The Univ. of Memphis, "reacting to criticism from some
boosters, is reviewing the sponsorship" by a MS casino of a
Tiger Clubs golf tournament, according to David Williams of
the Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL. UM AD R.C. Johnson: "I don't
know that our position has changed any, but I certainly
think it merits taking a look at it. ... [W]e have two
choices. We go as we are, or else I send them the money
back." The Horseshoe Casino is paying UM $10,000 for the
Tiger Clubs/Horseshoe Casino Spring Golf Fling, scheduled
for May 11. The Tiger Clubs are the fund-raising program
for the UM athletic department, and Johnson said that he
thought a Tiger Club outing, "something away from the
campus, not involving student-athletes," was an event for
which he could utilize the casino's sponsorship (COMMERCIAL
APPEAL, 4/22). In Memphis, Geoff Calkins: "We have gone so
far with this endorsement stuff, we take so much of it for
granted, that sometimes it's important to step back and
remember that universities aren't supposed to exist for the
sole purpose of making money" (COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 4/22).
