a question about conferences and academics

[lazarus]

How, exactly, does the conference you're in have anything to do with the academics at your school? I keep hearing about how a school would or wouldn't be a good academic fit for this or that conference. I always thought these conferences were all about the athletics, with the academics just layered on to keep up the "student/athlete" fiction.

[Redbear]

1. You are correct. They are trying to perpetuate the myth of the student-athlete.

The best evidence that it's a joke occurred yesterday and today.

The "highly academic" Pac-10 added Colorado less than 24 hours after it was announced that Colorado was losing football and basketball scholarships for failing to maintain academic performance.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=a2Et2sN5HeNY

The "highly academic" Big 10 added Nebraska today. Nebraska became angry at the Big 12 from almost Day 1 because the new league refused to continue the BIG 8 practice for allowing unlimited partial academic qualifiers. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1007647/index.htm

[LisaM]

2. I'm just sick

I really believed it wouldn't happen. That Delaney is a lying sack of you know what, acting like they were just going to consider it.

Sick sick sick.