FB: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[OxyBob]

He talks about it on our podcast, actually. Cushman starts at about the 44:00 mark.

Excellent interview, as usual. Good analysis by you and Keith.

Cushman put on a happy face.

OxyBob

[Pat Coleman]

He sounded pretty stressed and frustrated to me ... but he definitely knows that there's a political battle to be waged as well, and he walked the line on that a bit, for sure.

[MiacMan]

He sounded pretty stressed and frustrated to me ... but he definitely knows that there's a political battle to be waged as well, and he walked the line on that a bit, for sure.

Yeah, all things considered he did an outstanding job of toting the company line. I really feel bad for him. He is in a tough, tough situation. Holding up and surviving mentally will be equally as tough as it will be physically for Cushman and his team. They are going to feel like it is them against the world. I sure those young men can rally their fellow students.

[olddog]

Coach did a good job on his interview. Why in the heck would he stick around. President comes out and says I am not afraid to cancel the program, blah blah...it is obvious he is appeasing a certain group that want FB gone now. I love when academics think they are smarter than society. Cant have it both ways.

Lets Make Oxy Football great again, or cancel it, stop wasting money, go back to pulling 911 tribute flags out of the ground.

[Pat Coleman]

Coach did a good job on his interview. Why in the heck would he stick around.

If I had to guess: He doesn't want to leave the job unfinished. He thinks he can do it. And Southern California is a good place to be.

[olddog]

Coach did a good job on his interview. Why in the heck would he stick around.

If I had to guess: He doesn't want to leave the job unfinished. He thinks he can do it. And Southern California is a good place to be.

Good Place to be if you like sitting in traffic and paying half your income to Jerry Brown. #not like it used to be

[formerd3db]

I will "jump in here" with some random general thoughts.  Good comments all of you regarding the Occidental situation.  One aspect that I personally have always had a difficult problem dealing with is truly misguided academic leaders, such as apparently the current administration at Occidental as some of you have described/mentioned.  If everyone is honest (including those of us here), there is absolutely no reason why a school like Occidental can't have a good football program that coincides with the high academic standards that they want to maintain.  For them to say it is does not fit that model, is being disingenuous (and I am putting that in nicer terms ).  Schools like the University of Chicago, Washington University, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western Reserve, RIT, MIT, Amherst and the other NESCAC teams, etc., etc., (there are obviously many more I could name here) do it successfully so Occidental can do it also.

This situation, of course, is nothing new as it has happened in college football history at all levels for many years.  We only have to recall the misguided philosophy of Robert Maynard Hutchins at the U of Chicago way back in 1939 as well as the more recent Swarthmore debacle back in 2000 as examples.  No reason at all to go down that route and I don't "buy it" and never will.  Moreover, as most of you have commented, it really says something about the alumni stepping up to save the program and fund it.  That is another aspect that there is no reason it can't be done.  The example of Macalester has already been mentioned (I recall that chapter, when Irv Cross was the AD, right Pat?).  Also, when Michigan Tech (DII) was going to discontinue their longstanding program back in the early 2000s, their football alumni and other alumni not associated with football stepped up and raised over 3 million dollars in three months to save the program and it is stable (heck, they hold the DII attendance record of some nearly 50,000 as I recall in a game, although admittedly, that was in Michigan Stadium).  Another example is Wayne State University in Detroit, MI (also DII) where their alumni stepped up way back in 1983 when the then President of that university tried to ax the program.  So it can be done. 

In addition, I realize, as some of you have also correctly pointed out, that the original intended objective by the alumni involved in the effort to save the program was for the money raised to go to the football program.  However, if it was part of the agreement with the administration and Board of Trustees that the mentioned portion was to go to the women's athletic programs at the school, then so be it and they did what was needed-I would do the same. And please, no one accuse me of being sexist and not supportive of the women's programs- I am not and I do.  Rather, when it really comes down to it, compromise is not bad and simply what must be done in many aspects in life to achieve the best result "in the cards that are dealt" any of us at times (too bad our Congress can't learn that! oops! Sorry Pat, I violated the "no general politics" rule here!) 

In summary, this is not to say that there will not be some challenges and still difficulties in moving forward in the future at Occidental that Coach Cushman and the football alumni supporters/fundraisers will continue to face as you all have pointed out.  However, from reading about what has been done so far, I think they will have a decent chance at having it continue on and I'm sure they will continue to "fight the good fight, run the good race."  I join all of you in wishing them all the best for this and commend all those who were involved in the diligent, courageous and tremendous effort to save the football program. The current Occidental players on the roster are grateful for this gift and opportunity, I'm sure.  Anyway, we'll all be watching. 

[D O.C.]

Good read d3db...since I am always in the outlier regions I put forth that getting women involved in the football program might assuage the AD.
Not just window dressing positions either. OXY may not land one, but in this current condition why not recruit one of these female high school kickers that are proliferating around the country? Sport medicine and conditioning is an obvious goal.

I suspect that because football does not gel into the Title IX mold it is being attacked.

               

        $.02

[formerd3db]

Good read d3db...since I am always in the outlier regions I put forth that getting women involved in the football program might assuage the AD.
Not just window dressing positions either. OXY may not land one, but in this current condition why not recruit one of these female high school kickers that are proliferating around the country? Sport medicine and conditioning is an obvious goal.

I suspect that because football does not gel into the Title IX mold it is being attacked.

               

        $.02

Thank you D O.C.!  Same in return to you...I agree with your idea/suggestion as well.  Years ago, I would not have agreed with the idea of having women involved as an active player on the football team, however, in this current era, I think that for the kicking positions, that is fine, although am not quite ready to agree with allowing them to participate at the other positions just yet (many factors involved, notwithstanding, the physical aspects).  As long as they can compete at that position and are good enough in the kicking position, why not? This, in a small part, can appease those who are, IMO, somewhat overzealous in pushing the equality gender issues. As you mention, women already provide a valuable contribution to football teams in college (and high school) in being athletic trainers and athletic administrators.

So if that were a potential model for Occidental in further solidifying the football program, then I believe it would be a satisfactory additional endeavor, an innovative idea. Sometimes, the latter is an appropriate option and actually works in some situations, such as the model that Adrian College in our MIAA (actually the great idea by the College's President) and chose to implement/"went out on a limb" a few years ago in the mid-2000s and forged ahead in adding men's and women's NCAA hockey teams, two club-collegiate ACHA hockey teams, NCAA skating women's program, and men's and women's lacrosse (in addition to having available for charge public free skating time at the College's hockey rink) all designed so as to enlarge and sustain their enrollment, now at 1700-1800 full-time students after their enrollment had fallen to well under 1,000 students for the first time in some 40 years.  Many people (including administrators in our league) thought they were "crazy" and not supportive of that idea.  However, it worked for Adrian and was/has been a tremendous success.  As I mentioned in my original post, sometimes, we just have to take a chance, although calculated chance and that, in conjunction with some compromise if/when deemed necessary and appropriate, all turns out in a "win-win" situation.  Good $0.02 worth you brought forth-I hadn't even thought about something like that as an additional extension of what Occidental's current plan is as has been outlined.   

P.S. Sorry for the poor, too long "run-on" sentence Pat.  Not great writing, and I could have edited it better.  But, then again, this is not like having to do that for my book manuscript that was recently published by the University of Oklahoma Press!  So, if you, in your professional expertise in journalism, communications, sports writing, sports broadcasting, etc., can give me "a pass" on this one, I would be most grateful!  

[George Thompson]

Good read d3db...since I am always in the outlier regions I put forth that getting women involved in the football program might assuage the AD.
Not just window dressing positions either. OXY may not land one, but in this current condition why not recruit one of these female high school kickers that are proliferating around the country? Sport medicine and conditioning is an obvious goal.

I suspect that because football does not gel into the Title IX mold it is being attacked.

               

        $.02

DOC, I just sent you a PM.    Seek your input.

George

[olddog]

Former Oxy QB (yes they used to played football) Bryan Scott was invited to the Chiefs mini camp and CLU/Regals WR Aaron Lacombe was invited to the Rams mini camp. Aaron recently tried out with the Rams.

Good luck boys

[MUC57]

olddog

Don't know either one of them but wish them all the best. And good luck to all the Dlll guys in the pros. Hey, great athletes play at our level too. Glad to see them get some much deserved recognition!
As I seem to be known for saying, "Go Raiders. Oh hell, Go Everybody!
Good luck to all of our teams. ☠🏈😀

[Gray Fox]

Oxy turning to Ultimate Frisbee as their lead sport.

Pat doesn't have a section for this sport.
I'm sure olddog will have plenty to say about it.

http://www.theoccidentalweekly.com/sports/2018/04/24/detox-downs-claremont-return-second-nationals-row/2893124

[olddog]

Oxy turning to Ultimate Frisbee as their lead sport.

Pat doesn't have a section for this sport.
I'm sure olddog will have plenty to say about it.

http://www.theoccidentalweekly.com/sports/2018/04/24/detox-downs-claremont-return-second-nationals-row/2893124

Soon they will be the club sports kings, its safer that way..

[Mr. Ypsi]

Oxy turning to Ultimate Frisbee as their lead sport.

Pat doesn't have a section for this sport.
I'm sure olddog will have plenty to say about it.

http://www.theoccidentalweekly.com/sports/2018/04/24/detox-downs-claremont-return-second-nationals-row/2893124

Soon they will be the club sports kings, its safer that way..

Judging from the only comment on the article, they are even fund-raising pretty much the same way as the football team!

"Stagg Bowl" is already taken.  What should be the name for the ultimate hopes for the ultimate frisbee team?