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News Nuggets, 03.31.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Big Easy bowl hooks up with title sponsor

The three-year-old New Orleans Bowl, a postseason destination each December for one of Conference USA's football teams, has landed a title sponsor.

Dr. Myron Moorehead, chairman of the bowl, announced recently that Wyndham International, one of the world's premier branded hotel-operating companies, would lend its name to the game starting next season.

The 2004 Wyndham New Orleans Bowl, managed by the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, will be staged December 14th in the Louisiana Superdome.

The two-year agreement between the New Orleans Bowl and Wyndham International serves the "Diversity Mission" Wyndham chairman and CEO Fred Kleisner has set forth for the company.

"I want diversity to be more than a corporate initiative at Wyndham International," Kleisner said. "I want it to be a living part of our culture, a belief system and service philosophy that comes from each of our associates."

Local involvement is a key factor in Kleisner's system and philosophy, according to a press release from the bowl and its new benefactor, and Wyndham executives apparently concluded that identifying their company with the bowl and collaborating in its activities would further Wyndham's diversity pursuits in the New Orleans community.

Aside from naming rights to the 2004 and 2005 Wyndham New Orleans Bowl, Wyndham properties in the New Orleans area will be recognized as official hotels of the event.

The New Orleans Bowl was created in 2001, and matches the Sun Belt Conference Champion against a C-USA opponent.

Crackdown on sleazy recruiting looms

INDIANAPOLIS — College recruits could face curfews, limits on off-campus activities and fewer paid visits next fall, if recruiting changes are approved by the NCAA next month.

An NCAA task force on recruiting debated all three changes this week in its first face-to-face meeting in Indianapolis. A formal proposal is expected to be submitted to the NCAA's management council by April 20.

"We discussed all those kinds of things," said task force chairman David Berst, an NCAA vice president and former head of enforcement. "We're trying to come up with a principle-based approach."

Berst declined to discuss which specific changes may be in the task force's draft proposal, which he expects to complete within 10 days, but he said there was unanimity among the task force's 18 members that changes were needed in the wake of several highly publicized recruiting scandals.

In the most prominent case, three women are suing Colorado University after claiming they were raped during or just after a December 2001 off-campus party for football players and recruits.

At Miami, Willie Williams, the team's top recruit this year, has been arrested 11 times since 1999 — a record school officials said they were unaware of when he signed a national letter of intent.

Hurricanes coach Larry Coker said this month he was partly aware of Williams' criminal past. The school has suspended the processing of Williams' admissions application leaving his future with the Hurricanes clouded.

Those cases prompted NCAA President Myles Brand to form the task force in February, hoping new recruiting rules could be in place before next fall.

Berst acknowledged that the group's wide-ranging discussion included the possibility of eliminating paid visits entirely although it was unclear if that would be among the proposed changes.

If paid visits were eliminated, Berst said, there was concern it could hurt opportunities for athletes with families who could not afford to pay for trips. "That's something that has been said by those thinking it's not a good idea," he said.

Among other possible changes are shortening campus visits from 48 hours to 24 hours, reducing from five to three or four the number of visits a student can take and capping university spending on travel, meals and lodging.

Typically, NCAA rules changes can take months or years, but Brand has asked that the recruiting proposal be put on the fast track.

TV viewership up for women's postseason action

BRISTOL — Ratings for the NCAA women's basketball tournament on ESPN are up from last year and are the network's highest since 1999.

Ratings on ESPN through the regional semifinals rose from a 0.6 last year to 0.8. ESPN2 is averaging a 0.5 rating, up from last year's 0.3.

The men's tournament on CBS is averaging a 5.8 national rating, up from 4.5 last year.

The rating is the percentage of all homes with TVs, whether or not they are in use.

Big Dance still fueling CBS ratings bonanza

NEW YORK — CBS Sports' telecasts of the first eight days of the NCAA tournament are up 29 percent from last year.

The national average is a 5.8 rating and a 13 share, up from 4.5 and 9 in 2003.

The second broadcast window during the network's coverage Sunday of the regional finals earned the highest ratings in that time slot since 1999. The window (5:10-7:29 p.m. EST), highlighted by Duke defeating Xavier, earned an 8.6 and an 18. That represents a 28 percent increase from the 6.7 and 13 of a year ago.

The rating is the percentage of all homes with TVs, whether or not they are in use. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given program.

Saint Joe's coach honored with Naismith Award

ATLANTA — Saint Joseph's Phil Martelli and Tennessee's Pat Summitt were honored Monday as the Naismith College Basketball Coaches of the Year by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.

The awards are named in honor of the inventor of basketball, Dr. James Naismith.

Last week, Saint Joseph's point guard Jameer Nelson was selected the Naismith College Player of the Year, along with Diana Taurasi of Connecticut, who won for the second year in a row.

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News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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