Presidential control

Tom McMillen, former NBA player and U.S. Representative
USA Today

"On individual campuses, the presidents really are almost powerless. The athletics machine is so strong, and it is very, very difficult for a president to stand up to it."

Robert H. Atwell, former president of the American Council on Education
USA Today

"Presidential responsibility, which we have structurally in the NCAA, is very different from presidential authority, which requires people to have the courage of their convictions. And we've seen that very few have the courage to take on the beast."

John Chaney, head men's basketball coach
Temple University
USA Today

"(Presidents) have failed in all the ways they accused us of. Every decision that's made today is based on how much money we're going to get out of it. The reassembling of the conferences was all pointing toward how much money they can get. That's how they've failed miserably."

Hodding Carter, president and CEO
Knight Foundation
USA Today

"Do I think that with all of the will in the world the presidents tomorrow could stuff this thing back in the bottle? No, I don't. But with five to 10 years of unremitting effort they can, even with the money that pours into this industry.

"I'm going to assume these people did not become presidents of these universities to preside over the professionalization of aspects of their student body and the corruption of the very meaning of the academy for the sake of big-time sports."

Basketball rules

Steve Alford, head men's basketball coach
University of Iowa
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"I would leave the lane the way it is because I still think you have to have post play in our game. I don't think it's all about just widening it for more spacing and for more threes and more guards. I think you have to have the lane in there for big guys."

Dan Monson, head men's basketball coach
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"I've never been a big trapezoid lane guy. I haven't thought that was a great move. As far as the (three-point) line goes, that's something that comes and goes depending on your personnel. But I don't know that it's going to have a huge impact on the game."

Performance-enhancing drugs

Frank Uryasz, president
National Center for Drug Free Sport
Associated Press

Discussing remarks from President Bush during his January 20 State of the Union address calling for athletes and pro sports leagues to eliminate the use of performance-enhancing drugs:

"Given the weighty issues of the world right now, I think it's fantastic that it was addressed. What was so right about it was that he didn't call for any government intervention in this -- he called for sports to clean up their act. His message was just right on.

"We shouldn't underplay the importance of the president of the United States speaking out on this issue. I think it sends a strong message to sports that government is watching this."

Bowl Championship Series

Jeff Byers, football recruit
Loveland (Colorado) High School
USA Today

Discussing a USA Today survey of recruited football student-athletes and their thoughts about the BCS:

"It's a big deal, especially for (elite) recruits like us. I mean, you don't want to go to a school where you're going to get left out of the national title every year. That's the ultimate goal. When you're a high-caliber player, you don't want to be sitting back watching some other team playing for the national title. You want to be a part of it."