© 2017 Michael
Swickard, Ph.D. “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a
right to do and what is right to do.” Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart
It is certainly
the right of NMSU to engage year after year in this ethical morass of selling
losses. But it is not right for them to do so. The football team plays mostly
unwinnable games a couple times a season for money.
Over the
last forty years NMSU has sold losses in a sport entirely judged by the team’s
win-loss record. I have spent those forty years complaining about this to no
avail.
In the
modern NCAA Football era comes an unethical practice of strong national teams spending
millions of dollars for an easy week while weak teams collect millions providing
a loss. This last week the University of Arkansas paid NMSU $1.35 million to go
there and lose.
Over that
forty years NMSU has won twice and lost more than a hundred times. Many Aggie
Football coaches have been fired because of their win-loss record.
Three
concerns: first, it appears giving two losses a season keeps the Aggies from going
to Bowl Games. NMSU hasn’t gone to a Bowl Game since Eisenhower was the
President in 1960. I see a trend.
Secondly, smaller
teams playing physically larger teams often get players hurt. This is not a strong
team in your conference, these are national teams.
Finally,
it is a thumb in the eye of home fans. Not going to Bowl Games because of
selling losses makes selling season tickets harder.
Partly
personal: I have watched NMSU football for fifty years. My first year was with
legendary coach Warren Woodson in 1967. I have had season tickets most of the
time including this year.
The NMSU Athletic
Department have spoken to me over the years due to my criticism. They say I
don’t understand Higher Education. I always respond I have a Ph.D. in Higher
Education from NMSU. But they don’t listen to me.
Former NFL
Head Coach Bill Parcells wrote, “The only way to change people is to tell them
in the clearest possible terms what they’re doing wrong. And if they don’t want
to listen they don’t belong on the team.” This is true at NMSU where the same
old strategy has failed for so many years.
The way to
change the fortunes of the NMSU Football program is: first, never ever sell a
loss. Secondly, play teams you can beat. Finally, with enough wins go to Bowl
Games. Any Bowl Game The program will pick itself up and success will follow.
As Bill
Parcells said, “Success is never final, but failure can be.” The NMSU Football
Program will be shrouded in failure so long as they continue to sell losses.
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