Two recent articles from the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times examine the big business of college football and question the tax-breaks and non-profit status enjoyed by athletic departments involved in an arms race of spending on stadiums and coaches.

Gale Courey Toensing writes a nice summary for Indian Country Today on activities in 2006 regarding the American Indian mascot issue.

In a column for the Huffington Post, writer Leanne Shear makes an impassioned argument as to the benefits of Title IX and defends the civil rights law from critics who say it helps women to the detriment of men. She includes a discussion with women's rights activist and tennis legend Billie Jean King as to what Title IX has accomplished and why it is still under attack. Following is an excerpt:

Allstate is the new title sponsor (for at least the next four years at an undisclosed "seven figure" cost) of the Sugar Bowl, played at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 3, 2007. But many are left wondering how Allstate can market themselves on everything involving the largest annual sporting event in New Orleans, yet deny liability and living expenses to so many customers who suffered losses in the region due to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

In the Public Interest
by Ralph Nader

As we settle-in to cheer on our favorite college football teams this bowl season, it's important to remember that an undisputed consolidation of power and money -- the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) -- controls which schools play in the major bowl games and National Championship game.

As the debate rages over whether or not Chief Illiniwek should remain the University of Illinois mascot, Darla M. Wiese of Quad-Cities Online (IL) writes a thoughtful piece on the American Indian mascot issue. Please note that an excellent reader discussion follows her article, under "comments."

Carter Strickland of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports on the commercial takeover of college and university athletic departments by Nike, and other apparel companies:

"Being new to Bulldog Nation, Matthew Stafford wasn't braced for the reaction when he sauntered onto the University of Georgia practice fields a few weeks ago dressed in an offensive T-shirt. Go Gators? I Love Spurrier? Nope, it was even worse. 'He's got on Reebok,' Mark Richt yelled to the other Georgia football coaches. He sent the star freshman ... back to the locker room for a change of clothes."

Melissa Silverstein of Women's Media Center gives an intriguing look into a growing issue for women's sports: What happens when a player gets pregnant? Highlighting a new documentary called "The Heart of the Game," Silverstein explains that there is no uniform policy at either the school or professional level that protects a pregnant athlete's rights:

As the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on Supreme Court nominee John Roberts Jr. continue, League of Fans would like to note Roberts' record on Title IX (a law League of Fans supports and has fought to protect) and consider the possible implications if he were confirmed to a lifetime seat.