It’s not often that I get caught off guard when it comes to the world of college athletics. Over the last few years, we have seen so many changes, and it seems like nothing is off the table anymore.
However, when a coach leaves in late June, that is not something you see very often, if ever. But that’s exactly what happened when Michigan head basketball coach Dusty May announced his decision to leave for the NBA to become the new coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
What makes this even more interesting is that Dust May is fresh off winning a national title at Michigan. Not only that, but in the last few years, he is the second coach at Michigan to leave after winning a national championship. Remember Jim Harbuagh?
Of course, Harbaugh left because he was still chasing a Super Bowl ring, and it didn’t help that there were sign-stealing allegations as well. Either way, he left just like Dusty May did. For that to happen twice at the same school in the last four years is crazy.
Perhaps we should take a look at the bigger picture here, and that’s why are championship caliber coaches leaving the college game to go to the pros? During a recent Board of Regents meeting, Michigan President Domenico Grasso opened up about May’s departure.
“Our current system is in dire need of clarity and equitable reform,” Grasso said. “Coach May told me that among his reasons for leaving were uncertainties and pressures involving the transfer portal and NIL support for student-athletes. He and I agree that the future of college sports is headed in the wrong direction.”
Grasso also mentioned that the “Protect College Sports Act” could provide “greater stability, clearer national standards and more consistent rules” to college athletics; he also said it has “deeply concerning provisions.”
“Rather than looking to conferences such as the Big Ten as models of athletic and academic excellence, it imposes restrictions that disproportionately affect the institution,” he said. “Among the most troubling provisions are targeted limits on conference expansion and realignment, as well as harmful restrictions on student athletes’ ability to benefit from additional NIL opportunities. These measures will reduce universities’ and conferences’ flexibility to adapt to changing conditions for student innovative opportunities.
“We want what’s best for the Big Ten and for Michigan. We are not going to sacrifice the competitive advantage that we built for more than a century. We stand ready to work with legislators on a bill that will establish a system in which every university can compete and thrive for generations to come.”
Grasso is certainly right about college athletics heading in the wrong direction. The NCAA has done next to nothing, and it’s gotten so bad that we now have politicians involved trying to set rules and guidelines.
I know that Michigan has more resources than just about anyone out there and that they are going to do whatever they can to keep it that way. But that last part he said about every university competing and thriving is what caught my attention.
Now, whether he actually means that or not is one thing, but I hope he does. Because if everyone keeps looking out for themselves, and themselves only, we are going to continue to make the sport worse for everyone, including the fans like us.
