Not adding up wrote:
11 CIS X-C titles in a row for the Guelph women and 9 of the last 10 for the men. Excellence by anyone's definition. Track results are similar for Guelph. These type of results just don't happen without many people acting in a positive way. Sorry critics. Not a believer of your interpretation of events here.
All true, including the part about people "acting in a positive way".
For all I know you're too young to recall this, but I have been a long time admirer, even defender at times, of Guelph and its athletes. Until a few years ago, they were a model program for me--and they still are in many respects. Its leadership really is capable of doing great things-- and without colluding to rig bids, brazenly stacking national teams when given the chance, having athletes start a championship race with the primary purpose of impeding other athletes (then letting one of said athletes take the public flack for it), or this latest thing of submitting "fudged" applications, then working the committee receiving those applications to get special consideration for SR athletes. That the SR leadership has shown the ability to succeed without doing these things just makes their resort to them all the sadder and more disappointing. It just does not have to be this way.
I'm hoping this latest thing (and it has not played out just yet) will induce a sudden outbreak of conscience and integrity somewhere within the group. I simply can't believe that it doesn't bother at least a few people close to or within it.
When your competitive days are over (and they seem to end before you know it) all you have is your reputation. You'll get some respect for having worked hard and succeeded, but you'll get a lot more if you did it with grace and integrity at all times. (And, no, just having been a good and loyal team member won't do it; the degree of respect you showed for the whole sport community will be the real measure your integrity. And it only takes a little bit of bad behaviour to erase a ton goodwill). In Canada, we have some great role models in this respect (including Dennis Fairall, Hugh Cameron, and Paul Poce, all of whom succeeded over many decades while managing to be be universally admired and respected inside and outside their programs.) At their current rate, the SR leadership will be remembered as winners, but not much more.