Tag Archive for: Kaufman

Enforcement exercise condescending in tone


The criticisms have snowballed. Over the past year, since the words “lack of institutional control” and “failure to monitor” became ingrained into the mind of the average college sports fan, the NCAA has been under intense scrutiny. That’s no surprise. From USC’s two-year bowl ban to Ohio State’s “Tattoo Five” and, most recently, Boise State’s […]

Offense still needs more time to mature


For the 16,850 USC fans in attendance, Saturday’s annual spring game at the Coliseum was not pretty, littered with interceptions, incomplete passes and missed field goals. With senior tailback Marc Tyler and sophomore wide receiver Robert Woods sidelined with various ailments, USC’s offense was noticeably out of sync and overwhelmed by a defensive front that […]

Big XII TV deal opens a door for the Pac-12


$60 million might sound like a lot. With that much in capital, you could buy two dozen Coachella tickets, three or four Boeing 737s and a five-star Caribbean resort (at least by my calculations). But in the world of college football television contracts, the soon-to-be Pac-12’s $60 million in annual earnings is at the bottom […]

‘Arrogant’ USC blog provides perspective


I have this very annoying habit when I wake up each morning of anticipating things to come — a tendency to glance at a calendar, eager for some distant event to occur. My initial idea behind this was pure: I wanted the good news to come faster. Fortunately, I’m not unique in this regard. At […]

New USC challenged to survive 2011 climate


Last June, after a four-year NCAA investigation, then-USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett echoed a commonly held sentiment: The NCAA had it in for USC. At a hotel ballroom in San Francisco, filled with 180 university boosters, Garrett responded to the Committee on Infractions’ 67-page report by accusing college athletics’ governing body of jealousy. “As I […]

Vucevic’s decision to leave is logical after all


Nobody fantasizes about playing basketball for USC.  They don’t long for the Galen Center, or Kevin O’Neill, or the “Trojan Fever” fanatics or being frontcourt mates with Alex Stepheson. What college basketball players fantasize about is being selected by one of 30 NBA teams in the annual June draft, which subsequently ushers in multi-million dollar […]

Reliance on scouts caused by new bylaw


In an unsettling era — when arbitrary decisions are often rendered by college athletics’ governing body, unintended consequences tend to emerge. In 2006, the NCAA implemented a new bylaw originally enacted to allow it to exercise greater control over college football recruiting. Specifically, bylaw 13.1.8.9.4 prevents Football Bowl Subdivision coaches from attending any independent football […]