FIRE THEM! ALL OF THEM!

by TexCane

EDITORIAL

“If you continue to do the same thing, you should expect to get the same results.”

There are few college football fans that don’t agree the game we love is in trouble. It’s been that way for years. NO, decades!

Why?

It starts with leadership. The NCAA leadership has been disgraceful for a long time. They have failed to address problems, sticking the heads in the sand, putting self interests and money ahead of our student-athletes. They are now asking the U.S. Congress to intervene with legislation to resolve major issues. Really, the federal government?

It’s time to FIRE the leaders who have failed us!

Charlie Baker.

Let’s start with the president of the NCAA, Charlie Baker.

Who? That’s right. You probably have never heard of him. Charlie Baker is the sixth and current president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), a position he has held since March 2023. The former two-term Republican Governor of Massachusetts, he was brought in to navigate the association through unprecedented legal, financial, and regulatory transformations. What has he done in his three years at the helm? NOTHING! He has not introduced or supported one single reform during his tenure. He’s been nothing but a figurehead controlled by the power brokers at the SEC, Big Ten and networks.

It’s time. FIRE HIM!

Let’s next go to of the most powerful men in college athletics, the commissioners of the Southeast (SEC) and Big Ten conferences, Greg Sankey and Tony Petite, respectively.

Greg Sankey

Sankey's dominate profile has led media outlets to dub him "the most powerful man in college athletics”. Sankey began his career as the director of intramural sports at Utica College. Sankey is now co-chair of the NCAA transformation committee. Sankey in March 2024 raised controversy by suggesting the NCAA men's basketball postseason tournament get rid of automatic berths, thus limiting tournament appearance and financial windfall opportunities for smaller programs and conferences.

In January 2025, Sankey proposed making changes to the format of the College Football Playoff in the 2025 season. Today, Sankey announced his opposition to the currently proposed legislation, the “Protect College Sports Act.” His opposition protects the SEC and Big Ten power over the college football playoffs.

Tony Petitti

Petitti came from Major League Baseball in 2023, where he served as the chief operating officer. He previously served as the president and chief executive officer of MLB Network. That network tie has served the B1G well over the last three years. This week, Petitti announced his opposition to currently proposed legislation, the “Protect College Sports Act.” His opposition protects the SEC and Big Ten power over the college football playoffs.

These two men are acting in the self interest of their conferences and networks, not all of college athletics. Money rules their decisions.

We could also add the commissioners of the ACC and Big-12 conferences, Jim Phillips and Brett Yormark, respectively. They are also making decisions not in the best interests of ALL of college athletics, just the financial interest of their conferences.

BOTTOM LINE:

As the five senior leaders in the NCAA, these gentlemen have FAILED their leadership responsibilities to college athletics, the student-athletes and the fans.

THE BUCK STOPS HERE! FIRE all of them!

GO CANES!