Nov. 6
I'm concerned about a new trend in intercollegiate athletics. I'm surprised that there's a trend to fire coaches during the season.

What's going on here? Is this the NBA now? Is this the NFL or Major League Baseball? I can't believe what's happening. It is disturbing to see quality guys, busting their gut, preparing their teams all year, trying to do the best they can -- and they get the ziggy during the season.

What kind of message is being sent about intercollegiate athletics? We hear many people talk about doing things in a positive way in dealing with student athletes. Then stuff like this happens.

Isn't a 100-percent graduation rate the standard you strive for? That's what we're told about academics and intercollegiate athletics.

I can't believe what happened at Navy. Football coach Charlie Weatherbie gets fired, right in the heart of the season and right after his team almost upset a talented Toledo squad. What message is being sent by this move?

Look at what happened at Kansas. Terry Allen, a quality guy, was also fired. Allen went out and scheduled the best of the best to help his program.

The Jayhawks faced the likes of Notre Dame and UCLA in preconference games, although they later have to face the Nebraskas and Oklahomas of the Big 12. So Allen was guilty of putting together a difficult schedule. He didn't put together a cupcake schedule to get easy wins. What did this earn him? This isn't healthy for intercollegiate athletics.

Then there's Notre Dame. Football coach Bob Davie is facing all kinds of heat. There is speculation that this could be his last year coaching in South Bend.

Recently, the coach received an award given by the Memphis Touchdown Club. It was a prestigious award -- for graduation rates. How about this for a stat: In 1996, 20 scholarship football players arrived in South Bend. Notre Dame had all 20 walk down the aisle, receiving that diploma.

Isn't that the standard you strive for, 100 percent? That's what we're told about academics and intercollegiate athletics. It will be interesting to see how the Davie situation plays out. His Irish career could be coming down the stretch, since the remaining Notre Dame schedule includes Stanford and Purdue, both nationally ranked.

I'm glad to hear that Notre Dame athletics director Kevin White said he's behind his coach, and that he would evaluate the situation at the conclusion of the season. There are cries from the alumni to get rid of Davie right away. It's a good message that White won't jump the gun.

I just wonder about some of the priorities that exist in collegiate athletics. We have all of these committees that study and evaluate the importance of doing things the right way: graduate players, make sure they don't have off-field problems, handle things in a positive way.

How can that message be sent when coaches get fired in the heart of the season?

I feel bad for guys like Weatherbie and Allen, who gave their heart and soul to intercollegiate athletics and their student-athletes. I can understand when it happens on the pro scene -- I was there, receiving the ax from the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 8, 1979. It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.

Since then, I am undefeated in 22 years ... on ESPN and ABC. You never lose a game behind the microphone.