RON MALY HAS BEEN WATCHING THE PARADE GO BY FOR A LONG TIME. THIS IS ONE OF HIS WEBSITES.

Monday, July 21, 2014

In my many years as a professional writer, I've gotten to know Bob Bowlsby pretty well. Going back to his years as the athletic director at Northern Iowa and Iowa, I've regarded Bowlsby as a straight-shooting, tell-it-like-it-is, let-the-chips-fall-where-they-may sports administrator. After excelling in his job at Iowa, he accepted the athletic directorship at Stanford, and did very well there,too. Then it was on to the Big 12 Conference as commissioner. The man has saved that league from possible extinction after the bail-outs of Nebraska, Missouri, Texas A&M and Colorado. Knowing Bowlsby the way I do, it doesn't surprise me what he said today in his state-of-the-league address in Dallas. According to ESPN.com, he lit into the NCAA, saying "cheating pays" and that he doesn't foresee things getting better in the future. "Enforcement is broken," Bowlsby said. "The infractions committee hasn't had [an FBS] hearing in almost a year, and I think it's not an understatement to say cheating pays. Ironically, I've always felt Bowlsby would make a tremendous leader of the NCAA or whatever group it is that is that oversees bigtime collegiate athletics in the future. Maybe that'll be his next job. If so, he''ll handle it very well.