Reader comments
NCAA predictably wimps out on logical request

"599,000 injuries, 696,000 assaults, 97,000 sexual assaults and 1,700 deaths"

And they still choose to promote this stuff. It is all about the money.

But where did you get your quote?

Is that a reference to what happens in the SEC due to Football and tailgating?

Dear Brother,

The NCAA is like any other Business. "What is in it for me?" If the coaches would slip the NCAA a few bucks for breakfast they may look the other way on these kids getting 1 more phone call, or a ride from the coach. I tried to donate a gazebo tent and a few other items to a struggling Track program, but the trouble the coach would have to go through and getting approval at this level and that level to accept it made it too complicated....

It's all about the cash. If they limit a few advertisers it will inevitably drive ad space prices lower, unless they can find someone else to pick up the space and increase the demand. But to them they see the $$ signs, it'll always be the driver.

The NCAA doesn't want to alienate the TV networks. It's that simple. TV depends on alcohol ad revenue, and beer companies invest heavily in sports telecasts. The NCAA doesn't want to jeopardize that relationship.

The NCAA isn't worried about what message this sends the students or what the university presidents have to say about it. The NCAA isn't concerned with academics at all. The NCAA is worried about making sure a few college sports make money (most don't) and generate good PR for the schools and their rich alumni.

Read Murray Sperber's Beer and Circus. It's an eye-opener about college sports and the state of the modern American university. He goes overboard about some things, but is spot on about most of them.

Everybody knows the NCAA is corrupt. They don't have the athletes best interests in mind. It is all about the money they are making. If the NCAA is a business and needs to be run like a business, maybe it's time for a new organization that is focused soley on the athletes!

Perhaps the college presidents and coaches should send thir petition straight to the TV networks, and ask them to do the right thing. Just because the NCAA says the ads are okay doesn't mena that the networks should show them. The networks are the ones who sell the ad time. TV execs are always looking for good PR opportunities.

Another writer castigating the big tough NCAA. Did this crack reporter take a moment to find out who Michael Adams is? He doesn't work for the NCAA, he is a college president. I'm not a defender of the NCAA, but if you are going to "report" something, at least take a few minutes to do some research. Calling Chris Hill and Lee Benson doesn't really count as "research" does it? Try taking a few minutes to learn how the NCAA really works. Don't misinform the Utah public.

When it comes to NCAA football it's just like the old AAU days when they controlled athletics in the name of preserving the game's integrity but became corrupted by revenues.

beer is going to be consumed by college kids, like it or not Mormons. PS: Drinking beer will not ban you from entering heaven.

Heck, even Bubba Smith stopped being in beer commercials because he saw the cause and effect first hand when he returned to some Michigan functions.

He gave up a ton of moneyh for principles. Seems these NCAA heads don't want to give up the money.

adding to misinformed as usual | 11:10 a.m

Would you like me to make a couple calls for you?

I mean, other reporters get information and quotes that are more difficuult to get everyday.

Oh, and calling another reporter for infomation?

Hard hitting news at its Des News best

"Among those who made the appeal were the presidents and athletic directors at BYU, Utah, Utah State and Southern Utah, along with Utah president Michael Young and Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham."

If you say "presidents and athletic directors at BYU, Utah,", why is there a need to add "along with Utah president Michael Young and Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham."

Isn't Michael Young included already as presidents at Utah? Why specifically name Yong and Kyle?

Well written.

It seem's as if most of Doug's stories are written in an effort to get his kid more playing time up at the U.

I applaud your sense of idealism, Try Again, though the cold, hard fact is: IT'S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.

You know why? The TV networks don't care ONE DARN BIT about "doing the right thing." They care about two things, and ONLY two things: a) whether people are watching the tube, and b) how much they can charge advertisers for it. That's how they make their MONEY. That's it. Period.

"Doing the right thing" from a TV network standpoint is throwing in just enough ooze and sleaze in TV programs so people will be curious enough to watch.

PR be d---ed--people watch TV no matter what's on anyway. The networks don't care about their PR. They care about how much cash is coming in. Given our media dependency, the media currently operate more like a public utility than a private enterprise as it is--you might hate what your electricity company is doing, but you pay the bill anyway.

For better or worse (and a whole lotta worse), Try Again, that's the reality of the U.S. commercial media.

If you read the article you would have seen that Michael Adams is the chairman of the NCAA's executive committee. While he may be a college President he is still part of this committee. So I guess he did do some research

Re:Misinformed, the NCAA is made up of all the Nations member Colleges. The Presidents of these member Institutions make up the ruling body that make all the decisions.Some Coaches and some AD'S serve as voluntary committee members giving advice and labor to the running of the organization. The presidents have the final approval for this governing body.And yes, they are all looking out for the larger Institutions, and the Big Market Conferences.And yes, money , carries the day over what is best for Students and Athletes.

Any "public" organization that's around very long becomes corrupt. The NCAA has gotten finally there. The invention of the BCS assured it.

Think about all of the organizations that started out with the right idea, then became "owned" by certain entities that only ended up caring about money. For example, unions, AARP, CLU, to name a few.

The NCAA isn't going anywhere soon (is not being replaced by its members with something better), and its love of money won't change, so get used to being stuck in its world. There isn't enough guts in the membership to fix it. They'll just loudly and proudly put bandages on the problems so that they can sleep at night.

Re: Boo hoo | 11:22 a.m. Aug. 13, 2008

And another Mormon hater misses the point because he/she can't get past his/her prejudice. Nothing in the article has anything to do with Religious values. It's is about limiting the enticements for under-age kids to drink. Most college kids are between the ages of 18 and 20. That's under-age. Why are they targeting that age group with alcohol ads?

By the way, I've always really loved the "they're going to do it anyway..." excuse. Yes, the sarcasm is intended. Let's throw away having standards at all just because a select majority believe that nobody will live up to them.

First: None of the commercials are promoting underage drinking. The actors in the commercials are all portrayed as legal drinking age adults.
Second: Just because the ads are on TV doesn't mean kids will decide to drink. When you see a beer ad on TV does it make you want to drink? Not necessarily. So it is feasible that other individuals will also choose not to drink regardless of the TV ads.
Third: College sports are aired on national TV to ALL audiences. Including responsible individuals over 21. The ads are generally intended for those individuals. Millions of people watch college football every weekend, not just college students.
Fourth: Really, why does this matter? WHO CARES!!!!

This article is naive and ignorant. You can't protect the public by regulating advertising. People under 21 already cannot purchase alcohol. Just because your religion doesn't approve of alcohol doesn't permit you to make choices for others. Beer is not illegal. Beer companies should be allowed to advertise their product however they want (without making false claims, obviously). And the NCAA should be allowed to make money selling said advertising.