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Post by sader1970 on Nov 15, 2018 18:40:03 GMT -5
While on campus last week, I picked up a copy of " The Crusader" - oh, sorry, " The Spire." Just now having a chance to skim through it and besides a couple of articles on the 50th anniversary of the BSU (one co-written by my classmate and co-founder of the BSU, Art Martin), there was this guest writer who claims to be John Murphy '21 but I am sure is really just a pen name for one of our regular posters. So, in case you haven't read it, enjoy this on-line version of the article: hcspire.com/2018/11/09/the-history-of-holy-cross-sports-and-why-we-stink-nowadays/ |
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Post by thecrossisback on Nov 15, 2018 18:49:04 GMT -5
All I have to say is WOW! It was so good until the division 2 part.  |
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Post by sader1970 on Nov 15, 2018 18:55:48 GMT -5
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Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Nov 15, 2018 19:22:29 GMT -5
"But, the Holy Cross athletic program’s last stint of relativity was the baseball team making the College World Series in 2017."
Hopefully someone tell this kid that the baseball NCAA's are NOT the "College World Series". I stopped reading right there. |
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Post by sader1970 on Nov 15, 2018 19:35:20 GMT -5
Well, I kept reading despite that faux pas as I was impressed that this young man obviously did a lot of research on Holy Cross sports history (going back to probably his great grandparent's day) and how great a mistake is this compared to stuff coming from the Athletic Department communications?
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Post by rgs318 on Nov 15, 2018 19:49:40 GMT -5
I have not read the Spire since they abandoned the name Crusader. I appreciate the research that was done on this (despite so many errors and lack of proofreading). However, it does not love me to ever read the Spire. That is no problem since articles like this are not aimed at alums but at he millennials who populate Mt St James today. PS: "Basketball began here in 1900, just nine years after the sport was invented and during Wliiam Mckinley’s presidency (non-history majors reading that name be like who?  )." I was a history major at HC. I have never heard of anyone by that name. Did he perhaps mean "William McKinley?" I also would never say "be like who."  |
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Post by matunuck on Nov 15, 2018 20:19:47 GMT -5
I thought one of Fr. B’s big priorities when he arrived at HC was enhancing the writing skills of the students. I’ve found some of the writing of our faculty members to be mind-numbing.
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Post by hcbball on Nov 15, 2018 22:54:23 GMT -5
Why the comparisons to P5 schools? The near term objective should be to be more competitive and successful in the PL, then you can build from there.
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Post by hc87 on Nov 16, 2018 0:36:24 GMT -5
Jesus Christ.....98% of the kids at HC today have no clue with regards to HC and its athletic legacy....sad
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Post by hcpride on Nov 16, 2018 4:08:13 GMT -5
Funny article...thought the suggested cure for our 40-year slump would be that we should conserve our resources and instead compete with well known D-III colleges instead of wasting money while losing so often at the D-1 level. (No idea why the author referenced BC and other P5 schools so often.)
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Post by sader1970 on Nov 16, 2018 7:31:55 GMT -5
OK, you're saying that you didn't write this article then? |
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Post by timholycross on Nov 16, 2018 10:44:36 GMT -5
Of course the list of schools he mentions are in a conference with Merrimack, enrollment 3,500 (close enough to HC) that is going Division 1. Just sayin'
I feel the only acceptable downgrade is D3 and in the same league as Tufts, Bates, etc. (The Nascac). Entirely for the "the company you keep" argument. And as others have said, they ain't invitin' us.
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Post by Tom on Nov 20, 2018 9:32:50 GMT -5
Not that it's even close to being a big deal and I get that the author is trying to appear glib by making things sound horrible to support a farcical recommendation, but HC's PLT quarterfinal win over Navy was in March of 2018.
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Post by Tom on Nov 20, 2018 9:35:30 GMT -5
Of course the list of schools he mentions are in a conference with Merrimack, enrollment 3,500 (close enough to HC) that is going Division 1. Just sayin' I feel the only acceptable downgrade is D3 and in the same league as Tufts, Bates, etc. (The Nascac). Entirely for the "the company you keep" argument. And as others have said, they ain't invitin' us. Even the NEWMAC (MIT, WPI, Clark, etc) has a bunch of schools rated higher than almost anything in the NE10 |
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Post by nhteamer on Nov 20, 2018 9:55:37 GMT -5
The writer is a known mystic and dancer; that's what attracted him to HC.
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Post by rgs318 on Nov 20, 2018 10:03:56 GMT -5
Not that it's even close to being a big deal and I get that the author is trying to appear glib by making things sound horrible to support a farcical recommendation, but HC's PLT quarterfinal win over Navy was in March of 2018. I think the author was intentionally making such a blatant error. It may have been his way of saying we should not take him too seriously because he clearly does not know what he is talking about. In such a case, I offer him my thanks for making the picture so clear. |
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Post by sader1970 on Nov 20, 2018 10:20:31 GMT -5
C'mon guys. Give this kid a break. Unlike the rest of us whose lives revolve around all things Holy Cross athletics, this guy probably has to attend a class or two and has other distractions in his life. He likely does not have the time Phreek and others have to get every fact(oid?) correct.  |
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Post by rgs318 on Nov 20, 2018 10:30:44 GMT -5
If there is time to do it, then there is always time to do it correctly. Or so I have been told for decades now. |
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Post by Tom on Nov 20, 2018 11:15:06 GMT -5
C'mon guys. Give this kid a break. Unlike the rest of us whose lives revolve around all things Holy Cross athletics, this guy probably has to attend a class or two and has other distractions in his life. He likely does not have the time Phreek and others have to get every fact(oid?) correct. I'm assuming this kid was just stirring the pot to get a reaction, but I think if you're going to the effort of getting yourself published, you should go through the effort of verifying the facts you choose to include. Instead of giving the kid a break for doing a sloppy job on an extracurricular, we should be all over his case. This is what school is all about. Learn now when the consequences are trivial that people notice poor workmanship instead of finding out in the real world when consequences might be more severe. Maybe this kid should thank me for providing a learning moment |
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Post by matunuck on Nov 20, 2018 11:49:33 GMT -5
Only have to look at the reaction of the campus when we made the NCAA tournament to see that winning cures all defeatist ills.
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Post by Chu Chu on Nov 20, 2018 12:05:24 GMT -5
I would encourage you guys to add a comment after the article, in addition to the discussion here! It might prompt further discussion and student involvement. I just did:
"Interesting article, and good job on researching the past success of Holy Cross athletics. I fear (and hope) that your suggestion to down grade is ill timed, however. We are at the cusp of a great turn around! Over the last 10 years, we have established the Crusader Athletic Fund, added scholarships for key sports, built world class facilities, hired some excellent coaches and stepped up recruiting. Our “niche” is to pursue excellence in all aspects of college achievement, academic and athletic. We should not aspire to be Alabama, but we can and should be the best version possible of ourselves. The future is bright. Go, Cross, go!"
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Post by WCHC Sports on Nov 20, 2018 12:46:54 GMT -5
Good lord... I had to stop reading this just over halfway through.
Riddled with typos, published on the school's publication website (without editing, seemingly), sentences missing a subject, double negatives... clmetsfan is rolling in his grave, except he's still alive.
Factually inaccurate, missing the point in the sarcastic/informal tone, sloppy drivel at worst. Prove the point with all your statistics and be serious in your suggestions, or maintain the sarcastic tone and go over the top with why HC athletics is not successful. At the very least, please spell "staright" correctly. That red squiggly line means you should spell-check that sucker to "straight."
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Post by sader1970 on Nov 20, 2018 12:53:25 GMT -5
Guess I shouldn't have ever thought this thread would go anywhere other than where it has gone. I second the motion that folks go on line and comment if you think you can do it without crucifying the author and limit it to the state of Holy Cross athletics and maybe gently correcting the history of the College. Doesn't serve any purpose to tip off the students that a lot of alums are cranky old men still searching for the perfect world - they'll find out soon enough.  [And I include myself in that category] ChuChu's was a great response, IMHO. |
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Post by crusader12 on Nov 20, 2018 15:16:24 GMT -5
I'm glad the student wrote what he did and hopefully it found its way to ADNPs desk. We deserve better! We stink so bad I am going to fewer and fewer games. Just not interesting anymore. SAD!
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Post by Sader Fan on Nov 24, 2018 9:40:34 GMT -5
The author’s thesis is that we stink at sports because we have a small student body relative to our competition. However our student body size compares favorably to the rest of the Patriot League and to many of the Catholic colleges we play. That being said, we never do well in the Presidents Cup so something is amiss. Nevertheless, I believe the school is on the right athletic track. Pine is doing a fine job. I think our men’s basketball team is in for several great years and Chesney is doing wonders with the football team.Women’s basketball has some great young players and women’s hockey has just moved into Hockey East ( with the men to follow soon I hope). The Luth is a showpiece and is already yielding results in the recruiting battles.
Going D2 would be ludicrous. I am happy with the path we are on and hope that recruits never see this article.
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)." I was a history major at HC. I have never heard of anyone by that name. Did he perhaps mean "William McKinley?" I also would never say "be like who." 
[And I include myself in that category]
