MAC commissioner calls for NCAA to crack down on ‘behavioral trainwreck’ in college sports after flag-planting brawls

By George Ramsay, CNN

(CNN) — The Mid-American Conference (MAC) commissioner wants the NCAA to crack down on what he calls “abysmal behavior” at college sports events, which he said has shown a “lack of respect for norms and traditions.”

The letter, sent on Thursday from Jon A. Steinbrecher to NCAA president Charlie Baker and shared with CNN, argued that sportsmanship and ethical conduct are “urgent issues” that need to be addressed.

It comes days after several of college football’s top rivalry games descended into chaos, with all-out brawls breaking out between teams and players planting flags in opposition stadiums.

“Let’s face it, the behavioral trainwreck we have witnessed is probably great for television ratings, talk show fodder, and social media intrigue,” Steinbrecher wrote. “However, none of this is acceptable to an activity connected to the Academe.

“If athletics are to be sustained within universities of higher education, continue to claim that sport plays a significant role in amplifying the value of the educational experience as well as provide a positive force to rally disparate constituent groups for the advancement of an institution, then a premium must be placed on the values of ethical conduct and integrity.”

CNN has contacted the NCAA for further comment.

Among the college football games marred by violence last weekend was Michigan’s 13-10 win over Ohio State.

After Dominic Zvada’s game-winning field goal, a Wolverines player attempted to plant a Michigan flag on the Buckeyes logo at midfield in Ohio Stadium, which led to pushing, shoving and punches being thrown by members of both teams.

Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer was seen snatching the flag and throwing it away.

It took several minutes for stadium security and police to separate the two teams, with pepper spray being deployed to get the situation under control. According to Ohio State University Police, “multiple officers representing Ohio and Michigan” used the crowd dispersal tool. The television broadcast showed players wiping their eyes and coughing in the aftermath of the brawl.

“Do we really need to contemplate the creation of a rule expressly prohibiting flag planting on an opposing team’s field (I understand why it has been suggested), as opposed to simply knowing that (it) is wrong?” Steinbrecher wrote.

“If so, we have reached a tipping point requiring a reset before someone gets hurt (given pepper spray was recently used on a field to break up a melee, that time has possibly passed).

“From my seat, this is not about establishing new rules but in clarifying and redefining individual and collective expectations for the conduct of intercollegiate athletics competition and holding ourselves accountable.”

Rivalry games between Florida and Florida State and North Carolina State and the University of North Carolina also saw flag planting and fracases between players.

“The time has come to expect more from us instead of tolerating less,” Steinbrecher concluded in his letter. “I hope we do not let this moment pass by.”

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CNN’s Jill Martin and Sam Joseph contributed to reporting.