Coaches and Winning

I have written that I love College Football.  I might need to amend that statement.  I love College Football as long as students are playing it.  Maybe it's not the freakish level of football now exhibited, but I might stick with Service Academies and Division III football.

My blog post from Sept 13, 2013 titled "Do it the Right Way" centers around the growing scandal at the University of North Carolina.  Shameful, but not surprising.

Today, Will Muschamp has been dismissed as the football coach at the University of Florida.  It is not unusual for a successful program to dismiss a coach with a mediocre record.  The Gators have had a run of success that has ground to slow halt under Muschamp's guidance.  His record at Florida is 27-20, losing 6 of their last 8 at home.

The school's statement contained an interesting paragraph:

"Upon evaluation of our football program, we are not where the program needs to be and should be," Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said in a statement. "I've always said that our goal at the University of Florida is to compete for championships on a regular basis. Coach Muschamp was dedicated to developing young men both on and off the field. Our student athletes showed tremendous growth socially and academically under his leadership. His players were involved in campus activities, engaged with the local community and represented the University of Florida with pride."" -Yahoo Sports

But it wasn't good enough?   Isn't a coach's job to develop young people on and off the field?  Seems to me that is great praise, but it wasn't good enough.  Is it just me, or is there something wrong with this picture?

We have heard this before.  Tyrone Willingham was praised similarly upon his dismissal from the University of Notre Dame du Lac.  I remember words similar to "The program was excellent Monday through Friday, but Saturday afternoons weren't good enough."

The amount of money generated by College Football killed the purpose of College Football.  The purpose of college football was to give individuals with athletic talent, but not the money to attend college an opportunity to attend college and earn a degree.  It was supposed to be a life changing experience.  College is a time to grow socially and academically.  Professionals should be under pressure to win Football games.  When did college football players cross the line?

Maybe the NCAA should stop the lie.  Pay the athletes more than just the tuition.  They are pressured like professionals, they should get a cut of what they earn for their athletic programs.  A court might having a hard time upholding a monopoly built on slave labor, especially when we frown on the players "growing socially and academically" if they don't win enough games.

So...am I off base?