Want a definition for 'hypocrisy'? Ask Tennessee
Firing of basketball boss Don DeVoe fits the bill
hypocrisy mp^'ak-ra se n 1: The act or practice of pretending to be what one is not or to have principles or beliefs that one does not have
from Webster's dictionary
		
		Stan Torgerson
		Cats' Pause Columnist
		
	-m iti	
I remember in my long-gone youth believing colleges and universities were primarily educational institutions and the players on their football and basketball teams actually were student-athletes with as much emphasis on "student" as "athletes."
I also, naively as it turned out, believed that coaches were, indeed, teachers and that turning out decent, educated young men who were morally and educationally prepared to make a good life for themselves was as important as winning the games in which they played.
And further, I believed the administrators of said colleges and universities were as concerned with the coach's personal standards, his conduct of the program and his influence on the kids in his "classroom" as they were with his won-loss record.
I said I was young when I thought these things. I didn't say I was foolish, but obviously I was.
Oh, most of our administrators, school presidents and athletic directors still publicly proclaim those standards, but what they say and what they do are two entirely different things.
Don DeVoe's firing at Tennessee is a blunt, to-the-point confirmation.
Here is a man acknowledged by his fellow SEC coaches to be one of the best teachers in the league.
His personal standards, which were the standards he established for his program and his school, kept him from recruiting academic cripples.
He did not cheat. Not one word of scandal has ever been heard about Tennessee basketball in the 11 years DeVoe headed the Vols.
His influence on his players was of the highest order. There are two full pages in this year's Tennessee basketball press guide devoted to a list of his former players, the degrees they have earned and the careers they have found after basketball.
He won 321 games, lost only 207. He won 19 of them this past season and went to the NCAA tournament for the sixth time.
So, shortly after the season was completed, Don DeVoe was fired.
Fired because, apparently, winning over 60 percent of his games and turning out two-page lists of successful young citizens wasn't enough.
The Vols built a 25,000-seat coliseum in order that they would have a basketball palace bigger than the one used by their most-hated enemy, Kentucky, and if their playing arena was better than the Wildcats', their program had to be better, as well.
There were 25,000 seats which had to be sold. Somehow, that building had to be paid for.
Apparently, that meant possibly getting a coach who would rant and rave on the sidelines for the entertainment of the customers, sort of a Dick Vitale in an orange coat, recruit the best players even if they spelled "cat" with a "k" and who would win not 60 percent of his games, but 75 percent.
I have no great personal affection for Don DeVoe. He shot from the hip too many times such as a few years ago when he strongly criticized Hugh Durham for Georgia's non-conference schedule, a subject which was
The firing of Volunteer basketball coach Don DeVoe proves that Webster's definition of "hypocrisy" fits Tennessee to its capital "T"
I must agree with the Rebels. If ever there was a right time to raise prices, this is the right time. Ole Miss has Arkansas, Alabama and LSU as home opponents this year. Arkansas and Alabama will be played in the
62,500-seat stadium at Jackson. LSU will come to Oxford, which has 42,000 seats. Arkansas fans buy more tickets to an Ole Miss game in Mississippi than any other team on the Rebel schedule. Alabama isn't far behind and you know LSU people will follow their team. In no case will the additional S3 keep Razorback, Tide or Tiger fans from coming. While the Rebs may lose some home support by raising pricess, out-of-town sales will more than make up for it. The other three Ole Miss home gamesVanderbilt, Georgia and Arkansas State don't figure to draw capacity crowds anyway, so the revenue loss should be minor. By the 1990 season Rebel fans will take the S18 price tag in stride, particularly if Billy Brewer's troops can have a winning year. The timing for a rate increase was perfect...
Despite a mediocre season, only three of Kentucky's 32 games were not televised on some type of TV network. UK appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, Jefferson Pilot/SEC and the UK TV network. Now you have an idea how much hurt the NCAA will put on Kentucky if the forthcoming sanctions include prohibiting the 'Cats from appearing on TV...
Alabama's Michael Ansley played in 128 games for the Tide, an all-time record. The previous career mark was 126 games, held by Bobby Lee Hurt...
I note that in the SEC Basketball Team of the '80s poll conducted by the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger with the 10 current conference coaches, former Ole Miss star John Stroud did not get a single vote. Ridiculous! Stroud, the third-leading scorer in SEC history, was a substantially better player than at least five of those who were named to the dream team...
CBS sold all commercials for the telecast of the Final Four. Prices ranged between $200,000 and $300,000 per 30-second announcement. Has college basketball gone big-time or what?...
none of DeVoe's business.
My relationship with DeVoe was like that of the old farmer describing his with an acquaintance: "We've howdy'd." the farmer said, "but we ain't shook."
Please don't tell me DeVoe resigned. You don't agree to pay the man for the remaining 27 months of his contract if he resigned.
What Tennessee did with its action was profess principles or beliefs it does not have in academic excellence, integrity in its program and high interest in the future of its athletes.
The firing of Don DeVoe points out that Webster's definition of hypocrisy fits Tennessee basketball to its capital "T."
?NOT FOR BROADCAST: Sonny Smith's resignation at Auburn carries its own message. Despite an income in excess of S200.000 per year and constant success up to, but of course not including, this season, Sonny knew there was no way basketball would ever be a major sport at that school as long as Pat Dye was coach of the football team. Let me hasten to says it's not Pat's fault. As athletic director, I'm certain Dye welcomes Tiger success in any sport. It's just that Dye's teams have been too successful, so much that, as someone once said, basketball was just something to occupy the time between the bowl games and the start of spring practice. I have broadcast many games at Auburn when Sonny had outstanding teams, only to look around at 3,000, 4,000, at most 5,000. fans in a hall seating far more. The Tigers would sell out from time to time for a Kentucky or an Alabama, but game in and game out Auburn fans showed by their indifference that basketball simply had little base of support at what was primarily a football school. I'm glad Sonny got a job he wanted at an income level anyone would want, Virginia Commonwealth University, at approximately $300,000 per year, but don't think for a minute I believe VCU compares in prestige with any Southeastern Conference job. Its main attraction to Sonny must have been something it didn't have, namely a highly-successful football team. At last, Sonny Smith is No. 1...
Ole Miss fans were surprised, some of them shocked, when the Rebels announced a substantial price increase for football tickets. Last year's $15 ticket will cost $18 this season. After all, Ole Miss averaged only 30,000 per home game in 1988. the lowest figure in the SEC. In addition, the Rebels were coming off a losing year, a situation that does not normally inspire ticket sales. This time
?THE LAST WORD: Georgia star Alec Kessler, named a basketball Academic AU-American with a near 4.0 grade-point average, when asked which accomplishment he prizes the most:
"It's hard to say. I've always thought the combination is important. That's fairly unusual, I suppose, because there aren't a whole lot of folks who try to excel in sports and in the classroom."