MN Daily Letter to Editor: Holding the Department of Athletics accountable

[nsmike]

He's a left wing gadfly, and hardly worth paying attention too, except as a reminder of the attitudes that lead to the decline of Gopher football in the first place. I believe that with the present administration in place we will leave the dark times behind.

 

[disco]

How is his age relevant?

Because he's a stereotypical old crank that has nothing better to do with his time than bitch and moan about whatever pet issue bothers him that day. He's a real life Abe Simpson.

 

[CrocShots]

Gotta love Pantherhawk throwing out gems into the comments

 

[supadupafly]

Do you really think so? This community supports more sports programs than any its size and most that are bigger. UM football is probably the 5th most followed program in town behind the Vikings, Twins, Wild, Timberwolves, and Gopher hockey. New stadiums have recently been built or are being developed for the Twins, Vikings, Gophers, Saints while the previously newest Big10 stadium, The Metrodome, is being abandoned. No, I think there's plenty of sports enthusiasm here -- it's just more diluted here than anywhere else so you don't see the zeal for the U's football program like you see in Madison, Iowa City, Lincoln, Columbus, Happy Valley and all the other places that don't have the variety of sports choices we have here.

wrong, wrong and wrong. you are way off putting gopher football behind those three. not an accurate or true statement.

 

[station19]

wrong, wrong and wrong. you are way off putting gopher football behind those three. not an accurate or true statement.

You missed the part where he had UM FB listed as 5th, but listed it as behind 5 teams.

 

[Gopherprof]

Big time sports bring recognition to a university. The recognition leads to more students (therefore more revenue) as well as world class educators and researchers. The University of Michigan is a perfect example of how big time sports enhances the reputation of Michigan's colleges within the University. There are only a handful of Universities in the United States that can attract students via academic reputation and what those schools do is require their professors to apply for every award that can or could possibly be handed out in order to market academics as a tool for enrollment. The rest of the Universities have to find other marketing tools. A clear and easy winner for bringing in students and thus enhancing the colleges within the University is to have high profile, thriving sports programs.

Sports are important to get alumni donations and draw attention to a school (I believe Teague used the term "gateway" or "window", something like that), but this goes way too far. Michigan has been a great school for well over 100 years. Conversely, the SEC is dominating in football, and most of those universities still aren't worth a damn academically.

Most students (or their parents) are a little more savvy in making school choices beyond how their sports teams are doing.

Strong academics can also build a financially successful alumni base that is then supportive of sports. It certainly goes both ways.