September 17, 2009

NCAA president Myles Brand dies of cancer

An excerpt for the USA Today reads:

Brand died Wednesday afternoon at age 67, ending a nine-month battle with pancreatic cancer and an NCAA tenure that began in January 2003. "His focus on academic achievement propelled student-athletes to get an education where they otherwise might not have. That is his legacy," said former Tulsa President Robert Lawless, who headed the committee that selected him.

Most known for his firing of Bobby Knight while President at Texas Tech, Brand shifted the focus of the NCAA towards improving academic integrity. He is also regarded as shifting the power base of the organization from the athletics officials towards the university presidents.

The panel to select his replacement will meet on October 29th.

I am not good at eulogies and platitudes, so I will spare you the pain of reading my attempts at these. Instead I will simply ask what direction would you like to see the new NCAA president lead the organization? Here are three areas I would like to see the NCAA improve and one I issue I want to see the NCAA stay out of.

Award good performance
Many of the NCAA rules are designed to punish those institutions that fail to meet minimum requirements. This is needed to make the requirements meaningful.

It also makes the NCAA rules very watered down. Do the NCAA rules governing bowl participation (more than 6 wins, all teams with a winning record must be selected before any teams with an even record) really capture what it means to be a good team?

Why not also reward excellence? A good start, maintaining the academic focus of Brand, would be an increase of the scholarship limit by 5 for the top 25% by graduation rate for each division.

Support Universities desiring to take legal action against rule breakers.
If a coach broke NCAA rules and it costs a university real dollars due to loss of public image they should have the right to sue for a portion of the damages, up to some reasonable portion of their salary.

If players break rules and found out after they leave they should be liable for those actions.

I am surprised more universities have not attempted to take legal action against people who have got them into NCAA probation.

Focus on equitably enforcing the rules
Do schools that have large money bases and can afford to mount a significant legal fight against the NCAA have an advantage when appealing NCAA decisions? Can they drag out NCAA decisions indefinitely while smaller schools with much more insignificant violations are handed out with gusto?

I am sure some names will be found in the comments below.

DON'T MAKE AN NCAA FBS PLAYOFF!!!
This might sound weird coming from me. I most definitely want a playoff. I just don't want the NCAA running it.

I don't see the BCS as a cartel. At worst it is a front for a far more systemic power base that is far closer to the NCAA. If you think the BCS is bad you don't want to see what the NCAA would do.

The NCAA is excellent at researching issues with the games and reviewing procedures to benefit the athletes and institutions involved over the long term. They are horrible at responding to normal annual fluctuations needed to maintain a championship system.

Only congress could do worse than the NCAA at running the post season.

Your turn
With a change in leadership at the NCAA what focus would you like the new president to take?

Comments:

NCAA president Myles Brand dies of cancer
An excerpt for the USA Today reads:
Brand died Wednesday afternoon at age 67, ending a nine-month battle with pancreatic cancer and an NCAA tenure that began in January 2003. "His focus on academic achievement propelled student-athletes to get an education where they otherwise might not have. That is his legacy," said former Tulsa President Robert Lawless, who headed the committee that selected him.
Most known for his firing of Bobby Knight while President at Texas Tech, Brand shifted the focus of the NCAA towards improving academic integrity. He is also regarded as shifting the power base of the organization from the athletics officials towards the university presidents. The panel to select his replacement will meet on October 29th. I am not good at eulogies and platitudes, so I will spare you the pain of reading my attempts at these. Instead I will simply ask what direction would you like to see the new NCAA president lead the organization? Here are three areas I would like to see the NCAA improve and one I issue I want to see the NCAA stay out of. Award good performance Many of the NCAA rules are designed to punish those institutions that fail to meet minimum requirements. This is needed to make the requirements meaningful. It also makes the NCAA rules very watered down. Do the NCAA rules governing bowl participation (more than 6 wins, all teams with a winning record must be selected before any teams with an even record) really capture what it means to be a good team? Why not also reward excellence? A good start, maintaining the academic focus of Brand, would be an increase of the scholarship limit by 5 for the top 25% by graduation rate for each division. Support Universities desiring to take legal action against rule breakers. If a coach broke NCAA rules and it costs a university real dollars due to loss of public image they should have the right to sue for a portion of the damages, up to some reasonable portion of their salary. If players break rules and found out after they leave they should be liable for those actions. I am surprised more universities have not attempted to take legal action against people who have got them into NCAA probation. Focus on equitably enforcing the rules Do schools that have large money bases and can afford to mount a significant legal fight against the NCAA have an advantage when appealing NCAA decisions? Can they drag out NCAA decisions indefinitely while smaller schools with much more insignificant violations are handed out with gusto? I am sure some names will be found in the comments below. DON'T MAKE AN NCAA FBS PLAYOFF!!! This might sound weird coming from me. I most definitely want a playoff. I just don't want the NCAA running it. I don't see the BCS as a cartel. At worst it is a front for a far more systemic power base that is far closer to the NCAA. If you think the BCS is bad you don't want to see what the NCAA would do. The NCAA is excellent at researching issues with the games and reviewing procedures to benefit the athletes and institutions involved over the long term. They are horrible at responding to normal annual fluctuations needed to maintain a championship system. Only congress could do worse than the NCAA at running the post season. Your turn With a change in leadership at the NCAA what focus would you like the new president to take?