Sports Coverage

Colin raises an interesting question in regards to sports coverage: Does it belong in our hypothetical website? I'm not entirely sure that I know the answer but if Pazniokas is looking to cover everything that has to do/go through the Capitol, it surely must include The University of Connecticut, the largest state funded collegiate level university in CT. With that comes the Huskies sports programs. After all, as tax-payers, some of our money goes towards funding these programs.

In regards to the Krayeske/Calhoun incident earlier this year, here are my thoughts:

1) It was the wrong environment to raise the question and reeks of self-promotion and importance.
2) It's a valid question to ask.

I, for one, have no issue with what Calhoun is paid. The amount of prestige/money that he has brought to UConn (and also the State of Connecticut) can not, quite frankly, be measured in any concrete way. What the Huskies mean, not only to the school's ability to draw students there but also to the state's moral, is incalculable. What was once a down and out program now stands as one of the pinnacles of collegiate sports and for the most part, Calhoun seems to turn out good people from the program. Figures such as Emeka Okafor, Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton, Kevin Ollie (still in the NBA, god bless 'em) not only shine in a basketball standpoint but as role models as well. While there are some issues that the program has to deal with, let's not forget that the kids playing for the Huskies are exactly that, kids. God knows that we all make stupid decisions in college. These are just magnified specifically because these 18 and 19 year olds mean so much to the state. Those who gripe about UConn's graduation rate are sorely misguided in so much that that problem does not solely exist here but as a larger issue with the college basketball world. Calhoun has done so much and continues to do good to not only the program but to the state that his pay is ok with me.

Calhoun's claim seems to have less significance than some want to assign to it strictly due to the situation in which it was stated. Calhoun was clearly upset and while he may not have handled himself in the best way, he's human and is allowed to make mistakes. After all, I'd be willing to guess that many people would react in a similar fashion when your pay vs. worth was questioned in an inappropriate forum in front of the press.

I'll give Krayeske credit for knowing when to ask an explosive question to achieve maximum effect and I agree with Colin's assertion that people like Krayeske are necessary from time to time. However, from what I understand from close friends, Krayeske's penchant for self-promotion outweighs almost any good that he may present. He seemingly exists to make people appear like jerks. A glance at his website, which he has the hubris to proclaim as "visionary movement", is self-promoting to the point in which is outweighs much of his content.

Is the topic of UConn Athletics worth covering? Potentially. However, it seems to sway from the stated political goal. I'm feeling that, at launch, the site should be as concise and concentrated on one goal as possible with the mind of achieving that goal as being tantamount to the site's survival. If the site is able to draw a dedicated following from the initial coverage, the site can then expand out to focus on broader issues relating to the state but I'm not sure that UConn athletics should be the first place to start.