Sportsmanship should be instilled in college

Michael Conner, Ph.D., professor, psychology department

April 20,1998

Last month concluded the 1998 edition of basketball's "March Madness." Many across the country followed the games. Those who are college basketball junkies are now either going through withdrawals or must get their "fix" from some other game or activity.

 

While reading about the tournaments in Sports Illustrated magazine, I was struck by the amount of revenue they are expected to generate: $35 million by the men's tourney and $20 million by the women's.

 

I was also struck by the comments in another article indicating that some coaches will buy a pair of Final Four tickets at their $50 face value and resell them on the street. This is an illegal activity. I have since seen nothing in the papers expressing any concern or outrage.

 

I wonder what the response would have been if an athlete, especially one from a low-income family, sold his or her tickets for some spending money. I have begun to ponder the fate of Division I athletes on this campus and across the nation.

 

For example: What rights do student-athletes have on any Division I campus? Are they entitled to due process? Does a system exist that is designed to protect them? Are they held to standards different from other students and the adults who are in charge?

 

What would happen if a student-athlete were to throw a chair across the court during a basketball game because he or she was upset with the coach? What if he or she used profanity toward a coach or even a professor in class, or demonstrated histrionics during half-time such as yelling, cursing or hitting?

 

Could the student go directly to another program without losing any eligibility, course credits or playing time? Would there be no sanctions?

 

Assuming education is the primary goal of the university, I wonder why athletic departments are not under academic control and direction. Why are coaches allowed "behavioral expressions" that are not acceptable in other learning situations?

 

What data exists supporting the idea that one can learn from abusive situations? Professors are required to provide contracts called syllabi to students. Are coaches required to provide such contracts?

 

When asked about questionable activities, coaches usually respond that they are either unaware of the activities or that "everybody is doing it."

 

Is that acceptable? Have teaching faculties ever taken a stand to protect students against athletic exploitation?