Title IX is finally paying

Muckraking is most commonly associated with politics, so it’s seems fitting that the first official post "The Muckraker" involves David Boren, a former U.S. Senator and current University of Oklahoma president.

Oklahoma women’s basketball coach Sherri Coale recently negotiating a $250,000 pay increase to $800,000 per year. Why such a significant raise? Well, David Boren offers a seemingly plausible explanation in an AP interview: “[U. of Texas] offered quite a bit more money than [Coale] was making, and she turned them down.” Then Boren talked about Coale’s selfless dedication: “When people do things like that voluntarily all the time for you, you shouldn't just take them for granted, because she could have gone to Texas for more money than even this contract. She more than deserves what we're doing and we're just trying to send a signal of how much we appreciate her.”

If only Coale was actually offered the Texas job. According to Texas women's Athletic Director Chris Plonsky, “Gail Goestenkors is the only individual who was interviewed, who considered and who ultimately accepted our offer to become head coach of The University of Texas women's basketball team.”

Somebody be lyin'.

Now Boren is backtracking: “I did not ever assert that Sherri Coale was offered any other job.” Wow. If you read the AP story, it sounds like Boren was under the impression the pay raise was in direct response to a job offer. The low-paid AP writer must have an axe to grind.

Thankfully Boren clarified what he clearly didn't mean: "I made a general statement that Sherri Coale, if she would allow herself to be considered, would have many opportunities to go other places. I noted as only an example that the new Texas coach was offered a much higher salary than Sherri Coale now receives. My statements were clearly misinterpreted.”

Boren is a former politician, so he’s adept in these situations. But wouldn’t be interesting to find out what the Oklahoma Board of Regents were told when the approved the raise. After all they’re spending state taxpayer money.

Let the mucking begin

College sports is a great enterprise. The NCAA generates $550 million per year as a tax exempt organization. NCAA President Myles Brand is paid a $900k salary. Nick Saban just broke the $4 million barrier. The NCAA has instituted "historic" academic reform to make sure student athletes are really as the name implies. Graduation rates are up, up up. Student athletes get a free ride. We're talking a free education. So quit complaining. On second thought, that wouldn't be much fun. Blogging and the NCAA...never would have thought the two belonged in the same room until the NCAA told the "live blogger" to leave. Then it hit me...muck the NCAA.

muck·rake Pronunciation[muhk-reyk]
–verb (used without object), -raked, -rak·ing.
to search for and expose real or alleged corruption, scandal, or the like, esp. in politics.