It has been my privilege to be associated with the higher education enterprise for nearly five decades as a student, student-athlete, coach and administrator. Since 1977, I have lived a mostly charmed existence in athletics administration. I learn something new every day and have the pleasure that all athletics administrators have of working with a remarkable segment of a university's student population.

I don't presume that the wisdom I have gained is greater than anyone's; however, I thought I would share my observations on the differences I am experiencing now as opposed to the 1970s when I became a member of this rather small group of NCAA athletics administrators. My observations are not intended to be value judgments, and whether the differences have improved the athletics environment is up to each of us to conclude. Nor do I wish to assign responsibility for the changes, recognizing our own culpability for our current state.

Thus, I offer my hardly all-inclusive observations:

Then and now, our vocation is what a large portion of the population calls their avocation.

Then, the population's ability to share their wisdom and advice with us was limited to face-to-face meetings and letters to the media or us. We were deprived of much of this wisdom because the effort required to deliver it was too cumbersome. Now, through the preceding media, the preponderance of sports talk radio and the Internet, we may receive the vast majority of these pearls not only directly but nearly immediately, often whether we care to or not.

* Then, the media was primarily local beat reporters or broadcast media who were locally based and with whom you had at least a working relationship. "Beat" was defined as the sound of shoe leather or a typewriter key. The coverage was the result of first-hand observations and perhaps a few sources. Skills were learned primarily through experience, and great pride was taken in well-written or reported information and accuracy was a professional requirement. Now, personal relationships are rarer because of time constraints and preference. "Beat" still may be defined as the above but increasingly the sound is that of a computer keyboard or a television remote. Coverage is more largely based upon other sources because "information" (or a tip) is more conveniently available through the Internet and talk radio. Skills are more likely acquired in experiential learning environments, and opinions combined with hyperbole are more prevalent than facts.

Then, there were numerous single-gender institutions and two national organizations that governed male and female student-athletes. Now, most institutions are co-ed and fall under one governing body. There were far fewer female athletes competing. Now, their numbers reflect more closely the general student population.

The NCAA Manual was roughly the size of J. D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye." Now, it approximates Tom Clancy's latest epic.

Then, a suit was what you broke out for the Hall of Fame inductions or graduation day. Now, it is what we must consider, coupled with the opinion of counsel, before we make many decisions.

* A basketball floor was reverentially called the hardwood -- its shiny, varnished surface marked only with the lines that delineated the boundaries of the game. Now, the court is more a billboard in an arena, shiny for television, its surface paying homage to a benefactor, staffers or logos of the institution, conference or sponsor. Boundary lines have been added for three-point goals and coaches' confines, but its overall appearance suggests that we have extended the boundaries way beyond the game itself, a necessity for our program's survival.

Athletics administrators were general practitioners, necessarily versed in everything from equipment inventories to recruiting rules. The vast majority of the staff members today are, by necessity, specialists.

Our footwear options for athletes were canvas Chucks, Jacks or some form of cleats. Now, well, space is too limited.

Everyone can no doubt think of his or her own differences. The beauty of our labor is that playing "then and now" is appropriate in half decades or even year to year. The inevitable changes that today's generation of student-athletes experience and cause is one of the many benefits of our careers as it mandates that we stay current. Regardless of the changes, we all need some stability from which to take comfort. For me, over my career, I see them as this:

Khakis remain not only "in style," but the pants of choice.

Bob Dylan wins a Grammy.

The greatest asset of a successful athletics program is its people.

The most rewarding day of an academic year is graduation day.

With good fortune, the next decade also will include my four "comfort factors." I have to admit, I can't wait for Dylan's new album, I mean 8-track. No, change that to cassette. Actually it'll come out in a CD. Wait a minute, evidently I can "burn" my own disc!

Jeff Fogelson is the athletics director at Seton Hall University.