One for the (Sports) Books

Florida State University was thrust into the spotlight after quarterback Adrian McPherson was dismissed from the football team following allegations that included sports gambling. In the era of big-time college athletics, it is vital for institutions to respond effectively when issues arise that could negatively affect the school's image. The increase of sports-related scandals plaguing universities in recent years has led to the application of crisis communication theories to many athletic department crises. The purpose of this thesis is to utilize archived primary source documents, newspaper articles, and Foucauldian discourse analysis of crisis communications strategies to summarize and analyze the comparative discourses of those involved in the McPherson case. By studying the variations in individual accounts of the events in this case, it is possible to gain insight into the complex relationship between athletic departments, the NCAA, student-athletes, and the media.