I mentioned this in another thread, but I've been (slowly) reading a book called The System, which takes an in-depth look at many areas of major college football. One of those areas is facilities, boosters, fund-raising, etc. The book mentions that schools like OSU, Texas, Alabama, etc., have dining rooms (they call them training tables) that rival 5-star restaurants, both in terms of food quality/selection and ambience/decor. They have film rooms with plush leather recliners that are embroidered with the school logo, and which put movie theaters to shame. They have boosters that don't bat an eye at donating $10 million to athletics.
Meanwhile, our team eats buffet-style meals on fold-up tables in the entry-way of the practice facility. They do homework in the hallway. They sometimes have to pull chairs in from other rooms to have enough seating to watch film. Now don't get me wrong -- they're still living MUCH better than the average college student! It's just that when you compare our situation to those of the "big time" programs, it's like comparing the corporate structure and resources of Starbucks to a roadside lemonade stand.
I've literally gasped at some of the things I've read in that book. They talk about how T. Boone Pickens basically single-handedly transformed Oklahoma State from a Big 12 also-ran to a powerhouse program that consistently finishes in the top 15 -- all by opening up his checkbook to the tune of over $200 million. It wasn't the perfect coaching hire who came in and saved Okie St. It wasn't a change in scheme, or a few lucky bounces of the ball, or the successful recruitment of a star player (although they've had good ones). It was one alumni who got sick of watching his team lose the annual homecoming game. He then proceeded to kick off a fundraising campaign that has led to over a BILLION DOLLARS being given to the university. What followed were stadium renovations, practice facility renovations, brand new athletics buildings, etc. What followed that was an influx of great players. So this is most assuredly NOT a "chicken and egg" scenario where we have one great season and all the sudden kids start flocking here. T. Boone Pickens pretty much showed that a ****ty program can become a great program with a lot of this: $$$.
Anyway, I highly recommend that book, but reading about the excesses of major college football almost makes you feel filthy...the amount of money being thrown around is literally obscene.
