Jay Paterno

Every major sport in this country has unionized. Given the huge popularity of big-time college sports the time may be right to face the reality. This is not about getting paid or stipends. It is about fairness.

We’ll have our differences but it is time for leadership to accept the reality; we live in a nation that should welcome and celebrate the freedom to have a diversity of opinions. All too often we live in echo chambers watching media that reinforces our opinions.

Also this week a Judge ruled that major portions of a lawsuit against the NCAA may go forward — a significant development. How it proceeds remains to be seen but it does pave the way for the truth to continue down the path of due process.

With Mack Brown resigning at Texas after 16 seasons there are just seven major-college coaches (under 6%) that have spent a decade or more at their school — among them Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech (27 seasons) Bob Stoops at Oklahoma (15 seasons) and Kirk Ferentz at Iowa (15 seasons).

For the Big Ten, this bowl season could be as important as any in the history of the conference. Next year or a few years hence if your favorite Big Ten team is left out of the playoff you may regret this lost opportunity. Perceptions last.

But a curious decision by Ohio State and the Big Ten in regard to NCAA sanctions may have altered the course of history. Facing a bowl ban of one year, Ohio State opted to take a bowl trip in 2011 and be banned from the postseason in 2012.

A school that splurges on a big-time quarterback or pass rusher has to remember investing heavily on one player reduces the amount of money left to invest in others.