Let me begin with some reasons why I love the University of Oregon:<\/p>\n
1. That logo they have featuring Donald Duck looking to kick someone’s ass is awesome.<\/p>\n
2. I attended the 1999 U.S. Championships in Eugene with some of my throwers (I am a high school coach) and one of their parents. We were sitting \u00a0on some portable bleachers outside the stadium watching the men’s hammer competition when who comes and sits\u00a0near us but John Godina and Art Venegas.\u00a0\u00a0Godina was the best shotputter in the world at the time (he ended up throwing 22 meters at that meet) and UCLA had the best collegiate throwing program in the universe so we were totally jacked to be in their presence. Venegas sat down next to a young man named Justin Rapp, a rather large individual who threw for me and then went on to become DIII national champ in the shot while competing at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. We were all too scared to strike up a conversation with either John or Art, but after a few minutes, Art turns to Justin Rapp, looks him slowly up and down and says, “Hey! How much do you weigh<\/em>?” as if he were afraid that the bleachers might buckle beneath beneath him.<\/p>\n 3. Another of my former throwers, Pat Trofimuk, threw at Illinois State University for the current Oregon throws coach, Erik Whitsitt. At the time, Erik had three world class throwers in his stable: NCAA jav champ Tim Glover, NCAA medalist in the shot and hammer Brittany Smith, and current NCAA leader in the shot Curt Jensen. Pat was not a world class thrower, but a great, hard-working dude, the kind of guy who makes your program better by setting an example of how to do things the right way. In spite of the fact that Pat was never going to qualify for the NCAA meet, Erik valued him and treated him very well. And because of that, Erik will always have a special place in my heart. And in the new millennium, men are allowed to say that about each other.<\/p>\n 4. I am a big fan of the head strength coach at Oregon, Jim Radcliffe. Last January, Jim presented at a strength and conditioning clinic in beautiful Mattoon, Illinois hosted by Marty Schnorf of the Charleston Weightlifting Club. You’d think a guy who ran the strength program for one of the premier football teams in the country might be at best a\u00a0tad arrogant, at worst a complete\u00a0tool.\u00a0(One\u00a0of my\u00a0throwers got a football scholarship a few years back to a major powerhouse which shall remain nameless and the\u00a0head strength coach was a\u00a0maniac. He delighted in forcing the athletes to attempt bizarre\u00a0feats of derring-do such as having my guy–a 310 pounder–try to jump onto a box that was higher than his belly button–the kid\u00a0still has the scar on his shins–and he once reamed the kid out for having\u00a0solid technique on overhead squats. I’m not making that up.) But Jim was courteous , helpful, and most importantly, really thoughtful in his approach to strength training. I hope the Oregon athletes\u00a0know how lucky they are.<\/p>\n 5. While in high school, I named my dog after Mac Wilkins, and dammit, Mac Wilkins went to Oregon.<\/p>\n So, I am not here to bash the Ducks. But I am more than a little chapped that the NCAA has awarded the next eight outdoor track and field championships to Oregon.<\/p>\n According to an article on goducks.com, (http:\/\/www.goducks.com\/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=209338922<\/a>) this decision was made, at least in part, to “emphasize the fan experience.”<\/p>\n And certainly, the fan experience at a meet in Eugene can be fantastic. I know nothing about distance events, but when I got my free cowbell at the meet in Eugene I shook the hell out of it every time one of those poor, anorexic dudes or dudettes staggered down the home stretch. When we walked into town for lunch, I ordered a veggie burrito and I liked it.\u00a0 When the air temperature fluctuated ten degrees every five minutes, I didn’t complain. I walked over to the bookstore and bought a sweatshirt with mean Donald Duck on it that I treasure to this day. Every track fan, in my opinion, should attend a meet in Eugene before shuffling off to that great Olympia in the sky.<\/p>\n But eight consecutive years?<\/p>\n As a track fan who lives in the midwest, I am astonished that the NCAA has basically frozen me out of attending an NCAA championship.\u00a0 Two years ago, I went to the NCAA meet in Des Moines.\u00a0 Driving my Prius from the suburbs of Chicago, it cost me less than $30 to get there.\u00a0 A hotel room was approximately $100 dollars per night. I stayed for two\u00a0days of fantastic throwing, and then drove home for another $30.<\/p>\n Getting to Eugene, on the other hand, would cost at least $500 for the plane ticket and another $200 for car rental. Throw in the hotel room, and we are talking about at least $1000 dollars to attend the meet without factoring in food costs.\u00a0 If you’ve ever read my stuff, you know that I have an extremely patient wife. But I’m a high school teacher, and $1000 for a trip to Eugene when it cost me $60 to get to and from Des Moines?<\/p>\n You tell me, which “fans” are the NCAA appealing to?<\/p>\n –Dan McQuaid<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Let me begin with some reasons why I love the University of Oregon: 1. That logo they have featuring Donald Duck looking to kick someone’s ass is awesome. 2. I attended the 1999 U.S. Championships in Eugene with some of my throwers (I am a high school coach) and one of their parents. We were … Continue reading Is the Oregon monopoly on the NCAA meet good for track fans?<\/span>