National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA News Archive - 2007
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Opinions
The NCAA News
Virginia Shepherd, co-chair
Coalition of Intercollegiate Athletics
The Wall Street Journal
“A playoff pushes universities further from the collegiate model of athletics and closer to the professional model, and in the process more de-emphasizes academics. And it will continue to spiral. As the stakes get higher, there will be more postseason games and more revenues, and there will be more and more pressure on the schools to move to the top and reach for the championship.”
Bernard Machen, president
University of Florida
Bloomberg News
“A playoff is inevitable. The public strongly favors a playoff, but university presidents are in denial about that. They just don’t see it. Whatever the format, I believe we need to get ahead of it and create the system rather than responding to the external pressures.”
Karen Holbrook, president
Ohio State University
Bloomberg News
“I don’t think we need another game now that we have a 12-game season.”
Recruiting pro prospects
Rick Barnes, head men’s basketball coach
University of Texas at Austin
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
“This is their trade, (playing basketball professionally) is what they want to do. We’re here to help them through life, whether they’re a science major or an athlete. If a student feels he’s ready to move on after a year or two, then he should do just that.
“Our job is to develop them as a player and a person. If they’re staying eligible, they obviously are absorbing the college experience. That’s all we can ask.”
Matt Doherty, head men’s basketball coach
Southern Methodist University
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
“You have to be very confident in the type of person the kid is. I’d be sure that the recruit would become part of the campus life. He’d live on campus, do things with the team, get the college experience. Not every kid wants to do that.”
Neil Dougherty, head men’s basketball coach
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
“Look, there are risks. But in most cases, I think it’s worth the risk. I’d absolutely take them. What you have to decide is, do these kids have the desire and true ability? If you’re talking about that kind of player, you have to learn to love them quick.”
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey,
New Brunswick
SI.com (Sports Illustrated)
“My mom’s an accountant. My dad’s a cable guy. They don’t care that they weren’t rich. They’re the two happiest people on the planet. Money doesn’t buy happiness. People thought I was nuts for staying here instead of going to the NFL, but no money can buy this feeling I have right now (following Rutgers’ upset of nationally ranked Louisville). None. This is the happiest day of my life.”
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The NCAA News
Postseason football
Virginia Shepherd, co-chair
Coalition of Intercollegiate Athletics
The Wall Street Journal
“A playoff pushes universities further from the collegiate model of athletics and closer to the professional model, and in the process more de-emphasizes academics. And it will continue to spiral. As the stakes get higher, there will be more postseason games and more revenues, and there will be more and more pressure on the schools to move to the top and reach for the championship.”
Bernard Machen, president
University of Florida
Bloomberg News
“A playoff is inevitable. The public strongly favors a playoff, but university presidents are in denial about that. They just don’t see it. Whatever the format, I believe we need to get ahead of it and create the system rather than responding to the external pressures.”
Karen Holbrook, president
Ohio State University
Bloomberg News
“I don’t think we need another game now that we have a 12-game season.”
Recruiting pro prospects
Rick Barnes, head men’s basketball coach
University of Texas at Austin
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
“This is their trade, (playing basketball professionally) is what they want to do. We’re here to help them through life, whether they’re a science major or an athlete. If a student feels he’s ready to move on after a year or two, then he should do just that.
“Our job is to develop them as a player and a person. If they’re staying eligible, they obviously are absorbing the college experience. That’s all we can ask.”
Matt Doherty, head men’s basketball coach
Southern Methodist University
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
“You have to be very confident in the type of person the kid is. I’d be sure that the recruit would become part of the campus life. He’d live on campus, do things with the team, get the college experience. Not every kid wants to do that.”
Neil Dougherty, head men’s basketball coach
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
“Look, there are risks. But in most cases, I think it’s worth the risk. I’d absolutely take them. What you have to decide is, do these kids have the desire and true ability? If you’re talking about that kind of player, you have to learn to love them quick.”
Student-athlete experience
Brian Leonard, football student-athleteRutgers, The State University of New Jersey,
New Brunswick
SI.com (Sports Illustrated)
“My mom’s an accountant. My dad’s a cable guy. They don’t care that they weren’t rich. They’re the two happiest people on the planet. Money doesn’t buy happiness. People thought I was nuts for staying here instead of going to the NFL, but no money can buy this feeling I have right now (following Rutgers’ upset of nationally ranked Louisville). None. This is the happiest day of my life.”
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