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Opinion
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The News Argiis Page 5
RAMBLE
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Should students
be allowed
to date their
professors?
Yes, if student
is over 18
15%
No, it could hinder other
students
42%
Yes, as long as
student and prof. aren’t
in the same dept.
26%
don’t care, to each
their own
17%
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A look back:
Division II not an option
The best option:
Going back to Division II
Unless you've been under
a rock, it's easy to see that
Winston-Salem State's athletic
department is struggling.
Just go to a home basketball
game, any home basketball
game other than the one
against North Carolina A&T,
and take a look at all the
empty seats.
Or pick up the Winston-
Salem Journal, and read about
hovi? the department will end
up $1.5 million in the red.
Or look at the firing of Dr.
Percy "Chico" Caldwell, the
now former athletic director.
The athletic department
was dealt another blow on
Feb. 13 when the UNC Board
of Governors voted against a
prpposed 31.3 percent increase
in .student athletic fees to help
cover the cost of jumping to
Division I.
Given the current finan
cial struggles, some people
have expressed the opinion
that the school should just
cut its losses and move back
to Division 11. Some have
expressed a desire to return to
the CIAA.
Moving back down to
Division II would be a huge
mistake.
Let's face the facts; the jump
to Division 1 was a hastily
made move at best. The deci
sion was announced in 2004.
The school was rapidly
growing, receiving accolades
from national publications,
and guided by a highly popu
lar and charismatic chancellor,
Harold L. Martin.
The school as a whole
was stepping up to another,
unprecedented level, so it is
understandable that the ath
letic department would want
to fall in line.
As the saying goes, hind
sight is 20/20.
WSSU is three years into a
now five-year transition from
Division 11 to Division I. And
while the athletic department
is struggling to stay afloat
financially, it is much too late
to turn back.
If WSSU were to go back to
Division II, it would be embar
rassing. Whenever WSSU ath
letics are discussed, the first
thing people will think: "Oh,
you mean that school that
tried to go to Division I?"
The embarrassment alone
would probably keep the
school from ever attempting
the move again.
From a sports fan's point of
view, the jump back would
be a step back in terms of the
athletes the school recruits and
the competition it faces.
Being in Division I sepa
rates us from schools like
Fayetteville State and Johnson
C. Smith when it comes to the
caliber of athletes a program
recruits. It also keeps us com
petitive with N.C. A&T and
N.C. Central.
NCCU is also moving to
Division I. Stepping back
would place us firmly behind
our fiercest rivals and relegate
US to "Little Brother" status.
As far as competition
goes, after facing teams like
Hampton, S.C. State and
Florida A&M, it's hard to
get excited about going back
to facing Livingstone and
Elizabeth City State.
The change in leadership in
the athletic department was a
needed one.
Money is not being raised,
programs are becoming stag
nant, and a new direction is
needed.
The University just needs to
be sure the step isn't a back
wards one.
Reprinted from Feb. 25, 2009
Stephen Gaither
Argus Sports Editor
2008-2009
"Moving Back to Division II
will be a huge mistake."
Those were words my pre
decessor Steven Gaither used
to describe our return to the
CIAA in our Feb. 25, 2009
issue.
I'm sorry Steven, but 1 don't
agree.
Mr. Gaither, a 2009 WSSU
graduate, is not the only per
son who has expressed those
feelings at the "return."
I have heard students make
similar comments.
As for WSSU falling behind
our biggest rivals, N.C.
Central and N.C. A&T that is
a moot point. The Rams were
victorious against both teams.
Gaither also said that as our
competition level dropped, so
will our chance to recruit on
the same level as N.C. A&T
and NCCU, another false pre
diction.
The Rams had one of the
most successful recruiting
classes this past season, with
wide receiver Tehvyn Brantley
winning CIAA offensive
rookie of the year.
When we were attempting
to go Division I, we couldn't
even get an honorable mention
for a post-season award.
Another concern Gaither
expressed was that the
University needs to be sure
the step isn't a backwards one.
I think what he meant
was by WSSU going back to
Division II, we could get left
behind by our closest competi
tion because we are not com
peting on the same level.
In fact, our competition does
not appear to be ready for the
teams in their own conference,
let alone the competition that
WSSU has faced this season.
The Athletic Department
struggled raising money in
Division I; therefore, the move
back to Division II is just what
the WSSU athletics needed.
Hiring Bill Hayes to fill the
athletic director position made
raising money a non-issue.
Everyone knows that with
winning comes money and
with money comes scholar
ships and with scholarships
comes better players.
Losing in a bigger confer
ence does not help with atten
dance. It will only continue to
hurt the advancement of the
department.
As far as the competition
goes, I know we were facing
teams like Hampton and S.C.
State it will be hard to imag
ine going back to the Virginia
State's and Livingstone's. I
look at it like this: CIAA teams
carry more of a history with
rivalries and we can always
schedule NCCU and N.C.
A&T for our non-conference
games. That way we can keep
the rivalry games that the
students have come to love
attending and learn more
about those they did not know
about.
The next time the Rams
want to make a move to
Division I, let's just be bet
ter prepared so they do not
embarrass themselves AGAIN!
Jordan Holloway
Sports Reporter
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THE NEWS ARGUS STAFF 2010
JORDAN HOWSE Editor in Chief
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