They're Starting to Get It

Getting Started


Okay, so spring practice at the crack of dawn doesn't have to look so dreary after all.


The above picture comes courtesy of Columbia football's new Facebook page and it's the first image of the first real on the field practice in the Pete Mangurian era. 


We at least LOOK good right now!




There IS a Difference




I've been watching Ivy sports for 30 years.

And for 30 years, I've heard the same argument: "Every Ivy school has the same rule son athletics and there's no way any school can set policies to get ahead in sports unless someone cheats."

I don't think it's a stretch to say that everyone reading this knows that I think the above line is complete nonsense.

There are too many facts to disprove the statement, but that's not the point of this post.

The point is that recently, more and more people are beginning to realize just how destructive certain administrations have been to their sports teams.

The latest two example come from Yale, with this article in the Yale Daily News about a very well-received speech by a prominent alum that critiqued the Yale administration's handling of athletics. 

And there was also an opinion piece in The Dartmouth yesterday calling out the administration on sports in Hanover.

The point is, the obvious fact that some schools do more for their sports teams than others... AND for that, those schools are reaping tremendous rewards that go beyond athletics.

I can't think of a better time than spring football practice at Columbia to show how valuable athletics is to the Ivy schools and to the individual students.

Right now, we have about 80 young men waking at the crack of dawn to bust their butts on the field and then rush back to campus to get to class.

Their commitment to the school and each other is far beyond what 99% of their fellow students at Columbia will ever show or even find a chance to show in their four years of college.

To see an administration not willing to put in even a tenth of the effort these young men do is disheartening and demands action. 

Columbia fans have been used to this for years, but now fans and alums at more and more of the other Ivies are waking up to it.

Wyoming Must Hate the Ivies

Four years ago, Columbia's current star DL/LB Josh Martin de-committed from the University of Wyoming and decided to come to Columbia instead.

Martin has made the All Ivy team twice and is one of the best players in the league and a key cog in the the Lions hopes to bounce back in 2012.

Now, Penn recruit Dylan Muscat has taken things a step further.

Muscat originally committed to Penn, switched to Wyoming, and is now back in as a Quaker just before the April admissions go out!

So now those Wyoming Cowboys have yet another reason to dislike city slickers like us.