Michael Sokolove

Throughout Sokolove's essay, he explains how college sports, mainly football, have become all about money and not really just about playing the game. I agree with this because without money, football at colleges would not succeed or even be there. He tells how colleges try to be a part of the Division 1 A and how when a part of them, they barely break even in money or dig themselves a huge hole in debt. "The mantra of the need to spend money to make money can be used to justify a great deal of spending, without leading an institution to any destination other than a deeper financial hole" -James Shulman and William Bowen. Sokolove also shows through examples that many of the colleges will do anything to keep their sports players in the game. For example: "the university president resigned in the fall after acknowledging that he ordered a change in the calculation of a star basketball player's gpa." College football needs to be about playing the game and not about all the money and fame. I know it will never just be about playing the game because our world is all about money, but I will always think it should be about the fun and love of the game.



When Sokolove starts to talk about Jim Leavitt and how he contributed to the University of South Florida by becoming the head football coach, I became very interested in the reading. This portion of the essay reminded me of those dramatic football movies where one coach loves the game and not just for the money and fame, but because football is a part of him. When hearing about the $180,000 salary Leavitt recieved, I became a little upset because it says the average for Conference USA coaches is $410,000. When reading this "And implied that the coach was too dedicated to the next game and next victory to properly focus on his own self-interest" it made me wonder where people like this went in sports. A lot of college coaches seem to be there for the money rather than love of the game. Near the end of the essay when Sokolove talks more about the student athletes at U.S.F and their reactions to football, I was surprised to hear that they are not only athletes, but students as well and are to attend all classes. The way the players are basically forced to attend class and forced to keep up their grades is a very good thing Leavitt did. I found it humorous when U.S.F beat Southern Mississippi and the U.S.F athletic director wanted to give Leavitt a raise . The fact that the only reason they pay the man what he should be paid based on winning a game is kind of sad yet it happens a lot throughout many of the Universities. The schools do not want to lose the coach that is helping them win not only 0n the field but with the budget and publicity as well.