I was very torn as to how to approach this story. The way I imagined the story as I set up some interviews and collected some information, I would relay the many ways that a variety of club sports handled their budgets and team expenses. Later, I found that the teams either did everything too similar to repeat in the story, or they didn't do much at all because their expenses were minimal (which wasn't the focus of the story).
So I decided to take the sport that I was able to acquire the most information for, the best interviewee, and cover their team operations in depth as a model of the other sport clubs with similar financial issues. The sport I ended up going with was Rugby, head coached by Loren Lemke who was incredibly helpful and enthusiastic in giving me the information I wanted. Rugby was highly competitive among other schools, traveled relatively often and, for a sport club, appeared to be the most similar to a Gophers Division I team without being backed by the Athletics Department. It seemed the most professional, as you can see by the Gophers men's rugby Web site.
The good news for me is that the report is intended to inform people about sport clubs and why we don't hear much about them, but rather we hear about small clubs and organizations being cut from the University budget. I must admit, I thought I knew why and assumed I would be verifying information I gathered. Not so. In fact, I was finding new information that rooted from the fact that the sport clubs aren't overseen by the Athletics Department. So my intention for the report was successful even to myself, let alone my audience.
Here's the Department of Rec. Sports' Web site, linked to their department where you can browse all the sports they offer clubs for.
My one regret is not talking to a rugby player, an actual student, to see what comments they might have on the team. I would have liked to hear what they have to say about their fund raising endeavors.
Otherwise, my only question is whether this story was interesting? I did my best to draw attention right away with "budget cuts" and "Gophers football" lead, but did anyone want to read on after announcing that the story would address sport clubs' budgets? Send questions and comments to berne037@umn.edu.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Just When You Thought It Couldn't Get Bigger
Favre butts helmets with his former Green Bay Packers team as a Vikings rival on Monday Night Football? Huge!
Favre and Vikings to visit Lambeau, his old stomping grounds? Unreal!
Will the Packers see to it that they get one more shot at their elder and his Vikings cast? Will the Packers invoke an attitude that buries the Vikings' Superbowl?
Wow, wow, wow...
This is a notion that nobody saw coming as of five weeks ago. The Packers were 4-4, wins coming over hopeless teams and losses from the Minnesota Vikings (twice), a dangerous Cincinnati Bengals club and a heart-breaker from the still pathetic Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With winning teams like the Dallas Cowboys, San Fransisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens crowding their upcoming schedule, and a tough road-game against the Chicago Bears (as the rivalry games on the road are always tough), the Packers and their fans were kissing playoffs goodbye.
As the NFL seems to teach fans on a weekly basis, hold your tongue; a team is never down and out until the numbers say so. The Packers went on to win the remainder of their games, rather convincingly as well. They aren't just playoff bound, they are a Superbowl threat! Their only apparent weakness is the lack of home-field advantage, thanks to that painfully slow start of the season.
What people are really anxious for is to see if the Packers and Vikings can see each other for a third match-up. Let's see what would have to happen in the playoffs for this to happen.
As of right now in the NFC, the seeds are as follows:
1) New Orleans Saints (bye)
2) Minnesota Vikings (bye)
3) Philadelphia Eagles
4) Arizona Cardinals
5 WC) Green Bay Packers
6 WC) New York Giants/Dallas Cowboys
If this is the way week one of the playoffs looks (with a toss-up for the four seed between the Cardinals and Eagles), the Giants or the Cowboys will travel to Philadelphia and the Packers will travel to Arizona. If the Packers win, they will clinch that four seed. If the Giants/Cowboys win at Philadelphia on top of that, they will clinch the four seed and the Packers will clinch that three seed, meaning there will be an epic match-up: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings for the road to the Superbowl.
This is not the most likely thing to happen. Rarely do BOTH wild card teams win their game, although the Packers could see some votes for an early win, being that they are playing incredibly well, boast a comparible, if not superior, record to the division champs and are considered one of the better road teams.
So, the only other way the Packers would meet the Vikings for the Superbowl under this scenario is--get this--an NFC Championship showdown! To do this, the Packers would have to win their game either at Philadelphia or Arizona, with the six seed losing their game. Then the Packers would have to pull a major upset at the undefeated Saints' Superdome, along with the Vikings winning their game against Eagles/Cardinals; and there you have it...
This game would be nothing short of milestone history, far beyond the first two match-ups earlier this season. Viewer ratings, ticket sales, media attention...2012 might make an early appearance.
Favre and Vikings to visit Lambeau, his old stomping grounds? Unreal!
Will the Packers see to it that they get one more shot at their elder and his Vikings cast? Will the Packers invoke an attitude that buries the Vikings' Superbowl?
Wow, wow, wow...
This is a notion that nobody saw coming as of five weeks ago. The Packers were 4-4, wins coming over hopeless teams and losses from the Minnesota Vikings (twice), a dangerous Cincinnati Bengals club and a heart-breaker from the still pathetic Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With winning teams like the Dallas Cowboys, San Fransisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens crowding their upcoming schedule, and a tough road-game against the Chicago Bears (as the rivalry games on the road are always tough), the Packers and their fans were kissing playoffs goodbye.
As the NFL seems to teach fans on a weekly basis, hold your tongue; a team is never down and out until the numbers say so. The Packers went on to win the remainder of their games, rather convincingly as well. They aren't just playoff bound, they are a Superbowl threat! Their only apparent weakness is the lack of home-field advantage, thanks to that painfully slow start of the season.
What people are really anxious for is to see if the Packers and Vikings can see each other for a third match-up. Let's see what would have to happen in the playoffs for this to happen.
As of right now in the NFC, the seeds are as follows:
1) New Orleans Saints (bye)
2) Minnesota Vikings (bye)
3) Philadelphia Eagles
4) Arizona Cardinals
5 WC) Green Bay Packers
6 WC) New York Giants/Dallas Cowboys
If this is the way week one of the playoffs looks (with a toss-up for the four seed between the Cardinals and Eagles), the Giants or the Cowboys will travel to Philadelphia and the Packers will travel to Arizona. If the Packers win, they will clinch that four seed. If the Giants/Cowboys win at Philadelphia on top of that, they will clinch the four seed and the Packers will clinch that three seed, meaning there will be an epic match-up: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings for the road to the Superbowl.
This is not the most likely thing to happen. Rarely do BOTH wild card teams win their game, although the Packers could see some votes for an early win, being that they are playing incredibly well, boast a comparible, if not superior, record to the division champs and are considered one of the better road teams.
So, the only other way the Packers would meet the Vikings for the Superbowl under this scenario is--get this--an NFC Championship showdown! To do this, the Packers would have to win their game either at Philadelphia or Arizona, with the six seed losing their game. Then the Packers would have to pull a major upset at the undefeated Saints' Superdome, along with the Vikings winning their game against Eagles/Cardinals; and there you have it...
This game would be nothing short of milestone history, far beyond the first two match-ups earlier this season. Viewer ratings, ticket sales, media attention...2012 might make an early appearance.
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