The Buckeyes were national runners-up in men’s basketball and football. OSU’s budget of $98 million reflects that. It is the highest of any department in the nation.

Merchandise sales at Ohio State also boost revenue significantly. It’s hard to walk anywhere without seeing a Buckeyes shirt or baseball cap, even on UA’s campus.

UA’s merchandising is not so lucrative. The university hires Licensing Resource Group, Inc. to protect its brand and logo. LRG collected about $50,000 last year from manufacturers, such as Nike or New Era, who sold Zips merchandise in retail stores or over the Internet. Of course, the university sells merchandise itself at the team stores at Rhodes Arena and the Rubber Bowl. Those ventures earned UA $168,000 in 2006.

Although the football team loses millions of dollars, it recoups plenty through “buy games,” which are road games the university plays against bigger schools for a large paycheck.

The going rate is about $600,000 that a large school, such as the University of Michigan, will pay an institution from a mid-major conference, such as Akron, to travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., for just one game.

With travel expenses rarely reaching higher than $80,000, this can become somewhat of a welfare system to the smaller schools. Akron will play two such away games next season: at Ohio State and Connecticut.

These revenue enhancing methods are nice, but the truth is, UA’s athletic budget sits at $16 million - which is in the lowest third of the teams in the MAC.

Rhoades believes the new stadium can help boost revenue, and thus, increase the budget from which he can draw.

“We have to increase the amount of revenue we generate,” Rhoades said. “That is our focus.”

Baseball

The Buchtelite’s Josh Volchko profiled Akron’s new three hitter, Doug McNulty.

The team got rained out today against Cleveland State. They will play Buffalo this weekend.

Golf

The Buchtelite’s Jeff Thomas wrote about Brad Wright, who quietly has become the anchor of the Zips’ successful season and perhaps the MAC’s best golfer.

The Zips will host the FirstEnergy Intercollegiate this weekend at Firestone Country Club.

Miscellaneous, Pt. II

Do you remember our epic debate about Paul Rodgers versus Freddie Mercury as Queen’s lead singer?

I read something on the Internet that proves me right.

Golf

Never in the 50-year history of the program have the Zips won three events until this season.

Akron bested 13 other schools to win the Wolf Run Intercollegiate in Zionsville, Ind.

Brad Wright won medalist honors at eight-over par.

The Zips have two more tuneups before the MAC Championship on May 2.

Football

The Buchtelite’s Adam Ferrise went in-depth about how Akron’s offense will change this year.

It’s definitely worth reading.

The ABJ’s David Lee Morgan also wrote about the topic, but added information about Joe Moorhead, who will call plays this year, rather than J.D. Brookhart.

Also read Morgan’s story about the spring game. It has some quotes I didn’t throw on the blog.

Miscellaneous

In the final installment of a three-part series about life as a UA athlete, the Buchtelite’s Vincent Dorsey writes about how Zips cope with the end of a career.

It’s another worthwhile read.

Miscellaneous

The Buchtelite kicked off a three-part series about what it’s like to be an Akron athlete.

This installment focuses on Sarah Tokodi, the standout freshman from the women’s basketball team.

Track

The Zips are just getting into the outdoor season.

Dennis Mitchell’s team will get a lot of help from throwers Randall Hafner and Stevi Large, the Buchtelite’s Tony Bosma writes.

Football

I’ll be back out at football practice again today.

In the mean time, my column outlines the most important battles in spring football camp…

Unless you are a college football nut, you probably know nothing about spring football.

Spring football? You mean the arena league?

No, actually the NCAA allows each team to practice 15 days in March and April. If you pay attention to spring football, you’ll get an idea of how the team will look in the fall. I spent a few days last week watching the Zips.

Allow me to break down the important battles that will begin to sort themselves out between now and the Blue-Gold Scrimmage on April 15.

Quarterback - Luke Getsy is gone with hopes of landing on an NFL roster. Three underclassmen will battle to replace him: freshman Sean Hakes and sophomores Carlton Jackson and Chris Jacquemain.

It’s possible I’m too optimistic, but Jackson and Hakes are two of the most talented quarterbacks on Mid-American Conference rosters. Jackson could be a Michael Vick clone. He loves running with the ball, and coach J.D. Brookhart raves about his ability to make tacklers miss in the open field.

Jackson played sparingly last season as Getsy’s backup. He threw two passes. One was a 40-yard perfect strike that forced the defender to interfere. His talent screams of pro potential. However, Brookhart kept him out of a game last season because of off-the-field issues.

As I wrote when the Zips recruited Hakes, the Texas native possesses skills similar to Charlie Frye. He is an elusive scrambler who excels in throwing on the run. My jaw nearly dropped watching highlight videos of him in high school. His problem so far has been weeding out the occasional interception.

Running back - Dennis Kennedy is the incumbent starter, and he played well through injuries last season. So why is there a battle? Brookhart has recruited a smorgasbord of talent behind him. The coaching staff will need a solid No. 2 back to take some of the burden off Kennedy.

Junior Alex Allen truly impressed the Zips fanbase before suffering a torn knee ligament last season. He is still working his way back from that injury.

Andre Walker, a senior, filled in nicely during Kennedy’s shoulder injury last season. He has shown incredible quickness and cutting ability during the first few practices this spring.

Aaris Reed, a redshirt freshman, has great potential. And although he won’t participate in spring drills, newcomers Bryan Williams and Ryan Brinson certainly have the ability to climb the depth chart in the fall.

Kicker - So far, I’ve talked about two positions where Akron has a good problem: divvying playing time among several talented players. The kicking game is a little different.

If you remember, the Zips struggled to convert extra points last season. Brookhart had to sift through the men’s soccer team for a kicker to take over for starter Matt Domonkos.

Domonkos, a senior, is back, but he will have to play very well to retain the starting job. Brookhart, who has taken special teams responsibility upon himself, now may insert freshman Igor Ivejic, a top-10 recruit nationally at kicker.

Once Iveljic recovers full from a back injury, it should be interesting to see if he can win the job and bring stability to that position.

The Zips suffered through a disappointing season in 2006. So far, this team looks much better.

Golf

Blake Sattler shot the lowest round in school history (-8) at the Comfort Inn Belmont Intercollegiate.

The Zips, and Sattler individually, sit in second place going into the third round.

Baseball

After stunning Northern Illinois with a complete-game shutout, Frank Turocy earned the MAC East Pitcher of the Week award.

The Zips will play Malone at 3 p.m. today on campus.

Miscellaneous

Spring is in the air. The birds are chirping. Kids are outside playing.

This is a grossly superfluous aside, but I absolutely despise newspaper stories that begin with some variation of this series of obvious observations.

Bet your left thumb that anyone who uses that as a lead is a terrible or lazy writer.

Anyhow, back to my reason for blogging tonight. I had some thoughts pop into my head while mulling over the athletics department budget data…

• The football team lost $3.3 million dollars last year. To put that in perspective, people around the university often complain about the "overpaid" administration. A recent Buchtelite story showed the 24 administrators, not including president Luis Proenza, earn about $3.3 million.
• Three million dollars. Let that sink in. First, you need to know $3.3 million is not an abhorration from similar programs. Someone close to Kent State’s program told me the Flashes are about $4 million in the red, too.
• It makes you ask yourself, is football worth it? I carefully say, yes. First of all, football brings a sense of cohesion to a campus. Now, UA doesn’t necessarily feel it right now with an off-campus stadium, but you certainly will notice a buzz around campus starting in 2009. I’ve been on Northern Illinois’ campus on a gameday, and, forgive the Disney-sounding adjective, it is truly magical for a college football fan.
• Now you’re asking, so what? Well, the football program’s money-making potential should skyrocket starting in 2009. Attendance will rise. Corporate sponsorships should as well. Here’s another ploy UA is certain to use: bringing prospective students to campus on a gameday. It’s that lure that made me absolutely crazy about Ohio State as a high school senior.
• Those are intangible benefits. Let’s not forget the benefit to the community of having a stadium sit right next to a shady part of Akron. It should serve to chase some of the bums away. UA’s University Park Alliance plan should do a lot of that also. But I digress.
• Eleven of the other sports lose between $250,000 and $600,000 a year. Those sports, aside from men’s basketball, have little benefit to campus. Few students attend the matches, meets or games. If the sports went away, probably only the athletes would notice. However, the NCAA requires Division I programs to maintain a certain number of sports. As much as you want to whine about the volleyball or baseball team combining to burn almost $1 million, it’s a moot point.
• Everyone should praise the rifle team for being so effective with a budget under $90,000. Coach Newt Engle earns just $4,184 to lead one of the nation’s top 20 squads. Not bad. I could be wrong, though. Maybe rifle is just an incredibly inexpensive sport regardless.
• Here’s where my real horror lies: The women’s basketball team blows almost $900,000 a year. Holy schmoly! I recognize Title IX forces gender equality, but come on! I’m not the world’s biggest fan of Title IX; nor am I signing petitions to repeal it in regards to college athletics. I think it’s pretty clear the provision is costing public institutions money.
• A UA administrator brought up an excellent point to me when UA was considering firing Kelly Kennedy last year. There’s no disputing her ineffectiveness as head coach. However, is it really worth eating the final year of her contract, worth almost $100,000, when the women’s basketball program only grosses $25,000 in revenue? I said, no.
• Overall, I argue a lot of these rules from Title IX and the NCAA cripple the budgets of small Division I schools. Ohio University, which probably was well over its sports quota, is cutting three sports. I don’t blame the Bobcats. Although many of these teams have tradition or whatever, you’re talking about taxpayer money.
• Maybe I’m just too conservative fiscally, but no team is worth blowing $600,000, unless it brings some other intangible value to campus. If you are able to cut that team, without losing Divison I status or angering Title IX, you do it. Period.

Your thoughts?