Bye bye UO wrestling
There are two opinion pieces in the Ol’ Dirty today about Duck wrestling getting the ax. From the editorial:
The clearest explanation of why wrestling won’t be back next year is that there is no clear reason.
From a sports column by Doug Bonham:
Out of the research I’ve done, interviews I’ve conducted, and everything I’ve seen surrounding the end of the program, not one of the athletic department’s arguments holds much water.
My initial reaction was “isn’t Title IX a clear reason for having to cut wrestling?” But then I read this ODE feature from last week that reported:
Contrary to common belief, the decision to remove wrestling is not a Title IX issue; Oregon qualifies for Title IX under history of expansion of opportunities for women, which doesn’t require removing men’s sports.
I contacted Joe Giansante, associate athletic direct — external communications, asking if Title IX actually isn’t connected to cutting the sport. He said that Title IX was a factor in the decision, but only because it is a factor in every decision the department has to make. He said that Title IX and money have incorrectly been pointed to as the sole reasons for the sport being eliminated. From an e-mail:
“The media and wrestling group has painted this as if Oregon is doing something revolutionary by eliminating the sport … their sport’s lack of popularity and uncertain future, combined with the title ix and financial uncertainties, combined with the growth of baseball combine to make this an easy decision.”
Giansante notes that Oregon is the 422nd NCAA wrestling program to be eliminated; there are only two “traditional” Pac 10 schools with a program; and “We sold 3 times as many tickets for the women’s basketball game this weekend as we did for the pac-10 wrestling championships.” OK, you sold me on the third note.
I haven’t been to a wrestling match since high school, and am somewhat indifferent on the issue. The one benefit I see from the wrestling program is that it is a great link to rural Oregon high schools and it is a shame to lose that, since a majority of athletic recruiting happens outside the state these day – 14 of the 18 wrestlers graduated from an Oregon high school. Although, as Oregon State University has shown, there is enough talent in Oregon high schools to produce championship baseball teams.
As for Title IX, I have never been a fan since it discriminates against male athletes in order to stop discrimination against female athletes. Although without Title IX, the university would be without its No. 19 ranked women’s lacrosse team, the best thing to happen to the University since the foundation of the Oregon Commentator.
