UNC approving plan to decimate and maybe eliminate the Track program

Your use of "totem pole" this way is offensive to us.

They're going to destroy a tenth of the track program?

Couple people have said it here. UNC really isn't worried about the profitability of a team like track. They have plenty of money to support them and their facilities. The reason the team is being shat on like this is because they take those nearly unparalleled university resources every year and shit out a team that loses to the farm school down the road (NC State). This is because they don't recruit in-state kids and their absolute idiots for it.

Field hockey, wrestling, soccer all get tons of love at UNC because at least they win something every once and a while.

watch your micro-aggressions bro

Carolina Alumus wrote:

Why are you still giving money to the University after this athletic scandal? I reluctantly gave to the University until last year. Once the University went on SACS probation for this crap, that was it. No more money until they get their priorities straight.

UNC Track '09, SOM '16 wrote:

I plan to write a letter to the Athletic Department and Chancellor Folt informing them that they can count on no further donations from me if they go through with this plan to replace the track with an indoor football practice facility. I encourage all alumni who feel similarly to do the same.

You do realize that every d1 school does this, right? It was unfortunate that UNC had a whistleblower and got caught. I ran for a mid major school and I was told by advisers to take certain classes because all the athletes who take those classes will get an A. I didn't end up taking those classes because I had a real major which required a full set of core classes for my curriculum. I had friends at power 5 conferences and their schools did the same thing. I understand that it's not "right" and should be stopped, but everyone is doing it. These classes are usually filled with football and basketball kids and I think that goes to show the caliber of xc and track athletes, but UNC isn't the only school involved. If you think that's the case, then you'd be shocked to find out what some of these SEC schools do for their athletes.

NC does need track

"We use athletes in America for the Olympics we do not develop them."

Larry Myricks, 3 X Olympian, 28'8" LJ, 20.03 200 meter dash

"We have two or three times the number of 60 meter Discus throwers than any other country in the world! However the reason why we have not had a Gold Medal winner since 1976 is because we do not fund our athletes after college. Our athletes have to work in addition to attempting to train full-time. In Europe if you throw 60 meters, you do not have to have a job!"

Jason Young, 2012 Olympian Discus Thrower

Have you looked at what high school kids are doing in this country? A sophomore in high school pole vaulted 18 feet this winter for a new record by about 1/2 inch. (That's an indoor record, the outdoor mark is not as high.)

You will see high school kids run times you would think are reserved only for college or older.

But what happens to those good kids from high school. Because of grades they cannot get a scholarship and many have to attend Juco first. We lose a lot of great athletes that way. But we have many left over that are also left out because they have to find jobs!

Now with all the college losing track programs (mostly men's programs) there are even fewer places for these kids to go. Like every other sport, what happens at the top filters down!!!

So you guys are mad at me for being against the marathon. Well as it is we only give high schools and old people the chance to get recognition! I actually am not against the marathon. I would just like there to be some balance.

Then how about Timbuktu Univ. paying for hotels and food for a HOME GAME. They do this for over 100 very big football players. Hey, how about a little love for Track & Field!!!!!!!

Maybe it's time to stop relying on universities to develop our world class athletes.

Can you tell me which other schools had a 20 year long scheme where athletes received grades for classes that did not meet, never existed in the curriculum, and where no work was required?

This scandal went way beyond "easy" classes or athlete friendly professors.

Here is a primer here, but you should really look at the articles that detail the scheme.

Have you ever been to a track meet at UNC? They absolutly suck. Having a new track will help a lot, with stands or without. UNC typically host one or two outdoor meets a year and never even run their own athletes.

ECU host a meet once a year and has the same set up they are describing. A brand new track with bleachers they bring in. The meet is typically a big success with a lot of fans down right next to the fence the whole time cheering.

Lack of stands is only a real issue if you regularly host big meets. It may make ACC's difficult, but other than that, not that big of a deal.

happens everywhere wrote:

UNC isn't the only school involved. If you think that's the case, then you'd be shocked to find out what some of these SEC schools do for their athletes.

Everyone is pretending this isn't true and hasn't been true since, well, probably ever.

The NCAA asked me to ask you, "Why do you hate America?" They did so much for you with funding your money-losing T&F sport with their broadcast revenue ball sports and now you launch false rumors on some Internet forum.

pop_pop!_v2.2.1 wrote:

happens everywhere wrote:

UNC isn't the only school involved. If you think that's the case, then you'd be shocked to find out what some of these SEC schools do for their athletes.

Everyone is pretending this isn't true and hasn't been true since, well, probably ever.

The NCAA asked me to ask you, "Why do you hate America?" They did so much for you with funding your money-losing T&F sport with their broadcast revenue ball sports and now you launch false rumors on some Internet forum.

Don't lump us in with those slime ball schools. A couple revenue athletes took a few easy classes. Not a big deal.

In 2010 Syracuse University got rid of its indoor track (albeit not a great one) for a football practice facility.

http://blog.syracuse.com/orangefootball/2010/07/manley_field_house_returns_to.html

Here it is in plain English: “No question football’s going to be the main tenant,” said SU athletics director Daryl Gross. “We never lose sight of the fact that for us to be successful, football and basketball have to perform well, because that’s going to drive the revenue that supports all of the sports. And all of our coaches understand that.”

Both the AD and football coach from that year are gone, the football team has gone 27-35 and football attendance dropped 22% in 2015 (second worst among Power 5 conferences to... North Carolina (24%)). Oh yeah, and the Cross Country team won a National Championship.

That being said, I still recognize that a single poorly attended football game makes the University more money than a decade of cross country and track meets.

Listen, you can have your own opinion about who is the better program but you can't have your own facts. Since the new staff came on board, in ACC Track Championships, UNC is 6-2 against NC ST on men's side with more than a few top 3 finishes by UNC and more than a few bottom 25% finishes by State. UNC has also been one of a handful (14-16) of teams nationally who've scored points at nationals in all 3 seasons for men and women, which they did last year. And yes, I know this isn't the point of the thread but crap like this can't go uncorrected.

Congrats on the team this year, they've shown impressive improvement, but this thread is not a pissing match between State and Chapel Hill.

progressive shrinkage wrote:

A grossly excessive emphasis on football and basketball is combining with Title IX to drastically pare back "non-revenue" sports, especially for men.

This problem has been going on for a while at colleges with less prominent athletic programs than Carolina. It's apparently working it's way up.

This.

Women's sports both nationally and internationally have benefited. Men's not so.

But the NFL and the NBA are happy with their farm schools.

Do they still have that two mile flat wooded loop behind the golf course (back on that ecological preserve)? At least it will be nice to have that as a warm up and cool down loop.

Slime Ball Schools wrote:

Don't lump us in with those slime ball schools. A couple revenue athletes took a few easy classes. Not a big deal.

A couple? For 10 years?

Yeah, it can't be happening at other schools. All the broadcast revenue programs produce highly performing ball sports athletes taking a full set of courses.

It could happen... Somewhere... Not here...

"Maybe it's time to stop relying on universities to develop our world class athletes."

That might be reality someday soon. Do you have any ideas?

How about a few of those big marathons putting money back into the sport by donating some of their funds to college track programs that are dying? I know of a program that cut that has several marathons in the surrounding area. They could combine some of their resources and revive that strong program.

(That college T & F program was one of the best in that area of the country!)