By Jon Ericson

Pageantry, tailgating, alumni gatherings, color, excitement, sex, violence, . . what’s not to like about college football?

Okay, there’s the pretend courses, the faux patriotism, noise piped in someone, somewhere thinks is music, drunk fans, high prices, uncomfortable seats, and the ubiquitous TV commercials and plays under review.

By Jon Ericson

Pay college football players? Want a better idea: give them back their game. Game time: lock up the coaches, and let college kids be college kids.

By Frank G. Splitt

The present commentary is still another attempt to illuminate what’s really going on in the continuing erosion of higher education in America. It also serves as a challenge to members of college and university governing boards to rise to the occasion and recognize that they are directly responsible for the actions of the leadership at their institutions—leadership that has led to an ongoing tragedy in higher education—excessive commercialization, the lowering of standards, and the graduation of students who can’t write or think critically and who won’t be able to compete in the global marketplace.