December 9, 2002

WEBBER INDICTMENT SHOULDN’T SPOIL A CANADIAN’S CHANCE

      Sacramento Kings star forward Chris Webber is the prominent name in a grand jury investigation into alleged gambling and money laundering at Michigan University.  Webber and his family were reportedly given $280,000 in money and gifts from a retired Ford electrician who tried to hide profits made from an illegal gambling operation.  Ed Martin and his wife have been arrested and charged with running an illegal gambling business, conspiracy, and money laundering.  Martin admitted to loaning $616,000 to four former members of the Michigan basketball team.  Webber’s father recently testified that he did take gifts from Martin, but has refused to admit that anyone in his family was given large sums of money.   Webber, his father, and his father’s sister-in-law have been indicted by the grand jury for conspiring to obstruct justice and making false statements to the grand jury.  Each charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

      Webber stated that he took gifts from Martin in high school but couldn’t remember if he took money while at Michigan.  With the admission made by Webber’s father it appears as if Webber did lie to the grand jury.  If the report turns out to be true and that Webber and his family did receive that amount of money, and did lie to the grand jury, then Webber could be facing the end of his pro basketball career.    Former player Louis Bullock and Robert Traylor admitted to taking gifts and by telling the truth seem to have avoided any further charges.  Martin’s son was sentenced to 18 months in jail for his part in the gambling operation.  Lawyers for the Webbers have appealed the indictment and want the case dismissed.   

       The NCAA has remained relatively mute on the subject and is awaiting the grand jury results.  Michigan could face penalties including being barred from appearing in bowl games for a certain period—a penalty the University Association likes to administer as punishment.

       The entire affair is another black eye on college sports in the U.S.  Many universities hand out athletic scholarships like candy mints after a dinner—Notre Dame is one of the few that still requires a minimum academic standing.  Universities like Miami and Nebraska have been known for bringing in athletes with questionable backgrounds and low academic standings, and it is not surprising when these universities run into problems.  When a university with the history and the esteem of Michigan runs into problems it cast a sorrowful shadow down upon the entire college sports program.  With several universities playing football games in front of a hundred thousand spectators, with universities paid millions for their television rights, with millions available to be earned through bowl games and tournaments, such as basketball’s March Madness, it is inevitable that illegal activities ensue.  There is just too much money on the table for there to be none underneath.  College sports can no longer be classified as amateur sports, but the money universities earn are supposed to go to the maintenance of the university and its programs.  Unfortunately that is not always the case.

      Canadian universities have long been opposed to athletic scholarships.  They are afraid that they will run into the same problems as their American counterparts and, since the Canadian system is strictly about academics, athletes are forced to find other means to their end.  Star Canadian athletes usually find their means at American Universities.  After years of watching their best athletes leave the country the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union—as it was called then—made some minor changes in their scholarship criteria including an increase in funding to cover an athlete’s tuition.  A couple of years ago the 48 members of the Union voted to increase the $1500 entry award to cover tuition expenses that average $3300 per year.  It is called an award rather than a scholarship because the money is given after the first year providing the student has met the academic criteria given by the university.  There isn’t a nationwide standard so each university can set their own academic criteria, though to enter the program in the first place an athlete must have an 80% high school average.

       Athletics are unlike other programs.  Nobody pays money to go and watch a science student perform an experiment.  Until Canadian Universities understand this fact and are willing to accept that many highs school athletes have trouble reaching an 80 average simply because they are spending their time on their sport they will continue to watch their best athletes go south.  Why should an exceptional athlete spend so much more time on his studies when if he works a little harder at his sport he can receive a full scholarship from an American program?  Canadian Universities continue to cut off their nose to spite their face.  Offering that tiny little extra to a student to stay in Canada where he will receive below average teaching for his sport is worthless.  There is big money in sports and every individual will want to take their best shot at making it—and he or she won’t be making it in Canada.  To assume that Canadian athletes will now consider attending Canadian Universities because their tuition is paid for is ludicrous.  Only those athletes who are unable to acquire an American scholarship will take the Canadian route and this will not increase the amount of money earned by universities.

      It is unfortunate in this day and age that sports is given such notoriety.  Yes it is true that the real heroes work in occupations such as teacher, scientist, doctor, police officer, and fireman—but outside of the doctor and the occasional scientist the other professions don’t have the same financial allure as professional sports.  College sports are the route these athletes take to their dream.  It would be nice if the university experience were all about academics, but in reality the experience should be about preparation—preparation for the real world.  Athletics should not be excluded from this training ground.  And athletics can provide something that no other program can—an influx of a tremendous amount of money.  College sports can fund many other programs, but it won’t as long as two hundred people show up to watch a college sport.  There is no reason to assume that because an athlete is given a scholarship that that athlete will be given joke courses to ensure graduation.  Schools are about learning, and if an athlete can’t, or chooses not to, learn then that athlete has no right being a university student.  But like the old cliché goes—don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.  In this case Canadian Universities should take a good long look at that bathwater.  Perhaps they are keeping it so clean that nobody wants to wash, and the result is a bunch of dirty people.  Their philosophy is backward.  To avoid problems they avoid the issue and all that does is avoid success.       

      With only 48 members it would be much easier to monitor the situation than it is in the U.S.  Also with the increased income Universities can branch out and include other programs, or solidify the ones they already carry.  More money gives them more flexibility, and more money can be earned from sport.  The Canadian University Union should look at ways to increase their sporting allure, both in sports that lead to professional leagues and to amateur sports that lead to the Olympics.  If they start slowly and allow only a few scholarships for the first years, and if they increase moderately each year they will be able to follow the progress, and if managed properly they will be able to foresee potential problems.   They may never be able to compete with their American counterparts, but for some Canadians if they could receive the same education, the same experience, and have the same opportunity to be a professional they may choose to stay in Canada.  As it is now Canadian universities are just spinning their wheels.