Brand's message lacks solutions

Could someone please point out where Myles Brand has the right to reform collegiate athletics? I just don't get it. You fire one of the most prominent coaches in the history of Division I basketball and suddenly you become the spokesperson for the reorganization of college sports? I don't think so.\nBrand addressed the National Press Club last Tuesday and outlined his plan for a new breed of collegiate athletics, where we either rip away varsity status from them or professionalize the teams. Well, let me rephrase. Brand outlined the pros and cons of the issue while plugging his latest catch phrase, "Academics First," a program that would seemingly decrease the importance of collegiate sports. \nLet me first say I was once impartial towards Brand. I've never met the guy. In fact, the only time I've ever seen him was in the IMU between my journalism classes. He's never done anything directly for me except raise my tuition, but I must admit that I've never really done anything for him either. But then again, he's the one with the six-figure salary.\nWhat gets to me is that someone can fire someone else and then try and capitalize on the issue. I guess if you fire someone who stands for high graduation rates, high academic performance and exceptional athletic performance, it gives you the right to assume the right of the martyr and take all the credit deserved. Well, criticize me if you will, but I think something is wrong here.\nSo you fire Bob Knight. The man who has graduated far more players than most other NCAA coaches and you decide to lecture to other university presidents to encourage them to put "academics first." I recently wrote about Jesse Jackson's hypocrisy, but in this case, I don't even need to spell it out. \nIf Brand is so concerned with the commercialization of college athletics, why does our soccer team wear more Adidas than the entire ensemble of Run D.M.C.? It only took the firing of Knight for our basketball team to become another victim to the dreaded swoosh of Nike. Nothing says tradition like a corporate logo right by your crotch. I'm happy to report that it only took 100 years for Phil Knight to bring his company to Bloomington. I count the days until I see a basketball game at the Ameritech Assembly Hall. You want to talk about the commercialization of college athletics? Then set the example.\nMy only question is this -- when is Brand's book due out? Surely there must be some hidden motive to all of this nonsense. When will "How to Kill the Spirit of Your University" hit the shelves? \nBrand's speech was a bunch of rhetoric. He argued that diminishing the corporate sponsorship from collegiate athletics wouldn't be feasible, but professionalization can't solve the problem either. And beneath that "logic," he argued academics should come first. \nAnyone can stand at a podium and describe a problem, but it takes real leadership to develop a solution. The only solution found in Brand's speech was to give more power to university presidents. Hmmm… \nI'm convinced this is all some sort of ploy to extend the 15 minutes of fame we are all "entitled" to. Had Brand not fired Knight, I'm fairly sure no one would be listening to any of this. \nThe real victims of this proposal are the athletes. Those individuals who have been granted a special gift from God who have chosen to represent the institution that is IU. \nForget a pep talk from Mike Davis or Jerry Yeagley. Clearly our president is the most vocal cheerleader of us all. Nothing would motivate me more to put up 25 points against Michigan State than having my president tell me that the team I play for doesn't contribute to the academic mindset of our campus. \nTo all of our athletes out there, most of us appreciate what you do and bring to this university. \nI'm thrilled Brand is trying to focus on academics; maybe that will put more weight behind the degree I will earn next May. But until then, I refuse to let anyone "lower the volume" of our sports programs. If anything should be lowered, it's the volume of Brand's microphone.