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A Correction And A Relocation Comment Count

Brian

Buy or throw at, your choice. Attention State College persons/bloggers: I'm going to be in your neck of the woods next weekend, as the GF attends a food studies conference. (The last one was in New Orleans, which seemed more logical, no offense.) She is going to busy talking about Foucault and whatnot; I am going to be bored and possibly forbidden from doing any sort of daytime activities. This is your opportunity to discuss Big Ten refereeing with an actual Michigan fan.

Correction. Yesterday I asserted that club varsity teams had it made. Unfortunately, this was so vastly wrong I received two responses that explained just how vastly wrong I was. Picking the first to arrive in the inbox:

Hi Brian,

I thought you might want to know a little info about our team and I can clear up the term "varsity-club" a little bit. For our team, each player pays dues of $3,500 per year.  Our annual budget is over $500,000, this is more than almost all of the big time Division 1 programs (much more when you consider we don't provide scholarships). The University provides $20,000 a year to us. The rest is made up through our dues, fundraising, and sponsorships. I can't give specifics in regards to the other varsity-club teams here, but I know that they pay dues and not much is free.

Go Blue!
-David Reinhard, #20

These are men who love their lacrosse. For more on the club varsity status and what it takes to remove "club" from it, see this Daily article from a couple years ago that focuses on the lacrosse team. I assume they're on top of the list for addition given their success and the sudden, permanent availability of Oosterbaan, but that any varsity additions will be put off until the stadium renovation starts gushing cash.

Comments

MMBbones

May 22nd, 2009 at 11:46 AM ^

Mr. Reinhard's post has made me decide to become a fan of lacrosse. Perhaps of the other varsity-club teams, too. Quite the noble undertaking in a sports world where not much seems very noble.

Joined: 08/28/2008

MGoPoints: 9820

Cock D

May 22nd, 2009 at 11:52 AM ^

If you are there during a weekend: Friday Night - Cafe 210 (210 W. College Ave) has a great Long Island Iced Tea special friday nights and a fantastic porch on which to sit and watch the world go by. I always wish I were there whenever it's a beautiful Friday afternoon. Saturday Night - The Phyrst (First) has a rowdy drinkalong/singalong every Saturday. Great place to blow off steam and have a blast. Lots of other great places there, but those two are worth noting.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 1218

Six Zero

May 22nd, 2009 at 12:24 PM ^

You can come down and help me apply Grub Killer to my lawn and hopefully not kill the dog in the process! Good times. As far as State College, make sure you stop by the Creamery for some ice cream... Toasted Coconut is bangin'

Joined: 09/05/2008

MGoPoints: 10549

Mike at BSD

May 22nd, 2009 at 12:57 PM ^

PSU actually has a very good food sciences program. I'm not surprised they would host a conference at all. I agree with the Cafe 210 West on Friday night. Get a pitcher if Iced Tea and you'll be messed up quick. Happy hour is from 6-8. Then go down to the Skellar on S. Pugh St. When you're done drinking for the night head up College Ave. to Ye Ol' College Diner for breakfast and a grilled sticky. I'll be in State College on Monday if you're still around.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 7

Topic Thunder

May 22nd, 2009 at 9:22 PM ^

Had friends on teams in mid 90's, and saw the club evolve, it was a really good group of players and did have the advantages of some good facilities. Title 9, which has spun off a ladies apparel line, and very little else, is an unfortunate barrier to furthering legitimate athletic competition at the college level. Mark Giamottto, the author of the linked Daily article surely has a good journalism career ahead of him, if Rosy can do it, so can he, good stuff. I wonder why out of state students can't just be given in-state rates for scholarship purposes, and also whether adding a women's LAX team isn't the obvious solution to Varsity status. Also, given the ability of club teams to raise money to cover the shortfall, couldn't more pressure be placed on the non-revenue generating varsity teams to participate in greater fundraising efforts? Doesn't make sense for the teams currently on varsity to coast while obvious up-and-comers get the shaft.

Joined: 10/02/2008

MGoPoints: 4

therealtruth

May 23rd, 2009 at 9:35 AM ^

Doesn't make sense for the teams currently on varsity to coast while obvious up-and-comers get the shaft. Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how much time those kids dedicate to their sports? As someone who played one, let me tell you: about 6 hours a day in-season and about 3-4 hours a day out of season. That's not including road trips, mandated study hours, and uh, class. Club sports practice three days a week - the time commitment, while not insubstantial (I'm by no means trying to denigrate their effort, merely pointing out a difference) is not nearly as great. I think Lacrosse should go Varsity, and I think that, in a few years, it's almost inevitable. But jesus, that last statement was full of ignorance.

Joined: 04/04/2009

MGoPoints: 26

Old Blue

May 26th, 2009 at 8:50 AM ^

I also disagree with Topic Thunder's assertion that varsity athletes should have to fundraise. At a school like Michigan they should be able to focus 100% on their sport and school without the distraction of having to raise money. However, I would urge therealtruth to find out the real truth here. Don't lump all the club teams together. That would be like saying every varsity team goes through the same experience as the football team. The lacrosse team, and I believe the men's crew team, both clubs, put in a varsity level of commitment. Practice more than "three days a week", lifting, meetings, training room, etc. As far as I know the athletes don't do any fundraisers themselves. Their coaching staff and booster club do it. The players pay their dues at the start of the year (or rather, their parents do), and then they focus on lacrosse. There is no doubt though that these guys are doing it for the love of the game and Michigan. They certainly aren't doing it for a scholarship or for the attention. I hope a lot of Michigan fans got to watch the NCAA lacrosse semifinals and finals on ESPN this weekend. Huge crowds at pro football stadiums. Amazing championship game yesterday. Michigan needs to get on board.

Joined: 05/21/2009

MGoPoints: 31

davyreins

May 30th, 2009 at 7:18 AM ^

Not trying to beat a dead horse but the three evening practices, 3 lifts, the early morning running and other "optional" shooting sessions per week is only the commitment for the off season. All that cranks up in season to virtually everyday. I can't speak first hand for any varsity sports, and most of them vary anyway, for what their off season commitment is. That said, the commitment would increase if we went varsity.

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 2