Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.issues From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: issues Mon, Mar 16 1992 Date: Mon, 16 Mar 92 05:48:19 EST Message-ID: 03-16 0000 DECISIONLINE: Issues & Debate USA TODAY Update March 16, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network Here are some of the issues and topics being debated across the nation Monday morning in USA TODAY: Basketball; Checks. TODAY'S DEBATE - MARCH MADNESS: USA TODAY'S OPINION: The preliminaries are over. The non-basketball court fights are done. With Sunday's announcement by the National Collegiate Athletic Association of its seedings for its basketball tournament, the time has come for some fun. Beginning this weekend, 64 teams will vie to be No. 1 in a tournament that has become college sports' grandest showcase, in which big and small schools compete on equal footing. Unlike college football in which only schools with big bucks can compete for a national champion, college basketball's championship offers opportunity for greatness to places like DePaul, Seton Hall, and Villanova. And unlike college football, this national championship won't be decided by pollsters' ballots but by players' passes, dunks and jumpshots. ... A study due out this week is expected to show that the NCAA, along with college presidents, are taking steps to increase woefully low graduation rates among football and basketball players. They're cutting practice hours, shortening seasons and giving coaches incentives to graduate players. Even TV revenues are being split so players in the tournament won't be shooting "$300,000 free throws." Those revenues - which amount to $1 billion over seven years - will help athletes from long distance runners to lacrosse players get an education. This four-week long extravaganza, thus, helps the student to be taught and the athlete to be trained. All of which makes this March Madness only more divine. OTHER VIEW: DAVID HOLAHAN, an East Haddam, Conn., writer who played varsity football and baseball at Yale two decades ago: March Madness doesn't do big-time college basketball justice. Oh, it's mad in March, all right, but what about December Dementia? How do "scholar-athletes" get any course work done during those holiday tournaments? And then there's November Neurosis, when pre-season tournaments are generating big bucks for school coffers. It is safe to say that every month of the season is insane for kids who have a full workweek of basketball - yes, 35 to 40 hours - and then somehow try to fit in their studies and a normal campus social life. On top of that, these young people, too many of whom come to college less than well prepared academically, are asked to sell the school to the next crop of alleged amateur athletes. ... Madness, alas, is a euphemism. In many areas of the country, college teams get more television and print exposure than local professionals do. The Nevada:Las Vegas hoopsters and their ilk are pros in everything but name. Small wonder that scandals erupt all during the season like skunk cabbage in March. Big-time college sports is an industry with the advantage that those who profit don't have to pay their prime employees (although some apparently do). VOICES ACROSS THE NATION ON CONGRESSMEN WRITING BAD CHECKS: SAN JOSE, Calif., Cheryl Washington, 47, administrator: It was in the paper. Fortunately, according to him it was only three checks. I will be looking to see the amount of those checks when the list comes out. He did not admit it until they indicated everybody's name was going to be published. NAPLES, Fla., John Alston, 73, retired: Our congressman did not write a bad check, and I was very happy to hear that. I am also glad Congress decided to release the names of all members who did write bad checks. Congress should not have any rights beyond what ordinary citizens have. They should obey the rules. BRIDGETON, N.J., Carol Dilks, 49, teacher: I don't know if any of our congressmen have bounced checks - one said he will release his personal financial records. They should be held as accountable as anyone else. It will affect the way I vote, and I'm pretty sure the same will happen across the nation. NORTON, Mass., GEOFFREY LANTOS, 39, marketing professor: I honestly don't know if mine bounced any checks, but absolutely this would affect how I vote. It's outrageous. If you and I don't know we're overdrawn, we're still held responsible. I don't know one American who isn't upset about this. DAYTON, Ohio, Angel George, 13, seventh-grader: I don't know if my family ever bounced a check, but I don't see why congressmen would need to go over their checking balance when they get so much money. Issues & Debate Editor: Michele Coleman. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM