Players don?t look to me down the third baseline for bunt signs. They don?t look to me for guidance when their first serve continuously misses to the right or clips the top of the net. I don?t make calls to the bullpen and I don?t embrace gymnasts after their floor routines.
I don?t coach. But, I do have a stake in the Sacramento State athletic program and, as the Hornets continue to damage their credibility as a sports program, I?m beginning to think I just might be the only one who gives a damn.
Why did the University of the Pacific host the recent opening-round games of the NCAA Tournament held at the Arco Arena?
It never ceases to fail. Just when you think things can?t get any worse, Sac State goes and outdoes itself. How is a school almost an hour outside of Sacramento going to host the biggest event in intercollegiate athletics, especially when the forum is in our own backyard?
There is no telling what kind of impact this opportunity will have for UOP and their athletic program in the future. This season marks the third time in the past 12 years that UOP "hosted" the NCAA men?s basketball West Regional Tournament. Considering that its name and logo were plastered all over the arena while games were broadcasted into homes, classrooms and offices all across the nation, chances are that all this positive advertisement didn?t hurt its cause.
Sac State lost out to the several benefits that UOP will reap.
Aside from the exposure, UOP could receive an honorarium from the NCAA. UOP will be rewarded financially after the tournament proceeds are counted.
Those that volunteered for UOP at the tournament, namely students of the school?s sports training and sports management programs, gained excellent experience for working at one of the nation?s largest athletic stages ? the NCAA men?s basketball tournament. How?s that for a resume booster? It?s a shame that Sac State students couldn?t benefit from that experience.
Lastly, UOP was given an opportunity to create a network with nationwide media and representatives from other universities and UOP was given the chance to leave lasting impressions on them.
The Tigers will forever be associated with the 2001-02 NCAA Tournament, and, even though they didn?t qualify, prospects and recruits are more receptive to that. Sac State, on the other hand, has nothing to show for it. We?re simply the other school in Sacramento, you know, behind Davis and UOP.
What?s next? Will we be giving the Tigers our lunch money during recess everyday too?
Unfortunately, the athletic department today is paying for the mishaps of yesterday?s faculty. Judith Such-Such, who was director of athletics just before Debby Colberg took over, failed to place the bid to host the tournament four years ago when it was due.
Why are our most successful sports the ones that aren?t sanctioned by the NCAA?
Maybe that isn?t the right question. Maybe the question should be: Why doesn?t anyone know about rugby, men?s volleyball and crew? They should. All three programs combine to have a better winning percentage and stature than our major sports: baseball, football and basketball.
Instead of priding ourselves on losing programs, it might be in the school?s best interest to make a change for the better.
And, from this standpoint, that means one of two things needs to take place. Either we take away from the major sports and start feeding into these more successful programs or we make a concerted effort to start recruiting the best. Not the best of what?s left, but the best of what?s out there. But, we all know that is too much to ask for.
Chico State cut its football team a few years back, feeding what was left to the lesser-known but more successful programs that were hungry for the attention. In turn, Chico State has turned out two highly competitive programs with the likes of water skiing and water polo.
