The NCAA put Ball State on probation for two years and cut three football scholarships because of misuse by athletes of a textbook loan program. Perhaps the NCAA is too close to the situation to realize that penalizing Ball State for misusing a textbook loan program for athletes by cutting football scholarships is like penalizing the University of Miami by taking away textbooks from their football players.

Full court press

Tickets for the 61st Davis Cup Final between the U.S. and defending champion Russia sold out in less than 30 minutes in Portland, Ore. Some might suggest this is a sign of the rebirth of tennis’ popularity in America, but I’m not convinced most of those tickets weren’t snapped up by the Russian mob looking to, uh, protect their investment.