If you’re younger than 40, you probably don’t know that
C.O.D. stands for “Cash on Delivery.” It was a payment option some businesses
used to allow on mail ordered items, usually the ones you saw on TV for $19.99.
C.O.D. was a popular way to pay for those who didn’t like to
hand over their hard earned money until they could see what they were getting.
It’s too bad we don’t have a C.O.D. options for Columbia
sports.
We’re already seeing lots of fans declaring victory before
we even play the games, something you’d think decades of losing would cure us
of… but apparently not.
Let’s start with men’s basketball, (women’s basketball is
admittedly a hopeless case this year; anything more than two Ivy wins will be a
surprise), where I’m already being told we’re a lock for at least 3rd
place in the Ivies, etc, etc.
Listen folks, it’s been 21 YEARS since Columbia even had a
winning Ivy record. Don’t you think we ought to win at least ONE Ivy game
before we coronate the coach, players, or anyone else?
By all means, go to the games. Cheer loudly. But don’t
celebrate wins until the games are won. Got it?
Tomorrow, the REAL season begins at Levien with the men
taking on a very weak Cornell team. If the Lions don’t win this game, be very,
very afraid. If they do, then it’s one down 13 to go.
C.O.D.
Now, let’s turn to the recruiting picture for Columbia
football.
There was a time when I would be amused by the inevitable, “we have an awesome class of recruits already” comments during this period when
football commitments to Columbia are coming to light.
Not anymore.
After an 0-10 season, anything short of a list filled with
5-star All-State recruits is little to get excited about.
And I have to say that while 2-3 of the recruits we know
about look promising, that’s it.
Many of these “highlight videos” are astoundingly embarrassing;
they make the players look terrible. We can only hope the true highlights were
omitted for technical reasons.
We need to bring back the JV program to help develop these
players or at least help us divide the wheat from the chaff before we throw
them on the field in varsity games.
But that won't happen.
Because that would be a good decision and Head Coach Pete Mangurian doesn't make good decisions.
The fact remains that there’s more evidence that Mangurian is trying to destroy the
football program rather than make it better. It’s always bad when a conspiracy
theory seems to have more grounding in truth than usual.
Inexperienced players are getting more playing time than
veterans. The team doesn’t even meet as a whole unit at all during the week,
only briefly on game day. Players who never started at their skill positions
even in high school are starting for the Lions and being placed above proven
veterans on the depth chart.
So even if I’m wrong and we’re assembling the best
recruiting class in decades, why exactly should we be celebrating when these
players are going to be mismanaged by the worst coaching staff anyone has ever
seen in Ivy League history?
There’s only ONE thing that should change anything about
this perception: wins.
Get some wins next fall, and then we can get excited about
this recruiting class. Until then, we heartily congratulate these players and
their families for their commitment to academics and athletics. It is a great
achievement just to be admitted.
But when it comes to cheering achievements on the field in
college, it’s C.O.D.
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