apiaryist wrote:Pdyx wrote:Miggy wrote:I don't believe that intercollegiate sports has a place in a University's mission.
Actually, you're not a lone wolf. I agree. Perhaps for different reasons, who knows, but I agree.
I'm with both of you on this, as well.
I do
very respectfully disagree. My main argument is that student activities do and should play a large part in the development of kids before, through and past the collegiate level. The participants learn a lot about teamwork, accepting defeat, being humble in victory, leadership, hard work, sacrifice, etc. and, in some cases more tangible lessons like marketing, networking, other social skills, etc. The fans learn some of those lessons to varying degrees, and it gives them school spirit and teaches them how to sneak an entire fifth of Jim Beam into a stadium by pouring it into a ziplock baggie and putting it down the back of your pants and securing with a belt buckle (or in your Red Wing boots, as is the case at UT).
Also, many people include sports and student activities in their decision-making process of where to go to college.
Here's my story: I used to be a proficient water-skier and even went to camps for the sport. When it came down to The University of Georgia and UT for me, sports played a huge part. I thought that, like UT, UGA had a water-ski team (which, as it turned out, crumbled right before I got there and re-emerged as soon as I left). So, my decision to go to UGA over UT came down to the fact that I wanted to go to an SEC school because I find their athletics to be more interesting. However, had I known that UGA's ski team was defunct, I very likely would have gone to UT. Instead I've got a beer gut and no sponsorship deal with Ski Nautique. To be fair, the academics and all of the other factors involved were included in the decision-making process, but were basically even.
The other, ugly truth argument is that sports is a big money maker. At many schools, football (and other sports) funds much of the academics. Football brings in the alumni support. Football gives the school the recognition. And yes, football sometimes lends to the prestige.
To me, it comes down to being well-rounded. Without athletics, the arena of colleges would be a lot more dull. The brain can't survive without the heart. Sometimes even Lance needs a break from re-watching Citizen Kane for some
Teen Wolf Too respite. That's why Val Kilmer was so successful in
Real Genius: he wasn't "all brain and no penis."
I understand the position that academics should be rewarded and recognized as much or more than athletics, yet sadly don't come anywhere close. As someone who had a lot more success in the classroom than in the arena, I feel that pain. But I also think that athletics brings more to a university than it takes and adds a tremendous value--and not just in monetary metrics. Therefor, I think that athletics DO have a place in a university's mission.
