Jay, here.
Man, I thought I had stepped into yesterday.
My wife and I were walking to the Oregon-Washington State Men’s Basketball game this evening and I could have sworn I was hallucinating. Considering I’m not a huge fan of mescaline or LSD, I knew there had to be some explanation for what I was seeing drive away from Mac Court on University Street.
And what I saw made me wonder if it was 2008, or 1968.
Were my eyes playing a joke on me? Or did I just see Ken Kesey’s Further bus?
“Give Peace A Chance.”
It was indeed the Further bus, but there were no merry pranksters there. Instead, the “Save Wrestling” campaign had a great notion to protest the termination of the Unversity of Oregon’s Wrestling program in front of Mac Court prior to the Oregon-Washington State game.
“Hey, hey…Ho, ho…Wrestling does not have to go!”
I know wrestling supporters want a further inquiry into the reason for the cancellation of the the program. But I don’t think they’re going to get it. Unfortunately for wrestling, I think this is the last go round.
I will say this, though, I love the out-of-the-Demon-Box thinking.
Wrestling ‘07-’08: A Strange and Terrible Saga
On a night that saw one Oregon team lose, I think another Oregon team won. But I’m afraid it’s only for a night. Too soon the Wrestling program will wish that it was 1968, instead of 2008, with another forty good years ahead of them.
attitude changer Says:
February 17th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Instead of just writing a great blog…also consider writing a letter to the Oregon AD and or President. It isn’t too late and Ken Kesey would say that isn’t the point!
Mike Says:
February 17th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
the problem with wrestling is not the money factor its that the conference as a whole does not support it. There are only 3 other Pac-10 schools that offer the sport. I am sad to see it go, but until the wrestling community can drum up support at other schools to restart wrestling programs it is not surprising to see it cut.
Bill Says:
February 17th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Title IX was devastating to wrestling when it first hit. UCLA, CAL, U of A, and U of W dropped it within 2 years. WSU dropped it about 5 years later. USC never had wrestling. The current Pac 10 teams have been alive and well for 22 years. Why all of a sudden does kilkenny think wrestling is not worth having? The money is being raised by the alumni, and title IX compliance is fine. When was the last time the U of O turned down 2.5 million dollars.? This is more money than baseball raised if you disregard Kilkenny’s donation. There is more money coming in all the time.
Check out http://www.savingsports.org/presentation/ to see graphs of the demise of male minor sports. Male minor sports are paying the price for the big #s in football.
Not right Says:
February 21st, 2008 at 11:21 am
Arizona turned down 5 million bucks as well a few years ago to bring back wrestling, which was cut years ago for Title IX purposes. A few years ago,WSU told wrestling supporters that 3-5 million wasn’t enough to bring back wrestling, bring in 20 million to the table to fund wrestling and two women’s spots and we will talk. Wrestling being held ransom or hotsage? I think so. Look at a few of the “other” sports that Oregon is supporting and you will see that not all of them are represented by a full compliment of PAc 10 schools either. And whay should that matter, regardless? Since when did UO follow what others are doing? When the U dropped wrestling and added baseball and cheer, Rene Baumgartner sat up at the table and smiled and talked about”being outside of the box and at the forefront.” Being a progressive university would have the UO add baseball and keep wrestling, continuiing to provide opportunities for these kids. Much like they did in adding women’s lacrosse a few years ago. As you may or may not know, Lacrosse is a not a sanctioned vent in state at the high school level.
Woogie Says:
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I’m proud of the Kesey family for standing up to be heard and seen as supporters. I hope a solution is found to satisfy everyone. Keep the team!
David C. Nelson '75 Says:
February 25th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Hundreds of newspapers picked up the AP wire story on the Kesey bus-capade. Go to the SaveOregonWrestling.com web site and follow the links. The campaign to save the sport has now appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the International Herald-Tribune, Newsweek.com and Forbes.com, and the web sites of Fox News and ABC News.