[Vision2020] Say What

[Sunil Ramalingam]

Tom,

I think that there are probably enough players at Idaho who share Tadman's attitude; enough for you to start lobbying for your proposal if that's the trigger.  He's just the one commenting out loud about the emperor's clothing.  I'll bet that we're no different from most D1 programs in that regard. 

I don't disagree with your statement that priority must be placed on academics.  I just don't think that it's the case across the board in the 'money sports.'  I would expect it would be much more accurate for other sports.

I'll have comments later about Akey's 'one size fits all' approach...

Finally, I wasn't even implying anything.  I'm saying you implement your policy, we're not going to be fielding a football team, at least not D1.

Sunil

> To: sunilramalingam at hotmail.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
> From: thansen at moscow.com
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Say What
> Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:01:30 +0000
> 
> 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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