[bigfootbob]

This is crazy. Don't governors make wagers on big sporting events to the delight of the press? He's a football coach who participated in a basketball play-off pool. Almost every business and 99% of all taverns have March Madness pools, big deal. Where's the beef?

[NittanyLion]

He's a football coach who participated in a basketball play-off pool. Almost every business and 99% of all taverns have March Madness pools, big deal. Where's the beef?

The deal is that the NCAA's rules are clear, and he chose to disobey them. I suspect he assumed he'd get away with it.

As far as the rationale behind the rule, my assumption is that the organization believes its integrity would be tainted if coaches were to routinely gamble on NCAA athletic events. Perhaps the belief is that they're in a position to exert their influence toward affecting the outcome.

[Guillermo]

Maybe the size of the bet? Maybe because they think NCAA coaches may have an unfair advantage (insider knowledge) over others?

Bets between Governors are pretty trivial...a sack of oranges vs. a box of lobsters, plus I don't think they have an "in" with NCAA coaches like other coaches do.