On the heels of two College World Series titles won by their instate rivals, Oregon State, the University of Oregon is bringing back its baseball program.
Quick questions:
- How much weight should we put on OSU's recent success in the decision to bring baseball back to OU? Are Duck boosters just nutty over the fact that the Beavers are having great success in baseball while the ducks can't even swim in the same pond?
- Is this an overall sign that college baseball is as healthy as ever?
- How much credit should we give to the current playoff format, a format that gives northern teams a fighting chance at winning championships?
- Will Iowa State and Colorado bring back their college baseball programs?
Being at Oregon State and having a healthy hatred for the other school, I thought I'd provide some commentary by someone else....but I have to agree with his commentary.
http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2007/07/14/sports/sports02.txt
I would place 99% of the weight of this decision on the Beavers recent success. Parity helps college baseball as does TV coverage, but the challenges of limited scholarships and the draft make for big hurdles. Throw in the Title IX balancing act and it makes for a tough road for athletic departments to keep a typically non-revenue generating sport alive.
Posted by: Blake | July 15, 2007 at 11:29 AM