It's The Hypocricy Of Sports The Drives

This time every year many college football programs fire their head coaches in search of the next big thing. The guy that can lead them to the "promise land."

Unfortunately though many of the schools have a misguided view on what this grand, amazingly spectacular, promise land is for their respective programs. And it isn't the fault of the universities themselves, althought expecting 9 wins at a mid-major year-in year-out is a bit shortsighted, it's the fault of what we've bread into our communities as to what is acceptable in sports.

It's win at all cost. And if you're not winning, then you're less of a person for it. Coming from an average to below-average junior college pitcher, nothing can be more true than my experiences as a coach in collegiate baseball. The only division is D-I. Anything else and the characteristics you have as a person need not apply.

And so it goes at schools like Auburn and Washington this season, Arkansas, and Georgia Tech last season, that think their promise land is far more special than what it actually is in reality.

In Auburn's case much of the last 10 years have been spent among the top 15 teams in the country. And now there is a case to be made about the fishy smell sorrounding the departure of head coach Tommy Tuberville. What is it that Auburn thinks they gain by, what reports are saying, forcing out their head coach? A sure fire National Title? Hardly. Just another case of the school having a grand misconception of what they really are.

Simply put, winning, money, talent, and status are all the drives sports, but sadly those sports include college. The one level of athletics that should remain above all else and pure, has been driven to be just as commercial and processed as the professional ranks. Nobody celebrates the mediocre talent that works his/her way through college sports while going to school and becoming a teacher. Noone brags about the 4.0 GPA pitcher that had a 5 ERA that now serves his community on the city council.

Sure, winning a national title would do a lot for a fan base, brings tons of money into an otherwise stretched-thin athletic budget, and could very well increase tuition at the university as a whole. But what does it really accomplish?

Does anyone remember the team crowned No. 1 ten years ago? 15? You would have a hard time finding someone that would without looking it up first.

But how many of those programs have produced doctors, teachers, coaches, city volunteers, politicians, police officers, etc? Occupations that actually and tangibly touch the lives and spirits of another. Nothing a silly national title could do.

It's why sports for someone that enjoys it for what it is, the building of relationships and character through the struggle of school and a dream, can really have a hard time seeing a future in it when the only line of success drawn is the bottom line.

Someone should stand and praise those that don't play D-I athletics, and praise those that do without the acclaim of the special 1%, and say thanks for they are the ones that will be leading our communities in the future. There should be a heavy price tag on character, graduation, being a good person, being a great spouse, and being an amazing parent. And we should all sell low on what sports has become: winning, talent, and money.

Three things that in the end, only affect the very few.