BillsFever
09-11-2003, 11:19 PM
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Vanderbilt's coaches were stunned. NCAA president Myles Brand was pleased.
Chancellor Gordon Gee caught everyone by surprise with his plan to eliminate the school's athletic department and merge Division I sports with intramural programs -- and he landed an endorsement Wednesday from Brand.
Vanderbilt football coach Bobby Johnson also came out in favor of the bold move, and Mississippi State's Jackie Sherrill predicted other colleges will follow to save money.
"It is a major shift in the collegiate sports culture. It will be a model for how to embed the operations that have been isolated from the university with similar functions throughout the campus," Brand said.
"Their model may not be right for everyone right now, but it is sure to be a topic of discussion as universities manage their athletics programs in the future."
Gee's announcement prompted questions about Vanderbilt's commitment to the Southeastern Conference. It was a main topic of conversation for Johnson during a conference call for SEC coaches Wednesday.
Johnson said the announcement surprised him but added he considers Gee a "very forward-thinking man."
Gee has been crusading for higher academic standards since taking over Vanderbilt in 2000, and he hopes the reorganization announced Tuesday will help curb the ills of big-time college sports. Gee said Wednesday that he had received plenty of e-mails and messages backing his move, which he estimated will take six months to complete.
"Someone somewhere had to break the logjam and say there is another way," Gee said.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/football/ncaa/09/10/vandy.folo.ap/index.html
Chancellor Gordon Gee caught everyone by surprise with his plan to eliminate the school's athletic department and merge Division I sports with intramural programs -- and he landed an endorsement Wednesday from Brand.
Vanderbilt football coach Bobby Johnson also came out in favor of the bold move, and Mississippi State's Jackie Sherrill predicted other colleges will follow to save money.
"It is a major shift in the collegiate sports culture. It will be a model for how to embed the operations that have been isolated from the university with similar functions throughout the campus," Brand said.
"Their model may not be right for everyone right now, but it is sure to be a topic of discussion as universities manage their athletics programs in the future."
Gee's announcement prompted questions about Vanderbilt's commitment to the Southeastern Conference. It was a main topic of conversation for Johnson during a conference call for SEC coaches Wednesday.
Johnson said the announcement surprised him but added he considers Gee a "very forward-thinking man."
Gee has been crusading for higher academic standards since taking over Vanderbilt in 2000, and he hopes the reorganization announced Tuesday will help curb the ills of big-time college sports. Gee said Wednesday that he had received plenty of e-mails and messages backing his move, which he estimated will take six months to complete.
"Someone somewhere had to break the logjam and say there is another way," Gee said.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/football/ncaa/09/10/vandy.folo.ap/index.html