I don't take credit for the initial idea, and I'm not going to necro the old thread (http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=32233.0); however, I came across this article this morning:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/westminster-college-produces-most-winter-olympians-192445769.html
It will be interesting to see if Westminster College gets any airtime over the next few weeks.
Regardless, I anticipate that we're going to see more than our fair share of "Shani vs. Hansen" coverage, soft-stories, profiles, etc., especially leading up to the Men's 1000m.... and that's going to be good pub for Milwaukee and MU. I don't think anyone can reasonably expect speedskating to ever become an NCAA sport, but I'm starting to get more on-board with the idea of MU exploring non-academic scholarships for Olympic athletes who train in Milwaukee. Obviously, MU is never going to attract anyone on the US Ski/Snowboard Team, but why not leverage the world-class speedskating and curling facilities* in our own backyard? Heck, it doesn't even have to be for US athletes.
I mean seriously, who wouldn't want to see Anna and Liudmila walking around (in an MU hoodie) on campus.
(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4049/4511472647_316ec2c1e3.jpg)
(http://msn.foxsports.com/content/dam/fsdigital/fscom/other/Images/2014/01/28/012814-curling-Anna-Sidorova-TV-Pi4.vadapt.955.medium.1.jpg)
(http://modusvivendis.ru/images/cms/thumbs/a7df3e80c5343883a95a30700dc77c7f630e7452/002_450_auto_0_100.jpg)
* "World-class curling facilities" includes any club that brings your beer right to the sheet.
You might want to inform Keefe that you have some hot curling photos......he would certainly want to add to the collection I am sure.
ZFB - 7
Keefe - 5
Benny - 2
I was reading the latest MU alumni magazine yesterday and they were profiling a kid from Alaska who attended MU so he would be close to Petit Ice Center. He missed the 2010 Olympics due to a concussion and I have no idea if he qualified this year?