Posted on 12/19/2018 5:25:07 AM PST by reaganaut1
hile money is not the root of all evil, it is undeniably responsible for the transformation of the University of Oregon (UO). It changed from a typical state flagship where athletics were a nice diversion for some students and alums into a sports powerhouse where the quest for glory in football and basketball dominates the school.
The person directly responsible for that is Phil Knight, the founder of the athletic shoe and apparel giant Nike. At a time when the university’s president was desperately looking for outside funding for the school, Knight, an Oregon alum and huge athletics booster, was on hand to help with funds for projects he liked.
Is it a bad thing for an alum to give money? In his recent book University of Nike, author Joshua Hunt shows how Oregon became so hooked on money from Knight that it has allowed athletics to badly distort its priorities. The university’s success on the gridiron and court was crucial to Nike’s business strategy of selling not just shoes, but an entire “dream” package for Americans who were caught up in football and basketball. Once the school started taking Nike money, it simply couldn’t stop.
Hunt’s book is worthwhile—a cautionary tale for college officials to avoid the siren song of corporate money targeted at big sports. Unfortunately, his analysis of the problem is not entirely accurate, and he doesn’t offer any advice to university leaders who might want to keep from becoming another University of Nike.
Although Phil Knight is the villain of the book, Hunt believes that the real devil was an Oregon tax-limitation activist named Don McIntire. In 1990, McIntire was the driving force behind a tax limitation initiative that voters approved.
(Excerpt) Read more at jamesgmartin.center ...
Noticed in USA Today that Oregon is the only school in the PAC 12 that is doing any good in this years recruiting war. Most top California high school recruits are jumping to the SEC...
And into a football team with painfully ugly uniforms.
Universities are becoming a joke. With declining to non-existent academic standards at state and private universities around the country, they seem to only serve two functions. The first function is to operate as glorified daycare centers for late teens and early 20-somethings (self-esteem courses and safe spaces combined with politically correct “diversity training”). The second function is to operate a money-funneling racket of effectively professional sports teams in everything but name (while enjoying non-profit, tax-exempt status and not having to pay “student athletes” real salaries).
It is reported that only two of this year’s Oregon recruits could have matriculated at Stanford. In fact, Oregon is a second-rate public university. In contrast to Oregon State which offers useful degrees in the sciences, Oregon is overloaded with courses in Sociology, Education, and “Studies.” It is also overloaded with Californians who could not make it at home.
The success in football has also seen an increase in academic standards including student athlete graduation rates. This transition was founded by Rich Brooks and some high school kid named Bill Musgraves back in the 80s. Phil Knight’s money didn't come in until after the 94 Rose Bowl year.
Now, if they want a story of misplaced priorities, they should explore the dept of higher Ed’s firing of Oregon President Dr. Richard Lariviere.
I graduated from Oregon Institute of Technology in 2002. We had no feel good degrees and their focus was on solid STEM programs and preparing their students for high paying careers. At that time the average wage an UofO grad was hovering around $32k, mostly teachers, and an OIT grad was in the mid $50’s..
I’m sure if the NCAA really wanted to investigate, they would find numerous violations in the athletic department but Uncle Phil has so much influence across all of the NCAA sports programs nationwide that they turn their heads the other way...
“It is reported that only two of this year’s Oregon recruits could have matriculated at Stanford. In fact, Oregon is a second-rate public university. In contrast to Oregon State which offers useful degrees in the sciences, Oregon is overloaded with courses in Sociology, Education, and “Studies.” It is also overloaded with Californians who could not make it at home.”
Ok, we’re talking football. What’s your point?
These higher student athlete graduation rates are the result of special dumbed-down curricula (together with small armies of tutors to do their classwork for them) that are tailor-made for "students" who have no academic interests or abilities. This problem is by no means specific to U. Oregon.
I came to this thread looking for pics of the Oregon Ducks Cheerleading squad. I am , needless to say, disappointed
The Ducks cheerleaders have the taken the less clothing trend in college cheerleaders to the limit.
Search Oregon ducks cheerleaders. Images. Great photos
The Oregon Ducks has the best uniforms. All the other people can hate on. Uncle Phil will keep on giving.
He can thank Steve Prefontaine for the early promotion of his waffle-soled runners.
“These higher student athlete graduation rates are the result of special dumbed-down curricula (together with small armies of tutors to do their classwork for them) that are tailor-made for “students” who have no academic interests or abilities.”
Here’s why I disagree:
First, the issue you state existed in programs of all sizes, including Oregon during it’s years of mediocrity. This was not a change.
What did change: Enterence Requirements increased for all Oregon applicants. Also, under Chip Kelly, zero recruits failed to become academically eligible. Since he left, very few have. It had been very common.
Bottom line: Phil Knight has done nothing to derail the focus on academic rigor of an institution that once opened it’s campus to the filming if Animal House and whose former president ran off with the wife of a founder of the Geek Communist Party. If anything, Uncle Phil pulled legacy will be refucusing their priorities on preparing young leaders for success.
My point? Create a super football league of half-arsed state universities (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and some privates (USC, Notre Dame) who will matriculate anyone who can chew gum and play football at a high level. Pay them, and then let them beat hell out of one-another while the other schools return to chase the ideal of student athlete.
There are already non-scholarship leagues. Go watch them if you want.
i believe that was Bill Bowerman
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.