End the Presidential Brackets

I find it odd that one of the rituals of the NCAA basketball tournament has become the President of the United States producing a Presidential Bracket, affixed with the Presidential seal. I don’t mind that the President is a basketball fan and finds relaxation in watching and playing the sport.

I do take issue with lending a presidential endorsement to the NCAA tournament, an egregious manifestation of Big Time college sports run amuck.  Instead of explaining his tournament seeds, here’s what I would have liked to hear from the President.

“My fellow Americans and members of the press who have joined me today, expecting to see my choices in the upcoming tournament. I enjoy basketball, a sport of grace, stamina, and skill.  Today, however, I want to take advantage of your attention to remind you that Big Time college basketball and football undermine two of my major political priorities.

“First, there are simply too many academic/athletic scandals for us to deny the sad reality of the failure of Big Time sports to assure educational opportunity. The university goals of success in basketball and football too often comes at the cost of academic compromise, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“Second, the economic model created by the NCAA and its member institutions enforces a stark expression of inequality. The economic disparity is immense between the compensation for the basketball and football players who produce the billions of dollars in value, and the compensation for coaches and the scholarships for students who participate in non-revenue sports like tennis, golf, and swimming.

“Again, athletes in the Big Time sports of basketball and football disproportionately come from disadvantaged communities. Therefore, I am not filling out a bracket this year.  Instead I will encourage all who believe in the value of education and the need for fairness in economic opportunity to join me in calling for a much-needed, fundamental transformation in Big Time college sports.  Thank you and God bless America.”

 

— Lew Margolis.