Some interesting tidbits in this article, including this which i'm sure is the argument on justifying money spent on sports.-
A 2012 report in the National Bureau for Economic Research found that football success increases alumni donations (particularly to athletics) and helps a school’s academic reputation, as well as the quality and quantity of applicants. By Joe Scalzo
scalzo@vindy.com
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown State president Jim Tressel once tried to recruit Bo Pelini.
He spent several years coaching against Pelini.
But, he admits, he didn’t know Pelini.
“I knew him from a distance,” he said. “But I was impressed with what I had seen.”
So when Pelini emerged as a candidate for YSU’s head coaching job, Tressel made a call to someone who could give an honest evaluation: former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, who served as Pelini’s athletic director from 2007-13.
“Tom is a friend and I knew he would be very open with me in terms of pluses and minuses,” Tressel said. “He’s a big fan of Bo Pelini.
“Of course, Bo isn’t perfect — and I haven’t met a perfect guy yet — but he felt that he had grown in his time at Nebraska. It’s not an easy job knowing you have to replace Tom Osborne, whether you’re one or two or three coaches removed.
“Everyone there is still measured by Tom Osborne.”
The same is true of YSU, where Tressel’s two predecessors, Jon Heacock and Eric Wolford, combined to make the playoffs just once in 14 seasons. Tressel made the playoffs 10 times between 1987-2000, winning four national titles and playing for two others.
Since then, Appalachian State (which won three straight titles from 2005-07 and now competes in the FBS) and North Dakota State (which just won its fourth straight title) have spent time atop the FCS.
“It’s tougher now than it was then,” Tressel said of the FCS. “Not that it was easy then, but our league is extremely strong. The competition nationally is extremely strong.
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“We [had] two people from our conference in the national championship [NDSU and Illinois State] and we [were not] one of them, so that tells you this league is pretty good.”
Pelini agreed, calling the Missouri Valley a “hell of a conference.”
“They play really good football in this conference,” Pelini said. “Those schools do a heck of a job. I have a lot of respect for the football played at this level. It doesn’t get the hype the BCS schools get but there’s a lot of good football players and a lot of good coaching. It’s a heck of a challenge.”
Since being hired as YSU’s president in the summer, Tressel has kept a low profile when it comes to athletics. He attended the home football games and served as a consultant during the coaching search, but said he’s focused on other things.
“I’ve actually talked to Bo twice — once when he came here [to interview] and once shortly before or after Christmas,” Tressel said. “He’s a very inquisitive guy and I would love to sit and talk with him for hours, but I don’t have hours and neither does he.
“It’s not unlike when Eric was here. Once in a great while, he’d say, ‘Hey, I’m facing this situation and what are your thoughts?’ We’d spend a minute or two on the phone. I hope I can provide that for Bo. But as you know, coaches don’t really have a bunch of idle time and presidents are kind of busy, too.”
A 2012 report in the National Bureau for Economic Research found that football success increases alumni donations (particularly to athletics) and helps a school’s academic reputation, as well as the quality and quantity of applicants.
With YSU facing decreasing enrollment, a playoff-level football team could be a good advertisement for the university.
“I’ve always been a big believer that every single thing you decide to do can be a great contributor the overall situation and the community,” Tressel said. “I love the spirit that the arts bring to a college community and I happen to think athletics is one of the arts, like music or theater or art itself. I think athletics are tremendously important to our community and our Valley and our university, and there’s obviously a lot of excitement about Bo’s hiring.”
- See more at:
http://www.vindy.com/news/2015/jan/18/tressel-sought-sage-advice-before-hiring/?newswatch#sthash.93O23scp.dpuf