4/25/2012: I’ve written before about AD Rob Mullens’s perverse incentives. Now the word is that the athletic department is having a hard time coming up with the cash to pay for these, and for the coaches’ bonuses. So they are auctioning off the players’ game jerseys, and keeping all the money. There are some unhappy players student-athletes, now that they’ve figured out the scam. One pissed off LaMichael James broke this story on twitter. George Schroeder of the RG has the writeup, with great quotes:
You might remember Mark Asper. Big guy. Played very well. Saved a choking man’s life a few days before the Rose Bowl, which generated some fairly positive publicity for his school. Hey Mark, what do you think of the auction? “It’s just like another scheme, another wrinkle where the university, the football program and Nike are gonna make tons of money off me and my buddies,” Asper says.
How about using some of the money to help out with the $2 million bill for the Jaqua Jock Box tutoring – currently all paid by regular students? Nope, then Mullens wouldn’t get his cut.
Of course, nothing in Jim O’Fallon’s NCAA infractions committee’s rules prohibits a *coach* from profiting from memorabilia sales – though this one’s violations are now under investigation by a considerably higher authority. Thanks to a commenter for the meme.
It would be interesting to see the documents showing that this is consistent with state regulations governing the disposal of surplus property.
Dog says
I have had Mark Asper in two of my classes. He is a very conscientious
and well spoken student. A prime example of what can be good about
the student-athlete. Way to stand up and be counted, Mark.
Anon @ 10:07 brings up a very interesting point. If an academic department wanted to sell off their old furniture, computers, etc, they couldn’t.
Excellent article, but a deceptive title. You should mention that this happened at Michigan and Auburn recently, and likely happens at almost every school in the country with a prominent athletic department.
Might this kind of thing also happen at Penn State? That would certainly legitimize it in my mind.
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So Mullens has “perverse incentives” and Sandusky has “perverse preferences”?
Claiming someone has perverse preferences is potentially defamatory. Noting that they face perverse incentives is potentially exculpatory. In the end it depends on the judge – not that this constitutes legal advice.
Rob Mullens has only just begun to take from UO students (athletes and non). He is going to continue to pull from his SEC bag of tricks and I think the best (read: worst) is yet to come.