HEADS UP

August 5th, 1999 From TENNIS WORLD by Beth German:
“The NCAA is also to be blamed for not keeping tennis specific numbers. It is impossible to find out how many international players take roster spots, scholarships or Graduate from college.”

Thankfully the NCAA and the ITA have made data much more available. And the ITA video on the history of college tennis in America cites the long standing issue surrounding international players that continues . (See SEVEN MINUTES–below ).

https://tomparham.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=6532&action=edit

(SEVEN MINUTES )

As the spring tennis season ends with the upcoming National Championships, would this be a good time to “…let it all hang out” ?

• HOW MANY INTERNATIONALS ON YOUR ROSTER? HOW MANY OF THOSE PLAY IN THE LINEUP AND AT WHICH POSITIONS (1-6 SINGLES. 1-3 DOUBLES?) CHECK THIS ON LINEUPS FOR “CRUCIAL” MATCHES.

The fact is American College sports will have more and more appeal and possibilities for all global sports.

“like a snowball rolling down the side of a snow covered hill—it’s growing!” (The Temptations )

SEE-

https://tomparham.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=6296&action=edit

( WHOA, NELLY)

SEE–

https://tomparham.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=6105&action=edit  (NEXT PLEASE)

“Wait till next year !” (The Brooklyn Dodgers lament ).

Okay, but how to plan, pay , personnel ?

It is pretty obvious some fundamental changes occurred in the 2025 FINAL FOUR college basketball tournament : No Cinderella, all four top seeds make it. Best bet is a large state University that can pay em, a seasoned and proven coach, some internationals to augment big, fast dudes. No need to recruit high school aspirants other than the rare Cooper. 18 years old—need not apply. Guards must be able to palm the ball. Players understand the coach is willing to give up my life for the school.

Athletic Directors must realize “HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL” rule will cause all kinds of ill will and bad behavior, for appoval or to sort out. And quickly a youngster with a hand full of cash will find mischief. “”They gonna wreck some of them cars.”

Plenty of questions. Here are a few for the School Presidents, Boards of Trustees, State Legislatures.

Do we give up academic freedom for federal money ? Sure ? Your soul could cost a billion bucks at some major institutions. Vote is due for all—soon.

Big time requests for a General Manager to pay the players–salary a million plus. And payroll for players (no salary cap ) and no telling how much.

A basketball budget that matches the cost of a needed new library? How big is my donor base? Do we

even consider faculty salaries? The faculty will.

Gamblers salivate. Parents pay. Community Colleges grow.

When we graduated from college my roommate and I were the last to vacate the dorm. He then rode off. Alone–I gazed over the campus and wondered, “…What do I do now?” I am always reminded of that sinking feeling , when watching the faces of NCAA basketball players the moment their team is through.

This is from an earlier article I wrote on March 19, 2025 (BALLOTS IN ) :

Will Universities indeed go bankrupt for actually endorsing “Academic Freedom?”

How about a DEI University? 

Am I mistaken?  Aren’t there alot of people who believe what we were  taught?

Got a dictionary?– See egregious. See exigency.  Endowment reserves?  This is war time:  Colleges and Universities, Administrations, Trustees, faculties, students, parents, donors,  public educators and public patriots.  Vote for education.  Your silence is a vote for Fear.

*************************************

Barack Obama spoke at Hamilton College on April 3, 2025. In concluding his talk he admonished American Higher Education to act rather than just talk. And cited endowments as the way to protect “academic freedom”

Don’t bow down.  

“There must be some way outta here, said the Joker to the Thief….”

Where is that guy who claimed to know when to fire someone?

This is the first FINAL FOUR basketball tournament truely post portal.

Any bracket selection suggestions for future picks ?

Pick big state universities and proven coaches.

Coach ChatPak says the combined salaries for the round of 16 coaches is about 70 million bucks.

Coach Calipari faced Coach Self in round one, Coach Pitino in round two . That’s 15 million kickass in the first two rounds.

Who will the first college player paid more than the University’s President?

” Here’s to the sunny slopes of yesterday.” (Gus McRae— LONESOME DOVE )

Didn’t take much time or ink for world opinion to go from ” God Bless America” to ” God Bless, America ?”

In 2015 I put together a script/photo booklet, NEARLY FIFTY, described below “

HISTORY

(From Play is where Life is by Tom Parham)

Wilsonians provided me with a lot of laughs. I guess it’s just out there, but Wilson I think is special in the humor world. No one was better than Stephen Earl “Country” Boykin.

Our best joint venture was the “River Trip”. It began with a new event in 1967: The Super Bowl. We hosted clients of Earl’s Sportsville Sporting Goods Store at Happy Valley Golf course. We held the beer blast in the “Sugar Shack”in the middle of the course. Mostly coaches from Wilson, only one got arrested. He drove his Pontiac up the downtown Courthouse steps.

In 1968 Earl bought a “camp”to duck hunt. It was located on Back Creek, near rural Bath, NC.

We held the “River Trip” there for about a dozen years. Then we moved to my beach house at Emerald Isle, NC. We have run over one duck, as far as duck huntng goes. The appendix-Summarizes some highlights. We don’t want you to know everything but this s”chronology” will give you the “gist”.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q60VoF0_lvL51ZP_aIbgPf2QJfzFdC3X/view

Most of us were from Wilson, NC , home of Atlantic Christian College, now Barton College. And from eastern NC. Barton recently posted THE BARTON PROJECT which similarly recalls the “neighborhood” from 1960 until 2024.

“The Barton Project” is available through Hackney Library’s Special Collections. For access or more information, visit https://barton.libguides.com/special_collections/home or reach out to technology and grants librarian Naija Speight at nispeight@barton.edu. 

Phillips Seafoood ( Swansboro, NC ) has a sign in the front window: “Local As It Gets”!

The alarm expressed in my last article  (FEAR AND LOATHING –  https://littlegreenbookoftennis.com/2025/03/17/fear-and-loathing/ has forced educators to choose sides.   Congressional Republican genuflectors have bowed to fear.  Will federal threats to withhold funding accomplish the same with American education?

Nathan Hale said Liberty or death!  Thoreau refused to pay taxes.  Anyone? ….Bueller?

Join the parade? –if we throw away the first amendment can we throw away the 2nd?

Will Universities indeed go bankrupt for actually endorsing “Academic Freedom?”

How about a DEI University? 

Am I mistaken?  Aren’t there alot of people who believe what we were  taught?

Got a dictionary?– See egregious. See exigency.  Endowment reserves?  This is war time:  Colleges and Universities, Administrations, Trustees, faculties, students, parents, donors,  public educators and public patriots.  Vote for education.  Your silence is a vote for Fear.

Don’t bow down.  

“There must be some way outta here, said the Joker to the Thief….”

Former Astronaut and Senator John Glenn spoke at Elon University in 2 005 , Paraphrased , he contended that the greatness of America was due to 1. Our committment to research and 2. Education for everyone.