Big-time college sports are a big-time reason why so many large universities have become nothing more than four-year parties with expensive cover charges otherwise known as tuition. That's the opening thesis of Murray Sperber's latest book that details how sports—often the one thing schools use to rally their diverse undergraduates—has helped to deny those same students an education.

It's a familiar theme for those familiar with Murray Sperber's work. When's he not busy teaching English at Indiana University, he's often seen as a pointed critic of collegiate semipro athletics and for years he had a ringside seat at one of the best examples of all: the sway that former basketball coach Bobby Knight held at Indiana.

It wasn't easy being a critic of Coach Knight—earlier this year, Sperber took an unpaid leave to take a break from the intense criticism and threats he received for daring to call Knight the emperor of the university. Now, Knight is gone and Sperber is on a tour for his latest book Beer and Circus: How Big-Time College Sports Is Crippling Undergraduate Education.

About the author
Murray Sperber is widely recognized as the nation's foremost critic and commentator on the subject of college sports and culture, and is in constant demand by the media. He is the chairman of the National Alliance for Collegiate Athletic Reform (NAFCAR), an intercollegiate faculty committee advocating reform in athletic policy.

A professor of English and American Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington, his previous books include College Sports, Inc.; Onward to Victory: The Crises that Shaped College Sports; and Shake Down the Thunder: The Creation of Notre Dame Football.