Big Donations, NYSP and the Buckeyes and Globetrotter Draft - Jul 03, 2008
- MIT received $2 million from the parents of a soccer student-athlete. The money will be used for new synthetic grass turf at the school's primary outdoor multisport athletics venue, Steinbrenner Stadium. Steinbrenner Stadium was funded with a gift in the late 1970s by New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and his two sisters to honor their father, a national-champion hurdler at the school. Yesterday we mentioned the Directors' Cup final results, noting the top institution's commitment to academics and athletics. MIT sponsors 41 varsity sports--the most at the Division III level.
- Oklahoma State announced over $60 million in donations last week, some of which is designated for athletics. Interestingly, none of it the donations were from billionaire alum T. Boone Pickens, who gave the school $100 million in May. Malone and Amy Mitchell donated over $57 million to the business school and athletic department and athletic director Mike Holder and his wife gave $1 million.
- The National Youth Sports program concludes with a graduation ceremony on the Ohio State campus in Columbus today. This is the last gradation for the NYSP, which had all federal funding cut in 2007. Although the NYSP has disbanded, kids in the Columbus area will still have opportunities to learn life skills and physical activities each summer. Ohio State has committed to continuing the free program under the new name LIFE Sports.
- While it seems increasingly common for basketball players to leave early for the NBA draft, it's pretty unusual to hear of a college volleyball player leaving school early to enter the professional ranks. Matt Anderson, who led his Penn State squad to the national championship and was named the 2008 NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player, has decided to leave school after his junior year. Anderson signed a two-year contract with Hyundai Capital Skywalkers of the Korean League. According to Penn State coach Mark Pavlik, Anderson is still planning to earn his degree. As international professional teams continue to grow, do you think we will begin to see more situations like this outside of men's basketball, football and baseball?
- I try to follow the motto, "you should try to learn something new everyday." Well today, I learned that the Harlem Globetrotters hold an annual draft where they select college players who are looking to play professionally. Some of the players they select have already been drafted by NBA teams. The draft was conducted yesterday. And with their first pick... the Globetrotters selected Georgetown graduate Patrick Ewing Jr. Arkansas' Sonny Weems, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's William Bullard, Siena's Tay Fisher, Oklahoma's Longar Longar, and Auburn's Donald Thomas were also selected. Over the upcoming months the lucky draft picks will be given a tryout with team.
