38 replies to this topic

[Oriole85]

Don't bet on it. With the way Keith Mills of WBAL radio/TV and 98 Rock has been going on about it all morning long. Now C4 on WBAL is banging this drum. I think this will get nasty before all said and done. As a school that receives taxpaying money. Why shouldn't a school account how an Athletic Department that had a $400,000 surplus in 2010 and goes to a $1.2m deficit now?

Most athletic departments are self-supporting. I can't speak to Towson's specifically. For examples, all the athletic schlorships are paid from the AD back to the school. I know at Colorado, many times in the past decade since their AD hasn't been in such great shape -- the school has loaned money to the AD. Bottomline is this, if the football and/or men's basketball programs aren't making much money, the whole AD suffers. Any Olympic sports coach will tell you this.

[Oriole85]

I like Mills a lot, and man, he is absolutely livid over this. I've never heard him take any opinion nearly as strong as he has this one.

Not just the decision, but the way it was handled and went down. There has to be a little bit more behind this. I have to admit, the picture Mills paints is a very, very bad one for the university. Would love to hear their side of things.

They certainly couldn't have handled it any worse, but the interest just wasn't there it seems like to continue those programs. I know everyone likes to feel bad in these situations, but the outrage should stop except for the people who actually support the teams. College sports is a business, even it isn't supposed to be.

[glenn__davis]

They certainly couldn't have handled it any worse, but the interest just wasn't there it seems like to continue those programs. I know everyone likes to feel bad in these situations, but the outrage should stop except for the people who actually support the teams. College sports is a business, even it isn't supposed to be.

But even if it's a business and tough decisions need to be made, there is an appropriate way to treat people. According Mills, one of the teams was told in a 3-minute meeting by the AD, without their coach. Both long-time coaches are simply being let go with no consideration. I think people get the business side of things. The people side of things is another story.

Like I said though, there's almost always 2 sides to a story, so I'd love to hear the university's stance on this. I really couldn't care less about Towson one way of the other, but I do believe this reflects poorly on them right now.

[Mark Carver]

They certainly couldn't have handled it any worse, but the interest just wasn't there it seems like to continue those programs. I know everyone likes to feel bad in these situations, but the outrage should stop except for the people who actually support the teams. College sports is a business, even it isn't supposed to be.

The way Keith Mills, who I have been listening to since he came onboard with WBAL and as mentioned, rarely takes a political stand, is reporting is their no accountability going on this action. The schools President is not speaking why her decision was other than as a Title IX issue. But it may not be as bad as it is claimed. She held a hastily held 10 minute press conference that was attended only via live video and took no questions. The school is a publicly funded school and they need to open up the books and why their decisions were made as such. She needs to take questions from reporters. What is she hiding?

[Mark Carver]

It has been a brutal weekend to be Towson University alumni. In fact, for the first time ever I am embarrassed to say I graduated from the school. Not because the baseball and men's soccer programs were dropped. That happens so often now we've become almost numb to how many programs are eliminated around the country by college presidents.

No, my embarrassment comes from how it was done. A level of arrogance and isolation from the school's administration toward the players, their families, and the coaches involved (even some influential alumni) that I have never witnessed in my 35-year connection with the school.

And specifically how the coaches, baseball's Mike Gottlieb and soccer's Frank Olszewski, who have combined to serve the school for more than 70 years, were treated like a pair of insubordinate school children when they were told their programs were being cut.

My interest in Towson goes far beyond my 33 years in local sports broadcasting, the last 26 as on air-anchor at both WMAR-TV and WBAL Radio and Television, where I have had the great pleasure of covering some truly inspiring men and women, who both play and coach at the school.

Read the full commentary by Keith Mills at http://www.wbal.com/... ... c-Program-

[NewMarketSean]

Two words.

Foot.

Ball.

Probably the most expensive program to keep running with equipment costs, stadiums, etc...

Soccer requires a friggin' soccer ball, some chalk, and two goals. Thats it.

[Oriole85]

Probably the most expensive program to keep running with equipment costs, stadiums, etc...

Soccer requires a friggin' soccer ball, some chalk, and two goals. Thats it.

It might be the most expensive, it's also the most likely to turn a profit. I looked at attendance for some of the soccer games, it was pretty weak and I don't think they are exactly TV money there.

[NewMarketSean]

Well I guess college sports that turn profits will be the only ones that survive then. That means football and basketball.

[DJ MC]

It might be the most expensive, it's also the most likely to turn a profit. I looked at attendance for some of the soccer games, it was pretty weak and I don't think they are exactly TV money there.

The problem with this argument is that, until about, oh, a month ago, the basketball team wasn't exactly filling the Towson Center. And the football team hasn't been known for the huge crowds at Johnny U Stadium.

College sports at the basic level, even theoretically football and basketball, shouldn't be purely about fan interest. Obviously I'm not naive enough to think that this would be the case, but for a school like Towson that has historically struggled since moving up to Division I, allowing programs with little history of success to take such extreme precedence over any other team is ridiculous.

It's just another point on the path to football insanity.

[Oriole85]

And the support for those programs is worse if I'm not mistaken. Towson doesn't draw, the "Olympic" sports draw even worse. If something has to go, it won't likely be at football or basketball, especially the latter.

[DJ MC]

And the support for those programs is worse if I'm not mistaken. Towson doesn't draw, the "Olympic" sports draw even worse. If something has to go, it won't likely be at football or basketball, especially the latter.

The point isn't that those sports have to "go", though it wouldn't be unprecedented (Hofstra). The point is that they are willing to put more money into those programs with the HOPE that additional success may bring additional attention and money to Towson, when the programs (which haven't exactly been underfunded, as far as I know) don't have a history of success at this level.

If they want to build a better football program, great. Find additional money; Towson has plenty of local graduates who might be willing to chip in. But when you start cutting other programs--and you could argue that the single most-visible graduate of the university is John Schierholz, who built them their baseball stadium--you suggest that the priorities of the athletic department are off. Way off.

[Oriole85]

They're were efforts to save the sports, it didn't work (http://savetowsonubaseball.com/). Having one visible alum, doesn't make up for the fact that the baseball program isn't well supported along with the men's soccer program. It sucks, but college sports are a business NOT a charity. Football and basketball, regardless of their past success have the POTENTIAL to bring in more revenue than baseball or men's soccer ever will. It's really simple why they are eliminating some sports in favor of others with Title IX implications. Don't try to argue, fairness, it's not, that's just how it goes.

[DJ MC]

They're were efforts to save the sports, it didn't work (http://savetowsonubaseball.com/). Having one visible alum, doesn't make up for the fact that the baseball program isn't well supported along with the men's soccer program.

By that logic, NO sports are "supported" at Towson

It sucks, but college sports are a business NOT a charity.

"Charity"? Come on now. Next you'll start talking about how schools should cut their English and Psychology departments because they don't provide future alumni with good enough job opportunities and are therefore a drain on the university.

"College sports" are nothing remotely resembling a business. The football and men's basketball programs may be, but that's all the more reason to divorce their funding from the rest of the athletics department and university. Nobody would with a straight face try and call collegiate gymnastics or swimming or even lacrosse or soccer or women's basketball or baseball a business.

[Oriole85]

You really like to argue, don't you? You know what I'm saying and you just enjoy being difficult.

Those sports need to be supported somehow and since I believe the revenue comes from exclusive AD funds and not general university funds (most athletic departments are self-sustaining), unless people want to donate to keep those programs afloat, they'll die.

[DJ MC]

Those sports need to be supported somehow and since I believe the revenue comes from exclusive AD funds and not general university funds (most athletic departments are self-sustaining), unless people want to donate to keep those programs afloat, they'll die.

So why not have them donate to football instead? How is what you are saying any different than the scenario I posed?

[Oriole85]

You're being really illogical and you know it. Football isn't going away. I'm pretty sure more people are donating to the football program than the baseball program and they've experienced more success lately. It doesn't make any sense to eliminate a successful football program in favor of a largely unsuccessful baseball program. Really, stop trying to argue for the sake of arguing. Your little act isn't cute anymore.

[DJ MC]

You're being really illogical and you know it. Football isn't going away. I'm pretty sure more people are donating to the football program than the baseball program and they've experienced more success lately. It doesn't make any sense to eliminate a successful football program in favor of a largely unsuccessful baseball program. Really, stop trying to argue for the sake of arguing. Your little act isn't cute anymore.

"Successful" is an extremely strong term for Towson football, if not a historically incorrect one.

And again, schools tend not to send alumni from certain programs out to get rich in the real world. So should they close down their English departments in favor of their Business departments, because the latter is more likely to bring back more and higher donations?

[DJ MC]

http://www.thetowerl... ... -baseball/

The University has received $300,000 in funding per year for two years in Gov. Martin O’Malley’s 2014 supplemental budget to extend the decision timeline for cutting baseball, Towson administration announced in a media release Monday evening. Supporters will, in theory, be able to use that time to raise the necessary funds to save the program.

Interesting...

[Oriole85]

I hope this doesn't violate the "politics" ban (feel free to remove this), but I totally disagree with O'Malley (state of Maryland) subsidizing Towson athletics. If sets a dangerous precedent. I think this is just delaying the inevitable and they'll have to eliminate baseball in a few years anyways. Maybe, they'll prove me wrong and show a little public assistance was able to help them for the long term.