Taking the Keys to the Athletic Department

Athletic administrators probably dream of getting a chance to run their own college athletic department, with huge budgets, incredible facilities and national exposure. I'm not sure how many of them, though, would jump at the chance to take control of Maryland's. The big money-makers - football and men's basketball - aren't in a position to do so anytime soon. Eight sports are getting cut. The department is drowning in debt. Oh, and many teams aren't winning as much as they used to.

(Other than that, things are great.)

Yet, here you are, through the power of this blog, with the chance to right the ship. What would you do to fix the Maryland athletic department? What do you need to address first? Where do you go afterward? Why do you feel this is the proper way to go?

No answer is right or wrong. If you want to discontinue the football team, go right ahead. But whatever you decide, explain it well. Please post you replies by Monday at noon. Thanks.

Alan

Media coverage of Penn State

Suffice to say, the information released and the events that have occured at Penn State over the past week have been shocking, even to the most cynical. So much has been impacted/examined: the welfare of children, the chain of command in a large institution/business; the place of athletics in a scholastic setting; the identity of someone long revered for his morals and generosity, in addition to his professional success; the identity of an institution and small community that relies so much on a singular entity. There are many more, but this is your blog, not mine.
Clearly, the media has had no shortage of topics to cover with respect to this story. Your assignment is to examine the media coverage of this story. What has it done well? Where has it been lacking? How would you cover this story?

This is not a discussion about how you think the Penn State administration handled things, but rather how the media has reacted to and reported everything. After all, that's what you will be doing as journalists: making judgments on how to cover the news, not whether or not to fire Joe Paterno.

Please post your responses by noon on Monday.

Alan