According to a report in the Washington Post last week, the US Congress has “launched a probe” of the AAU. According to the report the AAU has not implemented changes recommended about 6 years ago in the aftermath of the “Larry Nasser embarrassment”. On one hand, I am glad to see the AAU called to task for almost anything; I have little regard for the organization itself despite its providing access to top shelf sports opportunities for talented youth. On the other hand, I have no interest in hearing and seeing members of the US House of Representatives emoting and bloviating about this issue; rather than have that happen, I would prefer charging members of the institution with specific crimes and letting the criminal justice system take the issue on.
According to a Congressional statement about the matter, the AAU has become a safe haven for coaches suspected of sexual predation. That is a disgusting thought to be sure, and it is something that the police or the FBI needs to investigate with the idea of putting any such sexual predators in the “Crossbars Hilton”. This is not an issue that needs rhetoric; this needs criminal investigation.
Moving on … Tony Petitti is the Commissioner of the Big-10. He said that the negotiating window for ESP N having exclusive rights to the CFP had been extended by mutual agreement and that he was confident that the College Football Playoffs would be expanding to 24 teams posthaste. The expansion there would require the abolition of individual conference championship games and from a fan perspective, that act would remove a lot of highly competitive games between the two best teams in a conference and replace them with potentially less competitive contests. As I have said here before:
- I prefer an 8-team tournament; no marginal teams involved
- I don’t like a 12-team tournament because of the BYEs involved
- I could stomach a 16-team tournament with no BYEs.
- I will probably skip some of the opening matchups in a 24-team field
Switching gears … Martin Sherif is a 20-year old who plays for Everton in the EPL. The English Football Association (EFA) has fined him $6,600 for “causing, permitting or enabling” 61 different bets on soccer games. Sherif did not place any bets himself, but he admitted permitting or enabling betting on soccer games through six different betting accounts opened in his name. The bets resulted in a net loss of about $500 and none of the wagers involved teams Sharif played for; but still, this seems like level of naivete that boggles the mind.
Next up …Dana Altman has been the head basketball coach at Oregon for the last 16 years. His teams have made the NCAA Tournament 9 times in his tenure there and one of his teams made it to the Final Four. His record at Oregon was a gaudy 382-182. With the college basketball season on the brink of opening, Oregon will be out looking to hire – – poach? – – a coach for its team which opens its season on November 2nd. Dana Altman is 68 years old; when he says he wants to spend more time with his family I believe him; he has been in the coaching profession for 37 years.
Finally, a thought from George Carlin:
“If you can’t beat them, arrange to have them beaten.”
But don’t get me wrong,, I love sports………