Mighty Jim Yong Kim

President Obama has nominated Dartmouth College President Jim Yong Kim to lead the World Bank.

Kim will probably get the job despite some calls for a non-American citizen to lead the bank.

And the Ivy League will be much the poorer for it.

Jim Kim was the first Ivy president of this generation to talk the talk and walk the walk of a real friend to athletics. 

As Columbia fans, it was to really appreciate what a positive Kim was to Dartmouth athletics... after all, this is the guy who whooped it up and ran along the sidelines as the Big Green routed us in Hanover in 2009.

But the contrast was clear. In a world filled with Ivy presidents looking to keep athletics in an ever-shrinking corner, Kim worked hard to publicize every game and enjoy every sports event... and he wasn't faking it even a little bit.

Kim understood that everything that we considered "campus life" 25 years ago is disappearing. The number of things students actually do together out in public is smaller than ever. 

Successful athletics programs can buck that trend by providing a true communal event for students and alumni alike. Kim's peers, who clearly care a lot more about getting their names in the paper and cozying up to politicians, don't get that... or they don't care. 

Dartmouth was once the most dominant athletic program in the Ivies. A new regime in the administration worked hard to destroy that for several years. What followed were a few leaders who were basically indifferent. 

Then Kim came along and proved there was something more college presidents could do to bring athletics back in from the cold.

With Kim gone, the Ivies are sure to be ruled by presidents who are hostile to sports and at best, not so hostile. 

The result will be the same:

Weaker sports teams.

Smaller crowds at games.

A reduced campus life experience for all of our undergrads.

A presence sorely missed.

Mangurian's Latest

Head Coach Pete Mangurian's latest blog post shows his softer side in a good way.

He's taking an active role in getting the football alumni more involved with the program and reminding them of how appreciated they already are.

The next step is to build a winning team so ALL the alumni want to get involved.

One thing at a time...