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Even here at Chico State, we cannot escape the long shadow football casts on college athletics.
In Atlanta last month, just to rub it in, the National Collegiate Athletic Association membership passed the “life in the balance” legislation making it official: Football is more important than all the other sports.
Well, that’s not exactly how the documents read, but that’s basically the gist.
Starting in the 2010-11 seasons, Division-II baseball, softball, soccer, golf, volleyball and basketball will all have shortened seasons but football will remain untouched.
The “life in the balance” legislation was developed to address the pressure put on student athletes.
So in response to these ever-increasing pressures and the dwindling financial situations of Division-II schools, the “life in the balance” proposals offer the following resolutions.
Proposal 2010-5, a proposal that will reduce the maximum number of soccer contests played from 20 to 18 and the maximum number of volleyball matches played from 28 to 26. The proposal also pushes the first allowable date of competition to one week later and imposes practice restrictions.
Proposal 2010-6, reduces the maximum number of baseball games from 56 to 50, the number of golf matches from 24 to 21 and will change the way softball counts tournament contests.
Proposal 2010-7 institutes a winter break from Dec. 20-26, in which all athletically related activities would be prohibited.
And finally, proposal 2010-8, which reduces the maximum number of basketball contests from 27 to 26, according to ncaa.org.
Finding a better balance for student athletes is great, but is it really a Division II problem?
The last time I checked it was Division-I football players up in Michigan accusing their coach of over-working them and not giving them time to study.
It seems all the recruiting, academic and time management scandals happen at the Division-I level, where athletes are treated like cash cows.
Here at Chico State we strike a fine balance, yet we still feel the grunt of some misguided legislation.
In the California Collegiate Athletic Association, which is widely regarded as an elite Division-II conference, teams are regularly awarded for their academic prowess as well as their highly competitive nature.
The CCAA presidents voted unanimously against the legislation, but at the end of the day their votes were in the minority on all proposed changes.
So what’s the fall out? Chico State might save a little money, but the savings won’t compare in value to the loss of contests in which our student athletes value so highly.
In the meantime, schools with football teams and “balance” conflicts will save lots of money without infringing on football’s inalienable right to do whatever it wants.
Oh and if anyone plans on breaking any season or career records in the upcoming shortened seasons, you might want to call Victor Conte.
Walter can be reached at
sportseditor@theorion.com
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