Scholarships the key
Lyle Armitage
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
I WOULD LIKE to thank coach Fornelli and the Emporia State University baseball team. We had a great time watching you this year. The 35-game streak, the home runs, the 6-foot 6-inch pinch hitter and the never-give-up attitude.
Now I would like to pose a question to President Michael Lane and Athletics Director Kent Weiser. What has to happen to allow ESU baseball to compete on a level field? Don’t get me wrong, all the improvements made to the Trusler Complex help with recruitment and are appreciated by everybody. But it takes more than facilities to attract the special kind of athletes needed to consistently compete at a high level. It takes scholarships! It’s no coincidence that the two finalists in the Central Regional were fully funded with nine scholarships each, while ESU is only allowed five and a half.
That’s a couple of dominant pitchers and a few difference-makers on offense. It is not my intention to downgrade the talent that was on the field this year, but three and a half more scholarships has to be a great advantage. Given an even playing field, I believe the rest of the MIAA will be out-coached and out-played nine times out of ten.
And now the goal of getting back to the College World Series just got harder when ESU was moved to the regional with the teams from Texas and Oklahoma. I know money is the key, but are they better at raising the money or more willing to fund the programs with what they already have?
So my question is this: What has to happen to come closer to the nine scholarships that the Central Missouri Yankees have?
Lyle Armitage
Emporia
esuhornets (anonymous) says...
Gayzettesux,
You must not know any athletes or have ever been an athlete at ESU because you have no idea how the athletes are treated. I doubt there are any athletes at ESU that are just given passing grades because they are athletes. They have to earn them just like everyone else. I would like to see if you could pass classes if you were missing a couple days a week of class like the baseball team does. It seems to me that you need an attitude adjustment. Go Hornets!
June 19, 2008 at 8:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emporialifer (anonymous) says...
I agree with esuhornets. I don't think any athletes are given passing grades if they don't complete the work. In fact, I know of instances where professors were actually harder on the athletes and not as understanding when it came to them missing classes because of their game schedules. I know the baseball team misses a ton of Spring classes due to games and traveling, so it only makes sense that they would take as "easy" of a semester as they could during that time.
Do we really need to go out to the bars and count the number of non athletes and compare that to the athletes? C'mon, most college kids want to have a good time and many choose to go to the bars or drink, so if they are of age, who really cares?
June 19, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gregorymed (anonymous) says...
Answer: When President Lane decides to hire a fund raising A.D. or decides it is important to fund out of school money.
June 19, 2008 at 1:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
esuhornets (anonymous) says...
This is hard for me to say gregorymed because I have never agreed with your arguements but I think you are correct when you say that President Lane needs to get rid of Weiser.
June 19, 2008 at 3:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
beth (anonymous) says...
Why?
June 19, 2008 at 4:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sowhat (anonymous) says...
Just call Warrensburg Title Town when it comes to baseball baby!!!!!!
June 20, 2008 at 5:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oldballplayer (anonymous) says...
Wow. I had the priviledge to play baseball at ESU as well as did my son.. I can assure you myself or my son were NEVER given grades PERIOD. If we had been we could have finished our college degrees in 4 years instead of the 5+ it takes to do all the required workload of athletics and academics. Mine studies hard, turns in work and earns every grade point he gets, good or bad. In this world of education and athletics, it is athletic programs that bring enrollment spikes and recognition to every college at every level. That can be proven with up to date stats. Fornelli deserves a fully funded program with 9 scholarships AND a full time pitching coach. Look at all the MIAA programs and their coaching staffs. The cost to do this would not even be noticed with some inovative funding by the AD or the regents. Fornelli does an outstanding job with half the resources and volunteer coaches. And in the end he is successful and more importantly had a major impact on the life of my athlete as well as all who play for him.
June 22, 2008 at 10:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
To compare school athletic budgets, this might be of interest
http://ope.ed.gov/athletics/main.asp
June 22, 2008 at 6:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )