While reading an as-usual-funny article by ESPN's TMQ (Tuesday Morning Quarterback), I stumbled upon a link to the NCAA's athletic GSR's (Graduation Success Rates) . I thought, for fun, I'd publish the men's graduation rates here, from top sport to last:
Sport GSR
Lacrosse 88
Water Polo 87
Fencing 86
Gymnastics 86
Ice Hockey 83
Swimming 83
Tennis 83
Volleyball 83
Skiing 82
Rifle 80
Golf 79
Soccer 79
CC/Track 74
Wrestling 72
Baseball 68
Football(FBS) 67
Football(FCS) 65
Basketball 62
Not so surprisingly, Baseball, football, and basketball are dead last, I think mainly because so many of these athletes graduate early to go into the professional realms. What did surprise me was that the FCS colleges, formerly Division II, had such a low rate since most of these players do not go into the NFL. I would be curious to hear what people think of that anomaly.
A little surprising, on the positive side, was that the ice hockey GSR's were so high. Different from the powerhouse counterparts, hockey players obviously are staying in school longer. This may have something to do with the level of competition and how difficult it is to make it into the NHL.
Any other thoughts from people are certainly welcomed. And sorry I haven't posted in so long.
Showing posts with label baseball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baseball. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
The Biggest Rivalries in College Sports
Before I even begin, let me get this part out of the way: I will forget/omit/leave out/ignore/not care about/miss some rivalries, by accident or on purpose. That's the nature of these lists and exactly what prompts discussion. That said, if you think there's one I've missed, definitely leave your comment, but don't get all riled up about it...Simply leave your comment, with your argument as to why, and be ready for someone else to tell you why you're wrong.
Secondly, I have not decided on a certain total number (like Top 10 or Top 20) and we'll see how long it goes, but they ARE ranked in order of most storied/most hated/most traditioned/most whatever I decide. Because there are so many ways to measure this sort of generalized topic, I have no real metric (or conglomeration of metrics) that I am using...just my own intuition and opinion, so once again, you are welcome to let me know where I've gone wrong.
Now, without further ado, the list...
1. Duke-North Carolina (basketball) - This rivalry is so big, I'm guessing someone from North Carolina will come on here mad because I've written Duke first (and some Duke fan will use that fact to support his argument of Blue Devil superiority). It is certainly the most bitter in-state rivalry ever known.
2. Ohio State-Michigan (football) - If you disagree with me on this one, read "The Ten Year War," by Joel Pennington and then tell me it isn't the most heated rivalry in college football. At one point, in 1968, #2 Ohio State scored a touchdown against #4 Michigan late in the fourth quarter to go up 50-14 and Woody Hayes sent his team onto the field to go for TWO points. Michigan was obviously furious and after the game, when Woody was asked why he did it, he famously replied, "Because I couldn't go for three." Now that's cold...
3. Alabama-Auburn (football and baseball) - After the first two rivalries, the list gets tight, but the hatred between these two schools is palpable before gameday. This is one of the experiences on my checklist-for-life...I've heard of wars more amicable than this.
4. Army-Navy (football) - Not only is this one of the most storied rivalries in football, but the series is almost dead even, which just adds to the tradition of this great game. Plus, Lee Corso LOVES this game and who can argue with Lee Corso!
5. Harvard-Yale (football and rowing) - Okay, the rowing part is kind of a joke (although it IS officially the oldest collegiate athletic competition), but the football part is not. This is the third-oldest football game ever played and is still a bloody battle on the field. I don't think there's a series with more 6-3 finals in all of college football, which means defense (and vicious hitting) rules the day more often than not. It's know as "The Game" for goodness sake.
6. Minnesota-Wisconsin (hockey) - It's hard to put any hockey rivalry ahead of most football and basketball matchups simply because of the sport's more limited fanbase, but if there is one, this is it. These two teams have been playing each other a long time and have hated each other just as long. If you want to see the best hockey game ever played, watch this game every year. And if that doesn't convince you, check this out: Minnesota believes they lead the series 142-74-15, while Wisconsin has it down as 142-75-15...they can't even agree on their records. Also, both schools have 5 NCAA titles to their name, an even-steven tie.
7. Oklahoma-Texas (football) - The "Red River Shootout," as it is commonly known, is not called so because it is played near the Red River. In fact, the game is played in Dallas, almost exactly half-way between the two schools, making it one of the few rivalries in college sports that is played at a truly neutral location. No, it is called the "Red River Shootout" because technically, whichever team's state wins the game, well, um, they own the Red River that separates the two states for that year. I think that's bigger than a trophy...but that's just me.
8. Kentucky-Louisville (basketball) - Many rivalries occur due to location and this matchup is no different. The only two major higher learning institutions in the state, these two teams are bitter rivals. So much so, that from 1959-1983, these two teams didn't even play due to the hatred...Now that's hate. Add to that the recent Rick Petino fiasco (he coached for Kentucky and then went to Louisville) and you've got fuel for the blazing fire that rages inside the state of Kentucky.
9. Florida-Georgia (football) - I almost had this as an honorable mention, but a story that broke earlier this year made me put it back into the mix. When schools are closing due to sports, it's a big deal, and when it occurs during a regular season game, well, it's a rivalry.
That'll do it. I guess nine is the magic number. In my mind, these are in a league of their own and when I think of who might be next on my list, I can think of a boat-load that all kind of tie as "next." Hence, I think it's the top 9 and then "the rest."
For the sake of those that are left, here are some honorable mentions, this time in no particular order: Notre Dame-USC (football), USC-UCLA (football), Indiana-Purdue (basketball), Florida State-Miami (football), California-Stanford (football), Mississippi State-Ole Miss (football), and Clemson-South Carolina (football).
Secondly, I have not decided on a certain total number (like Top 10 or Top 20) and we'll see how long it goes, but they ARE ranked in order of most storied/most hated/most traditioned/most whatever I decide. Because there are so many ways to measure this sort of generalized topic, I have no real metric (or conglomeration of metrics) that I am using...just my own intuition and opinion, so once again, you are welcome to let me know where I've gone wrong.
Now, without further ado, the list...
1. Duke-North Carolina (basketball) - This rivalry is so big, I'm guessing someone from North Carolina will come on here mad because I've written Duke first (and some Duke fan will use that fact to support his argument of Blue Devil superiority). It is certainly the most bitter in-state rivalry ever known.
2. Ohio State-Michigan (football) - If you disagree with me on this one, read "The Ten Year War," by Joel Pennington and then tell me it isn't the most heated rivalry in college football. At one point, in 1968, #2 Ohio State scored a touchdown against #4 Michigan late in the fourth quarter to go up 50-14 and Woody Hayes sent his team onto the field to go for TWO points. Michigan was obviously furious and after the game, when Woody was asked why he did it, he famously replied, "Because I couldn't go for three." Now that's cold...
3. Alabama-Auburn (football and baseball) - After the first two rivalries, the list gets tight, but the hatred between these two schools is palpable before gameday. This is one of the experiences on my checklist-for-life...I've heard of wars more amicable than this.
4. Army-Navy (football) - Not only is this one of the most storied rivalries in football, but the series is almost dead even, which just adds to the tradition of this great game. Plus, Lee Corso LOVES this game and who can argue with Lee Corso!
5. Harvard-Yale (football and rowing) - Okay, the rowing part is kind of a joke (although it IS officially the oldest collegiate athletic competition), but the football part is not. This is the third-oldest football game ever played and is still a bloody battle on the field. I don't think there's a series with more 6-3 finals in all of college football, which means defense (and vicious hitting) rules the day more often than not. It's know as "The Game" for goodness sake.
6. Minnesota-Wisconsin (hockey) - It's hard to put any hockey rivalry ahead of most football and basketball matchups simply because of the sport's more limited fanbase, but if there is one, this is it. These two teams have been playing each other a long time and have hated each other just as long. If you want to see the best hockey game ever played, watch this game every year. And if that doesn't convince you, check this out: Minnesota believes they lead the series 142-74-15, while Wisconsin has it down as 142-75-15...they can't even agree on their records. Also, both schools have 5 NCAA titles to their name, an even-steven tie.
7. Oklahoma-Texas (football) - The "Red River Shootout," as it is commonly known, is not called so because it is played near the Red River. In fact, the game is played in Dallas, almost exactly half-way between the two schools, making it one of the few rivalries in college sports that is played at a truly neutral location. No, it is called the "Red River Shootout" because technically, whichever team's state wins the game, well, um, they own the Red River that separates the two states for that year. I think that's bigger than a trophy...but that's just me.
8. Kentucky-Louisville (basketball) - Many rivalries occur due to location and this matchup is no different. The only two major higher learning institutions in the state, these two teams are bitter rivals. So much so, that from 1959-1983, these two teams didn't even play due to the hatred...Now that's hate. Add to that the recent Rick Petino fiasco (he coached for Kentucky and then went to Louisville) and you've got fuel for the blazing fire that rages inside the state of Kentucky.
9. Florida-Georgia (football) - I almost had this as an honorable mention, but a story that broke earlier this year made me put it back into the mix. When schools are closing due to sports, it's a big deal, and when it occurs during a regular season game, well, it's a rivalry.
That'll do it. I guess nine is the magic number. In my mind, these are in a league of their own and when I think of who might be next on my list, I can think of a boat-load that all kind of tie as "next." Hence, I think it's the top 9 and then "the rest."
For the sake of those that are left, here are some honorable mentions, this time in no particular order: Notre Dame-USC (football), USC-UCLA (football), Indiana-Purdue (basketball), Florida State-Miami (football), California-Stanford (football), Mississippi State-Ole Miss (football), and Clemson-South Carolina (football).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
