Rudeness: Lack of Etiquette
Go DII!!!
Quote Of The Day
Division III athletics don’t get a lot of love, and when I read Mike DiMauro’s piece in The Day on Wednesday, I got a bit choked up. There wasn’t one day during my time as a Division III student-athlete that I wasn’t grateful for where I had ended up. While Division III games don’t often end up on television and the box scores don’t fill the sports pages, the experience means just as much to those kids as it does to the ones playing in front of 100,000 folks on football Saturdays. For those who want to know what college sports should be about, DiMauro’s piece is a must-read.
“This is merely a message for all Division III athletes and especially their parents, that there is ample nobility and significance to the games. Just because you can't see them on television doesn't mean they mean less. They still count.”
Uh, oh...
Professor bans students from citing wikipedia
As Wikipedia has become more and more popular with students, some professors have become increasingly concerned about the online, reader-produced encyclopedia
Important info for everyone.
Find Out If Your Social Security or Credit Card Numbers are on the Internet
Silicon Valley based Trusted ID, which launched IDFreeze last year to help protect people from identity theft, released their second product this evening - Stolen ID Search.
Type a social security or credit card number into the search box and Trusted ID will tell you if it is published on the web:
The information that powers StolenID Search is found online, by looking in places where fraudsters typically trade or store this kind of information. All information behind StolenID search is publicly available, but not in places where you, or even search engines such as Yahoo and Google, would look.
If it turns out your social security and/or credit card numbers are on the web, Trusted ID will pitch their IDFreeze product to you to help you get control over your information.
Some people will feel uneasy inputting this sensitive personal information to complete the search. I believe Trusted ID can be trusted with this data - they are venture backed by Draper Fisher Jurvetson and say they do not store this information at all after the search is completed. Also, a social security or credit card number without additional information (a name in particular) is useless to fraudsters, and Trusted ID does not ask you for this information.
You can also request that Trusted ID monitor for future fraud.
Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0
Money Sports?
Money in College Sports? Let's Be Honest
Some in Congress are asking why more money from "revenue sports" doesn't go to education. The truth is, big-time college sports are for purposes of amusement, not academics. And that isn't likely to change.
NCAA
New Technology Changes Recruiting Practices
I am currently enrolled in a graduate class that explores computer mediated communication. With my career success reliant on understanding this field, I am obviously excited about learning new things each week.
Last night, our class explored the proliferation of social networking sites on the Internet, as well as the generational gap created by the increased application of new technologies. While the use of new media has certainly impacted folks in all walks of life, and a lot of it is positive, there is some cause for alarm.
The Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics met yesterday in Washington, D.C. to discuss a number of issues, most notably the changes in recruiting practices and the current state of Title IX. The discussion about recruiting touched on the impact of blogs and online companies on the recruiting process for prospective student-athletes.
When I was being recruited to play baseball in college eight years ago, I was contacted by way of telephone or mail. I didn’t have to worry about tons of text messages or e-mails, and recruiting rankings were in their infancy.
One of the most exciting days I had as a college baseball player came about four weeks before I landed on campus as a freshman. An envelope arrived at my house with an updated roster and fall schedule. I knew nothing about any of my teammates, and I didn’t know how good any of them were until our first day on the field.
These days, pre-teenagers can find out what the world thinks of their athletics talent by doing a simple Internet search. Instead of being surprised when they report to campus, prospective student-athletes know everything about every individual in his or her recruiting class. Nothing is left up to the imagination, and I find that bothersome.
Additionally, we can’t discount the intrusive nature of the Internet. There isn’t any place to hide as online recruiting companies hound prospective student-athletes for any information they can make public. When these kids finally get to campus, they are denied the normal experience because everybody already knows who they are and what they’re capable of doing on the field or court.
My diatribe is in no way intended to shun the benefits of new media technology. I only see benefits when I log on to a Web site and can watch clips of a dozen games before going to bed. I enjoy being able to communicate with fans and student-athletes about the state of intercollegiate athletics.
The positives far outweigh the negatives, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take a hard look at reforming some of our recruiting practices to account for the changes in technology.
technorati tags:ncaa
Leadership
Five Leaders on What It Takes to Get to (and Stay at) the Top
Special Report from Knowledge@Wharton
NCAA Rankings
A Look At The Weekly Rankings
The most updated rankings and polls from NCAA winter sports are provided below.
Division I Men's Basketball
Division II Men's Basketball
Division III Men's Basketball
Division I Women's Basketball
Division II Women's Basketball
Division III Women's Basketball
Bowling
Men's Gymnastics
Women's Gymnastics
Division I Men's Ice Hockey
Division III Men's Ice Hockey
Division I Women's Ice Hockey
Division III Women's Ice Hockey
Division I Swimming
Division I Mid-Major Swimming
Division II Swimming
Division III Swimming
Division I Wrestling
Division II Wrestling
technorati tags:NCAA
Finanical Aid News
House Cuts Interest Rate for Some College Loans
The bill garnered large bipartisan support despite opposition by the White House.
Wow!! A Really Big Jump!
A Big Jump For Birmingham Southern: From DI To DIII
It’s not often that I agree with Frank Deford’s commentary about intercollegiate athletics, but in a recent piece he wrote for Sports Illustrated, Deford makes some excellent points.
In the article, Deford chronicles Birmingham Southern’s move from Division I to Division III, a jump that is almost unprecedented in intercollegiate athletics. Generally, moves happen between Divisions I and II and are almost always characterized by teams “jumping up” a division.
Many would classify Birmingham Southern’s reclassification as a move down. Instead of filling the arena for Division I basketball games with scholarship players, Birmingham Southern cut its athletics scholarships and reduced its emphasis on athletics. Like Deford, I see this as a bold and important statement. Instead of a move down, I believe Birmingham Southern chose to move up.
Uncomfortable with the financial commitment needed at the Division I level, Birmingham Southern’s administration felt that the school need to reemphasize its priorities. The program offered 116 full scholarships to student-athletes, while only one full academic scholarship was provided to students. Priorities were out of wack, so change was made.
As a former Division III student-athlete, I know that the school’s student-athletes will have just as rich an experience competing at that level as their predecessors did in Division I. In fact, the school was able to begin a football program thanks to all of the money it saved from removing athletics scholarships.
While I would never suggest that Division I programs should all drop their athletics scholarships and move to Division III, Birmingham Southern has made it clear that an institution should first focus on academics, and then on ancillary activities such as athletics. That’s a statement worth celebrating.
Sometimes to Grow or Succeed You Have to Change.
An Excessive Need To Be "Me"
We use our ideas of who we are to rationalize all kinds of behavior. Letting go of limiting definitions lets us do our best work
Being Professional: Travel & Diversity
Column: Travel Tips, Office Diversity
PROFESSIONAL TRAVELING: Don't let business trips derail your professionalism. Take them in stride with a few tips and shortcuts from one veteran business trekker.
Blogged with Flock
I Wonder If He Grades on the Curve?
Happiness 101
Can classes in positive psychology teach students not just to feel good but also to do good?
Blogged with Flock
NCAA Convention News
Division III's Changing Fan Culture
A former student at a Division I institution, Zach Lawson learned about some important Division III issues this afternoon.
As you may remember, or not, I graduated from Texas Tech, so with very few exceptions, all of my college experiences as a fan came at the Division I level. For that very reason, I was interested in the discussion that would be going on in today’s session called "The Changing Fan Culture for Division III."
I’ve been one of 15,000 fans at basketball games and a small voice in a football stadium with more than 50,000 people crammed in. You can probably imagine the things I’ve heard and seen; on second thought, you may not want to.
So, while sitting through the session, I had to scale back my perceptions and take a look at these events through some Division III lenses. The voice yelling obscenities that would normally be drowned out by the thousands of louder voices is now very audible. The parent ranting about the calls being made by the officials is very easy to spot.
The panel, consisting of administrators, a SAAC member and a former official, discussed the importance of game management, proactive planning and campus communication.
Del Malloy, athletics director at Salve Regina University, said expectations are made often and stated clearly by his department using the various outlets available to push the message of sportsmanship to student-athletes, coaches and fans. A program that shows true sportsmanship is the one where all three of these entities are working together.
I have always perceived Division III universities to be really tight-knit communities, so I picture a crowd that consists of family and close friends who really know the student-athletes beyond the lines of competition, more so than the fans of most Division I programs. I wonder if the harder goal, if possible, is to turn down the volume Division III fans have for their loved ones playing their hearts out.
technorati tags:NCAA
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Plagiarism - Everybody Gets Caught. Resource.
Books: Plagiarism: Everybody Into the Pool
There is sometimes a moral component to plagiarism — as when a student cheats by turning in a term paper not his own — but in the public sphere it more often seems like an aesthetic offense, a crime against taste.
technorati tags:Plagiarism
Blogged with Flock
I Hate Fear, so I pretend it doesn't exist.
It’s amazing what we can accomplish if we refuse to be afraid. Fear – whether it’s of pain, failure, or rejection – is a toxic emotion that creates monsters in our mind that consume self-confidence and intimidate us from doing our best or sometimes even trying at all…Perspective is an antidote to fear. Most of the things you fear will never happen, and even if they do, you can handle it. – Excerpt from the article “Refuse To Be Afraid” by Michael Josephson
NCAA Convention News
Morning Coffee
Convention is here! The 2007 NCAA Convention officially begins today and I am thrilled. I will spend the majority of my time helping to facilitate the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee meetings, but will also spend time interviewing delegates and providing content for the Double-A Zone. The Convention is one of my favorite times of the year, as I find it truly exciting to be in the know as policies are decided in front of your very eyes. There are nearly 3,000 delegates at this year’s Convention and it’s a lot of fun to get to know new people every year. We will bring you as much of the action as we can each day.
Vermont’s softball team gives back. The Vermont softball team recently took part in a community service event at the King Street Youth Center. The Catamounts volunteered with the after school program and helped with homework, games and Christmas tree decorations. If the picture serves as any indication, it looks like this was a rewarding day for all parties involved.
Mercy College SAAC conducts holiday drive. During the holidays, the Mercy Student-Athlete Advisory Committee conducted a community service effort in partnership with the Mercy Center (located in the Bronx). The SAAC collected more than 200 personal items, school supplies, children’s books, snacks, groceries and administrative supplies for those who are in need. The student-athletes also received donations totaling $350 during the drive.
A peaceful mascot bites the dust. Meredith College announced that it’s looking for a new mascot. Meredith adopted the Angel as its mascot in 1980, but the all-women’s college has decided to toughen up and go in a new direction. If I’ve learned anything during my time at the NCAA, it’s that mascots are important to their communities. If Meredith wants a more ferocious mascot, so be it. But I think Angels has a nice ring to it.
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Sports Psych - New York Times
Free the Mind and Fewer Injuries May Follow
Relieving emotional stress emerges as a preventive measure for athletes.
Blogged with Flock
NCAA News
Morning Coffee
Leadership in changing times. The NCAA begins its second century when its annual Convention begins on Friday. The theme for this year’s event is “An Association Providing Leadership in Changing Times” and the docket of informational sessions scheduled for the membership appropriately reflects the new era. There will be a number of exciting and innovative sessions and we will bring you details and video clips throughout the four-day event. I will be moderating a session titled “New Media: Grasping the Opportunities of Changing Technology” on Friday afternoon and am looking forward to hearing from a distinguished panel that includes representatives from all three divisions. Stay tuned!
Fiesta Bowl mattered. In his piece on About.com, James Alder wrote that Monday night’s thriller between Boise State and Oklahoma “could probably be argued to be the best game ever played that didn’t mean a lick to anyone other than fans of the participants.” Alder went on to ask: “What does it mean in the big picture of college football?” I agree with Alder that there’s something wrong with an undefeated team not having a legitimate shot at winning a national championship, but saying that Monday’s game really didn’t matter is not realistic. Not only was there a lot on the line in the Fiesta Bowl, but the victory means everything to the Boise State community. Additionally, it showed that the tide in college football is turning; it’s realistic to think that mid-major programs can contend for BCS berths and a chance to win a national title. I understand Alder’s overall point, but there’s no reason to question the importance of the Boise State victory. It was tremendous.
Why we need rules. Dayton Daily News staff writer Kyle Nagel discusses the need for the NCAA to have rules, even if they sometimes seem heartless and cruel. Nagel discusses the parents of Florida student-athletes who needed a fund-raiser to gather the necessary funds to go see their children play in the BCS national championship game but weren’t allowed to do it under NCAA rules.
Orange squeeze. Well known for its offensive prowess, Louisville’s defense stole the show last night as the Cardinals stopped Wake Forest in a 24-13 victory in the Orange Bowl. Louisville forced three turnovers and quarterback Brian Brohm was 24-of-34 for 311 yards in the air. Wide receiver Harry Douglas had 10 catches for 165 yards as Louisville finished the season 12-1.
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Happy New Year!!
I'm back!! Sort of.. I'll be in my office by 1:00 p.m. tomorrow. What's on the agenda? Grades and Winter session classes. Big fun, huh?
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