[Vision2020] Mike Price SI story

[Carl Westberg]

The new issue of Sports Illustrated details the exploits of former long-time 
WSU coach Mike Price, now ex short-term Alabama coach.  It's rather sordid.  
One can argue that he broke no laws, that he just used incredibly bad 
judgment, and did not deserve to lose his job.  I don't know.  What is 
unsettling is how incredibly important a man who coaches a game has become 
in this country.  How is a coach worth a 10 million dollar, 7 year contract 
in a state like Alabama, where college football stadiums are being expanded 
while the education budget is being slashed?  Here in the northwest, Rick 
Neuheisel, the UW football coach, is the highest paid state employee.  I 
believe, but I'm not certain, that the Boise State football coach is the 
highest paid Idaho state employee.  I'm a major sports fan myself, but how 
did college athletics become, to many in this country, more important than 
college academics?  How do we return collegiate sports to a more sane level 
of prestige?                                                                 
                                                                             
                                                                             
                                                             Carl Westberg 
Jr.

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