Should Marquette Have Bowling/Speedskating Teams?

[Bocephys]

Who would our Speed Skating team play against?

Common sense?

[TJ]

Common sense?

Hilarious.  Made reading this stupid thread worth it.

[drewm88]

This idea's been thrown out on Scoop before, but the thought was to just recruit speedskaters and provide some type of scholarship, not attempt to make it a full-blown sport. I personally would be in favor of the former. I'm sure there's somebody who can identify promising young speedskaters. Pick a couple each year and offer them a half-scholarship. Sit back and wait for the 2018 Olympics to hear Bob Costas narrate a piece on the little school in Milwaukee that's producing Olympians. (Step 3. ????? Step 4. Profit.)

Relatively low cost to MU (4 full scholarships if you do 2 halfs each class) with decent potential publicity gains.

There, now tear me to shreds.

[slingkong]

Lacrosse players are generally jags. That is all.

[wildbill sb]

Lacrosse players are generally jags. That is all.

Thanks for that helpful, definitive clarification.

[leever]

The women's bowling championship was even more boring than Wisconsin basketball!

How about cribbage?

[Tugg Speedman]

The women's bowling championship was even more boring than Wisconsin basketball!

How about cribbage?

NO ONE GIVES A SH!T ABOUT CRIBBAGE.  IT ISN"T EVEN SANCTIONED BY THE NCAA!!!!

[Tugg Speedman]

How about the sport of Quidditch, from the Harry Potter Movies

Their is an intercollegiate Quidditch Association and it is played at Middlebury college.

ESPN profiled it recently

http://search.espn.go.com/quidditch/videos/6

[Benny B]

This idea's been thrown out on Scoop before, but the thought was to just recruit speedskaters and provide some type of scholarship, not attempt to make it a full-blown sport. I personally would be in favor of the former. I'm sure there's somebody who can identify promising young speedskaters. Pick a couple each year and offer them a half-scholarship. Sit back and wait for the 2018 Olympics to hear Bob Costas narrate a piece on the little school in Milwaukee that's producing Olympians. (Step 3. ????? Step 4. Profit.)

Relatively low cost to MU (4 full scholarships if you do 2 halfs each class) with decent potential publicity gains.

There, now tear me to shreds.

I actually proposed the speed skating idea (non-NCAA, but with the intention of attracting Olympic-caliber speed skaters around the world) to someone at MU, but in our discussion, we came to a realization that speed-skaters are not "the college type" - from a dedication standpoint, not intellectual - i.e. so much time is spent training, especially leading up to Olympic years, that European speed skaters rarely pursue the equivalent of an American 4-year college, and the US speed skaters who do pursue a bachelor's degree typically take a class or two while in training but finish the bulk of their coursework after their competition careers are over.

The consensus was, that you could attract world-class speed skaters to Marquette, but not a sufficient number of Olympic-caliber speed skaters to garner the publicity that would make it all worthwhile.  Unless you got a high-profile, Chicago-native speed skater - who has trained at the Pettit previously - to buy in to the program before Sochi.

[jesmu84]

This idea's been thrown out on Scoop before, but the thought was to just recruit speedskaters and provide some type of scholarship, not attempt to make it a full-blown sport. I personally would be in favor of the former. I'm sure there's somebody who can identify promising young speedskaters. Pick a couple each year and offer them a half-scholarship. Sit back and wait for the 2018 Olympics to hear Bob Costas narrate a piece on the little school in Milwaukee that's producing Olympians. (Step 3. ????? Step 4. Profit.)

Relatively low cost to MU (4 full scholarships if you do 2 halfs each class) with decent potential publicity gains.

There, now tear me to shreds.

I actually like that idea. Who wouldn't enjoy a story on MU during such a high profile event?

[Tugg Speedman]

The consensus was, that you could attract world-class speed skaters to Marquette, but not a sufficient number of Olympic-caliber speed skaters to garner the publicity that would make it all worthwhile.  Unless you got a high-profile, Chicago-native speed skater - who has trained at the Pettit previously - to buy in to the program before Sochi.

Um, I had that on page 1.  

His name is Brian Hansen and he's from Glenview, currently a Sophomore and he won a Silver medal in 2010

---

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/

[Warriors10]

Why don't we just add curling while we are at it...

[Benny B]

Um, I had that on page 1.  

His name is Brian Hansen and he's from Glenview, currently a Sophomore and he won a Silver medal in 2010

---

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/

How many people in the U.S. have heard of Brian Hansen?  Brian Hansen has no name recognition outside the sport, and is a relative newcomer in the sport.  His isn't the cachet (at least not yet) requisite to the foundation of such a program.

Think higher-profile.  2-time gold and 2-time silver medalist.  Chicago-native.  Current WR holder in three events.  A household name (during the Olympics).  That's the kind of person you need to pull this off.

[77fan88warrior]

Beat me to it.

[Tugg Speedman]

You asked ...

Unless you got a high-profile, Chicago-native speed skater - who has trained at the Pettit previously - to buy in to the program before Sochi.

I gave you a a name of an MU sophomore with a silver medal from Chicago that trains at the Pettit for Sochi.  Exactly what you wanted.

Now what you seem to want Shani Davis ... he was 28 when he won all his medals.  Kinda of old to be an MU student.

Hansen is as good as it gets while still being an MU student.  He'll be better years after he is gone.  

Maybe MU, should encourage Hansen, and promote Hansen.  Maybe MU should use it alumni network or whatever to help him get a zillion subway commercials with Apollo Ohno as a lead-in to the winter games.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

You asked ...

Unless you got a high-profile, Chicago-native speed skater - who has trained at the Pettit previously - to buy in to the program before Sochi.

I gave you a a name of an MU sophomore with a silver medal from Chicago that trains at the Pettit for Sochi.  Exactly what you wanted.

Now what you seem to want Shani Davis ... he was 28 when he won all his medals.  Kinda of old to be an MU student.

Hansen is as good as it gets while still being an MU student.  He'll be better years after he is gone.  

Maybe MU, should encourage Hansen, and promote Hansen.  Maybe MU should use it alumni network or whatever to help him get a zillion subway commercials with Apollo Ohno as a lead-in to the winter games.

Hoop can get chicos on it right away.

[DFW HOYA]

No, Marquette should have a football team and play in the nonscholarship I-AA Pioneer League.

[warthog-driver]

No, Marquette should have a football team and play in the nonscholarship I-AA Pioneer League.

MU had a club football team back in the 80's. It was coached by Norm "Bad Breath" Killion. His problem was a significant lack of interest. He would troll the cafeterias and Union looking for anyone who had beef, asking if they wanted to play ball. I played on the baseball team and while we had zero fan support we still fielded a competitive team and had fun. Football is the Gray Ghost of MU.

[warthog-driver]

Looks like after coaching at Marquette, Bad Breath Killion went on to coach the Wisconsin Warriors, a full contact women's football team.

http://www.hostedfootball.net/womens_football_camp/call_page.asp?page=PAST_COACHES&affiliation=HostedFootball&username=womens_football_camp

[Warriors10]

No, Marquette should have a football team and play in the nonscholarship I-AA Pioneer League.

This better be in teal.  You want to be associated with schools like Valpo, San Diego, Jacksonville?

[Benny B]

You asked ...

Unless you got a high-profile, Chicago-native speed skater - who has trained at the Pettit previously - to buy in to the program before Sochi.

I gave you a a name of an MU sophomore with a silver medal from Chicago that trains at the Pettit for Sochi.  Exactly what you wanted.

Now what you seem to want Shani Davis ... he was 28 when he won all his medals.  Kinda of old to be an MU student.

Hansen is as good as it gets while still being an MU student.  He'll be better years after he is gone.  

Maybe MU, should encourage Hansen, and promote Hansen.  Maybe MU should use it alumni network or whatever to help him get a zillion subway commercials with Apollo Ohno as a lead-in to the winter games.

Blind Robin Hood hits yet another bullseye.

[warthog-driver]

This better be in teal.  You want to be associated with schools like Valpo, San Diego, Jacksonville?

Isn't that better than Bad Breath Killion taking our women into the Arena of Women's Full Contact Football?

[MU82]

No bowling? I can't believe we've fallen behind the athletic juggernauts that are Maryland Eastern Shore and Fairleigh Dickinson!

[warriorchick]

No bowling? I can't believe we've fallen behind the athletic juggernauts that are Maryland Eastern Shore and Fairleigh Dickinson!

Not to mention WU-Whitewater - they are a top-10 ranked team!

[warthog-driver]

Has Marquette considered forming a women's full contact football team? Perhaps we could lure Norm "Bad Breatg" Killion away from the professional ranks to lead our Warriorettes onto the field of honor