It’d be nice to believe “no news is good news” in today’s sports world because Clair Bee’s hero in 24 sports fiction books, Chip Hilton, now runs it, bringing an instant panacea to sore spots.Simply, the world’s sports scene is in its worst shape ever; the 1919 Black Sox Scandal was mere child’s play compared to threats/realities in today’s sports venues where “the best teams money can buy” win.
Can’t help but think of the late Gil Kelley, who taught junior English at Enterprise High School to Baby Boomers and oversaw the National Honor Society store. Standing behind Honor Society members selling ice cream treats at recess, Mr. Kelley oft repeated, “Faster! Faster! Get the money! Get the money!”As for college sports, heretofore considered amateur, most everyone knows NIL, transfer pothole, transgender activities, broadcast controversies, 2024’s football playoff scheme and suddenly festering sports betting are major issues, especially in football, currently.
This fetid concoction is running good college coaches out of the game: “He wants to go coach football again in a league that is all about football,” a source close to Jeff Hafley, Boston College head coach who left to become Green Bay’s defensive coordinator, told ESPN. “College coaching has become fundraising, NIL, and recruiting your own team and transfers. There’s no time to coach football anymore.
There’s this, “Georgia QB Carson Beck purchases Lamborghini as NIL value reportedly tops $1 million.”No one’s even talking about student/athletes these days, except for, “Shedeur Sanders has never taken a class on campus and is missing out, according to Coach Prime,” his father and head coach at Colorado.