 TOLEDOROCKETS.NETYour source for information on Rocket Football! |
TOLEDOROCKETS.NETYour source for information on Rocket Football! |
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By Mike Sopher I am quite positive that I am not the lone University of Toledo alumnus who is a bit outraged and disappointed with your “witch hunt” of the Toledo athletic department and its spending “mishaps.” I find that your front-page epic series turns out to be…well…nothing really to report. It’s apparent that your large photo of UT president Lloyd Jacobs on the front page Thursday brought new revelations that Jacobs was secretly transforming this university into an authoritarian regime with hidden secrets of world domination in store for next semester. I guess that was my impression. Because after reading your reports, it’s apparent that President Jacobs is just doing his job. Instead of a “revamp” of the athletic department as your story suggests, Jacobs simply has a few concerns in regards to improving several internal issues including educating student-athletes on the dangers of drugs, gambling, and outside influences. Should we be so surprised given what’s happened over the past few months? Given the content and direction of Jacobs’s concerns, and his willingness to commend A.D. Michael O’Brien, I find no reason why this was not a one- day story showing how UT’s president is trying to change certain aspects of its athletic department. After all, as of now there have been no laws broken or NCAA violations. Jacobs is heading into his second year as the head man of the University of Toledo. With new administration comes change, and we can only hope that it is for the best. But as for your intentions, this remains unclear. You asserted that coaches’ wives and other athletic department family members and boosters accompanied teams for out of town games. Because the travel expenses were reimbursed or since no extra cost was incurred, this really served no purpose. Most universities allow this practice. Perhaps the most humorous part of your series were the allegations of Toledo’s men’s basketball team receiving athletic apparel as part of a contract with Vanderbilt University. Instead of sending the payment to the university, Head Coach Stan Joplin decided that the money should be sent to Team Sports Inc for acquisition of new equipment and uniforms. This is not uncommon for mid-major schools to accept this form of payment because of its tight and limited budgets. Hence, the Blade struck out again. But the real kicker was the finale. A former UT employee had concerns with some of the over-spending of certain coaches and other athletic department funds that were probably not spent properly. Whether or not she is a disgruntled ex-employee or a wrongful termination is not for us to decide, except the Blade apparently has the power to judge such decisions. Look, no Toledo alum wants the athletic department to waste money, but this is a Division I program competing for a national title. In order for it to be more successful, the size of its wallet must expand. Where and how it expands is not up to the folks at the Blade or Toledo fans across the country. This is a decision that must be decided internally. What I find so nauseating from this series is the potential fallout. We can probably assume that Athletic Director Mike O’Brien is probably searching a bit harder for a new job at a place where the local paper doesn’t hate its own university. We already know that O’Brien has done a lot for Toledo and considering that he is in the middle of a campaign to raise funds for new facilities, it would be a devastating setback if he is forced to move elsewhere. Also, look what this does for the representation of the school. Not only could this hurt recruiting efforts but it damages the reputations of those who have given so much time and money to a university they cherish. Some of the most diehard fans in the country wear the midnight blue and gold on Saturday afternoons. Attacking their school based on allegations that hold little merit is not only a slap in the face towards the university, but also to its millions of alumni who are proud to have graduated from the school. Have a question or comment for Mike? Email |