Life lesson is a consideration of the NCAA hard line stance on transfers. Coaches can move from job to job but an athlete has to sit out a year when transferring, and in some cases lose a year of eligibility.

 

“We want to be respectful of their decisions and their opportunities,” said Emmert, who attended the Big 12 meetings in Kansas City. “At the same time  you want to be supportive of the investments and commitments universities have made in that young man and young woman.

“If one of our goals is the help development students as men and women we have to help them learn how to deal with adversity, difficulties and challenges. One of those is, if things don’t work out exactly right, you don’t cut and run. You work your way through this.

“We as a society tend to be in an instant-gratification world, and some of that is reflected in this.”

Also, Emmert warns against schools instigating the process.

“You can’t have a situation that is a free-for-all,” Emmert said. “You don’t want a coach sitting on his couch, clicking through channels and saying, he looks unhappy and text him while he’s sitting on the bench, saying you’re not getting enough playing time, come play for me.

“We’ve had some cases that seem unfair to student athletes, and we have some that of course drive coaches crazy.”

In other words, don’t expect free transfers soon.

 

*The Big 12 lives in realignment calm, or at least the league for the first time in three years won’t be losing members, and this is good for college sports.

“The (Big 12) did a number of really good things in the last year,” Emmert said. “First of all, the presidents collectively made a commitment to stay together. Once the smoke cleared and the shouting died down, it said, ‘Look, this makes sense. It’s still a great conference. Ten might be a better number than 12. Let’s do what we have to do to stick together.’

There was more, starting with the appointment of acting commissioner Chuck Neinas.

“Bringing in Chuck was brilliant,” Emmert said. “He’s exactly the right kind of guy to have at that moment. He’s an old hand (80 years old) that has seen a lot and provided the stability. And the made the right commitment to share their media rights.”

The Big 12 will equally share its first- and second-tier television income, which, after the league signs its deal with ESPN, will be worth $2.56 billion for the next 13 years. That amounts to about $20 million per team, and it doesn’t include third tier rights that are owned by the schools. Kansas made nearly $7 million on those rights in 2010-11.

The Big 12 also is working on a 13-year grant of rights, which is expected to occur when the league signs the ESPN deal.