Duke "Coach K" Commercials Upset NCAA Athletic Directors and Coaches

"Coack K," Duke Men's Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski's appearances on commercials for Chevrolet and American Express aren't just upseting bloggers, but athletic directors as well.

I learned from a well-placed source that "many athletic directors are questioning the legality of his commercials" with respect to NCAA regulations. The athletic execs feel Duke has an unfair recruiting advantage because Coach K appears nationally pitching so many reconized brands.

It's no secret that he's been seen frequently during "March Madness" and right at the time when many obvious high school recruits would be watching the NCAA Tournament.

WRAL.com raised an issue about this with the NCAA, but they claim there's no violation:

ACC Sports Journal Editor David Glenn said he has received dozens of e-mails from sports fans who see the ads as a recruiting tool.
"The American Express ad where Coach K addresses the player, 'I want to turn you into this. I want to do this for you,' is a little bit more of a sensitive topic and it's one thing some coaches have criticized," Glenn said.

The NCAA told WRAL there is no violation. Coaches are allowed to endorse products. However, the timing and the message raise questions since they come during a quiet period in recruiting when college coaches are not allowed to talk to high school players.

"If you want to call that a loophole, I wouldn't tell you not to," Glenn said.

Duke student Ryan Mattocks argues complaints are about power, not principle.

"With that much success, it's going to breed some jealousy," he said.

Glenn said power is a player in the argument.

"He's been to a lot of Final Fours. He has won three national championships. That gets you a platform," he said. "Duke has become the New York Yankees of college basketball. You either love them or you hate them."

WRAL was unable to get a comment from Krzyzewski. Duke University told WRAL that the school supports the ads. Some of the money from the advertising will go toward the Emily Krzyzewski Youth Center in Durham, named for Krzyzewski's mother.

We'll stay tuned for more on this.