R
no surprise, never really is....the schools that are private and don't have the luxury of dipping into taxpayers pockets in various ways to subsidize their sports, can't field as many teams, and can't pump the money into the sport and the recruiting budget to be as competitive in all the sports.
They go for quality instead of quantity and the results confirm success with more of the private kids making the pros and excelling academically.
In the end, we are proud of our institution's performances in the sports we do field and in their academic achievements, which far surpass those of the schools that finish above Bradley in the rather meaningless "all sports trophy".
Does such an actual "trophy" truly exist or is it only on paper?
Maybe its just that those other schools have substantially larger enrollments, so that for sports where there isn't much in the way of recruiting budgets, teams can be filled from those in the general student body.I guess I'm just inclined to say that other schools have a community and campus that support more than basketball and soccer, and that they're just better all-around. Nothing more, nothing less.
First here is the breakdown of all schools and the sports (minus football) that the MVC sponsors. I know WSU has a bowling team, not sure that's really a sport but whatever.
Illinois St. (17)
UNI, SIU (16)
Indiana St., Wichita St. (15)
Bradley, Drake(14)
MSU, Creighton, Evansville (13)
Of the schools listed, both Illinois State and SIU are public schools in a state that doesn't allow funds for athletics. Yeah, yeah, I know you linked an article a few days ago about public financing, but if those buildings are being used primarily for educational purposes like ISU's fieldhouse which houses classroom space, then technically that portion of the building is subject to the campus building funds for improvement by the State of Illinois.
UNI is dropping baseball due to funding issues, Missouri St. in recent years dropped two highly successful tennis programs due to funding constraints.
Illinois State dropped wrestling about 10-15 years ago for Title IX.
Indiana State's fan would rather they drop football than continue to pretend that they're playing it at the FCS level.
How one can disparage the success of other schools sports programs as picking "quantity" over "quality" is absurd at best. Most public schools non-revenue sports are typically a drain on the financially solvent revenue producing sports. I would guess that if every school could throw all their money into one sport such as basketball and get rid of the others it would mean that everyone would have one or two successful programs and the others would falter? Faulty logic at best.
I would rather look at why a school like Creighton which has success in Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Softball stink at every other sport. Is it that they don't commit the resources? They don't invest in those facilities to attract better recruits? Or is it that at CU, BU or other schools some athletic programs are the "haves" and others the "have nots"?
It's my best example so don't flog me for mentioning them, but ISU has upgraded their outdoor tennis courts, purchased an indoor off-campus tennis facility, upgrade their baseball, softball, basketall, football (turf & Kaufmann bldg.), Track (new surface about 10 years ago), Redbird Arena (new locker rooms, scoreboard, weight facility, offices, etc,).
So are we to believe that they did what BU, CU or other private schools can't because the STATE paid for it? If they did get some money from the State, what estimate would you say they got? 10%, 50%, 75% of the money? Why isn't SIU, EIU, NIU, UIUC and every other State school lining up for their lion's share?
The article stated that ISU finished in the top 5 of 16 of 17 sports they sponsor, the highest percentage in MVC history. Seems that finishing higher should be the goal, not bringing down other schools for doing what BU can't.
I guess I'm just inclined to say that other schools have a community and campus that support more than basketball and soccer, and that they're just better all-around. Nothing more, nothing less.