Sad Day in Tempe: ASU wrestling dropped

A lot has happened over the last 18 hours regarding the news about the alleged dropping of wrestling at Arizona State University. A lot of rumors, message board posts, e-mails, IM’s, text messages and phone calls have been circulating.

The one thing I have been informed by Arizona State Sports Information Director Alex Ryan is “The rumblings are true.”

Update: 12:53 p.m. (Eastern)

The pending announcement from Arizona State’s sports information office is expected to come “shortly,” according to Ryan.

Sadly, this comes the same day Thom Ortiz had confirmed three additional signees to the Sun Devil program, including two talented Junior College transfers Joe Cornejo and Erik Nye along with High School All-American Jake Meredith of Temecula Valley, Calif.

One member of the Arizona State wrestling team, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “The athletes feel shut out by the administration.”

Earlier this morning, e-mail correspondence between Ortiz and InterMat seemed to indicate these rumors were unjustified.

At 8:14 a.m. Eastern, Ortiz confirmed he had five signed letters of intent, including two from prior verbal commitments Te Edwards of Virginia and Eric Starks of Washington.

Update 1:02 p.m.

It’s officially been released by the school: Click here for the release.

School citing finanical woes, despite the fact three teams are announced as being cut, men’s wrestling, men’s tennis and men’s swimming. The school is “financially” cutting two teams where the same facilities are used for women’s athletics, too.

Update: 2:05 p.m.

Brian Stith, two-time All-American and 2006 NCAA finalist for the Sun Devils and current ASU assistant coach finally replies to my text message.

“We done Twink. Can’t talk now. I’m a mess.”

Just got off the horn with Aaron Simpson, former assistant and ASU alum. He’s got some interesting things to say. A few more phone calls to make and we’ll see if we can start to push this in another direction, because there’s so much wrong with this decision.

May 12: Four Points (and another use for a Katana sword)

Monday … by definition, the start of a work week you just don’t want to tolerate. Much like Office Space’s reference to someone having a “Case of the Mondays,” today would be classified as one of those days. It’s mucky, damp, raining and generally nasty. So much for the glorious weather of last week.

Couple things went on this weekend that are amusing enough to relay to the good folks that read this here blog (insert Southern twang while reading previous sentence).

The first thing is a new appreciation for the sport of lacrosse. Some of this could just be me feeding my ego, considering I did announce the NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse regionals here in Lancaster of the weekend, as Franklin & Marshall defeated Amherst 16-9 in the final to advance to the National Semifinals in Salem, Va., a town I know very well.

F&M’s staff is great to work with and John Brickley (you might know the name from the EIWA broadcasts) does a dynamite Harry Caray impression (think Will Farrell). My Howard Cosell impression didn’t go over as well. Jill Yamma, the SID at F&M, had plenty to laugh about while we distracted her mightily from doing her job.

Oddly, you can’t say “Final Four” in regards to any other sport than roundball, which to me, is quite dumb. But then again, I never liked the “Elite Eight” saying either. Stupid SportsCenter.

Anyway, after three relatively good games of women’s lacrosse (please, save your comments until the end), a trio of great post-season hockey games made more satisfying due to the fact the Flyers are down 2-0. Yeah, not a fan of the Flyers … or Philadelphia sports teams in general. Must be that thing about booing Santa Claus.

Oh, the Katana. Last night after the game, I went to my truck to charge up my phone during a phone call I got from a friend I’ve known since high school. I got in the passenger seat because it was closer to the curb and after a 10 minute chat, I went back in, well … keys. Yeah, I locked my keys in the car. Spare set … doesn’t exist in this state (yes, I know). So after one weak coat hanger is bent all to hell, we use a second, stronger one and unsuccessfully try to slim-jim the inside of the door. (Oh, and I don’t have AAA either). This comedy of errors continues and eventually includes a flat woman’s sandal, a butterfly knife, eight fingers pulling a door back, a camera phone and one very long, sharp Japanese sword.

Why does my friend Tim have such a thing. I don’t know, and right now, I know it’s long enough to hit the lock on my truck. I knew there was a reason I liked Leonardo the best of the Ninja Turtles.

No, this isn’t a crack at Mike Dixon.

 

Anyway …

Gas: Three seventy-five! What in the bloody … Yeah, not a good week for me to drive the carpool.
Weather: Just as crappy.

This … is … Jeopardy!
Yes, like you, I’m awaiting the official announcement sometime on Monday which will name (someone) the head wrestling coach at the University of Maryland. I’m not exactly in suspense, but having to sit on something like this does have its aggrivating factions. But then again, if I ever want access to certain areas and issues in College Park, I have to honor my word, even though I’ve wanted to shout at the top of my lungs for the past 96 hours (perhaps more) who the coach was going to be.

I’ve got the graphics ready for the main page and I’m ready to post that release from Maryland SID Matt Lynch as soon as it comes through the pipe. I don’t know if there’s a media call set up, so until I know otherwise, it might just be the release and then I can follow up with a story — similar to the Lehigh thing a few weeks ago.

For some of you, this will be old news, because by the time you read this, you will already know (if you didn’t already). Cue Jeopardy theme music…..

Swat the Swoosh
A post today on thematforums.com by Kevin Schlosser was titled perfectly. “I don’t know how to take this …” and boom, there were links to ShopNCAASports.com, the “Official Store of NCAA Sports.” The problem wasn’t the 12 wrestling shirts they had for sale … but the fact 10 of the wrestling t-shirts for sale were from schools which no longer have wrestling. Ohio State and Michigan State are it. Yet, we see something like this (look right).

So there’s a couple of ideas on that thread on what to do, but I’m not going to give Nike money, which obviously cares not about its wrestling consumer base by remaining ever so quiet on the cut wrestling program at Oregon. Phil Knight can stroke a check, or probably just check the seat cushions in his couch to find enough money to sustain the Oregon wrestling program, but no, he doesn’t seem to care. Oregon AD Pat Kilkenny never seemed to care (to graduate) about wrestling.

I have no allegiance to any particular brand. I’m wearing adidas shoes, an Asics shirt and a Cliff Keen hat … I also have no fashion sense whatsoever. So I would urge wrestling fans to NOT give Nike money in buying such merchandise. The other end of the coin is exposing this could generate some interest.

The entire SEC would have the ability to tough if those member schools brought back wrestling.

Recruiting Rankings
While InterMat does publish its own set of recruiting class rankings in July, W.I.N. Magazine just released its Top 25 recruiting classes. Rob Sherrill, longtime friend and comrade (redundancy warning), put together the list and I think it’s pretty solid. I’m going to differ on a few points, nothing major, but mainly factoring in the late recruits that will have somewhat of an impact who haven’t committed yet.

Minnesota got the top draw, according to Sherrill, and it’s going to be hard to disagree with him when our rankings roll around, because I believe five teams have a shot at the claim as top recruiting class.

I really like the call on Wyoming at #11. The Cowboys recently saw 19-year head coach Steve Suder step down, but he recruited himself some good ones for interim head coach and (technically) former assistant Ben VomBaur. Nice job overall Rob.

Penn State fallout
Obviously a tough situation to touch upon regarding Friday’s press release announcing the dismissal of three members of the Penn State wrestling team. In situations like this, it’s a real tough spot to try to get involved, because there are issues with personal relationships on both sides of the table. Does the reporter go in and try to get in both sides of the case, or is it really even worth following up.

Is this being made out to be more than it actually is? I’ve heard the rumors and read the statements made by parents on message boards at both themat.com and ohiowrestling.net and this has the potential to get ugly.

It’s a situation where I’m going to throw my hands up and just say “NOPE” and not deal with it. Why? Then it becomes a he-said, she-said game regarding what’s factual, what was said, what was done, what was done to try to solve one side, what wasn’t done to solve the other … yadda yadda yadda. Then it’s viewed as I’m taking sides and that just isn’t what I want, and I don’t think anyone else is either.

I wish all three wrestlers the best on their careers, lives and hope they make choices that will benefit them in the near future and the long run. I’d rather find out everything and make a well-thought-out decision on what I believe happened rather than frame a story which would A) make Penn State look like the bad guy or B) make the wrestlers look like the bad guys.

I’d just rather not deal with it … good luck guys … and good luck coaching staff.

~

Random Shout Out: UNC Greensboro SID Christy Kramer for the link.

May 9: Four Points - It’s academic, right?

Been another busy day here at the home office in damp and rainy Manheim, Pa. Lancaster County has been beautiful all week long, but what a crappy day to end the week with. I was supposed to be down in Virginia for the ODU alumni golf outing, but because gas prices are the way they are, it would end up costing me over 200 bucks in gas just to go home (for Mother’s Day) … then additional funds for the golf, and the socializing and the lunch for mom, etc. The Fed decided to cash my check (I had to pay out the rear) with some other bills, so I’m slumming for a week.

I did however get something lined up this weekend to stay involved. I announced Franklin & Marshall’s home wrestling duals this past season and concluded the season with an opportunity to announce the EIWA Wrestling Championships. I’ve already mentioned my affiliation with the Dutchland Rollers as an announcer named “Horace N. Buggy,” but Saturday and Sunday add another unique opportunity — announcing the NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse regional here in Lancaster.

Total lacrosse games I have witnessed in person: 2
Total lacrosse games I will witness/announce this weekend: 3

In case you’re wondering, F&M is the defending Division III National Champions and the regionals also feature the Washington & Lee Generals, Babson Beavers and Amherst Lord Jeffs. … what the (%$#) is a Lord Jeff?

Gas: $3.65 (for no good reason)
Weather: Rainy and 53.
Currently listing to: Huey Lewis & The News - Finally Found a Home (Sports)

Alphabet Soup
I keep thinking of Diehl Toyota commercials when I head the term APR. But when talking college sports, we all know what the APR means. Yet, we really don’t seem to fully understand the nuances of the Academic Progress Rate.

A day and a half after the NCAA released its APR figures, the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the Top 30 All-Academic Wrestling Teams and Individual All-Academic selections. One team showed up on the NCAA’s APR “slap of the wrist” list and the All-Academic Team. Cal State-Bakersfield had an APR of 906, putting it near the bottom of the 87 Division I Wrestling schools.  They were 13th among programs in terms of team GPA with a 3.06. CSUB had three individuals on the All-Academic Team, as did another APR violator, ODU with three individuals as well. UT-Chattanooga, which faces a post-season ban if they don’t pull the APR up, had two All-Academic selections.

Here’s the dilemma. The NWCA’s GPA takes into account the 10 wrestlers who each competed at the NCAA qualifier for your respective conference, then you get two wildcards that must have wrestled in at least one event during the year (non-redshirt).

I’d love to find the graduation rates of non-athletes vs. traditional students and see the difference in how many “regular” students graduate in four or even five years compared to what the student-athlete on $1,000 bucks a semester gets.

Remember, equivalency sports are usually the last ones in line for the tutoring behind football and roundball. Yes, there is a tier-system within college sports, the have’s and the have not’s, and guess what, the have not’s keep getting a bad wrap because of this system which doesn’t adequately adjust for partial schollies fairly, nor COMMON SENSE.

VMI is one of the most demanding first-year experiences in the country and they’re supposed to be in the same situation with a state school on a trimester system? Here’s a note from the Roanoke Times, which unfortunately skews it to appear as if VMI is a bunch of ineligible derelicts. That’s not the case … according to the A.D. in Lexington, the Keydets got a 1,000 one year and still are below 925 on the rolling average. 

Dead horse, I’m beating on it.

Title IX, meet the politicians
Speaking of VMI, coach John “Rocky” Trudgeon forwarded me this link today from USA Today. I find it typical of big government to basically have a spin doctor explain your stance for you and simply speak in terms of attacks.

Granted, I’m biased in respect to my perception of what I think about Title IX, proportionality and the liberal media bias (and agenda-based editors) as it relates to the topic, but check out John McCain’s “comments” compared to Hillary and Obama’s.

McCain “gets it” on this issue, but in all, I hate politics. Oh, on a related note, the University of Arkansas-Little Rock dropped its men’s tennis team today, citing “financial” issues, but mentions proportionality (QUOTA!) in the second graph. Way to contradict yourself UALR.

So a budget cut kills the men’s team, yet the women’s team stays … please stop masking this, it’ a Title IX issue and you know it.

NCAA Qualifier Information
Apparently an issue with the NCAA’s news website, ncaa.org, caused a delay in a much-anticipated story regarding the Division I Wrestling automatic qualifier scenario. I was planning on writing a companion story with some comments from Brad Traviolia, the Deputy Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference and the Chair of the NCAA Wrestling Committee.

A pair of college wrestling coaches who are on the wrestling committee were also interviewed in preparation for the pending NCAA News story, but I can’t run mine without actually knowing what the NCAA story is going to say, but from what I’ve gotten from talking to those on the committee and my knowledge based on some data mongering, this format will actually be a good thing for the sport.

Yes, I realize this is a complete tease right now, but hey, I’ve gotta keep you reading right? Hopefully I can get this out of the weekend, depending on when the NCAA News story wants to be posted.

Penn State punts three from team
After one of the best overall seasons in recent memory, the school year will be ending somewhat sour as Penn State coach Troy Sunderland booted three wrestlers from the squad on Friday. In a late Friday afternoon release (nice timing, Pat), Penn State announced NCAA qualifiers Garrett Scott and Dave Rella along with redshirt freshman Jared Platt were dismissed from the team, but granted releases to transfer elsewhere, if they desired.

Details are, as you might expect, non-existent from a sports information release, but with all the APR talk recent days, it says something when you could get hit for some serious points with three transfers.

Will there be more to this story? I’m sure, but that’s what the message boards are for.

 

May 8: Four Points

Yes, I realize I didn’t post a Four Points yesterday, but it was a tad hectic and we had a few things we had to iron out before the Four Points was even constructed. That being said, Wednesday was awesome, trivia stunk and the Barnstormers lost again.

I’ve been carpooling to work with my co-worker Tammy and I have to say I never thought it would be that big of a deal, until I really did some thinking into the gas price situation. It takes roughly 70 bucks to fill up my Blazer now … it cost 23 bucks to fill’er up when I bought it in October of 2003. With only five payments left, it is really pointless, at least in my estimation, to get a new car. I can go without a payment for a year or so and see how it holds up.

Anyway, with one tank a week (average) by both of us, it was costing collectively $110 a week in gas. I realize we both do independent travel, but for the sake of argument, we’ll be cutting that in half and one of us will be pocketing the difference every other week. Makes sense.

It rained today, boo on that, but an even bigger pain in the butt was the jump in price of regular unleaded at the Sheetz in Mt. Joy.

May 7, Sheetz
8:30 a.m. - $3.57
2:30 p.m. - $3.69

That’s just crap. I might end up getting a scooter to put around town with.

Weather: 68 and raining periodically.
Gas: 2FM (you figure it out)
Random Word of the Day: hendecasyllabic

Olympic wrestler Sara McMann featured in ESPN The Magazine
With the wrestling community being relatively close in nature, there are opportunities to meet many great people along the way. One of those people I’ve been fortunate to meet along the way is Sara McMann. A Maryland native, she’d wrestled in Minnesota and then a live-changing experience brought her to Lock Haven in Pennsylvania. Then a few more … which you can go into detail with the ESPN The Magazine feature.

It’s the first time Sara’s gone on record about one such tragedy. It’s a very moving and emotional piece, Lindsay Berra wrote a fantastic story. Oh, here’s a tidbit, she’s the granddaughter of Yogi Berra.

Oh, here’s a pose-down between (above or to the left, whatever it looks like in the browser) Sara and I in Baku at the World Championships … yes, I’ve dropped about 20 pounds since.

Sara’s currently training down at Division II Limestone College. Her boyfriend Trent Goodale is an assistant coach for the Saints and Ben Stehura was a teammate of McMann’s at Lock Haven. Sara also now has company, as Jenny Wong and Mary Kelly are also training in Gaffney, S.C.

Hey Trent, you still owe me a t-shirt …

This is great exposure for the women’s wrestling, the sport’s exposure nationwide and ultimately, a wrestling story in a major all-sports magazine. High Fives go to the folks at USAW for getting this one through.

Oh, keep an eye on USA Today this weekend, another feature on wrestling personalities. We need it after USA Today botched the hell out of covering the NCAA Division I Championships.

NAIA adds yet another wrestling program
Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan., announced Wednesday it was adding two sports to its athletics roster. Women’s bowling and men’s wrestling will be coming to the school and will start during the 2009 season. The NAIA’s goal of working towards 50 college wrestling programs by 2010 is coming close, but with Baker announcing, it brings the total number of college wrestling teams added since 1999 to 57.

The NAIA also looks to be adding more women’s wrestling programs. Currently of the eight colleges which have added or will add wrestling, seven are in the NAIA. Lindenwood announced the addition of a program last week. The only NCAA program with a varsity wrestling program is Division III Pacific University in Oregon.

Well, isn’t this an interesting turn of events
Some of the nation’s top high school programs are often accused of it and South Dakota has moved to make it a non-issue entirely. The state has banned post-match hand-shakes. Many times, intense programs and their core of wrestlers don’t walk over and shake the opposing coach’s hand after a match. I always did, mainly because I was typically on the losing end of those bouts.

But it was a cadence for us, we’d shake, arm raise, go to the corner and shake the hand of the opposing coach. I never gave it much thought. I thought this was how it was done. Then one tournament I saw an entire team (it might have been at the Beast of the East or Virginia Duals) not shake hands. I thought to myself, “Wow, that’s arrogant.”

Well, then my opinion changed and it’s a topic of discussion amongst fans. Should it be about respect or should it be about sportsmanship or basically congratulating a coach on “beating you?”

I’m interested in your thoughts (cough) comment below (cough).

DeMarco passes
One of the great innovators in terms of tournaments, pairing and making off-season tournaments flow much easier has passed away.

Paul Franklin writes about Greg DeMarco and his lasting legacy on New Jersey wrestling. I’ve only seen pictures of the Old Bridge wrestling festival, but friends from Jersey still tell me the stories about great matches they’ve wrestled or witnessed in the summer time outside.

Our condolences go to the DeMarco family. I never had the pleasure of meeting Greg, but hear good things.

I’m curious to hear the good things folks here might have to say about him.

May 6: Four Points (oh!)

Because the weather is increasingly brilliant, I waited until after the work day ended and will scribble down today’s four points from my front porch, hearing the pre-game music for the Lancaster Barnstormers game against the Camden Riversharks in the Atlantic League. The ‘Stormers aren’t starting off so hot and I’ll probably make it to a game during the next homestand, but it’s a busy week in the office.

Rather than bore you with bad baseball leagues and the poor kid holding the Slugger’s Pizzeria sign on the corner of West New and Prince Streets, we’ll get on to today’s Four Points.

Gas: $3.57
Weather: Sunny, warm and 71 degrees.
Tip of the Day: Always ask how big a margarita is before you order “the biggest margarita you’ve got.”

The dreaded APR released
The NCAA released its annual Academic Progress Report on Tuesday and several wrestling teams fell below the cutline of 925 and will be hit with scholarship reductions by the NCAA.

APR links below (from NCAA.org)

»	Public Recognition Awards by School
»	Public Recognition Awards by Sport
»	Penalty List by Institution
»	Penalty List by Sport
»	Penalty List by Penalty Type
»	Penalty List for Institutions that Failed to Satisfy a Conditional Waiver
»	Four-Year APR Averages

This year’s wrestling hit list:
Binghamton
Cal State-Bakersfield
Cal State-Fullerton
Clarion
Delaware State
N.C. State
Old Dominion
Portland State
Rider
Sacred Heart
UC Davis
UT-Chattanooga
VMI
West Virginia

Who’s going to feel the most pressure? Probably UT-Chattanooga, which found itself in the second year below the 925 mark and at worst, could see a ban from post-season competition if the APR doesn’t reach the 925 mark next season.

The APR is one of those things where common sense doesn’t seem to be applied. The public, and much of the media for that matter, simply review the APR as “oh, they are a bunch of derelicts who don’t go to class and graduate.”

Yeah, well guess what chucko, transfers out of a program actually are just as detrimental to an athlete who becomes ineligible. Now, it’s those “0-for-2″ athletes that really can hamper a programs amongst schools with minimal scholarships.

As we saw when Eastern Illinois cut wrestling and blamed substandard APR numbers, there’s always more to a story than just numbers. We know numbers can turn facts into points of discussion and points of discussion into facts.

The NWCA will be releasing its annual Division I All-Academic Teams and Individuals tomorrow. There’s going to be quite a contradiction into what the GPA of one team is compared to its APR.

Wrestling only has 10 positions, so when rosters of 30 have more than 10 wrestlers on scholarship money, and a couple of them are less than stellar, we’ve got a problem.

I don’t want to re-hash the same song and dance I discussed here last year.

Bottom line …  the APR has some fixes needed. Wrestlers and coaches need to fix their grades, but if it’s transfers deciding to go closer to home or a major being cut or a family emergency, there needs to be some common sense.

Arkansas at it again
Got an e-mail from our man in Little Rock, Greg Hatcher. The Arkansas Activities Association WILL sanction (officially) high school wreslting in the state for the 2008-09 season. The state tournament will be held Feb. 13-14, 2008 as to not conflict with other state tournaments in the AAA.

Hatcher believes no other sport will get as much press that particular weekend, although some wrestling coaches wives might have something to say about the tournament falling on Valentine’s Day.

You know what that means … Arkansas, welcome to the world of the coaches wife!

Ron Finley, are you fixin’ to do something?
Interesting e-mail was forwarded to me today which originated with former Oregon wrestling coach Ron Finley, the driving force behind the SaveOregonWrestling.com campaign.

Give it a look and tell me what you think? I like where he’s going with this. Keep pluggin’ away Fin! 

NWCA announces Scholastic Awards … and some names you know.
The National Wrestling Coaches Association announced its yearly Scholastic Award winners on Tuesday. Coach of the Year honors went to Apple Valley (Minn.) Head Coach Jim Jackson, while Scholastic Wrestler of the Year was awarded to Easton (Pa.) senior Jordan Oliver. Schuyler Central (Neb.) assistant Tom Spale was named NWCA Assistant Coach of the Year.

Get the full stuff here.