May 6, 2008...7:38 pm
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)
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.
1 Comment
May 7, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Arkansas is really taking off with wrestling. They seem to be really enthused about making wrestling big there.
Now if only the rest of our people shared in that same enthusiasm, we could really get some things going.
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