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	Vol.7, No 4, September 2, 1999
	Corporate chaos knows no limits Eric Boyum Corporate sponsorship is ruining sports. It no longer matters if it is professional or amateur sports.  Take the latest sponsorship detracting from the value of sport -- the Sears Directors Cup.  This corporate-sponsored award was recently given to Long Beach State.  Why was Sears so willing to give LBSU this accolade with its name pasted on it?  Was it because?  (A) LBSU shattered all of Nikeís sales figures on Michael Jordanís jerseys by selling Misty Mayís jerseys in Searsí back-to-school catalog. (B) Misty May is the new spokesperson for Sears, and this is LBSU ës cut of free publicity. (C) All savings on items purchased at Sears (including clothing and washing machines to wash those soil-stained Dirtbag uniforms) pay for The Pyramidís mortgage balance. (D) The LBSU athletic department is being recognized for producing the best sportís teams in the nation on a ìSears like budget.î If you answered (C) or (D), you probably shop at Sears. If you answered  (A) or (B), you have been over-exposed to Misty May hype, similar to the barrage of Jordan this Jordan that, over the past ten years.  The Sears Cup is probably not as recognizable as more traditional awards such as the Heisman Trophy.  LBSU Athletic Director Bill Shumard said the recognition of the award is confirmation that LBSU is among the best in non-football competing Division I schools with athletics.  The Sears Cup went to Long Beach State for overall university athletic accomplishments. Not for individual accomplishments such as the one the Heisman Trophy represents. The Honda-Cup went to one individual, Misty May. This ìHonda awardî does not exactly represent the Japanese cultural view of teamwork.  Why doesn't  the Honda award goes to the best team and the Sears Cup to the best individual? Then thereís Bank One Ballpark, Coors Field, Staples Center, 3-Comm Park and Edison Field.  Whatís next?  The Charmin Trophy for the team with softest non-conference schedule. Or perhaps it should be awarded to the most out-of-shape athlete?  Sport's corporate sponsorship is making it too difficult to decipher what the awards represent.  Eric Boyum is the sports editor of the Daily Forty-Niner.		Cards pushed at CSULB Toy gun alarms police Zagustin ordered to move out, pay up WPE changed; objective part eliminated Liquor law slowly staggers to CSULB Students get higher GPAs after counseling A.S.I. Senate outlines goals Allow them to play Porn business is good business Students rate favorite 'I' courses L.A. salsa band grooves campus Puff Daddy mediocre forever Classic artist come to Blues Festival 49ers survive rough start for victory Corporate chaos knows no limits Soccer team shows great effort in overtime loss Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.