AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2005 > August
August 2005
Ranking the BCS conferences
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’re going to do this every Wednesday:
1. SEC. It’s a close call with the Big Ten, but the SEC has three teams in the Top 10 (Tennessee, LSU, Florida) and five in the top 16.
2. Big Ten: Has four teams — Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa and Purdue — all capable of going undefeated.
3. ACC: The addition of Boston College makes the league even stronger. If Florida State and Miami were in their accustomed place among Top 5 teams, the ACC would probably be No. 1.
4. Big 12: If the Big 12 could get rid of the North Division, it might be the best conference in the country. Four teams in the South Division (Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Texas Tech) are ranked.
5. Pac-10: Having USC at No. 1 carries a lot of weight but the next best teams are California (19) and Arizona State (20).
Hokies are best bet to push USC
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Editor’s note: Tony Barnhart has covered college football over three decades, and was a voting member of the AP football poll for 15 years. Because of a new AJC policy against beat writers participating in news-making events (polls, All-Star games, etc.), Tony will not vote in this year’s AP poll. However, here’s how he would have filled out his ballot for the preseason top 25:
- USC
- Virginia Tech
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Ohio State
- LSU
- Louisville
- Michigan
- Iowa
- Florida
- Oklahoma
- Miami
- Georgia
- Florida State
- Boston College
- Auburn
- Texas A&M
- Arizona State
- Purdue
- Boise State
- Pittsburgh
- Fresno State
- California
- Virginia
- Alabama
NCAA begins backpedaling on misguided mascot ruling
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some common sense will still have to prevail, but it looks like the NCAA will be able to backpedal and scramble its way out of what has become a huge public relations disaster. The problem began when its all-powerful Executive Committee told 18 schools they would be banned from post-season play unless they changed their use of Native American imagery.
Since the announcement on Aug. 5, the NCAA has hurriedly put together an appeals process for the individual schools. NCAA President Myles Brand now insists that the committees involved in the decision weren’t out to punish these schools but rather wanted to “take the high road” and begin a dialogue on an important issue.
This decision did neither. What it almost did, and still could do if not handled properly, is spark a revolution.
For a long time the 70-plus schools that compete at the highest level of college athletics have wondered if they should break off from the NCAA (which represents over 1,250 institutions) and form their own, more streamlined organization. The NCAA’s decision, if it stands, could raise that issue again.
“If that (Division I-A schools breaking off) ever happened, it would probably be over something as silly as this,” said T.K. Wetherell, the president at Florida State.
Many years ago the NCAA changed its governance structure in order to give Division I-A schools (those in the ACC, SEC, etc.) almost total autonomy over their affairs when it comes to legislation. But the Native American ruling came under the heading of “policy,” which applies to all levels of the NCAA.
Thus, Florida State’s right to use Native American imagery, which it has done since 1947, was decided by a 19-member committee that included representatives from St. Leo, Central Missouri State, and Plattsburgh State. Of the 19 members on the executive committee, only seven represent the major Division I-A conferences.
Of even greater concern, if you’re Florida State, is the makeup of the two committees that put together the actual policy that was eventually approved by the executive committee.
The Minority Opportunities and Issues Committee, which began the process, has 15 members. Only two represent Division I-A. The rest are from Division I-AA or lower.
The executive committee subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues has 11 members. There are no representatives from the major conferences. In fact, the largest school in the room when these recommendations were formed was Middle Tennessee State.
But here are the two biggest reasons that the NCAA is re-thinking the issue:
*The committees didn’t do their homework. When asked to explain their stance on Florida State, given the fact that the Seminole Tribe of Florida had given its blessing to the school, the NCAA’s response was that “other” Seminole tribes did not like the imagery. There is only one other Seminole tribe, in Oklahoma.
Yes, the committee did get some letters from David Narcomey, a member of the Oklahoma tribe’s General Council, who condemned the use of Native American imagery by sports teams. But if either of these committees had done its job, it would have discovered that the General Council voted 18-2 last month to uphold the use of such imagery. That fact never made it to the Executive Committee. Oops.
*There was never any finding of fact that Florida State’s use of Seminole imagery was “hostile and abusive,” which is how the committee labeled it. It never asked the Florida Seminole Tribe how it felt. It never picked up the phone and asked Florida State to give its point of view. It looked at a set of facts written on a piece of paper and made a call, a bad one.
These two NCAA committees have some very important work to do. The fact that there are only three black Division I-A football coaches is a national embarrassment. There are far too few people of color in athletic administration. These are real problems that need real solutions from thoughtful people.
But this decision has set back those noble goals and has made the NCAA the butt of too many jokes. Future efforts at inclusion and justice will be dismissed by some as just another round of “political correctness” because of this colossal misjudgment. And that’s sad.
These committees are made up of some very smart people. Unfortunately, their final decision showed a lack of common sense and fundamental fairness.
NCAA once again oversteps its authority
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For a long time NCAA officials have had a stock answer when somebody would dare criticize the institution and the power it wields:”The NCAA is a voluntary organization established to serve its members. The individual institutions are the NCAA.”
It is no longer possible to listen to that argument with a straight face. Not after Friday, when the NCAA’s Executive Committee looked down on 18 of its members and, in its infinite wisdom, said that they were “hostile and abusive” in their depiction of Native Americans as mascots.
The 18 schools were told that they would not be welcome in any NCAA championships unless they removed all signs and images that reflected Native Americans. So if Florida State wanted to host a baseball regional the word “Seminoles,” which has been its mascot since 1947, can not appear anywhere in Dick Howser Stadium. And that spear? Cover it up, bubba, because we here in Indianapolis are offended.
Now reasonable people can disagree on the use of Native American imagery by sports teams. But the NCAA dressed up its handling of this matter to make it look like a process had taken place and that the reasonable people in that process had actually come to a consensus.
In reality, the outcome of the process was determined before it began:
*In November of 2004, 33 schools were asked to submit self-evaluations to the NCAA on their use of Native American imagery with their sports teams. Of those schools, 14 either agreed to find a new mascot or the NCAA ruled that what those schools was doing was acceptable. William & Mary (Tribe) asked for more time to study.
*The other 18 schools basically told the NCAA that they had looked at the issue and that their administrations, their students and their alumni were comfortable with their imagery. That’s where the process should have ended, but didn’t.
*In June, the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee forwarded recommendations on the issue. “We expect things to change and change quickly,” said SWAC commissioner Robert Vowels, the chairman of the committee.
Things did happen quickly. So quickly, in fact, that nobody in the ACC or at Florida State knew what was coming until just hours before last Friday’s announcement. It literally came out of left field (pun intended). That is why FSU president T.K. Wetherell was so angry and threatened legal action. The NCAA held his institution and 17 others up to public ridicule because Florida State would not tow the politically correct line that it had established.
Here is the real problem: The use of Native American imagery in sports is a legitimate issue because it does offend some people. Every school should search its soul and try to understand those who are hurt by these images.
But in the final analysis it is really none of the NCAA’s business.
Unless a policy gives one school a competitive advantage over another, the rights of the institution must prevail. If the Seminole Tribe, the NAACP, the National Organization for Women, the NEA, or anybody else has a problem with Florida State, then that body needs to take it up with the folks in Tallahassee. They can sue, boycott, picket, make speeches or go to the state legislature and demand change. That is the correct process.
But it is not the proper role of the NCAA to pass judgments on which of its members are “hostile and abusive” and which ones are “model institutions.” It smacks of the worst kind of moral arrogance.
The NCAA exists to conduct championships and to keep the playing field as level as possible. It does not exist to ensure world peace. I would encourage the NCAA to graduate a few more student-athletes before it takes on that lofty goal.
Once again, the ruling body of college athletics has overstepped the bounds of its authority. And once again it may take a court of law to put the NCAA back into its proper place.
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