The following commentary was written by James Dunaway, the editor of American Track & Field and Athletes Only. James loves our sport: he has been credentialed for fifteen Summer Olympics, going to his first on a tramp steamer in 1956. He is also a keen observer of our sport. I learn from his everytime we speak, he is my mentor, he is my friend, he is a fine editor. It does not mean that we agree always, we actually have some pretty colorful arguements. I always know it is not going well we James starts the conversations off with, " Well, you are probably going to fire me now..."
One of the points we wholeheartedly agree on is how Title IX, while well meaning, is being used to destroy minor sports, which also tend to be Olympic sports. In the Wall Street Journal of August 9, 2007, a column on the destruction of six of Rutger's University's athletic traditions, including crew, was printed.
Rutgers University has produced nineteen crew Olympians. Several attempts have been made to fund the programs, yet the University board threatened to refuse the money. The seven sports cut will save $795,000. Yet, the athletic director just gave both the men's football and the women's basketball coaches raises of over $500k each-so it is not about money.
Football has become mass entertainment. Schools derive their identities from
football programs. But, in my mind, universities are supposed to be places of higher learning, where both the body and mind are educated. I remember my college football coach, the late Pat Malley, a man who won 500 football games in his career, letting football players out of practice to study, and be real students.
Please read the commentary by James Dunaway and tell me what you think!