I am looking for a little interaction today. Why do you cheer for particular college teams?
Personally, I need a connection to faithfully cheer for a school. Or sure, I can pick a team during a national contest (usually the underdog), but there isn’t a real investment there. Plus, it’s a one-shot deal and nothing long term.
My local team is the Iowa State Cyclones. I attended school and worked in athletics there. My connections are deep. Enough said. Now, I wish the Cyclones would string some victories together in football and basketball.
I also cheer for the University of Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. I also attended school and worked in athletics there. It’s a little more difficult to follow ULM due to the distance and lack of national exposure. But the Warhawks are coming to Iowa this fall to play the Hawks, so I can root for them then.
One team that will probably drop from my list is North Carolina State. I have a dear friend who was in athletics there. He retired last year, so there went the connection. The investment was there for a long time and thus the divorce is difficult.
I also follow two specific basketball teams but don’t cheer for the schools in general. With connections at Baylor and Virginia, I keep a close eye on the Bears and Cavaliers.
Sometimes it’s a judgment call tracking the teams. If they play at similar times on the same dates that presents a problem. I only have two eyes and ears and one television.
So who do you follow and for what reasons?
Showing posts with label college sports world. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college sports world. Show all posts
Friday, August 19, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
A Nice Gesture
This is a nice story regarding college athletics.
Chris Ault is virtually unknown to most of the college football world. Ault serves as the head coach of the Nevada Wolfpack. He has quietly produced an outstanding program while helping his team to a top 25-ranking last season.
Ault recently received and certainly earned a two-year contact extension. But get this: he volunteered to also take a 4.8 percent pay cut. It will cost him almost $41,000. Ault reasoned that the bad state of the Nevada economy and other state workers taking their lumps prompted his decision.
Sometimes we hear about the selfishness of college coaches and players. In this case, we hear of the selflessness of Ault. I doubt if Ault is looking for praise, but I want to give the coach a virtual high-five for the sacrifice.
True, Ault probably won’t miss a meal for his salary reduction, but what a great example to his football team, his university, the state and the college football world.
Chris Ault is virtually unknown to most of the college football world. Ault serves as the head coach of the Nevada Wolfpack. He has quietly produced an outstanding program while helping his team to a top 25-ranking last season.
Ault recently received and certainly earned a two-year contact extension. But get this: he volunteered to also take a 4.8 percent pay cut. It will cost him almost $41,000. Ault reasoned that the bad state of the Nevada economy and other state workers taking their lumps prompted his decision.
Sometimes we hear about the selfishness of college coaches and players. In this case, we hear of the selflessness of Ault. I doubt if Ault is looking for praise, but I want to give the coach a virtual high-five for the sacrifice.
True, Ault probably won’t miss a meal for his salary reduction, but what a great example to his football team, his university, the state and the college football world.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Slow Time
We are presently in the slow time for college sports. I know softball, track and field and baseball are still going on, but with basketball and football not in season, the news is rather slow.
Some of you have noticed I have been blogging only about five times a week the last 14-21 days. I will slice that amount to 2-3 times per week or as news warrants. I’m not going away; it’s the difficulty of creating copy at this time of year. So, I encourage you to check back occasionally for my least frequent posts.
We’ll try to get back to ‘normal” toward the end of the summer as college football heats up. Thanks for reading and I always welcome your feedback.
Some of you have noticed I have been blogging only about five times a week the last 14-21 days. I will slice that amount to 2-3 times per week or as news warrants. I’m not going away; it’s the difficulty of creating copy at this time of year. So, I encourage you to check back occasionally for my least frequent posts.
We’ll try to get back to ‘normal” toward the end of the summer as college football heats up. Thanks for reading and I always welcome your feedback.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Celebration Time: No More Bin Laden
I take a break today from the college sports scene to celebrate the wonderful news that bin Laden is dead.
This is a historic day in our country and the world. Let democracy and freedom ring.
This bad boy has been a real pain in freedom's side for a long time. Now he is finally history. Wow. Talk about good news. No. Talk about great news.
This is a historic day in our country and the world. Let democracy and freedom ring.
This bad boy has been a real pain in freedom's side for a long time. Now he is finally history. Wow. Talk about good news. No. Talk about great news.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Pounding the Chest in College Sports
I have something literally to get off my chest today.
It seems more and more college athletes are beating their chest after they make an outstanding play.
In basketball, you will see normally a tall guy dunk the basketball, get fouled and begin his act. In football, you normally experience a defensive lineman or linebacker sack the quarterback, begin pounding and even dance a bit.
I know we are into this self-expression world now, but whatever happened to the word “class.”
The old saying that nothing is originally probably means these college athletes have been watching too many professional athletes. What’s permissible for the pro guys must be okay for the college boys, right?
Not so much. Can you imagine Bobby Knight or John Wooden allowing their players to act like they are the greatest in the world? Hey guys, let the play stand on its own merit. Go ahead and high-five your teammate and move on. Remember the old sports talk: “there is no I in the word team.”
Former Oklahoma State and Detroit Lions’ running back Barry Sanders displayed class…and he was a superstar. Sanders entered the end zone often. He would simply hand the ball to the official and return to the sideline. No self-expression and no I’m the greatest routine.
Maybe more college players need to view some Sander’s videos and learn from Mr. Class.
It seems more and more college athletes are beating their chest after they make an outstanding play.
In basketball, you will see normally a tall guy dunk the basketball, get fouled and begin his act. In football, you normally experience a defensive lineman or linebacker sack the quarterback, begin pounding and even dance a bit.
I know we are into this self-expression world now, but whatever happened to the word “class.”
The old saying that nothing is originally probably means these college athletes have been watching too many professional athletes. What’s permissible for the pro guys must be okay for the college boys, right?
Not so much. Can you imagine Bobby Knight or John Wooden allowing their players to act like they are the greatest in the world? Hey guys, let the play stand on its own merit. Go ahead and high-five your teammate and move on. Remember the old sports talk: “there is no I in the word team.”
Former Oklahoma State and Detroit Lions’ running back Barry Sanders displayed class…and he was a superstar. Sanders entered the end zone often. He would simply hand the ball to the official and return to the sideline. No self-expression and no I’m the greatest routine.
Maybe more college players need to view some Sander’s videos and learn from Mr. Class.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Ugly Side of College Sports
The news cycle lately seems full of bad news in college sports.
It’s not about injuries but the age-old cheating on campuses across the nation.
Today, I read about a possible investigation at Baylor regarding a recruit. Yesterday, I read about a sports agent who said he gave money to numerous players. The fallout of North Carolina football continues. UCONN admits violations in its men’s hoops program.
The sad thing is we have become accustomed to these incidents and hardly blink anymore. We would rather talk about games and winners and losing on the field. But these incidents influences games and winners and losers on the field.
Maybe the NCAA needs to inflict harsher penalties on universities. Plus, maybe it should suspend more coaches who are ultimately responsible for their programs.
Cheating continues to get worse and we never hear obviously about the ones who don’t get caught. It’s time for somebody somewhere to stand up for integrity.
Integrity may not receive the flashy headlines, but it is simply the right thing to do.
It’s not about injuries but the age-old cheating on campuses across the nation.
Today, I read about a possible investigation at Baylor regarding a recruit. Yesterday, I read about a sports agent who said he gave money to numerous players. The fallout of North Carolina football continues. UCONN admits violations in its men’s hoops program.
The sad thing is we have become accustomed to these incidents and hardly blink anymore. We would rather talk about games and winners and losing on the field. But these incidents influences games and winners and losers on the field.
Maybe the NCAA needs to inflict harsher penalties on universities. Plus, maybe it should suspend more coaches who are ultimately responsible for their programs.
Cheating continues to get worse and we never hear obviously about the ones who don’t get caught. It’s time for somebody somewhere to stand up for integrity.
Integrity may not receive the flashy headlines, but it is simply the right thing to do.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Do Your Own Term Papers College Kids
I goggled the term college sports topics today to see what was happening in the college sports world. Well, the first entry caught my eye, but in a negative way.
It was a service offering sports custom term papers. So I clicked on the link to examine this seedy prospect. Sure enough, you type in the topic, title, etc. and presto you have your description and price.
I guess these papers don't come with a disclaimer such as "This is cheating and that could get you in a whole peck of trouble even dismissal from the university."
Yes, I have seen these term paper mills before. I just wasn't ready to find it No. 1 on Goggle with my sports search. This is very sad.
Back in the day, the term was "You earn a degree." Now, people involved in this term paper mill should advertise "We will sell you a degree no work required. Just give us plenty of cash."
College is a time to learn life skills. Students who buy papers are developing cheating life skills. Post that one on a resume and hope for positive results.
As a freelance writer, I will not write term papers and become part of this cheating process. It is just not right.
College is hard. It does involve blood, some sweat, some tears. It does make you question your sanity at times. But at least if you do your own work, you have a sense of accomplishment whether it's great work or not so great work.
So students, please do your own term papers. You might even sleep better at night.
It was a service offering sports custom term papers. So I clicked on the link to examine this seedy prospect. Sure enough, you type in the topic, title, etc. and presto you have your description and price.
I guess these papers don't come with a disclaimer such as "This is cheating and that could get you in a whole peck of trouble even dismissal from the university."
Yes, I have seen these term paper mills before. I just wasn't ready to find it No. 1 on Goggle with my sports search. This is very sad.
Back in the day, the term was "You earn a degree." Now, people involved in this term paper mill should advertise "We will sell you a degree no work required. Just give us plenty of cash."
College is a time to learn life skills. Students who buy papers are developing cheating life skills. Post that one on a resume and hope for positive results.
As a freelance writer, I will not write term papers and become part of this cheating process. It is just not right.
College is hard. It does involve blood, some sweat, some tears. It does make you question your sanity at times. But at least if you do your own work, you have a sense of accomplishment whether it's great work or not so great work.
So students, please do your own term papers. You might even sleep better at night.
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