[NU Sports] I see an 8th Bowl spot slipping away...

[Hakirsch at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/12/2007 3:51:08 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
CHerron604 at aol.com writes:

> We as a University would never build our Chemistry faculty, or the Cardiac  
> 
> Surgery staff at Northwestern Memorial in the same way we put together our  
> coaching staffs, but we should - look for the best people out there 
> (outstanding  
> skills and integrity), and bring them in.  RW's passing was tragic, but if  
> the head of the Philosophy Department passed, we would not tolerate two 
> years 
> of  departmental malaise.
> 

I know have repeated this mantra several times, but I don't want us to build 
our sports program the same way we build our chemistry department or our 
cardiac departments-

Academics and contributions to the world should be NU's top  priorities-(I 
believe it should be for  all colleges and universities'--but that's another 
discussion)--I don't want us doing whatever it takes to build a top football and 
basketball program--This is exactly what has gone wrong in college athletics 
during the past 40 years --win at all cost in the 2 major sports--This keeps 
alumni happy and brings in big bucks--but has led to incredible abuses-

And-If you pay coaches several millions of dollars a year and professors a 
fraction of that, what message does it send about the University ?  If you spend 
tons of dollars on atheletic facilties and let academic departments suffer, 
what does  that do for our reputation ? 

Recently Boone Pickens gave $150 MM ? to Ok State for its athletic program--I 
dont know if he has given other funds to the Unviversity for academic causes, 
but if he hasn't, I find it pretty sickening that he felt  that is where hios 
philanthropy should go

 I like all of you root hard for my ala mater  (double)--I sat through some 
pretty tough  times in the late 70's --andf I hated it--But I would never want 
us to go all out to do whatever it takes--Let's try to be the best we can be 
with our high standards -Fitz in time will be a very good , if not great coach. 
 He exemplifies everything positive about the student athlete at NU . .-But 
understand while it can be done, it isn't easy--that's the price we pay for 
going to a highly rated academic school , that doesn't favor bending its 
standards-

Harry


**************************************
 See what's new at 
http://www.aol.com