Speakers debate
ethics in athletics
By Josh See
reporter

Daniel-Meyer Coliseum abandoned the high-octane intensity and earsplitting crowd noise displayed during a TCU sporting event, at least for one night, as TCU sponsored Ethical Issues in College Athletics last week.
The lecture brought together recognized figures in college athletics to discuss ethics and student athletes.
Dutch Baughman, executive director for Division 1A Athletic Directors’ Association, served as moderator.
The panelists included Dr. Myles Brand, NCAA president; Roy Kramer, former commissioner of the Southeastern Conference; Andy Geiger, athletic director at Ohio State University; and Mack Brown, head football coach at the University of Texas-Austin.
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” Brand answered when asked how someone would know if what he is doing is ethical.
“If you do the right thing, you have nothing to worry about,” Geiger said.
Mack Brown responded similarly “If you do the right thing, you’ll be fine.”
Each panelist delivered a 10-minute presentation on his opinions of ethics in athletics before Baughman posed several situations dealing with ethical issues in sports.
The panelists agreed the student is the center of college sports, and it is the job of the school president, the athletic director and the teachers and coaches to make sure the student athlete displays integrity and common sense while at school.
Brand said the key to integrity is growth because the values people create are with them for life.
“Winning comes in conflict with integrity,” he said.
Kramer added, “Integrity of the university is publicized through the athlete.”
Publicity through the athlete is a focal point in ethics, especially when the media get involved, the panelists agreed as each panelist cited several examples of how to deal with the media.
Kramer said the important thing is to not dodge the media.
“They have a job to do, and they want to talk to you and not a representative or spokesman,” he said.
“The media are part of our lives. We can’t live without them,” he said.
The other panelists agreed with Kramer, but Brand said not everything should be said when privacy is involved.
“We have to remember that we are the guardians of our athletes, and we have many privacy issues at hand. I try to answer what I can, but often I have to say, ‘I am not at liberty to divulge that information,’” he said.
Brown added that the student’s rights must be protected.
The evening concluded with Baughman reading questions to the panel written by audience members prior to the forum.
Several questions involved current ethical issues, cheating and punishment of coaches who violate rules.
Other questions were geared toward more controversial issues such as Maurice Clarett, an athlete previously involved with Andy Geiger at Ohio State, and TCU’s future participation in the Bowl Championship Series designed by Roy Kramer.
This is the second year TCU has sponsored the Dorothy Garrett Martin Delta Gamma Memorial Lectureship in Values and Ethics.
The Lectureship was established by Dr. Paul Martin to honor his wife, a member of Delta Gamma Fraternity at the University of Akron.