College Sports

Georgia Tech men’s basketball coach Paul Hewitt was listening to the Knight Commission as committee members highlighted the NCAA’s rating system that penalizes teams that don’t meet certain academic standards.

The Knight Commission is an independent group that has been pursuing academic reform in athletics for more than 20 years.

In the most recent Academic Progress Report (APR), 218 teams from 123 schools received penalties of some sort. Scores have risen steadily since the APR was introduced four years ago

APR scores have been on the rise since the standard was introduced four years ago, but not all are happy with the method used to achieve the results. Coach Hewitt’s name heads the list.

“I do have a problem with putting numbers out there, saying ‘Meet these numbers or else,” Hewitt said. “You’re turning education into a race.”

Hewitt’s fear is that coaches, pressed to keep grades up to keep from losing scholarships, will steer their athletes into easier classes, away from the hard stuff that could actually help the player move toward graduation.

Hewitt came armed with ideas for improvement. He thinks that basketball should be a one semester sport, and a move toward a shorter season and schedule. He also is smart enough to know that the money involved will keep that from ever happening.

And therein lies the rub. The NCAA, once again, wants it all. We want our student-athletes to graduate, they say. Academic progress must be met, they bellow.

Shorten the season? Lose money? Uh, nope, not gonna do it.

The NCAA may want to take the high road, but it’s hard to do when the road is paved with dollar bills. As long as TV is driving the truck, the NCAA will be at their mercy. And the coaches and athletes will keep paying the price.