National Collegiate Athletic Association |
CommentDecember 22, 1997
Guest editorial -- Media bears burden for gambling crisis
BY ARNIE WEXLER You would not expect to open your local newspaper and get a price list for illegal drugs, but that's just about what you get on the sports pages. You won't see drug prices, of course, but you will see betting lines and point spreads even though wagers on sporting events are legal only in Nevada (except for certain state lottery and charity games). Why? The line sells newspapers. Papers also rake in money by accepting advertisements for 800 and 900 telephone numbers that sell information to gamblers. Typically, the ads entice gamblers to "get our lock of the week," boasting something like "75 percent of our picks are winners." These so-called "handicappers" are really scamdicappers. Their information is often wrong. But newspapers accept their advertising, anyway. And don't kid yourself: Such promotion of gambling does make a difference. Betting on sports is a big problem for compulsive gamblers. The American Psychiatric Association considers compulsive gambling an impulse control disorder, and reading the lines in a newspaper can trigger a gambling binge. Some recovering compulsive gamblers can't buy a newspaper because of the anxiety it causes. I don't see much difference between a casino serving free drinks to an alcoholic and a paper publishing lines for compulsive bettors. Picture the following scenario: A young man uses the lines and odds from his newspaper to set up a bookmaking operation at a local bar. He's eventually arrested there. The next day, there's a headline: "John Doe arrested for bookmaking." The very newspaper that carried the lines he used now runs the story about his arrest. Hypocritical, isn't it? Even people who don't follow sports must have seen recent newspaper accounts of the sad tale of what happened at Arizona State University. Bruce Gebhardt, the special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Phoenix office, said the case is "one of the most significant sports bribery conspiracies involving college athletes in the country." This case didn't "just happen." It started because one of the involved athletes was already in debt because of sports gambling. According to court papers, the athlete had placed losing bets on pro hockey and football games. He said the bookie proposed to forgive the debt and pay the athlete $20,000 per game to shave points. One gambling problem causes another. Sixteen years ago, I did a TV shot with the late Howard Cosell on whether the media encourages the public to gamble. On the program, Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight said that newspapers that publish point spreads might as well publish the names and addresses of services that provide prostitutes. "They have practically the same legality...and I can't see why one is any better than the other." I'd like to pose a few questions:
The answer to all of the above is a resounding "yes." The responsible thing to do would be to stop publishing the lines, but newspapers just aren't going to do that. Circulation would drop at least 10 percent. Let any paper try it for two weeks and see what happens. People would buy other newspapers, and if all the newspapers did it, people would switch to the electronic media. Because it's unrealistic to expect any of that to happen, the responsible thing for newspapers to do would be to carry a public-service message advising people where to turn if they need help. Arnie Wexler, a recovering compulsive gambler who conducts seminars on gambling nationwide, has a special interest in speaking directly to college audiences. In addition, he encourages calls from any students or athletes who believe gambling is controlling their lives. He may be reached at 1/888 LAST-BET (527-8238) or via e-mail at aswexler@aol.com. Letter to the Editor -- Division III field-size review done properlyAfter reading Dennis Bridges' recent letter about Division III basketball in the November 24 issue of The NCAA News, I was somewhat confused and annoyed. While many athletics administrators and coaches are concerned with the fact that enhancement has reduced the tournament field from 64 to 48 teams in basketball, Mr. Bridges' letter serves to further confuse and segment the membership. While I believe that Division III men's and women's basketball deserves and can support a 64-team tournament, we need to examine what the Presidents and Management Councils have proposed. Based on information received from the Division III membership, our leadership has rightfully determined that access to the national championships is an important issue within the division. Indeed, much of the recent debate surrounding restructuring has specifically dealt with this issue. Toward that end, restructuring has enhanced championship opportunities in four other sports, discussion on how to enhance the football championship is in progress, and all rounds of the basketball championships will receive travel and per diem allowances. As a member of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Committee, Mr. Bridges is aware that the selection process is at best difficult and often flawed. To suggest that Division III is moving toward a quota system and that some conferences do not deserve automatic qualifiers because of their competitive level is at best contentious, without factual basis and an insult to many fine Division III institutions. Additionally, it misses a key tenet of Division III philosophy, which is that primary emphasis is given to in-season competition and conference championships. Moreover, while Division III philosophy speaks to supporting student-athletes in achieving high levels of competitive excellence, it does not guarantee that this excellence will be rewarded with access to a national tournament. Reducing the tournament field certainly will result in some deserving teams being eliminated from the tournament. However, even a 64-team tournament does not guarantee that some very good teams will not be excluded from participation. If the membership believes that men's and women's basketball deserves a 64-team tournament, there are legitimate legislative avenues that may be pursued to achieve this objective. To do this, however, requires that we work together in a constructive fashion.
John D. Galaris Opinions -- Are beer companies appropriate partners for athletics?
Editorial Discussing the since-discontinued practice of the men's basketball team at California State University, Fresno, taking the court by running through a large replica of a beer can provided by a corporate sponsor: "Alcoholic beverage advertisements and sponsorships are prevalent in college and professional sports, that's a given. But maybe it's time to discuss publicly if this sort of financial support is appropriate for our university, and do we want the school to accept such sponsorships. The community has demanded that Fresno State field competitive Division I athletics teams. Does that mean at any cost? "The intent here is not to denigrate the alcoholic-beverage companies. They have been good corporate citizens, educating the public -- and the younger generation -- about responsible drinking, and donating money to worthy causes. Nevertheless, the underlying message that is sent when a beer can is the focal point of the team's frenzied welcome onto the court has to be questioned. "These athletes are role models for the Valley's youth and the message the university is sending -- whether Fresno State wants to admit it or not -- is that it's cool to be a star athlete making your entrance through a mock beer can."
Title IX
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, president "Reducing athletics opportunities for men should be the option of last resort to achieve Title IX compliance. An employment analogy would be to reduce the salaries of the majority of employees to increase the salaries of a group that has historically experienced discrimination. Instead, the goal should be to bring the treatment of the group experiencing discrimination up to the level of the group that has received fair treatment. "When a men's team is eliminated in the name of Title IX, an acrimonious environment is created. In essence, institutions are pitting the disadvantaged (male athletes whose sports have been cut) against the disadvantaged (female athletes who don't have the chance to play). Title IX does not require that men's sports opportunities be reduced to achieve equity. Other solutions that should be considered include: "1. Raising New Revenues: Gender equity can be the catalyst to be creative and raise new funds. However, it is essential that there be a positive spin on alumni solicitations for that purpose, like increasing the ticket price by one or two dollars so 'our daughters will have an equal chance to play.' 'Providing an equal opportunity for women to participate in varsity athletics' is an excellent theme for an annual giving campaign. "2. Trimming Budgets: Reducing excess expenditures on the most expensive men's sports -- eliminating hotel stays the night before home football games, ordering new uniforms less frequently and minimizing the distances traveled for nonconference competition, for example -- allows the opportunity to use the savings to expand opportunities and treatment for the underrepresented gender. In addition, all sports can be asked to cut their budgets by a fixed percentage, thereby allowing each sport to choose the way it might least be affected. This method is preferred, as it does not have a disproportionate impact on low-budget sports. "3. Athletic Conference Cost Saving: The conference can adopt across-the-board mandated cost reductions that assist all schools in saving funds while ensuring that the competitive playing field remains level. "4. Moving to a Lower Division: At the college level, Division I programs can move to Division I-AA or Division II competition, thereby reducing scholarship and other expenses. "5. Passing Legislation: State senators and representatives can initiate legislation that provides for waiver of higher education tuition for members of the underrepresented gender. Such legislation mandates the use of those scholarship savings to expand opportunities for the underrepresented gender. "Title IX is here to stay, and it is time for us to work together so that everyone has the opportunity to play."
Richard Greenspan, athletics director "I think understanding Title IX is hard for most people. (They ask) why don't we have 10 women's sports and 10 men's sports? But that doesn't always work. "I think that (dropping some men's sports at Illinois State) was a fair thing to do and a right thing to do, but people were upset because they thought it was a case of reverse discrimination. But whether people like it or not, we're going to comply with the law. If we had not dropped those men's sports, we would have had to have added many more women's sports than women's soccer."
Latrell Sprewell incident
Michael Kelly, senior writer for the National Journal Reaction to the NBA player Latrell Sprewell's recent assault of coach P. J. Carlesimo and Sprewell's subsequent suspension: "Because Sprewell is black and Carlesimo is white, the main line of defense for the Free Spree movement is that this is all about racism. That was the underlying claim before (a December 9) press conference, and it was made even stronger there. One apparently pro-Sprewell reporter demanded to know if Carlesimo had used 'the N-word' to 'cause Sprewell to snap.' No evidence of that, said (NBA Players Association representative Billy) Hunter emphatically. "Actually, this is mostly about thuggism but is also about racism, although not in the way Sprewell's supporters mean. The punishment meted out to Sprewell is not so harsh because of his race; it is so light because of his race. "This is not to say that young black sports superstars like Sprewell are the beneficiaries of racially inspired favoritism but rather that they are the victims of racially inspired neglect. The white men who run pro and college sports value people like Sprewell too much, in the commercial sense, to care that, by tolerating the rise of a culture of thuggism in their business they are encouraging boys and young men to believe in a world where to be a success means not having to obey the rules: study hard, learn manners, live within the law, get a job, don't choke the boss. "This isn't such a disaster for white kids; white society will save them. But for black kids, it's the passport to a life where the best job they will ever get involves a bicycle or a burger or a Xerox machine. That's not the future the NBA owners want for their sons, and it isn't what Johnnie Cochran would want for his, either." |