Virtually all of us want Fordham to stress academics over athletics. But what the administration--and some posters here--seem to overlook is that the two can be mutually supporting. Obviously, a good basketball team won't turn an inferior commuter school (like St. John's) into an academic powerhouse. But athletics have certainly helped to raise the national profile (and expand the applicant pools) of schools like Duke, BC, ND, and Georgetown. The years when these institutions were on the rise athletically were the same years when they were coming into their own academically. Fordham has a lot of things going for it--outstanding academics, Jesuit traditions, a renowned faculty, three beautiful campuses in the "capital of the world," a growing population of resident students etc. The one piece missing is the athletic one. Is it a coincidence that the era when Fordham's was THE preeminent Catholic university was the same era when our athletics brought us national attention? -- Fordham Rams Basketball Message Board

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Date Posted: Fri April 15, 2005 15:03:41
Author: Ram'69
Subject: Virtually all of us want Fordham to stress academics over athletics. But what the administration--and some posters here--seem to overlook is that the two can be mutually supporting. Obviously, a good basketball team won't turn an inferior commuter school (like St. John's) into an academic powerhouse. But athletics have certainly helped to raise the national profile (and expand the applicant pools) of schools like Duke, BC, ND, and Georgetown. The years when these institutions were on the rise athletically were the same years when they were coming into their own academically. Fordham has a lot of things going for it--outstanding academics, Jesuit traditions, a renowned faculty, three beautiful campuses in the "capital of the world," a growing population of resident students etc. The one piece missing is the athletic one. Is it a coincidence that the era when Fordham's was THE preeminent Catholic university was the same era when our athletics brought us national attention?
In reply to: Ram'69 's message, "Today I got a mailing from Fordham's Annual Fund. The enclosed folder has a picture of Fr. McShane on the first page, with the caption: "Joseph M. McShane, S.J. , president of Fordham University, boldly asserts that our dreams are great and worthy, and that small dreams are not worthy of Fordham." The next three pages recount many recent accomplishments (the only one with any relationship to athletics is the renovation of Murphy Field). On the fourth page, a bar graph shows us comparing poorly to Notre Dame, Columbia, Georgetown, and Boston College in alumni giving, and exhorts alums to "Demonstrate your Fordham Pride." Doesn't anyone in power at Rose Hill understand that alums want to take pride not only in the University's contributions in academics and community service, but also in its athletic accomplishments? ND, GT and BC all see the important role of athletics in this regard, and now even Columbia is beginning to take sports seriously. More...." on Thu April 14, 2005 22:43:30

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