As articles about the proposal suggests, officials at the university believed the number to be high enough for them to function without accruing an additional balance for the school and offsetting their Title IX requirements.
Forgiving the fact that the Oregon officials seem to have zero understanding of the rate of return on institutional-level investments, the heave-ho number also certifies that the current administration has no plans to ever add wrestling back to the offerings in Eugene.
Their match, it would seem, is over.
The wrestling community is quick to point to Nike for their role in potentially influencing Oregon athletics' decision to adopt baseball as a Division I sport while shedding wrestling. To many that was an unnecessary infringement by a corporation into the dealings of the university, and that has led to more than a decade of hard feelings between many in the wrestling community and Nike.
But who are we really kidding here? Are we shocked that Oregon would ask for $75 million? Boosters at Bucknell and Arizona State each paid the ransom after their programs were cut. Why not ask for $75 million and maybe land at $20 million.
The larger loss here isn't to the wrestling community, but in what these types of actions say about where amateur sports have ended up after decades of professionalization. Amateur sports were once talked about in the currency of total health of athletes and the charm of hard work. Today the only currency that matters is the dollar. NCAA institutions aren't places to become fit and learn lifelong values, they're the easiest way for a school to build their applicant pool and jack up prices on those looking to learn.
Money corrupts and as you look at sports in America notice that now even the athletic choices of pre-teens decisions aren't being decided by coaches and teachers with physical education backgrounds, but by those hungry for attention and a scholarship.
I'm all for entertainment and making money to survive in the sports landscape, but the real goal, the only one that matters, is to grow sport so that more children around the world can live healthy and active lives.
Right now the goal of amateur athletic institutions is to make more money and that greed is not sustainable, or moral, when dealing with the health of children.
To your questions …
Q: Is it Penn State's NCAA title to lose this season?
Foley: For sure Penn State is the favorite to win the NCAA title, but Oklahoma State also has a lot of firepower this season so "theirs to lose" sentiment might be a dash too strong.
One weight class that could decide the team title is 141 pounds where Dean Heil and Jimmy Gulibon will battle it out at the top. The weight is still shifting with Evan Henderson coming into the season as the top-ranked guy, but Heil's finish and Gulibon's finish will influence the team score.
The only thing I'd add is that Michigan has a team that can make a huge impact on the team race. Maybe the Wolverines can't win the team title, but their Big Ten season might have some impact on seeding come NCAAs.
Q: What do you make of Kyle Dake moving up to 86 kilos and then losing in the first round of the tournament in Russia?
-- Chris J.
Kyle Dake finished runner-up to Jordan Burroughs at the U.S. World Team Trials at 74 kilos (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)I'm happy to see that he traveled overseas to compete at all. The Americans aren't known to travel often, but those that do seem to show better growth over their international careers.
Also, I think Dake stays at 86 kilos and turns some heads in his next competition.
MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME
Gotta love the dance!
Q: It's been 18 months since you skewered FloWrestling as having an Icarus complex. How have they improved since?
-- @jtothemfp
Foley: You can see the improvement in everything they do from video coverage to broadcasting. Not only are they growing as a into a multi-million dollar corporation, but the feedback from those who deal with them most often report back professional and courteous interactions. Their recent expansion has so far been incredible for the sport of wrestling.
Q: It sounds like Hunter Stieber is returning to Ohio State's lineup in January. Do you think he can win an NCAA title in 2016? Or will the time off from competition be too much?
-- Mike C.
Foley: The time off may have an effect on his performance in January, but eight weeks later he should be prepared for NCAA competition. However, I don't see Hunter wrestling past Jason Tsirtsis. While I've been critical of Tsirtsis in the past for not wrestling an aggressive style, I think that he will change tactics in 2016 and be untouched at the weight class.
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