This is a threat that exists in several forms. We know there are bookies on our campuses who take bets from students and student-athletes alike everyday. We have seen examples of student-athletes who, for reasons only they can explain, have taken actions to alter the outcomes of games. Basketball tournament pools, some for a few dollars, some for thousands, are the rage. And in college dormitory rooms all over the country, there are students sitting alone before their computers placing bets over the Internet. Some may be doing it for fun; others are addicted.
All of these things concern me. And they should concern you, too.
There is no better time than now to take action on our campuses to eliminate sports wagering. Dempsey issued his challenge the day the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, a group appointed by the President of the United States, published the results and recommendations of its two-year gambling study. The nine-member commission looked at the social and economic impacts of legalized gambling in the United States. Among its recommendations, the commission:
Suggested the NCAA seek cooperation of member colleges and universities to develop more research on sports and youth gambling.
All over the country, sports wagering is being discussed. State legislators, state and federal law enforcement and the professional sports leagues are addressing the issue of legal and illegal sports wagering.
Recently, a former men's basketball player at Arizona State University and several other men involved in a point-shaving scheme there several years ago were sentenced to prison or probation for their actions. The judge who sentenced them said the scandal was one that "leads to cynicism about what college sports is all about."
The NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct recently developed and forwarded to the Division I Strategic Planning Cabinet and Management Council a comprehensive plan to address sports-wagering issues. The committee is recommending that a comprehensive education program be implemented that would include a "tool kit" consisting of videos, posters, brochures and monthly educational awareness tips to be shared with the entire athletics department family.
The committee's plan also includes a clearinghouse component to inform student-athletes, coaches, university administrators and others about key gambling issues. For example, a system would be established to provide information to colleges and universities about fluctuating or significant point spreads on their games and a guide would be established to enable members to self-investigate possible gambling incidents.
The committee also will continue to strengthen relationships with law enforcement officials, professional sports leagues and the casino industry; continue to utilize the agent and gambling staff to investigate possible violations of NCAA legislation; and to work with game officials to ensure they are always aware of sports-wagering influences.
Three years ago, the NCAA made a commitment to learn more about this issue and it has now become one of our top priorities. More and more, we're learning about potential effects on and involvement of student-athletes.
Sports wagering is an issue that is not going away. Now we must commit as coaches and administrators not only to be good educators and to raise awareness, but we must be committed role models in the area of sports wagering.
Sports wagering affects the personal safety and welfare of our student-athletes and impacts the very integrity of our beloved games. The time is now to accept the challenge and confront the issue on our campuses.
Robert Minnix is associate athletics director for compliance and legal affairs at Florida State University and a member of the NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct.
Letters to the Editor -- Title IX data interesting, but selective
In his May 24 guest editorial, my good colleague Don Sabo presented some compelling research data in defense of Title IX.
Like all research, however, the data he mentions are selective: to a critical eye, what is not presented and analyzed is as revealing as what is. For example, Don's survey data are based on information gleaned from 637 NCAA-affiliated institutions. That number represents less than two thirds of the NCAA membership. Might it be that many of those athletics programs not included in the survey view the elimination of men's teams as the preferred option to achieve gender equity in athletics? If that were the case, and if Don's data had included those programs, they clearly would reflect very different conclusions.
Another selective aspect of the data discussed in the editorial is that it presents information in the aggregate. Don's data do not reveal that selected sports have fared badly in the name of gender equity. Since 1993, Division I men's gymnastics has slipped from 41 to 27 programs and wrestling has gone from 108 to the low 90s (hundreds have been lost since the 1970s). Other sports also have suffered, and -- although they rarely get much media attention -- the losses have occurred across NCAA Divisions II and III institutions as well.
There are few males to whom I have spoken who have a problem with providing athletics opportunities to women. However, many have a problem with a federal statute they view to be seriously flawed. My major criticism with Title IX is that it is so construed that it allows (mostly male) athletics directors to achieve the letter but not the spirit of the law.
The athletics director lacking both scruples and vision can easily come into compliance with Title IX by passing through the loophole that allows gender equity to be achieved simply by dropping men's sports. And to those in that same group who wail that dropping sports is really a matter of fiscal exigency, I call their attention to Lafayette College and the University of Kansas. If these two very divergent institutions can find a way to increase women's athletics opportunities without reducing men's, then virtually every other college or university can do the same.
Title IX is all about meeting the athletics interests and abilities of both males and females. Given this fact, I will end my comments with a rhetorical question: Whenever a school eliminates a men's intercollegiate sport, do not those team-less athletes immediately constitute an empirically verifiable group whose interests and abilities are not being met?
Paul Dubois
Professor of Physical Education
Bridgewater State College (Massachusetts)
Players' perspective
In the last few months, I have read the opinions of many people regarding "kids" leaving college early and declaring themselves for the National Basketball Association draft.
As a college basketball coach for the past 10 years, I understand the importance and value of a college education. However, as an NBA fan, I also see a unique trend occurring with the top players. Do we realize that of the top 15 players (first, second and third selections), seven are athletes who did not finish up their college eligibility?
Also, of the first-team all-rookie selections, four of the five also were early entries into the NBA draft.
I think this is what top collegiate players are looking at as they evaluate their careers.
Dip Metress
Head Men's Basketball Coach
Belmont Abbey College
Opinions -- Blacks passing on baseball for economic, cultural reasons
Lamont Matthews, baseball player
Oklahoma State University
Omaha World-Herald
"It's sad. You just don't see many Blacks in baseball anymore. Now it's all basketball and football. Blacks are seeing baseball as mostly a white person's game."
Charles Farrell, director
Rainbow Sports
Omaha World-Herald
"Why is it such a popular game in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Cuba? Because it has been culturally embraced. Baseball has not been culturally embraced by the black population, like basketball has been."
Marcus Nettles, baseball player
University of Miami (Florida)
Omaha World-Herald
"Mostly it's because of the financial situation. The facilities are not there for inner-city black players, so it's harder for them to get as good as the suburban players. That's why it's harder for them to be professional players, and that's why they aren't recruited by colleges like the suburban players are."
Baseball bats
Mike Martin, baseball coach
Florida State University
Associated Press
Discussing an early-season game using wood bats:
"It was my first game with wooden bats in 25 years. We got a two-run lead in the seventh inning and I knew it was over. That's a funny feeling in Dick Howser Stadium."
Dave Keilitz, executive director
American Baseball Coaches Association
Omaha World-Herald
"They have high-scoring games in the major leagues, but you don't want to see a ton of them. You don't want to see it when the home run becomes just another hit. Games of 8-7, 10-8, 3-2 -- those are all good games. But to sit there game after game and see both teams score in double figures time after time after time, I'm not sure that's what baseball needs."
College baseball
Glenn Dickey, columnist
San Francisco Chronicle
"Baseball does not lend itself to cheerleaders, pom-pom girls and marching bands, which are so much of the tradition of college football and basketball. Significantly, pro basketball and football teams have bought in 'dancing girls' and Raiderettes, but the closest pro baseball has come are the ridiculous team mascots.
"Baseball is also a very difficult game to play well, and poor quality is much more obvious than in other sports. High-school football and basketball can be enjoyable if the teams are fairly even, but most high-school baseball is dreadful, full of errors and walks. Fans don't enjoy high-school baseball, so they don't get in the habit of watching anything below the professional level.
"The baseball that is played in the College World Series is on a high level, close to the level of college football and basketball. But that is the cream of the crop; there are probably fewer than 20 teams in the country playing a game that fans can truly enjoy.
"It's possible this will change. Television has a way of hyping events and making them big-time, and perhaps ESPN and CBS will be able to do that with college baseball, making it as important as football and basketball, making the athletes as prominent and exploited as their counterparts. 'I hope I'm out of the game by the time that happens,' said Stanford coach Mark Marquess."
Freshman ineligibility
John Thompson, former men's basketball coach
Georgetown University
USA Today
"Have the advocates of freshman ineligibility thought the proposal through? Are they willing to incur the costs involved? Or are they advocating style over substance?
"Freshman ineligibility is being suggested for men's basketball. But if it is a good idea for basketball players to adjust to college before competing, why isn't it a good idea for all athletes? In football, where students play on the team before their classes even begin, wouldn't it be worthwhile for freshmen to be ineligible?
"Has everyone recognized that Title IX demands that what you do for one gender you do for the other? For the sake of everyone involved, let's look carefully before jumping at what sounds good."
Editorial
USA Today
"Low graduation rates have been blamed on the high proportion of African-Americans players -- from poor families and inferior schools -- that basketball draws. Only 37 percent of black male basketball players from the '91 incoming class graduated. But white players didn't do well, either, as only 45 percent graduated.
"All of which suggests that basketball's problems may be unique, thanks to a long 25-game-plus season played over two semesters.
"Freshman ineligibility would allow those ballplayers to adjust to the rigors of academic life first, before they deal with basketball's tough schedule.
"If requiring players to sit out a year means some will opt out of college to try for the pros, so be it. Their number is small compared to the number of those who would benefit.
"College is about education. And education is about achieving a degree with some real learning behind it."
NCAA President Cedric Dempsey recently called the membership into action. He said it is time to get serious on a campus-by-campus basis about confronting the problems of college sports wagering.