[Vision2020] Say What

[Tom Hansen]

Sunil -

My suggested "standards" were flippant (I guess that's how you spell it) 
at best.  My intent was that, if the UI student-athletes present the same 
attitude as that expressed by former Boise State safety Marty Tadman, that 
tougher standards should be enacted.

Granted, a winning football program not only produces revenue by ticket 
sales and donations by alums to various colleges around campus, but also 
increased revenue within the town it resides.  

Trust me.  I am as much a die-hard Vandal as any alum, maybe more so.

There is a reason why they are student-athletes and not athlete-students.  
Priority must be placed in academics.

The bottom-line, as it currently stands, is that (apparently) my 
hypthetical "if" (if student-athletes do not place academics ahead of 
athletics) does not apply here at UI.  Priority, here at UI has been (at 
least since Dennis Erickson's departure) "Academics First!"  In addition 
to the "Academics First" philosophy, Coach Akey has adopted a "one size 
fits all" appropach to team rule violations (both on and off the field).

I guess what I am getting at is that the quote by former Boise State 
safety Marty Tadman upset me to no end.  The only thing that would have 
upset me more would have been . . . if that quote were credited to a 
Vandal.

Another thing, Sunil:  Never even imply that I would welcome such a 
drastic degeneration of our athletic program as to join an 8-man football 
or half-court basketball program.  The ONLY change I want to see in the 
future of Vandal athletics is admission into either the Mountain West or 
Pac-10 (plus 1) conferences.

OK?

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

> 
> Tom,
> 
> Your comment didn't confuse me, and I see what you're saying.  I
disagree>  with it.
> 
> Do you think that if the school imposed your plan, we would be fielding
a>  Div. 1 football team?  I don't.  
> 
> 'Free education?'  Sure, but the university is also getting something
out>  of the students in the high-visibility sports.  And judging by the
injurie> s we see weekly in football, the players are giving away plenty
themselve> s.  
> 
> I don't think the university should be imposing more stringent academic
sta> ndards on athletes than on regular students.  I'm not saying they 
should
dr> op standards either.  Dan, are you saying the standards your better 
half
> was held to were higher?  I certainly read you to be saying they kept an
ey> e on her to make sure she was meeting whatever standards were out 
there.
> 
> I don't know about Stanford's policies; I'm happy to be educated about
th> em, but I don't know if they'd be applicable here.  
> 
>
Sunil

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