[Roy Tucker]

With the amount of money that collegiate athletics generates, I think it is not realistic for us sports fans to believe that any program is pristine. There is enormous pressure for teams to win, not matter who they are. When we're talking about billions of dollars, stuff happens. Either by the program and staff itself or by alumni and boosters.

To varying degrees, programs try to be clean. For many programs, it is easier (not easy) for them because of expectations of alumni and history of the team. I think the higher powered the team (e.g. BCS football, NCAA Div. 1 hoops, etc.), the more pressure there is to win.

If I were a coach who made millions of dollars a year and had my job threatened, my ethics would be sorely tempted to not cheat. Money can make people do funny things.

I think OSU tries very hard to have clean programs. I think where a lot of problems occur is recruiting and boosters. That is a difficult thing for the university to have institutional controls over. Particularly when successful businessmen who are used to getting their way get involved.

I admire what they did down at Vanderbilt and eliminated the athletic department because the distance between athlete and student was getting too great.

Frankly, I'd prefer it if all athletic scholarships were eliminated and everyone did the NCAA Div. III thing of true student-athlete. But I'm not holding my breath for that to happen. Like I said, waaay too much money being made.