SEPTEMBER 7 , 2 0 1 1
—SPORTS
THE ANCHOR
Football scandals widespread outside Division III Violations less likely in lower divisions without athletic scholarships
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T H I S W E E K IN SPORTS Wednesday Women's Soccer
Sept. 7
vs. Univ. of Chicago. 4 p.m.
James Rogers ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
W h e n s o m e t h i n g or s o m e o n e dear t o y o u r h e a r t e n c o u n t e r s trouble a n d c r u m b l e s resulting from that encounter, you invariably b e c o m e h u r t . Maybe not t o t h e s a m e extent, but there will always b e a p a r t of you t h a t falters after the incident. J o r m a n y p e o p l e today, o n e of those special things they possess a f e r v e n t passion for is a s p o r t s team. Sports m i r r o r life experiences. They are t r a n s c e n d e n t and exciting. They deliver joy, sorrow, and pain. They teach lessons that s o m e o t h e r things simply c a n n o t . Therefore, s p o r t s b e c o m e p a r t of us. W h e n y o u r t e a m loses, you lose t o o and b e c o m e dejected. You w i n a n d b e c o m e spirited w h e n y o u r t e a m wins. W i t h t h e wide and seemingly endless p a i n f u l road amidst scandals t h a t college football is currently riding on, t h e r e are countless fans of t h e g a m e t h a t have been h u r t b e c a u s e their beloved t e a m h a s b e c o m e s w a m p e d by allegations a n d troubles. The g a m e of college football is pervasive. Its popularity and f a n f a r e are at p e a k positions, with b o o m i n g television ratings and p e o p l e of all ages s p o r t i n g attire of their favorite colleges and universities, s c r e a m i n g in b o t h agony and joy d u r i n g each contest. The aforementioned words could p e r s u a d e o n e t o believe t h a t college football is u n s c a t h e d and healthy. However, you w o u l d not be c o n s i d e r e d crazy if you say college football is o n t h e h o r i z o n of disaster. Prominent BCS NCAA Division I t e a m s a r e t h e m a i n subject of t h e matter. T h e y receive t h e m o s t notoriety w h e n they break an N C A A rule, w h e t h e r t h a t rule b e m i n u t e a n d r a t h e r picky, or substantial a n d negatively noteworthy. Nearly every time S p o r t s C e n t e r airs o n ESPN, there is n e w s of s o m e big-time Di^teion I football sqiiad facing allegations for c o m m i t t i n g faults
Friday Women's Soccer vs. Augustana, 5 p.m.
Saturday Football
Sept. 10
vs. Wisconsin Lutheran, 1 : 3 0 p.m.
IN BRIEF FOOTBALL FALLS IN SEASON OPENER
P H O T O COURTESY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A C C U S E D — In l a t e May Jim Tressel resigned f r o m his head c o a c h i n g p o s i t i o n a t Ohio S t a t e a f t e r a d m i t t i n g he k n e w of his players' a c t i o n s a g a i n s t NCAA rules.
p r o b l e m s are o c c u r r i n g at t h e Divisipn II a n d Division III levels. To provide f u r t h e r clarity of the o n g o i n g scandals taking place at t h e Division I level, a succinct s u m m a r y of a few schools involved in t h e m e s s would be helpful. The O h i o State Buckeyes were a c c u s e d of receiving cash and t a t t o o s f r o m a local t a t t o o parlor w h o s e o w n e r was t h e head of a federal drug-trafficking case, resulting in five players being s u s p e n d e d a n d t h e resignation of t h e i r f o r m e r well-respected h e a d coach Jim Tressel, w h o a d m i t t e d t h r e e m o n t h s later t h a t h e k n e w a b o u t h i s players' actions. Numerous Miami Hurricane players a c c e p t e d illegal benefits f r o m a b o o s t e r w h o disclosed information that he benefited 72 players in t h e M i a m i system f r o m 2002-2010 with cash, prostitutes, yachts, and plenty more. University of N o r t h Carolina football players also received i m p r o p e r benefits f r o m an agent, along with an athletic department tutor providing over $3,000 in e x p e n s e s and f r e e tutoring. Several o t h e r u n m e n t i o n e d To me, it is sad that the large schools are also a p a r t scandals continue...It is of t h e ongoing mess. College disheartening. football has been traveling d o w n — D E A N KREPS a dark a n d p a i n f u l road. H O P E COLLEGE FOOTBALL T h e accusations t h a t these HEAD C O A C H t e a m s are facing u n d o u b t e d l y affect t h e fans. The Buckeye fan 5 5 that lived a n d b r e a t h e d O h i o State football a n d w a t c h e d each game religiously w a s inevitably against t h e rulebook of t h e hurt when the program NCAA. It is obvious that t h e N C A A is was falling a p a r t a m i d s t t h e m a k i n g t h o r o u g h investigations c o n t r o v e r s y and resignation of into each and every team, but Tressel. It is i n d e e d interesting to h e a r t h e b u z z that Division I receives a b o u t t h e scandals blossoming causes o n e to w o n d e r if these
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Sept. 9
at t h e Division I level, b u t being a s t u d e n t - a t h l e t e at a Division III school, I was eager t o find w h e t h e r similar p r o b l e m s also o c c u r at this level of t h e N C A A . It is difficult t o believe that only Division I schools face troubles a n d c o m m i t c r i m e s against t h e N C A A rules. W i t h a lack of love for O h i o State, Hope's h e a d football coach D e a n Kreps was still t r o u b l e d w h e n t h e Buckeyes w e r e accused. "To m e , it is sad t h a t t h e scandals continue," Kreps said. "I'm n o t an O h i o State fan, b u t I liked Jim Tressel. I t h o u g h t h e was o n e of t h e good guys' t h a t we had left in coaching at t h e m a j o r college level. It is disheartening." W i t h coaches ultimately being t h e p r i m a r y focus of a p r o g r a m scandal, t h e q u e s t i o n t h a t arises is if it is always t h e coach's responsibility. The players c o m m i t m o s t of t h e faults, b u t t h e coach can i n t e r v e n e and p u t an e n d t o t h e potentially p r o g r a m - b u s t i n g scandal. "I'm not sure t h e coach can c o n t r o l all of this," Kreps said. "If he k n o w s a b o u t it, t h e n that is a n o t h e r issue. I'm not sure h o w w e can e x p e c t a coach to k n o w what his players are doing 24/7." The coach teaches t h e g a m e that is being played, b u t t h e coach also n e e d s to teach o t h e r essential life lessons. "We n e e d to e d u c a t e t h e athletes, c o a c h e s and alumni," Kreps a d d e d . "At s o m e p o i n t we have to t r u s t those involved, until they prove t h a t they can't be trusted." W h e n asked a b o u t scandals o c c u r r i n g at t h e Division III level, Kreps shared his t h o u g h t s o n t h e subject. "1 don't think it h a p p e n s on
t h e s a m e scale in Division III, but there are s o m e questionable things that go on. The big o n e in Division III is t h e leadership a w a r d s t h a t s o m e schools give to athletes as p a r t of t h e i r financial aid. Some p e o p l e say that this is a 'gray' area. I t h i n k it is flat o u t unethical," Kreps said. It is a practice H o p e h a s never
I ' m not sure how we can expect a coach to know what his players are doing 24/7. —
DEAN KREPS
H O P E COLLEGE FOOTBALL HEAD COACH
55 d o n e in t h e past or will do in t h e future, Kreps said. Division III p r o g r a m s have not b e c o m e involved with i m p r o p e r benefits or large-scale m o n e y issues. It would b e c o n s i d e r e d a rare occasion to see n e w s of a Division III p r o g r a m c a u g h t in a rule-breaking m e s s o n ESPN. As Kreps m e n t i o n e d . Division Ill's m o s t c o m m o n questionable activity is t h e providing of extra financial aid d u e t o athletic ability. Because Division III is not p e r m i t t e d to give athletic scholarships, this t y p e of action is against N C A A rules. -Taking in Kreps' w o r d s a n d considering t h e fact t h a t athletic scholarships a r e n o t p e r m i t t e d at t h e Division III level, H o p e should be i m m u n e f r o m t h e c u r r e n t football scandals so widespread in Division 1.
The D u t c h m e n traveled t o Illinois Wesleyan and c a m e u p s h o r t in a 35-0 loss t o t h e Titans. It h a s been seven years since Hope's first s e a s o n - o p e n ing and n o n - l e a g u e win. W i t h H o p e trailing just 7-0 at t h e half, Illinois Wesleyean scored two t o u c h d o w n s in b o t h t h e third and f o u r t h q u a r t e r s . H o p e s o p h o m o r e Michael Atwell c o m p l e t ed 16 of 33 passes for 107 y a r d s in his collegiate d e b u t . N i n e diff e r e n t receivers c a u g h t a pass. T h e D u t c h m e n are h o m e with W i s c o n s i n Lutheran o n Saturday. M E N ' S SOCCER W I N S IN OVERTIME
The Dutchmen notched a 1-0 victory in overtime against Kenyon College on Saturday in Ohio. With two minutes remaining in extra play senior co-captain David Whitaker scored off an assist delivered by sophomore Grant Neil. Goalkeeper Logan Neil ('12) tallied three saves in the win. O n the previous day Hope ended in a l 1 tie with Denison. Andrew Abe ( ' 1 2 ) scored the lone Dutchmen goal in the fisrt half, while Logan Neil had five saves for the game. Hope's first home matchup will be Spet. 16 against Madonna. It will be a part o f the Bergsma Memorial Tournament hosted by the Dutchmen. GOLF TEAMS TAKE F I R M PLACE
The men's golf t e a m took fifth place in the Collins M e m o r i a l T o u r n a m e n t h o s t e d by Olivet o n Saturday. H o p e finished with 612 strokes for the 36-hole course, just 15 behind t h e t e a m c h a m pion. Senior c o - c a p t a i n A n d y T h o m s o n paced the D u t c h m e n with a fifth place finish, s h o o t i n g 76-73-149. The women's team headed to the N C A A Preview T o u r n a m e n t h o s t e d by T r i n e University. The D u t c h c a p t u r e d a fifth place finish in a field of 13 t e a m s . Their 36-hole score of 675 strokes w a s led by senior co-captain Emily Atsma's 85-82—167. The w o m e n ' s t e a m will h o s t an M I A A j a m b o r e e o n Sept. 21, while t h e m e n h o s t a j a m b o r e e o n Sept. 26.