Welcome to a holiday edition of Sunday Scorecard. You've got a grill to clean, grass to cut and perhaps an air conditioner to fix, so let's jump right into the notes.
Is Cottingham the fall guy? Not long after the news broke that Marquette Athletic Director Steve Cottingham resigned, folks were trying to figure out a link between the announcement and the aftermath of a Chicago Tribune story which looked at the way the university handled the alleged sexual assault of a student by Marquette student-athletes.
No explanation was given, only a line in a school-issued press release saying Cottingham wished to pursue other interests. It could all be coincidental but considering the events of the last few months ... well, where there's smoke, there is usually fire.
There are a couple lines of thought here:
- Cottingham was forced to resign for his involvement in the incident.
- Cottingham threated to resign if the situation wasn't handled in a way he preferred.
- Cottingham has been made the sacrificial lamb.
No matter which, if any, of these theories are correct, the most disappointing part of all this is the key parties involved appear to be getting away with a clean slate.
Certainly, if Cottingham's office mishandled the situation, he should have been removed from his position. There is no doubt about that. But there is plenty of blame to go around along Wisconsin Avenue.
You could point at finger at the school's Department of Public Safety, which was called out by the District Attorney's office for the way it handled the investigation but even then, you're just treating the symptoms and not the root issue.
The biggest cuplrits in this mess will walk away unscathed. The player or players, whomever they may be, will continue on, unaffected. They will play next season for the Golden Eagles (or, perhaps in the NBA) and move on with their careers.
The coaching staff, who we have to assume was the first to find out about the allegations, will continue on, perhaps with a private reprimand, but business will continue as usual.
Of course, this is nothing new. This is what always happens. Look at Ohio State, Jim Tressell (rightfully) is out, athletic director Gene Smith isn't going anywhere and Tyrelle Prior? You think he's learned his lesson? Of course not, he'll be making millions in the NFL.
We hear all the time about broken systems in sports. No system, though, is more broken than the one which holds everyone responsible for a player's actions, except the players themselves.
Another labor dispute: The NFL lockout looks like it's finally coming to an end but now the NBA has joined in the fun.
As always, the issue is money: the owners are crying poverty, the players aren't buying it. It's the same old story.
Labor unrest in sports is just plain dumb. If the two sides are at odds, fine, work it out ... but keep playing. This isn't about the owners or the players, it's about the fans – the people who pay the bills in the long run. It's about the sponsors, who fork over big bucks to have their logo slapped all over the darn arenas. It's about the advertisers, who pay for ads on the broadcasts, which are watched by people who would love to go to a game if they could afford it.
There are some pretty big economic problems in the NBA, that's not up for debate. Commissioner David Stern says 22 teams lose money, including the Bucks, and it's not hard to doubt him.
There is only one solution left: It's time to open the books. Every team. Full disclosure. How much is coming in, how much is coming out. Forget negotiating in good faith, owners owe it to their fans more than anything else.
Yes, at the end of the day, sports franchises are private businesses but at the same time, they are part of a public trust. Communities fund venues through taxes. Fans fund teams through ticket and merchandise purchases. If teams are really losing money, then come out and admit it. Show your cards.
In the meantime, get back to work.
Impressive vote totals: No doubt, Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks are deserving of All-Star consideration. It's still impressive, though, that all three of those players were able to earn starting roles in the Mid-Summer Classic through fan balloting.
The Brewers are certainly getting more national attention but still don't get a lot of time during the various games of the week broadcasts. Because of that, you have to assume Brewers fans have contributed greatly to the voting efforts, either through in-person balloting or online voting.
That makes the accomplishment all the more impressive when you consider Milwaukee, one of the smallest markets in the league, is 12th in baseball this season in attendance so far this season with just over 1.3 million fans.
