(01-22-2017 01:18 PM)ODU Hoops Wrote: I might be surprised if you put some validity behind your posts, but you don't. So I'm not surprised.
On one hand you don't expect me to refile the FOIA's to validate my claims, and on the other, you say I haven't posted any validity. Clear to me you either want me to waste my time proving something to you that you're not going to accept regardless -- or you sit there and say I haven't provided anything.
You know what I provide in this instance that no one else has? Experience and research. This stuff is in my head because it's been a part of my life. I'm a well-respected journalist in wrestling nationally, and locally, I'm still regarded as a good one, even though I don't live in Hampton Roads anymore.
If Harry were to come on this board and say the same thing in the same manner, how many would simply take it as valid? I'd say most of you, right?
I'm not an expert on ODAF specifically, but I've also been on the inside of the boosters at ODU long enough to know there's money directly tied to non-revenue alumni that do go into the coffers of football and basketball.
Where I am an expert is in the factors that led to hundreds of programs being dropped and, in wrestling's specific situation, the over 160 new college wrestling teams that have sprouted up across all Divisions since 2000.
So you're asking for validity -- my word is valid. I have zero reason to contrive things. Wrestling is on strong footing, so I'm not worried there.
He's a simple example from SIU Edwardsville. They're D1 now, but when they were D2, they were a wrestling powerhouse, coached by Olympians and routinely placed wrestlers at the D1 level (in an era where D2 champions qualified for the D1 tournament).
The program was the most successful historically and had a long line of wealthy alumni, including a guy with an incredible net worth. The school dropped wrestling and the donations came to a crawl. When they reinstated wrestling, it perked up with new facilities, but then the admins moved to D1, fast-tracked soccer and alienated the same wrestling alums again. They pulled a ton of support, not just for athletic facilities, but for academic ones as well because of poor athletic management.
The lesson for SIUE was be careful which sports you alienate and alums you feel you have a "handle" on, because the school is still fighting for financial support. This guy is now funding a local youth wrestling club where SIUE could have reaped the benefits of this alum's support.
Long story short, if you don't think what I'm saying has any validity, then you're not going to think anything I post is valid, regardless if I dig up my research and FOIA requests from the past 15 years. Even if I wasted my time to "surprise" you, questioning if what I'm saying is valid or not is simply putting your head in the sand. I'm not just some zealot about wrestling -- I've put years of time and research into this. The fact you're unfamiliar with it isn't my problem, it just means your search for validity needs to expand past what you're familiar with.
What I'm saying is valid. I'm not going to spend any more time bellowing about how it is because you say it isn't.
I trust our admins to do the right thing, not the lazy thing.