Last week, the country was inspired by the story of Western Oregon's Sara Tucholsky, who hit her first career homerun and tore her ACL while rounding the bases. Central Washington senior Mallory Holtman picked up her opponent and helped her around the diamond in the ultimate display of sportsmanship.

On today's podcast, NCAA President Myles Brand discusses the inspirational story, as well as other recent happenings that have made us smile each morning when we come to work.

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This morning, I caught up with NCAA President Myles Brand at the 18th annual Gender Equity and Issues Forum.

Dr. Brand attends this forum every year, and while he acknowledges that we've grown since his tenure at the NCAA began, he believes that we still have a long way to go in terms of educating people about Title IX and other gender-equity issues. Dr. Brand moderated a session yesterday afternoon called "Where Do We Go From Here?" and discusses it on our weekly podcast.

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Bill Self turned down T. Boone Pickens and Oklahoma State and decided to stay at Kansas, where he can enjoy leading one of the nation's premier programs for years to come.

While Self didn't return to his alma mater, the potential certainly raised a number of interesting questions about the influence folks like Pickens, Phil Knight and other mega-boosters have over athletics programs.

On this week's Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand compares academics and athletics boosters and says there's not much difference between the groups, especially because they're both supporting institutions of higher learning and most aren't given the latitude to make meaningful decisions.

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Last week, a Division III membership survey revealed that more than eight of 10 administrators were pleased with the division's current structure and don't believe restructuring is necessary.

For the past couple of years, Division III has examined the size and diversity of its membership, and working groups looked at whether a new division or a subdivision could alleviate concerns stemming from rapid growth. The alternative options discussed, however, didn't appease the majority of members in the NCAA's largest division, and things will remain as they are for the foreseeable future.

On this week's edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand discusses the survey results, what they mean and what the future could bring for Division III.

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Just a few hours before the men's national championship game, NCAA President Myles Brand, NBA Commissioner David Stern and other key stakeholders announced a historic partnership regarding youth basketball.

In today's podcast, Dr. Brand discusses the structure of the partnership, which will include a president and board of directors. Dr. Brand says the hope is that the organization will be financially self-sufficient and if there any surplus dollars, they will be put back into scholarships and other initiatives that directly benefit student-athletes.

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NCAA President Myles Brand enjoys answering questions from fans of intercollegiate athletics, so on today's edition of Mondays With Myles, we went to the mailbag and answered a few submitted by Todd Lawlor, who runs the blog Hoopraker.

Todd asks Dr. Brand about the success of academic reform, verbal commitments and the oversight of officials.

If you would like Dr. Brand to answer your questions on an upcoming podcast, e-mail them to jcentor@ncaa.org.

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Supporting an intercollegiate athletics program is expensive, so it's understandable that institutions need to engage in commercial activity to raise appropriate funds. But is it okay for institutions to partner with anyone who signs a large enough check?

On today's podcast, NCAA President Myles Brand addresses this topic and discusses what the NCAA looks for when it identifies corporate partners and champions.

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A couple of weeks ago, we asked if it was possible to define the value of a student-athlete's life. There were some outstanding comments left on the post, so we decided to continue the conversation with NCAA President Myles Brand.

On today's Mondays With Myles podcast, we discuss Tennessee's echocardiogram program, the use of AEDs on Division III campuses and other aspects of student-athlete health.

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Two weeks ago, NCAA President Myles Brand and NCAA Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Charlotte Westerhaus discussed Black History Month on Mondays With Myles.

On today's podcast, Charlotte swung by to join us in a conversation about historically black college and universities (HBCUs) and some of the challenges facing those institutions.

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There have been a couple of incidents of deplorable behavior this season, where fans seem to think it's appropriate to demean and degrade players on opposing teams.

On this week's edition of Mondays With Myles, the president of the NCAA discusses why this behavior is unacceptable and what we can do about it.

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February is Black History Month, so it seemed appropriate to discuss diversity issues with NCAA President Myles Brand during today's edition of Mondays With Myles.

NCAA Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Charlotte Westerhaus joined Dr. Brand and me to discuss the NCAA's commitment to diversity.

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At the 2008 NCAA Convention, the Division I Board of Directors formed a working group to look at issues of commercialism in Division I athletics.

The group came about as a result of a query from Georgia President Michael Adams, who chairs the NCAA Executive Committee, the Association’s most influential body. President Adams implored his fellow presidents and chancellors to look at a new model for postseason football in the Bowl Subdivision.

On today’s podcast, NCAA President Myles Brand says that the working group will look at the role commercial activity has in all games, expanding beyond the discussion of student-athlete likeness and postseason football.

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IUPUI men’s basketball coach Ron Hunter raised awareness about poverty in Africa when he paced the sidelines without shoes at a game last month.

Hunter’s commitment to Samaritan’s Feet spawned an effort that saw more than 100,000 pairs of shoes donated for those less fortunate children who generally have to walk with bare feet.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand praises Hunter and says we can all learn from the coach’s selfless attitude.

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Last week, we mentioned that the Double-A Zone would be offering live blogs from this week’s mock selections for the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship on Wednesday and Thursday. We will also have coverage from the women’s mock selections on Friday.

If you’re interested in how the selection process works for the NCAA’s highest-profile event, make sure to tune in to the Double-A Zone throughout the day on Wednesday, as we will offer a look inside the room, and describe the nature of conversations that occur during the mock exercise. We will also answer any and all questions that you submit about the process.

But first, we wanted to check in with NCAA President Myles Brand during his weekly podcast to gauge his excitement for the second year of mock selections at the national office.

In this edition of Mondays With Myles, Dr. Brand says there are misconceptions about how teams are selected to the tournament field, and the mock selections provide an accurate representation of what really happens on that special Sunday in March.

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For the next year, the Division III membership will discuss the potential of a membership split – with the possibility existing for the creation of Division IV.

Easily the largest of the three NCAA divisions, Division III has nearly 450 institutions, and there is some concern that if it continues to grow, access to championships and services could be compromised for student-athletes.

Therefore, a membership working group is examining the issues and hopes to make recommendations about the future of Division III before the 2009 Convention.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand and Division III Vice President Dan Dutcher discuss the topic that will dominate discussion for most of 2008.

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Some say that the NCAA should stick to college sports, and leave the social issues to others. NCAA President Myles Brand argues the contrary, suggesting that the Association has an important role to play in social justice.

In this week's Mondays With Myles podcast, Dr. Brand shares his thoughts on the NCAA as an arbiter of social change.

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President Myles Brand delivered his 2008 State of the Association address at the Opening Business Session of the NCAA Convention on Saturday evening.

The integration of academics and athletics was a key message of the address, which Dr. Brand discusses during today’s Mondays With Myles podcast.

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On today’s podcast, NCAA President Myles Brand shares his thoughts about the advancement of the Association’s communications platforms. The changes include a redesigned Web site, the transition of The NCAA News to an online-only format, the launch of Champion magazine, a new-look Double-A Zone and a daily (and weekly) e-mail called NCAA News Direct.

Find out more about the changes in today’s edition of Mondays With Myles.

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On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand wanted to take a step back and reflect on what’s important and meaningful.

While Dr. Brand says that intercollegiate athletics is important, he advises us all to put it into context. He says it is vital to understand that there are more important things than athletics competition, especially when we have fellow Americans fighting overseas, a rebuilding effort in New Orleans and starving people all over the world.

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A philosopher by trade, NCAA President Myles Brand certainly knows his theories. In fact, he has developed a theory of his own - what I like to call the "chunk theory of life."

Every five years, Dr. Brand believes it is important to assess one's professional progression and determine whether or not you are achieving what you had hoped. Given that he will complete his first chunk as NCAA president in a couple of weeks, Dr. Brand's chunk theory seemed like an appropriate topic for discussion this morning.

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Broadway Joe graduates. Put a cap and gown on Joe Namath, it’s time for graduation. After a Hall of Fame football career with the New York Jets, Broadway Joe has completed his bachelor’s degree at Alabama four decades after he left the university. Namath spent the past five years working in Alabama’s External Degree program, finishing the 15 credits he needed to become a graduate. Namath’s pending graduation will have a positive impact on the academic progress rate (APR) of the Alabama football program, as the Crimson Tide receive a bonus point for a former student-athlete who returned to complete his degree.

Point for Longhorns. Former Texas basketball standout Terrence Rencher left school 12 years ago, and like Namath, has returned to receive his degree. Rencher, who scored 2,306 points during his Longhorn career, lasted just one season in the NBA before heading to Europe for a 10-year professional career. Although Rencher did well enough overseas, he must continue to work in order to support himself financially, and he saw his college degree as a necessary part of his life moving forward. Rencher says it was also vital to set an example for his 5-year-old daughter Siena about the importance of education. Like the Alabama football program, Texas’ men’s basketball team will receive a bonus APR point for Rencher’s graduation.

The top 25 welcomes you, St. Mary’s. For the first time in 18 years, the St. Mary’s men’s basketball team cracked the Associated Press Top 25, debuting in this week’s poll at No. 24. The Gaels were ranked during the final three weeks of the 1988-89 season, and with Gonzaga also in the top 25, two West Coast Conference teams are ranked for the first time since 1973-74. Unfortunately for the Gaels, however, their stay in the top 25 will be short; St. Mary’s lost to unranked Southern Illinois last night, 71-56.

Centennial digs deep. During the 2007 volleyball season, the 11 schools in the Centennial Conference joined together in a fund-raising effort to fight breast cancer. In the second year of the conference’s “Digging for a Cure” campaign, the schools combined for 945 digs and raised $8,500 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The Centennial is the only Division III conference in the country to participate in the program.

Blankets! Aurora student-athletes collected 69 handmade fleece blankets during the school’s fifth annual “Blanket Lunch Hour” on December 6. The blankets will benefit the Elgin chapter of Project Linus, a national non-profit organization that provides blankets and scarves to children in need.

Lancers run for greater good. Worcester State’s men’s cross country team has been doing its part in the community, as team members have used their love of running to benefit the greater good. Last month, the team raised $408 for Habitat for Humanity during a road race to help build a home for a local family. Last week, the team ran at the Ric Buxton Memorial Road Race, which provides scholarship money to a Worcester State student who has exhibited academic excellence.

NCAA President Myles Brand spent the Thanksgiving holiday with his family in Indiana, and on today’s podcast lets us know what he's most thankful for this year.

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On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand discusses the NCAA Eligibility Center, which opened its doors on November 1.

Previously, the NCAA contracted out amateurism certification to the ACT in Iowa City, but now the services will be provided by the Association. Things have run smoothly in the first two weeks of operation, and Dr. Brand tells us why the changes are important for prospective student-athletes.

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Two weeks ago, the NCAA crowned Arizona swimmer Whitney Myers its 2007 Woman of the Year. Myers, who holds 14 school records at Arizona and was a seven-time all-American, has made a mark in her local community by volunteering with local Girl Scout troops, in elementary schools and at a pharmacy. Myers was on the dean’s list every semester at Arizona and received academic all-American honors four consecutive years.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand discusses his thoughts on the outstanding women honored at the event in Indianapolis and addresses why there isn’t a corresponding NCAA Man of the Year award.

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With all of our good conversation last week about the difference between regular-season games in the NFL and the Football Bowl Subdivision, it seemed like today was a perfect opportunity to engage NCAA President Myles Brand on the topic.

On our weekly podcast, Dr. Brand discusses yesterday's game between the Patriots and Colts, Boston College's tough loss to Florida State and why a playoff could diminish the importance of the college regular season.

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Last Monday, NCAA President Myles Brand discussed the rate of growth in college sports on his weekly podcast. One week later, he talks about the number of dollars institutions are spending to support their student-athletes.

In the Austin American-Statesman package, it was revealed that Texas spends more than $200,000 per Longhorn student-athlete. That money goes toward tuition, housing, textbooks, travel, food, academic services and much, much more.

For those who argue that schools should pay student-athletes, look no further than the $200,000 it takes to support each one. For more information about this trend, check out today's Mondays With Myles podcast.

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Home to one of the most successful athletics departments in the country, it won’t come as much of a surprise that Texas spends megabucks on its intercollegiate athletics program. The university has one of the lone departments to actually turn a profit in the expensive world of college sports.

A recent package in the Austin American-Statesman discussed the finances of Texas athletics, reporting that the department will spend more than $100 million during this academic year, more than twice its expenses of just six years ago. The university spends more than $200,000 to support each of its student-athletes.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand discusses the rate of growth in intercollegiate athletics and explains the economics of college sports.

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On the heels of Mike Gundy's protective rant in Oklahoma a couple of weeks ago, I felt compelled to engage NCAA President Myles Brand on the issue. Although Dr. Brand couldn't discuss the specifics of that instance on his weekly podcast, he did comment on the differences between college and professional athletes and how they are treated by the media.

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Tim Donaghy. Bill Belichick. Marion Jones. In recent weeks, those three names have been associated with cheating and fans across the country have begun to question whether or not their favorite sports are clean or dirty.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles NCAA President Myles Brand shares his stance on cheating – inside the classroom and out.

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A couple of weeks ago, we discussed the appalling behavior of some Rutgers fans at a game between the Scarlet Knights and Navy. Because that isn’t the only instance of inappropriate fan behavior at college games, it seemed an appropriate time to discuss the issue with NCAA President Myles Brand on our weekly podcast.

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Last Saturday, Eastern Illinois and West Chester played the first-ever NCAA women's rugby game. Many colleges and universities sponsor the sport at the club level, but only four give it varsity status.

If 40 programs sponsor an emerging sport at the varsity level, those teams can compete for an NCAA championship. On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand discusses the importance of emerging sports for women’s athletics.

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“It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.”

Remember this old adage? Well NCAA President Myles Brand says the way you play the game is important, but winning also matters.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, Dr. Brand discusses winning and losing, and says the former is clearly more important.

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It seems that hardly a night goes by during the fall without a college football game hitting the airwaves. Years ago, football games during the week were few and far between.

This may not seem like much of a big deal, as most other college sports have games at least once or twice during the week. But is this trend appropriate for the sport of football? Are conferences allowing television networks to play too much of a role in the scheduling of games?

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand says it’s a two-edged sword. Let us know if you're a fan of weekday games in our latest Double-A Poll.

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At its meeting in Indianapolis earlier this month, the NCAA Executive Committee announced a new seating configuration that will be employed at the Men’s Final Four beginning in 2009.

Venues will now seat at least 70,000 people, and most importantly, students will be moved to courtside seats to cheer on their universities. While it will still be difficult to score a ticket to college basketball’s premier event, the atmosphere should become more collegiate with the addition of teenagers right on top of the hardwood.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand tells us why he’s excited about the changes.

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I think Division II student-athletes are responsible for the best NCAA initiative out there, and most people have no idea what they’re doing.

For the past few years, Division II student-athletes have been raising thousands of dollars for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. An initiative sponsored by the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, more than $200,000 was raised this past year to help fulfill wishes of those children who are battling severe illnesses.

While many corporations give a lot of money to organizations like Make-A-Wish, there is no larger grassroots effort in the country. Division II student-athletes stand with change containers at the NCAA Convention, sponsor car washes, attend sporting events and do whatever it takes to get an extra penny, nickel or dime for this organization.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand shares his enthusiasm for this spectacular initiative.

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On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, Dr. Brand and I were joined by NCAA intern Kat Krtnick. The three of us discuss the NCAA’s prestigious internship program during this morning’s podcast.

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To dunk or not to dunk. In the current edition of The NCAA News, Greg Johnson chronicles the history of the dunk. While it may seem that the shot has always been a part of the game, Johnson tells us that’s not the case. In fact, there were no dunks in college basketball from 1967-76. John Wooden, the godfather of college basketball, wasn’t a fan of the dunk when Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton clogged the middle for UCLA, and he still isn’t a fan of the shot today. What do you think?

Legend leaves Women’s Sports Foundation. For the past 15 years, Donna Lopiano’s name has been synonymous with the Women’s Sports Foundation. On Friday, Lopiano announced her resignation from the educational organization dedicated to advancing the lives of girls and women through sport. A four-sport standout during her days at Southern Connecticut, Lopiano is rated 18th on the NCAA’s list of the 100 most influential student-athletes of all-time. During my time at a Title IX Conference at Stanford in April, I had a chance to chat with Lopiano, who spoke about the current state of affairs for women in intercollegiate athletics (watch video). It was a thrill to meet such a pioneer in higher education, and I’m hopeful Lopiano will remain active in intercollegiate athletics – we just can’t afford to lose her.

Future Bruin shines. With this weekend’s victory in the U.S Women’s Amateur Golf Championship, Maria Jose Uribe made her first victory on American soil one to remember. The incoming UCLA freshman beat Duke’s Amanda Blumenherst, the two-time college player of the year, to win the crown prior to her first day of college. Blumenherst led the Blue Devils to the NCAA national title this spring, but couldn’t put away the teenage phenom, who now heads to the West Coast with some serious credentials.

During the past couple of weeks, we have been exposed to nonstop coverage of Tim Donaghy and the NBA officiating scandal. While it is hard to imagine a referee purposely affecting the outcome of a game, it’s not inconceivable. We’re all aware of Pete Rose’s indiscretions while he was a Major League manager, and there have also been situations where athletes have accepted money to manipulate the betting line.

Because there are instances of corruption, the NCAA has taken a hard stance with its “Don’t Bet On It” campaign. NCAA student-athletes, coaches and administrators aren’t permitted to wager on NCAA-sponsored sports, and there are harsh penalties for those who are caught.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand discusses the allegations surrounding Donaghy and the NCAA’s position on sports wagering.

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When I walked into Myles Brand’s office to record today’s podcast, I thought he would laugh at my suggestion that college sports could find success in the summertime. Not only did he hold his laughter, Dr. Brand conceded that an eventual shift in the academic calendar is possible and the thought of intercollegiate athletics in the summer isn’t that far-fetched.

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People are often surprised when they learn about the democratic process that defines the governance structure of the NCAA. Rules aren’t made by staff members, but rather by representatives from the Association’s membership.

At the Division I level, the Board of Directors is responsible for approving new legislation. If member institutions are in opposition to the Board’s decision, 30 override votes will make the Board reconsider its original decision. If the Board upholds its initial stance, the legislation is voted upon at the annual NCAA Convention. In Divisions II and III, member institutions get the final say on legislation in a one-institution, one-vote capacity.

Why is this history lesson important? Because the Division I membership has sent three pieces of legislation back to the Board of Directors to reconsider at its August meeting. The Board will review its decisions to eliminate electronic messaging (other than e-mail and fax) as a recruiting tool, to change the distribution of financial aid to baseball student-athletes and to amend dates-of-competition legislation in men’s and women’s golf.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand weighs in on the Division I process.

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On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand and Division II Vice President Mike Racy discuss the recent Division II Chancellors and Presidents Summit, which took place last month in San Diego.

Division II has accomplished a lot in the past couple of years and has truly become a destination of choice for prospective student-athletes. Much of the division’s direction has come from the presidents and chancellors, and we review some of the advancements in today’s conversation.

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I have spent the past couple of days in San Diego, where nearly 1,000 sports information directors have come together for their annual convention. This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

There have been some fascinating discussions during the conference, and I am truly excited to be here. Sports information directors are some of the hardest-working individuals in intercollegiate athletics and I’m convinced we wouldn’t have college sports without them.

For the first time in CoSIDA history, the sitting president of the NCAA attended the conference, as Myles Brand delivered a keynote address yesterday afternoon. On this morning's edition of Mondays With Myles, Dr. Brand and I were joined by Charles Bloom, associate commissioner of the SEC and incoming CoSIDA president, to discuss the changing world of media, the role of sports information directors in the university setting, and of course, to celebrate 50 years of leadership.

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Every so often, we hear a truly touching story about a student-athlete in need. Those stories aren’t unique to student-athletes, as there are courageous students clawing their way through college on campuses all across the country.

With so much money involved in intercollegiate athletics, however, it’s inevitable that folks think more dollars should be available to student-athletes struggling financially. The NCAA’s extra-benefit rule prevents student-athletes from accepting gifts from members of the public and NCAA President Myles Brand explains why this is necessary on today’s edition of Mondays With Myles. Dr. Brand also introduces some of the options available to financially disadvantaged student-athletes during our podcast.

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With a couple of female student-athletes stating that their scholarships had been threatened due to pregnancy, I thought it was important to have NCAA President Myles Brand discuss the topic. Dr. Brand tackles the issue on today’s edition of Mondays With Myles.

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In a recent Chronicle of Higher Education study, the publication reported that 60 percent of college and university presidents believe that intercollegiate athletics is actually a liability for the campus. On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, I discuss that claim with NCAA President Myles Brand, as well as the general role of the president on NCAA campuses.

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Contrary to popular opinion, athletics programs don’t make a lot of money. At the highest levels of Division I, there is an awful lot of revenue generated, but that doesn’t often translate into profits. Only a handful of Division I programs don’t need to be subsidized by the institution, and profits are basically non-existent in Divisions II and III.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, the NCAA President discusses the economic model of intercollegiate athletics and identifies some challenges for the enterprise.

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The NCAA National Leadership Conference began yesterday, so it seemed like an appropriate time to ask NCAA President Myles Brand to discuss his personal style of leadership. Listen to today's edition of Mondays With Myles to find out what makes Dr. Brand a leader.

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It’s hard to believe that it’s been 35 years since Title IX became a law. The impact of the legislation on intercollegiate athletics and higher education has been incredible and on today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, I chat with NCAA President Myles Brand about Title IX and the landmark anniversary.

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The academic performance of Division I baseball student-athletes has been a hot-button issue lately. A couple of weeks ago, the Division I Board of Directors approved legislation that will impact the baseball world immediately. On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand shares his thoughts about the changes.

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On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand discusses the recent elimination of text messaging as a recruiting tool at the Division I level.

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On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand discusses spring fever, and the “silliness” that normally accompanies the last days of the semester.

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On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand shared his thoughts about the Virginia Tech tragedy.

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On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand and I discuss the academic progress of student-athletes at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Dr. Brand says that many of the HBCU’s have among the lowest APR scores and believes it directly correlates to the lack of academic support and resources for students at those institutions. We address some potential solutions in today’s conversation.

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It’s no secret that Myles Brand is the president of the NCAA, and previously served as the president of Indiana University and the University of Oregon. What you may not know, however, is that Dr. Brand still holds the rank of philosophy professor and his heart is never far from the teachings of Aristotle, Plato and John Locke.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, Dr. Brand explains Aristotle’s concept of the Golden Mean, applies the concept to intercollegiate athletics and introduces us to his favorite philosophers.

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With all of the excitement surrounding the Final Four, it’s sometimes easy to overlook the fact that the players on the court are actually college students. There’s no doubt that they are having the experience of a lifetime out here in Atlanta, but how are they keeping up with their schoolwork? It dawns on me that tonight’s game time (9:18 p.m.) is not only late for the viewers at home, but is too late for teams to return home so that the student-athletes can attend class in the morning.

On today’s championship edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand addresses that issue and others surrounding tonight’s game between Ohio State and Florida.

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On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand gives us a sneak peek at preliminary Academic Progress Rate (APR) data. The actual numbers will be released at the end of April, but we’ve already been able to examine trends for individual sports.

Dr. Brand is encouraged by much of the data and reveals that almost every Division I sport has improved its academic performance in the past year. Disappointingly, the sport of men’s basketball seems to have taken a step backwards and this is certainly a point of concern.

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On this morning’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand answers questions about college football. Specifically, he addresses enforcement issues, recruiting and verbal commitments.

The questions Dr. Brand answered were submitted by Brian Sakowski, who runs In The Bleachers. Thanks for sending your questions our way, Brian. I hope others will follow suit.

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Teams have been selected for the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and selections for the women’s tournament are tonight, so this morning seemed like a perfect opportunity to ask NCAA President Myles Brand for his predictions.

Dr. Brand claims to have no more knowledge than the rest of us, but he does share his excitement about postseason basketball and the next few weeks. It’s clear that March is one of his favorite times of year.

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I’m pretty vocal about my displeasure when athletics programs cut teams. I was a student-athlete in a Division III program that didn’t generate any money and I am eternally grateful that I was able to have that experience. If my program had been cut, I don’t know what I would have done.

Recently, the athletics programs at Rutgers, Ohio and Butler have cut a number of sports teams and it has infuriated a number of people in those communities. Specifically, we have heard a number of questions and comments from the folks over at Ohio, and I must commend them for their passion about their sports teams. These sports matter and these people matter, and sometimes it seems as though lower profile teams are treated like second-class citizens.

There are hundreds of affected student-athletes who have had their college experience forever altered and I think it’s an absolute shame. What bothers me most is when athletics departments make these financial decisions to cut programs, but still pour more money into football. It’s not right.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, I speak with NCAA President Myles Brand about this disturbing trend and the role the NCAA plays in helping institutions find a way to keep their program intact. While we don’t address the specifics of any one institution, Dr. Brand expresses his frustrations with the trend and speaks about the displaced student-athletes.

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NCAA President Myles Brand is scheduled to appear before a Congressional subcommittee tomorrow morning to discuss the lack of minority head football coaches at the college level. Dr. Brand and I discussed the issue this morning on Mondays With Myles and take a look at some of the possible solutions.

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On this morning’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand and I mark the one-year anniversary of our podcast debut.

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Last week, NCAA President Myles Brand and I traveled to Holland, Michigan, where we experienced one of the greatest college basketball rivalries in the country. In the 164th contest between Hope and Calvin’s men’s programs, Calvin won by six points to even the all-time series record, 82-82.

While the basketball game was certainly memorable, the experience in Holland was rich because of the people and campus atmosphere. An enthusiasm and spirit emanates from all those associated with the programs and I am grateful to have spent a special day at Hope.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, Dr. Brand and I recount Wednesday’s experience.

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I’m so disturbed by the new energy drink “Cocaine,” that I had to ask NCAA President Myles Brand to share his thoughts on the subject in this morning’s edition of Mondays With Myles. It’s pretty apparent that Dr. Brand is just as appalled as I am.

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At the NCAA Convention earlier this month, the Division I membership enacted an override to reverse legislation that permitted student-athletes who had received their undergraduate degrees to complete their eligibility at another institution without sitting out a year. I’m not the only one who isn’t particularly fond of the membership’s decision, and I honestly feel that if coaches are allowed to leave before their teams play football bowl games, students who have done their due diligence and have graduated in four years or less should be allowed to compete while they pursue graduate work elsewhere.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand weighs in on the override and discusses how the NCAA staff will apply a waiver process to individual situations.

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When Alabama put $32 million on the table to sign Nick Saban as its head coach, the deal turned more than just a few heads. While football is a big moneymaker at Alabama, is it right to pay the school’s football coach four or five times as much as the university president? What about the professors who are responsible for educating thousands each year? Have we forgotten that there is a difference between the college and professional levels of sport?

With the salaries of top college football coaches escalating during the off-season, the time seemed right to sit down with NCAA President Myles Brand and discuss the issue.

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We often discuss the misconception on the part of the media that student-athletes aren’t doing well in the classroom. While basketball and football student-athletes need to improve their academic performance, there is no question that student-athletes graduate at a higher percentage than the regular student body.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand presents new data that supports the success of student-athletes in the classroom. The NCAA’s graduation success rate provides student-athletes with a six-year window in which to complete their degrees. Preliminary results from the SCORE and GOALS surveys demonstrate that in a 10-year block, nearly 90 percent of student-athletes are receiving their baccalaureate degrees.

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NCAA President Myles Brand delivered his annual State of the Association address on Saturday afternoon and declared that the NCAA must proceed during the next year with fairness in mind.

On this morning's edition of Mondays With Myles, Dr. Brand sat down to discuss aspects of his speech and his hopes for the NCAA’s second century.

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This summer we discussed an article that alluded to basketball recruiting lists that rank sixth graders and their athletics abilities. Apparently, parents have been known to hold their 10 and 11-year-old children back in school to help boost those rankings.

For the life of me, I can’t understand how parents choose athletics over academics at such an early age. It actually makes me nauseous that we’re telling kids that it’s okay to slow down their academic progress if it means a better shot at basketball or football glory. What kind of message does that send?

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand and I discuss our thoughts on these recruiting rankings and increased specialization in sports by today’s youth.

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After an exciting finish to the college football regular season, the Bowl Championship Series selected teams for the next month’s five premier postseason games. While champions in the Football Championship Subdivision and Division II will be decided through a tournament format, the top teams in Division I will once again compete in bowls to conclude the season.

To the frustration of many, the NCAA doesn’t oversee the postseason in the Football Bowl Subdivision. For that to change, the presidents and chancellors of Division I institutions would have to propose and approve legislation to alter the structure. I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, President Brand and I discuss the exciting playoff formats and why the Bowl Subdivision hasn’t changed over. He stresses the importance of the regular season at that level and addresses the proliferation of bowl games. Dr. Brand also discusses the coaching turnover and why it’s important for schools to look at all possible candidates when filling their vacancies.

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Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of spending some time at the Division II National Championships Festival in Pensacola, Florida. Six national titles were decided during the four-day event, but the on-field activity was just part of what made the Olympic-style event so memorable.

With exciting ancillary events in the evening, student-athletes had a chance to socialize with one another and even cheer for other teams. On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand and I discuss the unique atmosphere and what made this event one we would never forget.

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Although I watched Syracuse play three games in the BCA Invitational this weekend, I’ve circled today as the unofficial start to the college basketball season. The NIT Season Tip-Off gets underway this evening in Indianapolis and Nashville as some of college basketball’s top teams take to the court.

I have always loved this event, and have watched the crowning of many champions from the stands at Madison Square Garden. The tournament has changed slightly this year as the first two rounds will be played at neutral sites across the country. As always, the semifinal and championship games will be played in New York City during the week of the Thanksgiving.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, Dr. Brand and I discuss what we can expect from this year’s tournament as he prepares to watch the Macy’s Day parade with the student-athletes who make it to the Big Apple.

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Two weeks into each fall baseball season, Coach Varney met with each member of the Brandeis team to let us know where we stood, how we were playing and what we needed to do to improve. In my first meeting with Coach, he told me that he had been anticipating a much better player when he recruited me and didn’t see much playing time for me in the future.

Those were quite difficult words for an 18-year-old kid to hear from a former Major League catcher who was to be his coach for the next four years, but I look back at that meeting as one of the most important moments in my college education. Coach broke me down, but also taught me how to motivate myself, commit to a cause and work hard for things that I wanted. We weren’t studying economic theory in his office, but I’ll argue that the lessons he taught me that day were just as integral as those I learned from my professors in class.

The Congressional inquiry into the tax-exempt status of the NCAA and athletics departments of colleges and universities gets right to the core of whether participation in intercollegiate athletics is part of the overall educational mission of institutions of higher learning. Some believe that college sports are a separate entity from education, and therefore shouldn’t receive the benefit of nonprofit status. I wholeheartedly disagree.

Every lesson I learned on the field was integral in my development as an educated adult. There can be no challenge to that assertion; it is simply fact.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand addresses the Congressional inquiry and discusses his belief that intercollegiate athletics is part of the overall mission of higher education. Dr. Brand and I arrive at our beliefs from different vantage points – he as an educator for the past 40 years and I as an individual who is eternally grateful for the opportunity to have been a student-athlete.

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For the casual fan who walks into a football stadium on a Saturday afternoon or watches a soccer game on a weekday afternoon, it may seem as if intercollegiate athletics are free of problems. When you’re cheering for your team and the game is in full swing, it’s not easy to recognize the issues that need work.

There are matters that need to be addressed, however, and that’s one of the main reasons that NCAA President Myles Brand put together a task force consisting of chancellors and presidents from NCAA member institutions to come up with a model for the future of college sports.

On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, I ask Dr. Brand about the recently released task force report and some of the solutions the group has proposed. He discusses the importance of presidential involvement with athletics programs on NCAA campuses, as well as the financial model of big-time college sports. We also discuss admissions procedures for student-athletes at NCAA schools.

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In an effort to continue our discussion about the work and life balance issues affecting coaches, administrators and others involved in intercollegiate athletics, NCAA President Myles Brand shares some of his thoughts about the subject on today’s Mondays With Myles podcast.

I had an opportunity to sit at the same table with some of intercollegiate athletics’ major stakeholders at a task force meeting in Dallas this summer. I entered the meeting skeptical that there was anything that could be done to make significant changes to the culture of college sports. Basketball and hockey games often start at 7 p.m.; football and soccer games are played on the weekends. Coaches and administrators have to be there when the games are happening, so when will they spend time with their families?

These concerns were addressed at the inaugural task force meeting and I left encouraged that changes could be made. One of the reasons Dr. Brand commissioned the task force was to help foster open discussion with some of the best minds we have in the field, and I think it’s making a positive impact already.

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On today’s edition of Mondays With Myles, NCAA President Myles Brand answers a question submitted by Every Day Should Be Saturday blogger Orson Swindle.

Orson asked: “If the allegations of Reggie Bush taking improper benefits are proven true by an NCAA investigation, what are the steps that will be taken to punish the infractions?”

While Dr. Brand couldn’t comment on an ongoing investigation, he did discuss the NCAA investigation process and how infractions cases are handled. He also discussed the always controversial topic of remuneration for student-athletes.

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