Ohio University track and field supporters still fighting

Heading down to OU later this month...will have to check it out.

out of curiosity, what has all this "fighting" gotten them?

i appreciate the passion and dedication to track and field that a core group of supporters have shown, but this seems to be headed the way of the JMU folks (whatever happened to their lawsuit that was suppossed to overturn title ix?)

heck, the longer this fight drags on, the more it makes the ohio supporters seem quite bush league:

did they really sign the letter to the editor "Trials of Miles. Miles of Trials"? this isn't some high school 80s movie, this is real life with millions of dollars at play and teams of lawyers and executives, and you've got people quoting an obscure book that no one outside a distance runner locker room has ever run.

Disgruntled Ortho Tech... wrote:

out of curiosity, what has all this "fighting" gotten them?

i appreciate the passion and dedication to track and field that a core group of supporters have shown, but this seems to be headed the way of the JMU folks (whatever happened to their lawsuit that was suppossed to overturn title ix?)

heck, the longer this fight drags on, the more it makes the ohio supporters seem quite bush league:

did they really sign the letter to the editor "Trials of Miles. Miles of Trials"? this isn't some high school 80s movie, this is real life with millions of dollars at play and teams of lawyers and executives, and you've got people quoting an obscure book that no one outside a distance runner locker room has ever run.

I'm not sure how continuing to fight makes someone look "bush league"; it makes you look dedicated.

Saying that college kids can't quote esoteric books because lawyers are involved makes you seem stupid.

Let's hope they can get their program back, one way or the other; this is an injustice, plain and simple.

Any good cause deserves a few good people willing to fight the good fight. The problem with so many people are they willing to complain and do nothing. I am sure all involved have the heart to keep up the fight. Maybe the OU president and AD will end up like the Western Michigan’s president and AD. Looking for a new job!!

No Matter wrote:

I'm not sure how continuing to fight makes someone look "bush league"; it makes you look dedicated.

Saying that college kids can't quote esoteric books because lawyers are involved makes you seem stupid.

Let's hope they can get their program back, one way or the other; this is an injustice, plain and simple.

This isn't an "injustice." Separate schools for black and white students is an injustice. Not allowing women to vote or own property is an injustice. This is called "life" - also known as "the way the world works."

Look, I want to see track and field flourish in this country. I love the sport as much as anyone, maybe more than most. And it pains me to see programs cut and the opportunities at the collegiate level shrink every year.

But I'm also a realist and someone who has lived outside the college campus, done something besides run on a track team. The folks at Ohio are going against an administration that has committed to giving millions of dollars to a football program. This includes, apparently, the Board of Regents (who are usually wealthy businessmen and lawyers), the Athletic Director, and lots of donors and alumni.

Now, college kids are free to quote whatever they like, in whatever way they feel fit. But think of it this way - if the football team wrote a letter arguing against bringing back track and were to quote a Matt Christopher book, what would people think?

Everything this group does should be geared to getting the program back, but actually what they seem to be doing is calling attention to the "injustice" that they feel has been done. The education of the community is a nice thing, but it doesn't help one bit in getting the program back.

It's like those kids you see on campus asking for signatures to support: the environment, world peace, fair trade practices, etc. It's nice but at the end of the day standing on a street corner getting signatures doesn't help bring about those things. "Raising awareness" is a cop out by those who aren't doing work towards a goal.

Sorry if reality is biting these guys in the ass. It seems like it's been doing that for a while now and they haven't changed their tune.

This isn't about reality, it's about you wanting to piss on someone's parade due solely to your pessimistic outlook on life.

Your type always has the reasons as to why something cannot work but can never think outside the box long enough to arrive at, much less work for a solution.

You are too willing to accept defeat. Thankfully, the folks at OU aren't of the same ilk.

Agent Orange wrote:

Your type always has the reasons as to why something cannot work but can never think outside the box long enough to arrive at, much less work for a solution.

You are too willing to accept defeat. Thankfully, the folks at OU aren't of the same ilk.

So let me get this straight...

Writing letters to the editor and quoting "Once a Runner" is thinking outside the box and working towards a solution?

That's a pretty small box...

Frankly, all the "solutions" offered by these people: writing letters/protesting/filing a lawsuit challenging Title IX, are all examples of thinking INSIDE the box.

It is all stuff that has been tried before, and failed. (Remember 'Equity in Athletics' - they put out a bunch of press releases when they founded the group and filed their lawsuit, and since July they've given no updates...see here:

)

But, keep on keepin' on, I guess. Lessons to be learned here.

Once again with the defeatist attitude.

If you can't be part of the solution, you must be part of the problem as well.

Let me get this. If you are up against the big guys (president and AD) just say we can change things and give up.

I am glad that this was not the case for the past 200 plus years of American history. As if the small guys (blacks and women for civil rights, equal opportunity and so on and so on). We should have stayed in Europe under the King’s rule.

Keep up the fight for the causes you believe in!!

Letsrun - thank for the plug on the home page -

Save Ohio Track and Field Blog Launched (And They Have a Billboard in Ohio as Well) The blog is pretty interesting. They point out how many schools can axe more $$$ from women's sports (scholarship sports), but more men's #s and then be in compliance with the proportionality test of Title IX. The proportionality test is a joke. If we were advising schools to beat the system, we would put 100 girls in XC/track which counts as 2 or 3 sports.

http://bringingbackohiotrack.blogspot.com

Saw this in one of the letter to editor on the OU web site and wanted to share it..

The Mid-American Conference universities have created a crisis in the track and field community. In the past few years, Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, the University of Toledo, Western Michigan University and former MAC school Marshall University have dropped men’s track and field.

Ohio University dropped men''s track and field last January.

Why is the MAC destroying the most popular sport in the world? According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, boys’ track and field has the second most schools offering the sport with 15,497 high schools sponsoring a team. It ranks third in participation with 533,985 student-athletes.

In Ohio, 728 high schools offer boys’ track and field with a total of 24,219 student-athletes. This ranks boys’ track and field third in participation, with only 49 fewer student-athletes than baseball.

Track and field is one of the most diverse athletic programs at the collegiate level. According to the Ohio Board of Regents’ 2006 Performance Report, “Ohio University is the state’s least racially diverse college.” By cutting men’s track and field, the MAC universities have eliminated opportunities for both minorities and for all male track athletes. This is despite the fact that track and field is one of the most popular sports in high school and around the world. In fact, more countries are represented in track and field than any other Olympic sport.

The Title IX Web site states that “Title IX governs the overall equity of treatment and opportunity in athletics while giving schools the flexibility to choose sports based upon student body interest, geographic influence, budget restraints and gender ratio.” In 1999, Miami University dropped its indoor men’s track and field team to comply with the gender ratio issue. However, the university kept the outdoor team because it realized the popularity and diversity that track and field offers. How can universities destroy such a popular and diverse sport?

Whether you run or you are just concerned about the destruction of this popular sport, which provides opportunities for a diverse student body, please help save track and field at OU and in the MAC. What can you do? You can contact your university president, athletic director and board of trustees.

Your tax dollars help support your university, and the elected officials in Ohio need to know about this crisis. Write your U.S. Congress and Senate members to voice your concern —

www.house.gov/writerep

and

www.senate.gov

. Write to Governor Ted Strickland — governor.ohio.gov. Write the Ohio Board of Regents —

regents@regents.state.oh.us

.

...

Also let Ohio University officials you still care about track and field!!!

Ohio University President, Dr. Roderick McDavis, Office of the President, Cutler Hall 108, Athens, Ohio 45701 (740 )593- 1804 -

mcdavis@ohio.edu

Kirby Hocutt, Director of Athletics Ohio University, Intercollegiate AthleticsConvocation Center Athens, OH 45701 (740) 593-0982 -

athletics@ohio.edu

The Ohio University Board of Trustee:

R. Gregory Browning, Chairman, Capital Partners, President, 37 W. Broad Street, Suite 970, Columbus, OH 43215: (614) 224- 0999

Daniel DeLawder, Vice-Chairman, Park National Bank, 50 North Third Street, Newark, OH 43055 (740) 349-3746

Norman &Ned& E. Dewire, 228 Glen Village Court, Powell, OH 43065-9677 (614) 325-0250

Gene T. Harris, Columbus Education Center, 270 E. State Street, Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 365-5888

C. Robert Kidder. 3Stone Advisors LLC, 191 W. Nationwide Blvd., #600, Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 246-2445

M. Marnette Perry, Kroger Company, 1014 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 762-4225

Larry L. Schey, Larry Schey Chevrolet, 750 East State Street, Athens, OH 45701 (740) 593-6671

C. David Snyder, ATTEVO, 1940 E. 6th Street, Cleveland, OH 44114 (216) 928-2800

I think I will email the AD and president (again) to let them know there are still a few of us who care.

you should put girls with big boobs on the poster, it'll draw more attention

oh and use Yellowbook.com

man, what wrong with you...having a bad day. Give the guys some credit for caring enough to try to fight for something they believe in.

learn when to stop making yourself look like a whiner too. realize that saying how this is unfair, will not get your team back. wait until you can fund the program, or get people to put money where their mouth is, and you will have a chance.

crying about how the football team is taking money, or title nine taking scholarships, does no good. we all know how sad it is and how it is hurting the running community. the MAC is in trouble, as many programs have been cut, but western and ball state fought and realized that they could do other things than whine about it. it looks as though ball state might have a chance of getting their program back in the coming years.

get funding. then talk. don't cry about how unfair it is.

Anyone have a picture of the billboard?