That is a fine attitude from someone secure in his employment. However, I doubt that Lombardi would agree if he was a new graduate entering our present job market.
Faculty have an obligation to diseminate information and knowledge to their students.
As members of an insular system, faculty know what the environment is like far better than an incoming grad student. To say that faculty should refrain from simply telling a potential grad student of the very real problems we presently face is insulting and wrong. Perhaps the University of Florida would like to fund all the history grads who cannot find work. I doubt it. Check this box if you would like this submission to be considered for publication as a letter to the editor in the printed Chronicle.