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Task Force Media Notes, May 16
TASK FORCE MEDIA NOTES VOL. 3, NO. 8 (May 16, 1999) This is part of a series of regular reports to update, inform, educate and stimulate public discussion PBS AIRS OUTSTANDING "NATIONAL DESK" SEGMENT ABOUT TITLE IX The Public Broadcasting System (PBS), on its "National Desk" show, aired three shows in April focusing on current issues concerning women, including the effect of today*s trends on both sexes. The third part of the series was the well-produced and thought-provoking segment entitled "Title IX and Women in Sports: What*s Wrong With This Picture?" Broadcaster and columnist Larry Elder did a superb job presenting the flip-side of the Title IX issue, focusing on the loss of opportunity for men that has been caused by the interpretation and enforcement of the law. Many of the leaders who have committed their careers to changing Title IX interpretation were featured on the show. This included Univ. of Chicago wrestling coach Leo Kocher, the president of the National Coalition of Athletics Equity, as well as its Executive Director Mike Copperthite. Nationally respected Kimberly Schuld of the Independent Women*s Forum was among the speakers, as was Northwestern swimming coach Bob Groseth. A variety of other respected leaders were interviewed. One of the compelling parts of the show was the coverage of Cal-State Northridge, a university which recently dropped a number of men*s sports team. The women*s softball coach at Cal-State Northridge, as well as a number of the team athletes, came out against the gender quotas that have ravaged their campus. Many softball athletes joined the cross country team, not only for conditioning but also to be counted twice for the gender quota.
PBS should be applauded for its courage to air this series, although some would believe
that it is not "politically correct." Viewers who did not see the shows, or would like to see
them again, are encouraged to contact their local PBS stations. Many PBS stations have
"People's Choice" opportunities during their pledge periods, and this would be a great time to
request the shows for re-broadcast.
Among the excuses used by the university was the low number of participants on the
teams, as well as the fact that the number of Div. II wrestling and golf teams in the region
"continue to dwindle." In addition, the college points out that neither team had full-time
staff or conference affiliations.
These problems can all be overcome if the college made a true commitment for these
programs to succeed. Both of these sports are popular among students in the region. Any college
that recruits a quality coach and provides sufficient resources to excel can attract
student-athletes to the program. The reductions in men's sport programs in colleges have
nothing to do with interest in the sports. The key factors are gender quotas, a lack of support
from athletic departments, and cowardly decisions by college administrators.
The decision to drop wrestling at UMass-Lowell is truly a disservice to the local
community, and a lack of responsibility to reflecting the interests of the region. The Lowell
area has been the strongest wrestling region in Massachusetts. High school wrestling teams in
Lowell, Chelmsford and surrounding cities have excelled for generations. The wrestling team at
UMass-Lowell, by competing in Div. II, was the highest level of wrestling available at a
Massachusetts public state university. The decision to deny opportunity rather than working to
improve the program, was tragic and unnecessary.
"The decision to discontinue sports is a difficult one for everyone, but it is
consistent with the University*s recent efforts to better focus its resources," said athletic
director Dana Skinner. Don't these bureaucrats realize that their decisions affect real people?
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED COLUMNIST DAVID FLEMING PROPOSES TO "ABOLISH TITLE IX"
The recent decision by Miami University of Ohio to eliminate three men's sports
programs, including its wrestling team, received the rath of Sports Illustrated columnist David
Fleming. In his regular The Fleming File column, which is posted regularly on the nationally
respected CNN/SI.com web page, Fleming takes the university to task on its decision.
Fleming gives his perspective as a former varsity wrestling star at Miami University.
His first thought about the decision centered on his framed college degree, as well as his
varsity letterman*s blanket, which are displayed in his office. "The thought that I can*t seem
to get out of my head today is how both of these items would look in the bottom of my trash can
or, perhaps better yet, set ablaze in my fireplace," writes Fleming.
In spite of his anger at his alma mater, Fleming is very eloquent in his suggestion
that "it*s time to deep-six Title IX." The opportunities that he received as a student-athlete
will no longer be available to future students at Miami University, as well as at hundreds of
other colleges that have dropped men*s sports teams. Fleming puts the entire situation in
proper perspective in the following paragraphs:
* "When it was drafted, the spirit of this law called for colleges to ADD women's sports
teams to come into compliance, not CUT men's sports. Instead, in the name of gender equity, an
entire generation of male athletes has been denied the chance to earn college tuition money and
participate at the highest level."
* "So instead of denying female athletes we turn around and deny male athletes? How is
that equitable? It shouldn*t be O.K. to cut any sports program, regardless of gender. This is
addition by subtraction. Doesn*t work. Tell me, how have we helped a single female athlete by
cutting the wrestling team at Miami? How? That*s like saying a school with more math classes
than history courses should cut its math department to be fair to history students."
Fleming cites the lack of support of men's Olympic teams by some universities as a
reason that administrators can justify eliminating opportunities. Writes Fleming:
* "And it's not like we were breaking the bank, either. We had old uniforms, long van
trips, constant fund raisers and almost no support from the athletic department. In fact,
during my four years at Miami I never witnessed anyone from the athletic director*s office
within 10 square blocks of a wrestling event. Only when they needed to ax a program did they
realize Miami actually had a wrestling team."
Fleming blames "lazy, visionless" administrators, "lame" trustees, as well as women
athletes, coaches and administrators who "silently do nothing." His closing comments come right
to the point:
* "Shame on silent female athletes. Shame on lazy athletic directors and administrators.
And shame on all the visionless, cowardly so-called paragons of higher learning like Miami
University who can*t figure out one simple truth: Title IX doesn't work."
AMERICA NEEDS SPORTS DAY ORGANIZED TO RAISE FUNDS AND AWARENESS ON TITLE IX
Wrestling superstar Dan Gable, Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert, as well as other
important sports and political leaders will converge in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, May 29
for America Needs Sports Day. A kids wrestling clinic, as well as an awards dinner, will be
held at the MCI Center in the nation*s Capitol.
Proceeds from the day will assist the efforts of the National Coalition for Athletics
Equity (NCAE), a leading organization in the effort to change the unintended consequences of
Title IX. The function is being supported by *Wrestling for the Next Millennium,* the joint
capital campaign for USA Wrestling, the National Wrestling Coaches Association and the National
Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Gable and Hastert will participate in a Wrestling Clinic and Motivational talk at the
MCI Center, which will take place from 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. The cost of the clinic is $3 per
person, and scholarships are available to cover kids in need. Among the assistant instructors
for the event are NCAA All-American wrestlers Temoer Terry (Nebraska), Chris Marshall (Central
Michigan), Wade Hughes (American) and Charlie Branch (VMI).
A fundraising dinner and reception will be held in the Capital Club, which is located
inside the MCI Center, from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. A cocktail reception has been scheduled from
6:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Gable and Hastert will be honored at the dinner, as well as a number of
other invited guests. Among those invited by the NCAE to participate are Senator Paul
Wellstone, General Chuck Krulak of the U.S. Marine Corps, author John Irving, General H. Norman
Schwarzkopf and respected wrestling leader H. Clay McEldowney.
The cost of the dinner is $45 per person, or $80 for parents and a student/athlete, or
$400 per table of 10 individuals. For more information on the clinic and dinner, contact Mike
Copperthite of the NCAE at 202-496-1298.
SIMPLY COMMON SENSE ORGANIZATION FORMED TO EXPAND GRASSROOTS ACTIVITIES
A new organization, Simply Common Sense, has challenged Congressional leaders to state
their position regarding Title IX and the use of proportionality in its enforcement. The
organization has sent a letter to every Congressman and Senator asking whether or not he or she
would support a resolution that the Department of Education not use the proportionality prong
to determine discrimination under Title IX.
The effort to get, on record, the position of each Congressman on proportionality could
be a very valuable tool in the cause of stopping the unintended consequences of Title IX.
Whether or not many Congressmen will have the courage to state their position on the record
remains to be seen. In the past, many members of Congress, regardless of party, have stayed
away from this issue like the proverbial plague.
Simply Common Sense is based in Minneapolis, Minn., and is led by founder and
co-Director J. Robinson and CEO Jesse Krebs. Robinson is the head wrestling coach at the Univ.
of Minnesota, and has been a very successful coach and businessman for many years.
A major goal of Simply Common Sense is to develop a stronger grassroots system of
volunteers, coaches, athletes and parents to work in their communities to create change. The
plan is to expand the network of grassroots leaders who are willing to challenge their
political leaders on this issue. For more information on this organization, contact Simply
Common Sense at 612-349-6585.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE HASTERT MADE A MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN LIVES OF YOUNG ATHLETES
The wrestling community is extremely proud of J. Dennis Hastert, the former wrestling
coach who has risen to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Hastert has achieved
one of the most respected positions in government, and has an outstanding record of public
service to the nation.
However, to hundreds of former athletes and students who studied under Hastert, his
impact on their lives was much more personal and profound. An article, written by Burt
Constable of The Herald on December 29, provides a glimpse of how "Coach Hastert" changed their
lives. Consider these excerpts:
* "'He*s coach,* explains Mickey Torres, member of the 1976 state champion Yorkville High
School wrestling team coached by Hastert. 'It's great that he is a congressman, but in the
wrestling world, he is still the wrestling God.'"
* '"I wanted to be like Denny,' says Dave Torres, 40, now director of business services
for Palatine-Schaumburg Township High School District 211. 'Not only did I aspire to be a
wrestling coach, but I also aspired to be a teacher.'"
* "'Wrestling instills a lot of character in kids,' Mickey Torres says. 'It's learning to
stand on your own two feet and make something happen for yourself.'"
* "'He wasn*t just a teacher and a coach,' Mickey Torres says, noting Hastert took
students to summer wrestling camps and on Explorer Scout trips. 'He was constantly trying to
give us an education,' Mickey Torres notes."
* "He isn't a ranting and raving type, the Torres brothers say, recalling times when
Hastert took them aside and motivated them with notions of what could be accomplished with hard
work."
* "'He's invested a great deal into my life, going back to junior high,' Dave Torres
says. 'The things he taught me were not just about wrestling. He taught me self-discipline,
commitment, loyalty and leadership.'"
After hearing from some of Hastert*s former students, it is easy to see why Hastert has
become so successful on Capitol Hill. This also gives insight into why Hastert is so concerned
with the unintended consequences of Title IX, which are denying athletic and education
opportunities to young people, the kind of experiences that Hastert was able to provide to his
students when he was a teacher and coach.
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