We know nothing, nothing

I'm not too sure what the point of Saturday's News-Gazette article concerning the Board of Trustees and the Cheef was except to prove just how spineless the BOT actually is.

The reality of the issue is right in front of them -- the Cheef and the name Fighting Illini must go if the school hopes to keep competing in the NCAA -- whenever they choose to confront it.

But it's not clear to many of the BOT members. No, they're still deluding themselves into believing they actually have choices in the matter.

"I know the illusion to the public is we're doing nothing," Trustee Marjorie Sodemann said. "That's not true. We're wracking our brains."
"We would all like to solve this, but so far we haven't come up with the right answer," she said. "We thought we were getting closer until this happened with the NCAA."

Sorry Marge, but there is no 'right' answer. There is only ONE answer. Make the decision you must make and move on.

The BOT still appears to be laboring under the delusion that the NCAA is some kind of democratic organization. It is not. It never has been. It never will be. All you have to do is remind UI athletic folks of the phrase 'lack of institutional control' and you'll understand where they're coming from. If you remember, the NCAA investigated the UI basketball program, looking and looking for recruiting violations to punish the school for. When the found none, the brought out the old 'lack of institutional control' tag and punished them anyway. And they got away with it. Because it isn't the government. It's a private club. You belong, you follow their rules.

Does this sound like an organization that's gonna be in any way democratic? The UI -- and every other school -- has two choices: Follow the NCAA's rules and compete or buck the NCAA and find itself on the outside, a noncompetitive entity.

Appeal all you want. The deck is stacked against you. It's a battle, despite protestations, you can't win.

But what the BOT can do is hide, close their minds and pretend there are options.

Board members say the NCAA should not be involved in deciding the Chief issue.
"I don't believe we needed the NCAA or anyone else to tell us when to make a decision," said Trustee Bob Sperling.

Oh, really? On Feb. 1, 2006, if the UI still stands its pathetic ground, the UI will be locked out. You belong to an organization, Bob. You follow the rules. Simple, right?

The BOT has been debating, discussing, arguing and ultimately stonewalling this issue for what, 15 years? More? Bob, SOMEONE better tell you when to make this decision because if you keep on the way you're going, it'll be 2025 before you do anything.

"The trustees have worked very hard to reach consensus on this issue," Sperling said. "I think we should have been given the opportunity to deal with this issue and we would have dealt with this issue in a timely manner. Giving an artificial deadline does more harm than good because it creates more hostility between the two sides. But we're going to do the right thing for university."

Timely? Timely? Someone better set a deadline, because without one the BOT can go on putting off making a decision indefinitely. And they show all the signs of wanting to do exactly that.

To be fair, not ALL BOT trustees are stonewalling. Some, actually, are pushing to make the right decision, and the only decision left to them. And for the right reasons. Not because the NCAA says so, but because it is the right decison.

Trustee Frances Carroll thinks the NCAA was correct in enacting its policy, but she had hoped the UI would resolve the issue before now.
"For 15 years or more, it's been a debate. If it was OK, there would not be a debate," Carroll said. "My saddest moment was when we hadn't done anything and this policy came out. We hadn't done anything and we have to do something. It's a hard call. It's our responsibility. It's in our lap and we have to stand up."

Huh? That sounds a lot like common sense. You sure that's a BOT trustee talking?

And so it goes.