Should Marquette Have Bowling/Speedskating Teams?

[Tugg Speedman]

I was flipping through the channels and ESPNU is showing the NCAA women's Bowling championship.  Maryland Eastern Shore against Fairleigh Dickinson.

Milwaukee has a long history with bowling.  Hasn't the Milwaukee bowling hall of fame been around for 100 years?  Do you think Bowling would be a good fit for MU?  If so, why are we adding Lacrosse and not bowling?


And with the Pettit National Ice center in Milwaukee, why isn't MU pushing for speed-skating as a NCAA sport?

http://iceskatingresources.org/NCAARules&Regulations.html

My point is why not add "secondary sports" that Milwaukee has an advantage in (bowling and speed skating).  Especially speed skating, every four years speed skating is a big part of the the winter Olympics broadcast.  If MU had a dominant position because of its relative location to the Pettit center, and was prominently mentioned as having a lot of MU students as speed skaters, that is not a bad thing.

Thoughts?

[warthog-driver]

This cannot be serious

[Jay Bee]

I am all for bowling.  Speed skating is for sissies. 

[wadesworld]

Let's make a poll!

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Maryland Eastern Shore against Fairleigh Dickinson.

So, all the big-time programs are pushing bowling?

[77fan88warrior]

How is this bball related???????????

[brewcity77]

I guess it depends on need and cost. I'm all for adding D1 sports that help keep us viable as a Big East member, even if they aren't exactly mainstream sports. We've got lanes at the Annex, so all we need for bowling is shirts, scholarships, and student-athletes. And a coach, I guess. So much for my alliteration. Speed-skating would be more expensive, it seems. We'd need to rent ice time from the Pettit, transport our kids to and from campus for practice and competition, as well as all the other stuff. And all of them would have to meet Title IX.

I could see an argument for either, bowling seems more viable, but the Olympic payoff is bigger for exposure.

[Silkk the Shaka]

If the athletic budget is such that finding locker space for the lacrosse team is high on Larry Williams' priority/worry list, draw your own conclusion as to whether we get a speed skating or bowling team (would have to be men's AND women's - title IX)

[warriorchick]

Bowling is only a women's sport in the NCAA.  They would have to come up with a men's sport then, wouldn't they?

How about fencing?  That would be a pretty low-cost sport.

[Tugg Speedman]

How is this bball related???????????

It's the off-season for bball

[Tugg Speedman]

So, all the big-time programs are pushing bowling?

Boston College beat Ferris State for the Men's Hockey championship.  Can we say the same thing about that sport too?

[GGGG]

Boston College beat Ferris State for the Men's Hockey championship.  Can we say the same thing about that sport too?

No because there are very big schools that generate revenue from hockey.  No one generates revenue from bowling.  The sport only exists for schools that need to balance out Title IX issues.

[Tugg Speedman]

No because there are very big schools that generate revenue from hockey.  No one generates revenue from bowling.  The sport only exists for schools that need to balance out Title IX issues.

You hit upon the point I was trying to make.  If you're going to add "secondary sports" then why not add sports you might have a chance at doing well in.  Doing well will attract attention and raise the profile of the school.  

I suggested that Milwaukee's history with bowling would make it a good fit.  The Pettit center makes speed skating an interesting idea for MU.

LaCrosse or fencing are fine sports but what competitive advantage would MU have?

Lastly, Ferris State of Grand Rapids MI with 13k undergrads is a "very big school."  Does Michigan State know this?

[GGGG]

Reading.  Is.  Fundamental.  I never said Ferris State was a "very big school."

And lacrosse brings much more exposure to MU, and is played by other BE schools, while bowling doesn't do anything.

[warriorchick]

Regarding speed skating, there are only 4 competition-quality long track speed skating ovals in the United States - Milwaukee, Lake Placid, Salt Lake City, and Roseville, MN.  That severely limits the number of schools that could legitimately field a team.  I can't picture the NCAA sanctioning a sport with such limited availability.

[QPSS70]

Didn't we have men's and women's varsity rifle teams a while ago - like in the last 10 years?   Other than when they got started up, there was no publicity and those teams  had a quiet death.   

[ZiggysFryBoy]

aren't there some Olympian speed skaters studying at MU due to the proximately of the Pettit?  I thought I remember reading that a few years back.

[warriorchick]

How about bass fishing?

Maybe it shouldn't be teal - it is actually a sanctioned varsity high school sport in the state of Illinois.

[jficke13]

aren't there some Olympian speed skaters studying at MU due to the proximately of the Pettit?  I thought I remember reading that a few years back.

A friend of mine skated to try to get in shape for qualification for either the US or Canadian team (never really understood the whole dual-citizenship thing as it works for the Olympics). She didn't qualify though.

[brewcity77]

Bowling is only a women's sport in the NCAA.  They would have to come up with a men's sport then, wouldn't they?

How about fencing?  That would be a pretty low-cost sport.

Sweet! Add a 100-woman bowling team and we can finally bring football back!

[Dr. Blackheart]

Neither of these are slaps of five sports.  Add curling

[Tugg Speedman]

Regarding speed skating, there are only 4 competition-quality long track speed skating ovals in the United States - Milwaukee, Lake Placid, Salt Lake City, and Roseville, MN.  That severely limits the number of schools that could legitimately field a team.  I can't picture the NCAA sanctioning a sport with such limited availability.

Consider that these are NCAA sports:

Rifle ... West Virginia and Alaska combined have won 24 of the 30 Championships, West Virginia leads all with 14, while Alaska Fairbanks has 10.  Buzz has no idea how lucky he was!!

Skiing has been a NCAA sport since 1954

Boxing was a NCAA sport until 1960 Charlie Mohr, a boxer on the University of Wisconsin–Madison team, collapsed with a brain hemorrhage and died one week later.  The sport was discontinued after this tragedy.

[warriorchick]

Consider that these are NCAA sports:

Rifle ... West Virginia and Alaska combined have won 24 of the 30 Championships, West Virginia leads all with 14, while Alaska Fairbanks has 10.  Buzz has no idea how lucky he was!!

Skiing has been a NCAA sport since 1954

Boxing was a NCAA sport until 1960 Charlie Mohr, a boxer on the University of Wisconsin–Madison team, collapsed with a brain hemorrhage and died one week later.  The sport was discontinued after this tragedy.

What does any of that have to do with the fact that there are only 4 places in the entire country to hold long-track speed skating competitions?  You can shoot a rifle anywhere, and there hundreds of ski hills.

[Tugg Speedman]

aren't there some Olympian speed skaters studying at MU due to the proximately of the Pettit?  I thought I remember reading that a few years back.

Below are articles about four MU past and present Olympic speed skaters.  Have we even had four different basketball ball players in the Olympics?

Question: "What sport have MU athletes produced the most Olympic appearances?  Answer: Speed Skating (not basketball)

Warrior Chick - if enough schools take an interest in starting speed skating as a sport, the NCAA will consider it.  Given our current history is speed skating, we should be part of any group looking to make it a NCAA sport.
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http://saratogian.com/articles/2012/03/11/sports/doc4f5d5529d680f883980962.txt

March 11, 2012

Although the future is a bit uncertain for Matt Rittenhouse, the present has been quite kind. Last weekend, the 2010 Saratoga Springs High School graduate claimed first place overall in the men's speed skating 500-meter competition at the 2012 American Cup/Champions Challenge at the Utah Olympic Oval. Rittenhouse also took home second overall in the 1,000-meter event.

...

After his freshman year at Northeastern, Rittenhouse decided to transfer to Marquette University and focus more on speed skating.

"It's kind of tough balancing school and speed skating," Rittenhouse said. "I'm only taking three classes, but Marquette is pretty demanding. But my teachers are pretty flexible and that's helped me out."

...

"I'm putting school on the backburner," Rittenhouse said. "I'm going to finish the semester at Marquette, pack up the U-haul and move to Salt Lake City."

From there, Rittenhouse believes the sky is the limit.

"I hope to make the World Cup team," Rittenhouse said. "Then the Olympics are the next year and I hope to snag a spot on that team as well."

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http://triblocal.com/glenview/community/galleries/2011/12/olympic-silver-medalist-speed-skater-brian-hansen-rings-the-bell-for-the-salvation-army-red-kettle-campaign/

December 28, 2011

Olympic Silver Medalist Speed Skater Brian Hansen participated as a Salvation Army Celebrity Bell Ringer on Friday, December 23, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. A Chicagoland native, Brian grew up in Glenview, Illinois, before going on to win a silver medal in Team Pursuit at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Brian, who was the youngest member of 2010 U.S. Long Track Olympic Team, most recently placed third in the U.S. Speedskating Championships on Saturday, December 17. Brian is currently a sophomore at Marquette University and is training for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

http://brianhansen2014.com/bio/

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http://www.marquette.edu/magazine/recent.php?subaction=showfull&id=1266940805&archive=&start_from=&ucat=12&

Speedskating veteran Andy Gabel, Bus Ad '90, knows his way around the Winter Olympics. He competed in 1988, 1992, 1994 and 1998, winning a silver medal in the  5,000-meter relay that last year in Lillehammer, Norway. He came back as director of sport for short track speedskating and figure skating in Salt Lake City in 2002. And now, in Vancouver, he's working as a color commentator for NBC/Universal.

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http://www.gomarquette.com/m-club/athleticsalumniawards.html

Lifetime Achievement Award -
Dr. Michael P. Woods

Few individuals participate in an Olympic Games, let alone three. Dr. Michael Woods accomplished it after switching from track to speed skating, representing Marquette on the Junior World team and in two World Sprint Championships. He won a gold medal and two silver medals in eight all-around World Championships and was a national outdoor long track champion and U.S. Skater of the Year. In 1998, he was elected to the National Speed Skating Museum and Hall of Fame.

Michael then coached speed skating and bicycling while practicing anesthesiology in the Milwaukee area and still found time to raise funds for Milwaukee's Pettit National Ice Center. He is currently chief of anesthesia services at Oconomowoc (Wis.) Memorial Hospital.

[GGGG]

Warrior Chick - if enough schools take an interest in starting speed skating as a sport, the NCAA will consider it.  Given our current history is speed skating, we should be part of any group looking to make it a NCAA sport.

Are you drunk?  Seriously, this is a stupid idea.