Sport Politicians

By John Leonard

After 35 years in the sport of swimming and 21 years at the American Swimming Coaches Association, I was invited to attend my first FINA Coaches Commission meeting in Montreal as a member of the Commission. I was surprised, to say the least by my appointment, since in the 90's, I was viewed as a considerable thorn in FINA's collective side, on the anti-doping issue.

But time marches ever onward, anti-doping has become popular, FINA has become an anti-doping leader, and my persona apparently became respectable enough to invite to join "the FINA Family" (another phrase which enrages me, but that's a story for another time.) I am honored to be asked, and to serve.

FINA Executive Director Cornel Marculescu, a brilliant and highly effective leader, came into our meeting and laid down in no uncertain terms what FINA expected of the FINA Coaches Commission. I, and my fellow Commission Members nodded our heads and started to think about how we could deliver. Cornel's last task was to introduce us to our FINA Bureau "Liason" who was charged with bringing the work of the Commission to the Bureau for its consideration/approval.

I knew from our friend Peter Daland, first chair of the Coaches Commission, that the role of the Liaison was crucial. If the Liaison does not either A) Attend the Commission Meeting, B) Pay Attention, C) Like what is being said or D) Bring it forward to the Bureau in an enthusiastic way, the work of the Commission is simply a bunch of nice people sitting in a room talking to each other. And that is exactly what happened in the first incarnation of the Coaches Commission from 2000-2004 the Liaison didn't and the Commission and the Bureau were both frustrated.

The Liaison began his introduction with the proud announcement that "my name is _______ and I am a Sport Politician". I damn near vomited on the spot.

Now the English language is a funny thing. In Australian, to "table a motion" means to bring it to the attention of the group. In American, well, you know what it means in American.

My first thought was that the gentleman MUST mean that well what did he mean? Obviously, from the pride with which he said it, the term Sport Politician was something that he thought was a good thing to be. Not me.

You see, I like what the Australians have to say. Sport should be "Athlete Centered, Coach Driven and Administratively Supported." That's logical to me. If we're not in it for the athletes, it means we are in it for money or ego, both of which are pretty sad excuses. If sport is not Coach Driven, who else would know more about a sport than the people who have been involved in it their whole lives the coaches? Who else WOULD drive? And Why?

And administrators should support the work of the coach and the athlete, or why are they working? Ego or money?

Nowhere in there did the term "sport politician" occur.

Now sports politicians can come from officials, administrative ranks or even coaching ranks. Because you see, the word politician means, according to Mr. Webster, "a person actively engaged in politics, especially party politics, professionally or otherwise; often, a person holding or seeking political office, frequently used in a derogatory sense, with implications of seeking personal or partisan gain; scheming, opportunism, etc. as distinguished from statesman, which suggests able, far-seeing, principled conduct of public affairs."

Also, "Cunning, using artifice."

Sounds charming, doesn't it?

One of the longest held beliefs I know is that of George Block is that contrary to popular belief, we WANT to elect people with "Agendas" but we want the agendas to be public knowledge, openly stated, and designed to advance the good of the sport, not the good of the person.

Clearly, if taken literally, being a Sport Politician is not something to be admired, if one accepts Mr. Webster's definition.

Coaches, and administrators, need to SERVE the needs of the sport and the athlete. Artifice has no place. Volunteers don't want to waste their valuable volunteer time in meetings where they are lied to.

We want our elected officials to have an agenda, promote that agenda, work for that agenda, and have that agenda be the centerpiece of their service to the sport.

NOT having the centerpiece being the advancement of that sport politician up the sport politician ranks to greater power and influence where he can advance his agenda of rising even higher within the sport.

Now the bottom line, in the case of FINA, is that from what I have seen, the FINA Bureau Liaison to the Coaches Commission is the best of the best. a man dedicated to doing good work, taking full and vigorous part in all discussions, and then faithfully forwarding the will of the group to the Bureau as any good servant leader should. He's a fine man, doing a fine job and we're lucky to have him. But I need to get him a copy of Mr. Webster's latest.

Reject Sports Politicians. Elect Sports Statesmen with transparent and stated Agendas. Support the person who wants to advance the agenda you believe in.

That's athlete centered, coach directed and administratively supported. Thanks Australia, a great contribution to world sport.
www.collegesportscouncil.org

Save Fresno State Wrestling: Reinstate the Program, Terminate Welty and Boeh

We, the undersigned, are of legal voting age. We believe that Dr. John Welty, President of CSU Fresno, and Thomas Boeh, Athletic Director, violated the public trust by unilaterally deciding to eliminate the wrestling program. They further breached the public trust by lying, misrepresenting facts and telling half-truths in order to advance their own agendas rather than serve the community of Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley.

We, the undersigned, believe that every effort should be made to immediately reinstate the wrestling program, immediately terminate the employment of Athletic Director Thomas Boeh and President John Welty, and install administrators that serve the public good of the community.

Please add your electronic signature, forward to at least 10 other individuals via email. When there appears to be 100 people, please forward that page to Timothy Cornish at cornish157@yahoo.com or to Dr. Bruce Lippmann at BruskiBest@yahoo.com

Dr. Bruce Lippmann, Clovis, CA

Fresno State News Clip - NOW UP!!!

In this clip, you'll get to hear what we heard in the Athletic Corporation Board meeting on September 20th.

- Tim Cornish is the Takedown Club President at Fresno State - he asks the budget question. We expected to hear the Athletic Corporation Board explain the budgetary reasons why they agreed to drop the wrestling program.

- Vince Ricchiuti is the Chair of the Budget Committee on the Athletic Corporation Board.

- Betsy Mosher is the Associate AD representing the Athletic Department at the meeting and responds (off camera but audible) to Vince Ricchiuti's question.

- You'll also see Thomas Boeh, stumble over himself trying to explain why it was "necessary" to cut wrestling - listen closely

You can either watch the clip via QuickTime or Windows Media.

Go to websites below

QUICKTIME (better quality and larger)
www.cloviswrestling.com/videos/CBS47LieQT.htm

WINDOWS MEDIA
www.cloviswrestling.com/videos/CBS47LieWMV.htm

Contact the Administration

To help with the process of fighting this issue and reinstating the Fresno State Wrestling Program, make your voice heard by contacting the following members of the Fresno State administration:

John Welty, President of Fresno State University
Email: johnw@csufresno.edu
Home Phone: (559) 222-2920
Office Phone: (559) 278-2324

Tom Boeh, Fresno State University Athletic Director
Phone: 559-278-3178
Email: tboeh@csufresno.edu

Contact Area Politicians
Another way to keep stirring the pot is to contact local politicians with phone calls and emails. For California State residents, REMEMBER YOU ARE A TAX PAYER AND FRESNO STATE IS A STATE SCHOOL.

Juan Arambula- California State Assembly Member
559-445-5532
JArambula@co.fresno.ca.us
Jim Costa- U.S. House of Representatives
202-225-3341
559-264-3078

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633

http://www.govmail.ca.gov
Allen Autry Mayor of Fresno
559-621-800
559-621-7990 fax
Mayor@fresno.gov
CSU Board of Trustees

Addresses for CSU Trustees
Ex Officio Trustees:
Hon. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor of California
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 445-2841

Hon. Cruz Bustamante
Lieutenant Governor
State Capitol, Rm. 1114
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 445-8994

Hon. Fabian N̼̱ez
Speaker of the Assembly
State Capitol, Rm. 219
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 319-2046

Hon. Jack O'Connell
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
1430 N Street, Suite 5602
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 319-0800

Dr. Charles B. Reed
Chancellor
California State University
401 Golden Shore, Rm. 641
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 951-4700

Appointed Trustees:
Trustee appointments are for an eight-year term, except for student, alumni and faculty trustees, whose terms are for two years. Terms expire in the year in parentheses.

Trustee Officers:

Arnold Schwarzenegger, President
Roberta Achtenberg, Chair
Jeffrey L. Bleich, Vice Chair
Christine Helwick, Secretary
Richard West, Treasurer

Ms. Roberta Achtenberg (2007)
c/o Trustee Secretariat
401 Golden Shore, Suite 136
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 951-4020

Mr. Jeffrey L. Bleich (2010)
Partner
Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
560 Mission Street, 27th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105-2907
(415) 512-4007

Dr. Herbert L. Carter (2011)
c/o Trustee Secretariat
401 Golden Shore, Suite 136
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 951-4020

Mrs. Carol R. Chandler (2012)
c/o Trustee Secretariat
401 Golden Shore, Suite 136
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 951-4020

Mr. Moctesuma Esparza (2008)
c/o Trustee Secretariat
401 Golden Shore, Suite 136
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 951-4020

Dr. Debra S. Farar (2014)
914 Westwood Blvd.#809
Los Angeles, Ca 90024
(310) 435-5489

Dr. Kenneth Fong (2013)
c/o Trustee Secretariat
401 Golden Shore, Suite 136
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 951-4020

Dr. Murray L. Galinson (2007)
c/o Trustee Secretariat
CSU Office of the Chancellor
401 Golden Shore, Suite 136
Long Beach, CA 90802
(858) 551-2337

Dr. George G. Gowgani (2010)
2571 South Windsor Blvd.
Cambria, CA 93428
(805) 927-5890

Mr. William Hauck (2009)
California Business Roundtable
1215 K St., Suite 1570
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 553-4093

Mr. Raymond W. Holdsworth (2011)
President
AECOM Technology Corporation
555 South Flower Street, Suite 3700
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 593-8706

Mr. Ricardo F. Icaza (2008)
President, UFCW, Local 770
P.O. Box 770
Hollywood, CA 90078
(213) 487-2189

Mr. Corey Alexander Jackson (2006)
(Voting Student)
356 East Rialto Avenue
Rialto, CA 92376
Phone: (909) 645-8534
Fax: (909) 880-7032

Andrew LaFlamme (2007)
Non-Voting Student
c/o Trustee Secretariat
401 Golden Shore, Suite 136
Long Beach, CA 90802
562/951-4020

A. Robert Linscheid (2007)
Alumni Trustee
President
The Linscheid Company
555 Main Street, #200
Chico, CA 95928
(562) 951-4020

Mr. Lou Monville (2014)
c/o Trustee Secretariat
401 Golden Shore, Suite 136
Long Beach, CA 90802
562-951-4020

Ms. Melinda Guzman Moore (2012)
Partner
Goldsberry, Freeman, Guzman &
Ditora, LLP
777 12th Street, Suite 250
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 448-0448

Craig R. Smith, Ph.D. (2007)
Faculty Trustee
Professor, Communication Studies and
Director of Center for First Amendment Studies
CSU, Long Beach
FEA Department, UTC 104
Long Beach, CA 90840-2801

Dr. Glen Toney (2013)
c/o Trustee Secretariat
401 Golden Shore, Suite 136
Long Beach, CA 90802
562-951-4020

Mr. Kyriakos Tsakopoulos (2009)
KT Communities
2251 Douglas Blvd., Suite 110
Roseville, CA 95661
(916) 774-6622

Pass the word...

Wrestling Cut not Necessitated by Fresno State Bulldog Budget

When Fresno State eliminated its wrestling program on June 15th, the school's news release said the move was made to balance the budget. In a Wednesday meeting of the school's Athletic Corporation Board, a new story emerged. School administrators told wrestling supporters Wednesday that the dropping of wrestling was not a budgetary decision, and that the Athletic Corporation Board had no knowledge of the cuts until after the cuts were made. The board actually approved a budget that included wrestling, and that budget was signed by school president Dr. John Welty, after Fresno State announced it was dropping wrestling.

Fresno State's athletic budget is actually operating with a surplus of $361,000 for the current fiscal year, the meeting also revealed. The school stated in its initial June announcement that it expected to save between $350,000 and $400,000 per year by eliminating the wrestling program

Latest with Fresno State Wrestling...Budget Was Not the Problem

FYI:
The following information is from a post on the
Mat.com and the California Wrestler forum.
Interesting!

According to the athletic corporation of Fresno State,
they admitted that there was no budgetary concerns or
issues, nor was there a lack of funding for the Fresno
State wrestling program. In fact, the athletic
corporation had approved the budget for the wrestling
program.

The decision to drop wrestling was made completely by
the Athletic Director, Thomas Boeh, with the approval
of Dr. John Welty. These guys simply lied to the
wrestling community as well as the citizens of the San
Joaquin Valley and the state of California.

Last night the major news stations reported on the
issue. They had film of the Fresno State athletic
corporation meeting in which Vince Richiutti said that
the 2006-07 FSU athletic budget had been approved with
wrestling intact prior to the announcement of the
program's elimination. Better yet: The video showed
Associate AD Betty Mosher confirming that fact.
Richiutti was very clear in saying that it was not
their organization that made the decision to cut
wrestling. AD Thomas Boeh, under the authority of
Pres. John Welty, made the decision.

We were told it was for budgetary reasons. The
athletic corporation says that is not true. Boeh's
assistant AD confirmed it that this was true.

The A.D. at Fresno State had been at the University
for less then 1 year before he eliminated a fifty year
program. The man was the A.D. at OHIO UNIVERSITY
before coming to Fresno State.åÊ It has been stated in
the news paperåÊ that he thinks wrestlers are bad
people.åÊ Hard to believe when 99% of the wrestlers I
know are very good people.

Boeh Lied, Wrestling Died!

Bakersfield Duals Individual Results

åÊ

Weight	Shasta	åÊ	Modesto	åÊ	Result Score
125	Forfeit	Shasta	Miguel Reyes	Mod	Forfeit
133	Forfeit	Shasta	Daniel Oseguera	Mod	Forfeit
141	Tye McDaniel	Shasta	Rolando Velasco	Mod	Velasco by Fall
149	Chris Alves	Shasta	Jordan Keckler	Mod	Dec 4-11
157	Wes Wentwerth	Shasta	Forfeit	Mod	Forfeit
165	Jake Bridges	Shasta	Michael Grijalba	Mod	Major 14-3
174	Chase Patch	Shasta	Martin Beeler	Mod	Beeler by Fall
184	Tyler Elder	Shasta	Ryan Sughrve	Mod	Sughrve by Fall
197	Tim Wallace	Shasta	Leo Deddario	Mod	Wallace by Fall
285	Mike Brooks	Shasta	Adrian Mercado	Mod	Brooks by Fall
Team Pts	22	åÊ	33	åÊ	åÊ

åÊ

Weight	Skyline	åÊ	Modesto	åÊ	Result
125	Jason Moorhouse	Sky	Miguel Reyes	Mod	Major 15-6
133	Forfeit	Sky	Daniel Oseguera	Mod	Forfeit
141	Travis Greggains	Sky	Rolando Velasco	Mod	Major 1-13
149	Glen Greggains	Sky	Jordan Keckler	Mod	Major 10-24
157	Forfeit	Sky	Forfeit	Mod	Dbl Forfeit
165	Mike Bautista	Sky	Michael Grijalba	Mod	Grijaiba by Fall
174	Forfeit	Sky	Martin Beeler	Mod	Forfeit
184	Chris Ramos	Sky	Ryan Sughrve	Mod	Sughrve by Fall
197	Tim Feerick	Sky	Leo Deddario	Mod	Deddario by Fall
285	Felipe Flores	Sky	Adrian Mercado	Mod	3-1
Team Pts	4	åÊ	41	åÊ	åÊ

åÊ

Weight	Bakersfield	åÊ	Modesto	åÊ	Result
125	Addison Hay	Bak	Jesus Felix	Mod	Dec 11-5
133	Chris Felix	Bak	Daniel Oseguera	Mod	Major 17-6
141	Cody Gibson	Bak	Rolando Velasco	Mod	4-5
149	Eric Timson	Bak	Jordan Keckler	Mod	4-9
157	Forfeit	Bak	Forfeit	Mod	Dbl Forfeit
165	Zac Johnson	Bak	Michael Grijalba	Mod	Major 12-4
174	Randy Doherty	Bak	Martin Beeler	Mod	Dec 6-5
184	Jason Carrasco	Bak	Ryan Sughrve	Mod	Dec 6-4
197	Sean McAleney	Bak	Leo Deddario	Mod	McAleney by Fall
285	Josh Marquez	Bak	Adrian Mercado	Mod	Marquez by Fall
Team Pts	29	åÊ	6	åÊ	åÊ

åÊ

Weight	Bakersfield	åÊ	Skyline	åÊ	Result
125	George Silva	Bak	Jason Moorhouse	Sky	Dec 9-4
133	Chris Felix	Bak	Forfeit	Sky	Forfeit
141	Cody Gibson	Bak	Travis Greggains	Sky	17-4
149	Eric Timson	Bak	John West	Sky	Major 10-0
157	Robert Swan	Bak	Glen Greggains	Sky	Dec 8-9
165	Zac Johnson	Bak	Mike Bautista	Sky	Johnson by Fall
174	Matt Blake	Bak	Forfeit	Sky	Forfeit
184	Sean McAleney	Bak	Chris Ramos	Sky	McAleney by Fall
197	Jason Carrasco	Bak	Tim Feerick	Sky	Carrasco by Fall
285	Josh Marquez	Bak	Felipe Flores	Sky	18-3
Team Pts	46	åÊ	3	åÊ	åÊ

åÊ

Weight	Bakersfield	åÊ	Shasta	åÊ	Result
125	Chris Hernandez	Bak	Forfeit	Shasta	Forfeit
133	George Silva	Bak	Forfeit	Shasta	Forfeit
141	Cody Gibson	Bak	Tye McDaniel	Shasta	Major 17-5
149	Eric Timson	Bak	Chris Alves	Shasta	Dec 11-5
157	Forfeit	Bak	Wes Wentwerth	Shasta	Forfeit
165	Zac Johnson	Bak	Jake Bridges	Shasta	Dec 4-2
174	Matt Blake	Bak	Chase Patch	Shasta	Blake by Fall
184	Sean McAleney	Bak	Tyler Elder	Shasta	Tech 17-1
197	Isidro Alvarado	Bak	Tim Wallace	Shasta	Wallace by Fall
285	Josh Marquez	Bak	Mike Brooks	Shasta	Marquez by Fall
Team Pts	39	åÊ	12	åÊ	åÊ

åÊ

Weight	Skyline	åÊ	Shasta	åÊ	Result
125	Jason Moorhouse	Sky	Forfeit	Shasta	Forfeit
133	Forfeit	Sky	Forfeit	Shasta	Forfeit
141	John West	Sky	Tye McDaniel	Shasta	West by Fall
149	Travis Greggains	Sky	Chris Alves	Shasta	Alves by Fall
157	Glen Greggains	Sky	Wes Wentwerth	Shasta	Dec 5-11
165	Mike Bautista	Sky	Jake Bridges	Shasta	Bridges by Fall
174	Forfeit	Sky	Chase Patch	Shasta	Forfeit
184	Chris Ramos	Sky	Tyler Elder	Shasta	Dec 3-2
197	Tim Feerick	Sky	Tim Wallace	Shasta	Wallace by Fall
285	Felipe Flores	Sky	Mike Brooks	Shasta	Brooks by Fall
Team Pts	15	åÊ	33	åÊ	åÊ

åÊ

Weight	Mt. SAC	åÊ	West Valley	åÊ	Result
125	Cecil Sebastian	MtSAC	Joseph Serrano	WVly	Major 8-0
133	Claudio Seanez	MtSAC	Mike Howard	WVly	Seanez by Fall
141	Brian Secaida	MtSAC	Eddy Ngo	WVly	Ngo by Fall
149	Eric Fehrs	MtSAC	Eli Chaidez	WVly	Fehrs by Fall
157	Jon Cerecerez	MtSAC	Richie Nole	WVly	Dec 1-5
165	Richard Orewyler	MtSAC	Mark Bertron	WVly	Major 7-15
174	Daniel Garay	MtSAC	Chris Minafo	WVly	Dec 3-4
184	Tim Hawkins	MtSAC	Darren Walker	WVly	Hawkins by Fall
197	Larry Acevedo	MtSAC	Lucas Duckwall	WVly	Duckwall by Fall
285	Ryan Silvera	MtSAC	Demarco Villalona	WVly	Tech 20-4
Team Pts	27	åÊ	22	åÊ	åÊ

åÊ

Weight	Mt. SAC	åÊ	SacCity	åÊ	Result
125	Forfeit	Mt.Sac	Dominick Ruciereta	SacCity	Forfeit
133	Brian Secaida	Mt.Sac	Daymond Bland	SacCity	Dec 10-8
141	Claudio Seanez	Mt.Sac	Bryan Williams	SacCity	Dec 4-6
149	Eric Fehrs	Mt.Sac	John Daly	SacCity	Dec 5-8
157	Jon Cerecerez	Mt.Sac	Scott Sandy	SacCity	Dec 4-7
165	Richard Orewyler	Mt.Sac	JD Thrall	SacCity	Thrall by Fall
174	Daniel Garay	Mt.Sac	Josh Dixon	SacCity	Dixon by Fall
184	Tim Hawkins	Mt.Sac	Ryan Calleja	SacCity	Tech 20-5
197	Ryan Silvera	Mt.Sac	Cory Compton	SacCity	Dec 10-7
285	Paul Espinoza	Mt.Sac	Nick Thompson	SacCity	Major 2-15
Team Pts	11	åÊ	32	åÊ	åÊ

åÊ

Weight	West Valley	åÊ	Delta	åÊ	Result
125	Sergio Valdez	WVly	Bobby Escalante	Delta	Escalante by Fall
133	Mike Howard	WVly	Forfeit	Delta	Forfeit
141	Eddy Ngo	WVly	Armando Martinez	Delta	Ngo by Fall
149	Eli Chaidez	WVly	Jeff Richards	Delta	Richards by Fall
157	Richie Nole	WVly	James Myles	Delta	Nole by Fall
165	Mark Bertron	WVly	Ricky Abdelazis	Delta	Bertron WBI
174	Chris Minafo	WVly	Fabian Armenta	Delta	Minafo by Fall
184	Lucas Duckwall	WVly	Chris Zena	Delta	Duckwall by Fall
197	Darren Walker	WVly	Forfeit	Delta	Forfeit
285	Demarco Villalona	WVly	Andreas Salas	Delta	Dec 14-7
Team Pts	45	åÊ	12	åÊ	åÊ

åÊ

Weight	Delta	åÊ	Mt. SAC	åÊ	Result
125	Bobby Escalante	Delta	Cecil Sebastian	Mt.Sac	Dec 8-5
133	Forfeit	Delta	Brian Secaida	Mt.Sac	Forfeit
141	Armando Martinez	Delta	Tyler Mitchell	Mt.Sac	Martinez by Fall
149	Jeff Richards	Delta	Eric Fehrs	Mt.Sac	Major 6-16
157	Eddie Duran	Delta	Jon Cerecerez	Mt.Sac	Tech 24-8
165	Emmanuel Martinez	Delta	Richard Orewyler	Mt.Sac	Orewyler by Fall
174	Carlos Orderer	Delta	Daniel Garay	Mt.Sac	Dec 2-6
184	Marcus Deanda	Delta	Tim Hawkins	Mt.Sac	Tech 0-15
197	Forfeit	Delta	Ryan Silvera	Mt.Sac	Forfeit
285	Ivan Ramirez	Delta	Paul Espinoza	Mt.Sac	Ramirez by Fall
Team Pts	20	åÊ	30	åÊ	åÊ

åÊ

Weight	SacCity	åÊ	West Valley	åÊ	Result
125	Dominick Ruciereta	SacCity	Sergio Valdez	WVly	Major 10-2
133	Daymond Bland	SacCity	Mike Howard	WVly	Dec 12-5
141	Bryan Williams	SacCity	Eddy Ngo	WVly	Major 1-13
149	John Daly	SacCity	Eli Chaidez	WVly	Major 10-1
157	Scott Sandy	SacCity	Richie Nole	WVly	Major 12-0
165	JD Thrall	SacCity	Mark Bertron	WVly	Dec 3-0
174	Josh Dixon	SacCity	Chris Minafo	WVly	Minafo by Fall
184	Ryan Calleja	SacCity	Lucas Duckwall	WVly	Calleja by Fall
197	Cory Compton	SacCity	Darren Walker	WVly	Tech 20-1
285	David Cecena	SacCity	Demarco Villalona	WVly	Villalona by Fall
Team Pts	29	åÊ	16	åÊ	åÊ

åÊ

Weight	Delta	åÊ	SacCity	åÊ	Result
125	Bobby Escalante	Delta	Dominick Ruciereta	SacCity	Dec 4-5
133	Forfeit	Delta	Daymond Bland	SacCity	Forfeit
141	Armando Martinez	Delta	Andrew Mathis	SacCity	Martinez by Fall
149	Jeff Richards	Delta	Brent Viloria	SacCity	Major 1-13
157	Eddie Duran	Delta	Scott Sandy	SacCity	Major 4-15
165	Ricky Abdelazis	Delta	JD Thrall	SacCity	Dec 6-9
174	Fabian Armenta	Delta	Josh Dixon	SacCity	Dixon by Fall
184	Chris Zena	Delta	Ryan Calleja	SacCity	Zena by Fall
197	Forfeit	Delta	Cory Compton	SacCity	Forfeit
285	Andreas Salas	Delta	Jerred Dixon	SacCity	Dixon by Fall
Team Pts	12	åÊ	38	åÊ	åÊ

Fresno State: Booze for the Rich, Soda for the Heathens

By Bill McEwen / The Fresno Bee

Advertisements

The people at the University of Amnesia 䴊 excuse me, Fresno State 䴊 who decide what's allowed in its football stadium skyboxes might want to visit the school's spiffy athletic Web site.

There, at gobulldogs.com, you'll find the "Fan Guide" to football. It includes an "Alcohol Policy," from which I'll quote:

"There are no alcohol sales or consumption of alcohol in Bulldog Stadium. Alcohol or alcohol containers are prohibited from entering Bulldog Stadium. Stadium ushers and security will enforce this rule."

Looks straightforward to me.

If "no" means "no" and the school follows its own rules, then fans in the stadium's 23 skyboxes shouldn't have alcohol.

Even if they truck it in themselves or order it from a caterer and sneak it in two days before kickoff.

But, as The Bee reported Monday, it turns out the school's highly publicized ban on booze doesn't apply to skyboxes or even the visiting team's athletic director and guests.

No one should be surprised.

Selective enforcement, selective memory and selective accounting are the hallmarks of Fresno State athletics under school President John Welty.

This is the school that said it can't afford a wrestling program but managed to bless former athletic director Scott Johnson with lucrative parting gifts after his resignation.

This also is the school that concealed the truth when Al Bohl was AD, claiming a robust bottom line in athletics when it was hurting.

Now we have a ban on stadium suds that doesn't apply to some people. As a bonus, we have a Fresno State administration not the least bit embarrassed about flouting its own rules or admitting rank means privilege at a taxpayer-funded university. Their lame excuse: Skybox patrons aren't as rowdy as the rest of us.

"They purchase the privilege of being able to view the game from the location and being able to cater it," Paul Oliaro, vice president of student affairs, told a Bee reporter.

Fresno State long has swayed to the siren call of alcohol, power and money.

Who could forget that night in 1997 when the men's basketball team ran through the infamous inflatable Silver Bullet beer tunnel 24 hours after star guard Chris Herren had gone on national television to announce he was seeking substance-abuse treatment?

That same game, tiny Bulldogs in Bud Light parachutes descended from Selland Arena's rafters as part of the halftime festivities.

Welty quickly dropped the tunnel because of community outrage and because he knew it was wrong for Fresno State athletes to promote beer.

Nine years later, I wonder whether he'll recognize the folly of his beer-for-the-rich, soda-for-the-heathens practice.

I wonder, too, whether California State University Chancellor Charles Reed has the gumption to crack down on his good friend Welty.

When Reed announced last December a no-booze edict for the 23 CSU campuses, he didn't exempt wealthy boosters or even university presidents. In fact, a news release said the ban required "consistent enforcement of policies."

Funny thing about the University of Amnesia: It has a language all its own.

Over there, a skybox is a speakeasy and consistent enforcement is letting your buddies bring their own hooch.

2006 Bakersfield Duals 9-9-06 held at Bakersfield College, CA

Modesto 33, Shasta 22
Modesto 41, Skyline 4
Bakersfield 29, Modesto 6
Bakersfield 46, Skyline 3
Bakersfield 39, Shasta 12
Shasta 33, Skyline 15
Mt. San Antonio 27, West Valley 22
Sacramento City 32, Mt. San Antonio 11
West Valley 45, Delta 12
Mt. San Antonio 30, Delta 20
Sacramento City 29, West Valley 16
Sacramento City 38, Delta 12
åÊ

Madera tribune article on shane seibert Interesting reading on meeting with the A.D. (Fresno State)

By Paul Stanford-Sports Editor

He never met a challenge he didn't rise above and never encountered an obstacle he couldn't overcome - until two months ago, that is.

Shane Seibert, the former Madera High star wrestler, has gone through his share of trying times in his quest of being an elite collegiate wrestler.

After finishing second in the state his junior year at Madera High in 2001 to three-time state champion Alex Tirapelle who went on to become a two-time NCAA All-American for the University of Illinois, Seibert was the clear favorite to capture the 157-pound state title his senior year almost by default with Tirapelle graduating.

The phone rang nonstop and the mailbox overflowed with interest and recruiting letters from the top college wrestling programs in the country all vying for his services.

Former Fresno State wrestling coach Dennis DeLiddo was among those who coveted Seibert, so much in fact that he wanted Seibert to sign early to wrestle for the Bulldogs.

Although Seibert liked DeLiddo and thought highly of the Fresno State program, he wanted to keep his options open and elected to wait until his senior year to commit to a college.

Then a devastating knee injury in which he ruptured three knee ligaments prior to his senior year resulted in a total knee reconstruction surgery which ended any hope that he might capture the state title.

While Seibert held out hope that the surgery would enable him to wrestle again, the orthopedic surgeon had more modest goals.

Simply to walk again.

Suddenly, the phone stopped ringing.

The mailman's job got quite a bit easier as well in delivering to the Seibert home.

College scholarships are a precious commodity and given the fact that very few athletes ever completely recover from knee reconstruction and return to top form, the colleges that once were courting him like a the prettiest girl in school prior to the prom, now were looking for another wrestler to invite to the dance.

Except for DeLiddo.

"When I got out of surgery, (DeLiddo) was standing at the foot of my bed," Seibert said. "I always thought he was a good man but for him to be there and then tell me he wanted to still offer me a scholarship was an amazing gesture."



The comeback begins

Seibert returned the favor after a year of excruciating rehabilitation when he won a varsity spot his first year with the Bulldogs and finished second on the team in pins while placing third at the NCAA Western Regionals.

This was followed by a sophomore season in which he compiled a record of 25-15 and captured the Western Regional championship at 165 pounds.

Seibert had clearly erased any doubts that he could return to compete at a very high level.

But for the comeback to be complete, Seibert wanted to qualify for the NCAA Nationals and earn the distinction of being an All-American in his junior season.

This goal was derailed when Seibert suffered broken ribs which sidelined him for all but the final three matches of the season - in which he once again broke his ribs.

Despite the injury, Seibert elected to deal with the pain, tape up his ribs and take the mat at the Regionals.

He won his semifinal match while breaking his ribs again in the final minute and had to forfeit the championship match.

While he qualified to go on to the Nationals, Seibert had been relegated to a spectator as the injury had now become too severe to continue.

Seibert looked forward to his senior season and was poised to once again qualify for the Nationals and make a run at earning All-American status.

He had surmounted a potentially career-ending knee injury.

He had wrestled through the pain of broken ribs and qualified for the Nationals.



The unexpected phone call

Then came the one obstacle that Seibert could not overcome.

His cell phone rang while he was driving with former Fresno State wrestling coach Dennis DeLiddo on the morning of July 15 and the information he received was unfathomable.

An administrator at Fresno State informed Seibert that Athletic Director Thomas Boeh had terminated the wrestling program.

The thought was so incomprehensible that Seibert wasn't sure how to react.

This had to be a mistake, he reasoned.

Fresno State wrestling was one of the more highly regarded programs in the country.

They had just funded a new wrestling room and hired a new coach in Shawn Charles from the University of Nebraska to take over the reins from the legendary coach that was sitting beside him in the car.

This decision made no sense to Seibert and while DeLiddo and Bulldog wrestling supporters immediately waged a campaign to get the wrestling program reinstated, it appeared as though it was a done deal.



The meeting with Boeh

Seibert set up a meeting with Boeh to see why the decision was made and what could be done to remedy the situation.

The answers he received were both cloaked in mystery and at the same time very disturbing coming from a man in Boeh's position.

Boeh commented that there were various compelling factors which led to his decision.

However, none of these reasons seemed to make sense to Seibert or the wrestling community.

Wrestling was being discontinued in order to save close to $400,000 for the overall athletic budget, Boeh initially said.

But in just days after the announcement, wrestling supporters had raised nearly $300,000 to fund the program for the upcoming season.

"(Boeh) just kind of gave us the run-around and said it was about the money even though in just days after the announcement, $300,000 was raised by wrestling supporters," said Seibert.

Just as in wrestling, Boeh's move had been countered.

The program did not have a dedicated practice facility or cost-efficient venue, Boeh commented next.

But hadn't DeLiddo had raised $50,000 for a new wrestling venue?

"Then (Boeh) said it was about the lack of quality facilities although we had just put in a new $50,000 wrestling room."

Yet another move in which Seibert scored on a reversal.

Wrestling has 34 student-athletes and does not have a comparative women's program to maintain Title IX compliance was Boeh's next move.

Well, football doesn't have a comparative women's program either. And if Boeh was serious about trying to maintain equity between men's and women's sports, why not institute a women's program instead of men's cross country?

"Then he said it was to be in compliance with title IX."

Boeh was now guilty of stalling and another point awarded to Seibert.

If Boeh now expected to win this match, he would need a takedown and pin.

Instead, what Boeh tried an escape move with his assertion that the wrestling program had a low level of academic achievement.

Apparently, he has never introduced himself to the Bulldog men's basketball players whose team has been the source of more bad press and embarrassing academic achievement than almost any sports program in the country.

Seibert kept him in the grasp and forced yet another attempt by Boeh to salvage the match.

While Seibert had sat and refuted all of Boeh's tenuous reasoning, the impression he was getting was that this decision had been reached a long time ago.

"If wrestling was losing a lot of money and was a bad thing for the university, I might not have liked the decision but I would have understood," said Seibert. "But it was just not handled right and it hurt the coaches and athletes because if they had informed us earlier, then most would have had the chance to see if they could compete at another school."

When Seibert commented to Boeh that he could have either given them one last season or have given them an opportunity by making the announcement months earlier, he was shocked at what he heard.

"He just looked at me and told me that 'someone had to get caught in the pinch, and unfortunately it was you.'"

Boeh then asserted that Seibert should have known this was coming.

"(Boeh) looked me in the eye and told me that I couldn't tell him that I didn't see this coming," Seibert said. "How could I possibly have seen it coming? Coach Charles was in a meeting to finalize the budget at the exact same time I got the call telling me wrestling was canceled. We just got new uniforms and mats. Our wrestling program sends more athletes to Nationals than just about any other program."

Another point awarded to Seibert.

But the final reason Boeh gave was the one that left Seibert both stunned and shocked, wondering what the real agenda behind the decision was.

"I felt like I countered everything he said and just got the feeling that (Boeh) wasn't very well informed because he kept looking over at his assistants to respond to my comments," Seibert said. "Then he said 'wrestlers are bad people' which just floored me that he would make that kind of statement."

Match awarded to Seibert in a major decision as Boeh essentially tapped out and conceded the match with that statement.

Although wrestling supporters in the Central Valley as well as Fresno Mayor Alan Autry did their best to try and get the university to reverse the decision, Boeh refused to budge.

A final chance to compete

While Seibert finally was dealt a blow that he couldn't overcome, he nonetheless will still get his shot at becoming an All-American wrestler.

He packed all his belongings in a small trailer last Friday with his girlfriend Jacqui Allen, pulled out of his parent's driveway and started the long, final journey in pursuit of his dream.

Seibert was offered a scholarship to wrestle at the University of Oklahoma after being contacted by Sooners' head coach Jack Spates almost immediately after the announcement that the Bulldogs' program was being terminated.

Spates, who had seen Seibert wrestle and was also someone that had given Boeh a resounding vote of confidence for coach Charles when he was interviewing for the Fresno State position, voiced sharp comments concerning Boeh and his decision.

"The entire wrestling community across the country is greatly embarrassed at the blatant dishonesty that Boeh has displayed," Spates said. "When he was in the process of interviewing Shawn for the head coaching position, he told me that he was a big proponent of wrestling and then does something like this. It's just not right."

After one conversation with Seibert, Spates was sold on the fact that this was a kid he wanted in his program.

"I am really high on Shane and instantly could sense he was a kid of great character and integrity the minute I first talked to him," Spates said. "He's very talented and we both share a strong Christian beliefs."

"He is coming to one of the elite wrestling programs in the country and really impresses me with the way he has embraced the challenge and is not shying away from the competition."

For coach Spates and the Oklahoma program, Fresno State's loss is their gain but for Seibert it is still bittersweet.

"I am really excited about going to a program and a university that really supports its athletes and coach Spates is an awesome Christian man and a great coach," Seibert said. "But I am so close to coach DeLiddo and have a lot invested in being a Fresno state wrestler that it's still difficult."

Not to mention the fact that Seibert will be away from home for the first time, although he has his girlfriend with him for support.

"That's probably the hardest part, being away from my parents who I love a lot and are my best friends. It was really hard to say goodbye to them," Seibert said. "My dad has not missed one of my wrestling matches since I started in third grade but he said he is still never going to miss one even though I'll be in Oklahoma."

He will also have to win a starting position from sophomore Jarrod King but given his history of responding to adversity, Siebert has faith in his ability.

"He's going to be tough but I'm not worried and at the same time not overlooking him," Seibert said. "I really feel like this is a great opportunity and I'm shooting for a top three finish at Nationals, making All-American and realizing my dream."

Given the obstacles in his path Seibert has already conquered, you have to like his chances.

Getting to truth is hard to pin down

By Matt James / The Fresno Bee


Let's start today's column with a quick game of "Who Do You Believe Less?"

It's a special edition of Fresno State wrestling.

Here are the latest quotes from those involved in the ongoing drama. Again, the object of the game is to decide who you believe less ‰ÃÎ

"I think that given the unfortunate situation of what happened, [Fresno State] wanted to deal in the best faith they could in handling the situation, and rectify what they could to make it right with Shawn Charles."

èþ Billy Terrence, Shawn Charles' attorney

Oooh, that's a good choice, players. Think about that one as we play the next quote ‰ÃÎ

"If we could help him get back into a coaching role quicker than waiting until next year, that made sense to us."

èþ Thomas Boeh, Fresno State athletic director

Also, a good choice.

If it helps, the "unfortunate situation of what happened" to which Mr. Terrence referred is that last summer Fresno State hired Shawn Charles to be its wrestling coach. Charles had doubts because he was the No.1 assistant at Nebraska, a good job that he liked.

He also wasn't sure Fresno State was serious about keeping wrestling, because the university had cut so many sports in the past dozen years: men's water polo, men's soccer, men's cross country, indoor track and field, and swimming and diving. (It would have cut men's track and field if it weren't for coach Bob Fraley famously giving up his salary.)

Wrestling had survived at Fresno State, where it hadn't at so many schools, but for how long?

In the interviews, Charles was either naive or fooled, but he was convinced that the Fresno State wrestling program was safe, so he moved his wife and two boys 1,600 miles to Fresno and bought a house.

Cutting the wrestling program is of course exactly what Boeh and President John Welty did a year later, in the middle of June, after it was too late for Charles to apply for any head wrestling coach openings.

As an added bonus, they didn't tell him about his sport's elimination until the same day they announced it publicly, less than a week after he received a budget for the upcoming year, with 15 wrestling recruits starting school in two months.

That would be the "unfortunate situation" to which we're referring.

As for Terrence's comments, he's just doing his job. He just got his client a settlement from Fresno State, complete with the standard "you can't sue us or say bad things about us" clause.

The settlement also comes with the announcement that Charles is taking a job as second assistant at Brown University starting Oct. 1.

In what could only be described as an attempt to save face, the university had offered to keep Charles on staff with the same salary one more year as "wrestling coordinator," but Charles had no intention of getting a check for doing nothing. He flew to Rhode Island on Aug. 6 and interviewed the next two days at Brown.

He won't say how much the position will pay, but you can imagine what second assistants make at Brown. Charles says it's about the same as his second assistant at Fresno State, Travis Pascoe, will be making this season as a "volunteer coach" at Oregon State.

According to Brown wrestling coach Dave Amato, this is the first time in 22 years as coach that he has had a full-time second assistant. Last year, Charles' position was part-time and paid $15,000.

So you can imagine what Charles wants to say when he describes the agreement that he and Fresno State came to:

"The only thing I can really say is, I'm moving on. In a nutshell, regardless of whatever's happened up to this point ‰ÃÎ I'm moving on."

But you'd swear from the comments that both sides sat down, sipped wine, threw on some soft music, chatted about doing the right thing, getting a good man off to a new start. So that's why it took nearly a month of negotiation?

This wasn't about getting the most money out of the university that treated him like he was nothing èþ and if you don't believe they treated him badly, when was the last time the Fresno State athletic department gave money to someone it didn't have to? èþ this was about the Charles family not being able to sell a house, or having enough money to even move.

But you'd swear everyone came out ahead, wouldn't you? They shook hands and everyone's a winner.

Well the university certainly isn't ahead. It just lost a program with a history of success. It shaved off another curve of what was once a well-rounded department.

Charles, well, his career is set back at least 10 years.

Kids in the Valley èþ the Valley everyone is supposed to be painting green with Fresno State football pride èþ just lost scholarship opportunities at the only Division I school for 170 miles.

Boeh and Welty didn't win. They came off looking like the guys who would mug Santa Claus for the football team. They lost credibility. What promise would any coaching candidate believe now?

Diversity didn't win. Fresno State lost its only black head coach and a program with a strong percentage of local minority athletes.

Truthfully, it doesn't matter who you believe less. No one came out ahead. There are no fabulous gifts or prizes. Everyone lost. It's as simple and sad as that.
The columnist can be reached at <mailto:mjames@fresnobee.com>mjames@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6217. Read his blog at <http://www.fresnobeehive.com/>www.fresnobeehive.com

Can you please explain to the wrestling community why the absence of a cost effective venue was used as a criteria to discontinue wrestling

The article below is about the women‰¥ûs volleyball team at Fresno State, and the opportunity they are being given to use the SaveMart Center to improve their image as a Division I school. After reading this article, I felt a sense of confusion about the standards at Fresno State. Perhaps it is called a DOUBLE STANDARD? Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn‰¥ût one of the criteria to discontinue wrestling at Fresno State, the absence of a cost-effective venue for competition? Yes, it was. You claimed that the North Gym wasn‰¥ût good enough for the wrestling program to use‰ÃÎDidn‰¥ût project a Division I image ‰¥õIndustry Standards.‰¥¡ Why is it you‰¥ûre opening the doors of opportunity for the women‰¥ûs volleyball team to use the SaveMart Center to promote their program, yet only a few months ago, you had used the North Gym as an excuse to discontinue wrestling? This is definitely a DOUBLE STANDARD. Don‰¥ût tell me or the wrestling community it‰¥ûs because they are not a ‰¥õCore Sport.‰¥¡ Wasn‰¥ût it the sport of wrestling that used the SaveMart Center during the past several years to hold meets with several major universities? In fact, it is my understanding that in 2004 the meet with Iowa State broke the attendance record with 9,000 fans, the third highest paid attendance sports event of all sports at FSU (Behind Football and Basketball).

Although I think it is great that the women䴞s volleyball program is being given the opportunity to grow, and improve their status as a Division I program, I am not happy with the DOUBLE STANDARDS. Using the criteria (Absence of a cost-effective venue) listed above as a reason to discontinue wrestling, denying the program the opportunity to excel (Wrestling proved it could generate large revenues), yet take the same situation and open the doors of opportunity for women䴞s volleyball is not fair, and a form of discrimination towards the men䴞s wrestling program.

Can you please explain to the wrestling community why the absence of a cost effective venue was used as a criteria to discontinue wrestling, yet only a few months later was used as a reason to provide the women's volleyball program an opportunity to use the SaveMart Center to project a Division I image or meet the Industry Standard?

Respectively,
Alfred Fontes

Move's a big step up for Bulldogs
Volleyball team will bid old gym goodbye, aiding rebuilding push.
By Ken Robison / The Fresno Bee


Fresno State volleyball is moving to new digs.

Pun intended.

Athletic director Thomas Boeh and coach Ruben Nieves believe they have embarked on a new direction for the Bulldogs, who will move out of the antiquated North Gym after this weekend's Fresno State Invitational.

Two years after then-athletic director Scott Johnson declined to allow former coach Lindy Vivas' team to play in the Save Mart Center, the Bulldogs will make the 3-year-old arena their home this season.

(This weekend's tournament could not use the arena because it was committed for the Snaffle Bit Futurity horse show.)

As the season begins with today's matches against UC-Santa Barbara (1 p.m.) and Kansas State (8 p.m.), questions abound:

Can the Bulldogs win more games than Nieves' first season (seven) with a preseason schedule that would do Pat Hill proud?

Can they draw enough fans that the Save Mart Center doesn't look like the Gobi desert?

Will the rugged schedule boost the confidence or break the spirits of a team with little Division I experience?

While attempting to improve from last year (7-21 overall, 4-12 in the Western Athletic Conference), Nieves has his Bulldogs facing several volleyball powers in the preseason èþ beginning this weekend when No. 25 Kansas State and No. 6 Santa Clara come to town.

He admits his Bulldogs are "in over our heads," but adds: "I'd rather have a schedule that is too tough than too soft. I definitely don't want [WAC rival] Hawaii to be the toughest team on our schedule every year."

The redeeming factor, he said, is that fans will get to see some of the country's top volleyball programs this season èþ with the Save Mart Center as the home court.

Previously, two games were played in the arena, drawing 4,708 against Hawaii in 2003 and 963 against Oregon last season.

The reason for the switch is simple, athletic director Thomas Boeh said: "The North Gym is not a reasonable venue for regular-season Division I competition anymore."

It's not just the conditions èþ issues with access, restrooms, locker rooms, concessions, lighting, seating and scoreboard èþ but also with the atmosphere.

"If you're trying to project a first-class D-I image, you don't play in a facility like the North Gym if you have an option," Nieves said. "And we have a very good option.

"Hey, if [the Save Mart Center] was good enough for the Rolling Stones, it's good enough for us."

The challenge, Nieves said, will be to draw crowds to the 16,000-seat arena.

"We need to work to build attendance so we play before 2,000 èþ so in the future we can play in front of 3,000 to 4,000," he said.

"Winning is a big piece, but winning is a thing we have no control over. We want to bring in the best competition we can, but once you commit to that, you lose control over winning."

Under the previous athletic administration, Johnson questioned Vivas for weak scheduling and Vivas questioned Johnson's decision not to play volleyball in the Save Mart Center.

Vivas said Thursday the change in venues gives Fresno State a scheduling advantage.

"I think it's great," she said. "It's what I always believed: That a top facility can attract top opponents. We've seen that nationally.

"We were always at a disadvantage [playing in the North Gym]. This should enable the program to grow more."

The cost of playing at the new arena is not an issue with Boeh. Fresno State will spend $60,000 on operations (including rent) for home matches this season, an increase from $17,000 last year, according to Fresno State assistant athletic director Steve Weakland.

But Boeh, whose department has been operating at a deficit and recently dropped wrestling, said that cost is mitigated by the conditions of the North Gym. Renovating it to serve as a viable competitive arena would take several years and more than $1 million, he said, and even then it is uncertain how much longer it would be viable.

"How many years could you play in the Save Mart Center for that million," he asked.

More important, he said, is the experience for athletes and fans.

"I can't speak to the past," Boeh said. "I can say that what we try to do is provide the best experience for our student-athletes."

Boeh said women's volleyball is a "core sport" that is required for membership in the WAC, and deserves the best venue.

"It's prudent for us to direct our energies and resources for the most desirable long-term solution," he said.

"We consider this an investment. If you look around at the country, most schools play volleyball and women's basketball in the same venue that men's basketball play."

Boeh said covering costs is not the issue.

"If you get into the notion that every sport runs on its own profit or loss, you'd have a hard time justifying any sport but two," he explained, noting that football and men's basketball are the only two moneymakers.

Boeh said that with increased marketing and exposure, he believes volleyball's attendance could be consistent with women's basketball. Volleyball averaged 686 per match last season; women's basketball averaged 2,738.

"An important component is the quality of team èþ to win matches and be an exciting team to watch," he said. "That takes some time. It's a chicken and egg thing.

"It can be done. So many coaches have taken that route, playing [opponents] at a high level, like Margie [Wright in softball] and Pat [Hill in football] have done. It's a formula that works."

UC-Santa Barbara, the Bulldogs' opening-game foe, is one of only three schools that has participated in all 25 national championship tournaments, Nieves said.

Saturday's opponent, Pacific (7 p.m.), is a perennial NCAA Tournament team and Sunday's foe, Santa Clara (1 p.m.), was a Final Four participant last season.

The Bulldogs' first game in the Save Mart Center will be against defending national champion and No. 3-ranked Washington on Sept. 14.

On the road in the preseason, the Bulldogs will face three Pac-10 schools: No. 14 USC, Oregon and Oregon State.

"We're in over our heads in a couple of these matchups," Nieves said. "We'll fight hard, but we're underdogs. We'll have to show character and poise not to lose confidence."

That's the challenge for a young team in which only six of 17 players have played D-I competition. The squad includes nine freshmen and red-shirt freshmen and two junior college transfers.

"In many ways [last season] we did a nice job maximizing our potential and some observers described us as overachievers," Nieves said.

"But our goal is not to be 4-12 and 7-21."

The reporter can be reached or (559) 441-6279.

Save Fresno Wrestling Protest

Date: Friday, September 1st

Time: 4 p.m.

Location: outside the gates of Bulldog Stadium, Barstow and Cedar Avenues in Fresno

Info: This demonstration will occur at the first home football game, as Fresno State hosts Nevada. This game will be nationally televised on ESPN beginning at 5 p.m. PDT (8 pm EDT).

If you are in the Central Valley, it will be televised on Comcast Channel 32 (cable) and Ch. 205 for DirecTV. ESPN has been contacted, so we are hoping that they will interview people either before the game or at halftime.

Bring water, a lawn chair, and something to eat. We'll be there probably for the duration of the game. Bring signs, too, expressing your sentiments for Welty and Boeh cutting the wrestling program.

We will try to convince people to refrain from purchasing concessions inside the stadium.

For further information, contact Dr. Bruce Lippmann @ BruskiBest@yahoo.com or Tim Cornish @ Cornish157@yahoo.com

Remember to wear red!

Visit Save Fresno Wrestling site:
http://www.savefresnowrestling.com/

Wrestling Boosters Further their Case (Fresno State)

Wrestling boosters further their case
Group makes a tentative offer to fund sport for two years.
By Ken Robison / The Fresno Bee

Supporters of the Fresno State wrestling program said they will lobby Gov. Schwarzenegger to allow them to fund the program for two more years.

Tim Cornish, president of the Takedown Club boosters group, said the club has $150,000 to fund the team for two seasons.

He said that would cover the team's operating costs and travel as outlined in the athletic department budget. Fresno State said it will fund scholarships for wrestlers currently on the team, and to pay coach Shawn Charles' salary for next season.

Cornish said the wrestling boosters then would ask Fresno State to engage in "good faith" dialogue about reinstating the team, which was cut by the school earlier this summer.

Cornish said the appeal is being made to the governor because supporters do not believe Fresno State president John Welty is interested in reinstating the program.

On July 13, Welty issued a statement to boosters that to save wrestling they would have to add one or two women's sports at a cost of approximately $1million per year, plus significant facilities costs.

"It's clearly not a money issue," Cornish said after Welty's statement was issued. "It's about Fresno State's inability to comply with Title IX and using the wrestling team as a scapegoat to the problem."

Dennis DeLiddo, Fresno State's wrestling coach from 1982-2005, and Cornish were among a delegation that stated their case to California State University Trustees on July 19 in Long Beach. Gov. Schwarzenegger is an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees.

"The university has clearly expressed its position on why the wrestling program was discontinued," Welty said Monday in a statement through the school's media relations department. "That information was presented in a June 16 public announcement and has been described at length by university representatives. The university's decision remains in place and we plan no further comments on it."

Fresno State athletic director Thomas Boeh declined to discuss the issue.

"The president already had a meeting with [wrestling supporters]," Boeh said. "We're just not going to be able to comment on this anymore. There's no reason to comment."

Cornish said the appeal to Schwarzenegger is being finalized and will be presented later this week. It is expected to include an offer to fund the operating expenses for two years and that DeLiddo would coach the second year if Charles is not retained.

"It's for these kids," said Cornish, mentioning several seniors on the roster. "It was unethical to come in and cut the program in the middle of summer."

DeLiddo said three seniors already have transferred èþ Cody Parker to Cal Poly, Shane Seibert to Oklahoma and Greg Gifford to Arizona State.

Help Save Fresno State Wrestling

Dear Friends,

I'm writing to you today so that I can recruit your help. Fresno State University is cutting its wrestling program because of "budget cuts." This short-term solution to a long-term problem is only one example of many schools that sacrifice smaller less "lucrative" sports so that their University can add a new parking lot or increase the size of their football stadium.

Please read the e-mail below and help me take action. E-mail the two men mostly responsible for ending this program. Tell them anything...if you're a wrestler tell them where you wrestled and why you love it. If you have never had anything to do with wrestling tell them you know wrestlers! Tell them you have friends or family that wrestle and love the sport very much. Tell them anything you can...give them reasons they should keep this program alive. Give them ideas...help them see that cutting this program is not the correct decision. Please help us keep our wrestling programs alive! (By the way...Fresno State recently graduated one of the best collegiate wrestlers ever, 3 time NCAA 125 pound champion Stephen Abas).

Please forward this to people you know that will help support this cause. Tell them to e-mail me if they want ideas or if they have ideas.

(E-mail these people urging them to keep program alive. Ask them for reasons on why it should be and how it can be saved. Ask them why they have coaches making six figures but they can't keep a program alive that costs only $300,000 a year to run. E-mail Thomas Boeh - <mailto:tboeh@csufresno.edu>tboeh@csufresno.edu and John Welty - <mailto:johnw@csufresno.edu>johnw@csufresno.edu)

If only their pleas came with instructions.

"Save Fresno State wrestling!" the bald-headed man with the goatee shouted.
Dr. Bruce Lippmann, the wrestling coach at McLane High, stood on a narrow median between eight lanes filled with cars at rush hour. When the light turned red, he ran into traffic and handed pieces of paper to drivers.

"Help save Fresno State wrestling!" he yelled at car windows.

The handout explained that Fresno Mayor Alan Autry had declared Friday "Save Fresno State Wrestling Day."

The handout listed the many benefits of wrestling, and the history of the sport in the San Joaquin Valley, and a few interesting facts about Fresno State's recent budget history.

The handout did not, unfortunately, explain exactly how to save Fresno State wrestling.

In the short time since the school cut the wrestling program, at least one assistant has gone job hunting. A few wrestlers have enrolled at new schools. This season is gone.

As for the future? Saving a wrestling program is difficult enough these days, and that's assuming the people making the decisions even want to save it.
And if anything is clear in the confusion and suddenness of Fresno State cutting wrestling, it's that President John Welty and athletic director Thomas Boeh are not interested in saving wrestling.

If they were, they would have come up with a list of ideas for how to save it, instead of a list of justifications.

Wrestling is not a priority.

When your football coach makes seven figures, and you cut a program that cost $300,000, it's tough to play the "we explored every avenue" card.

Fresno State has cut sports before. Those were supposed to fix the budget, too. How many sports get wiped out before you stop spending money you don't have?
Fresno State cutting wrestling is like paying off a gambling addict's debt. It's not the long-term solution.

When the uproar got loud enough, Welty did finally come up with one way to bring back wrestling: If the supporters could fund it themselves, along with an additional women's sport. Forever.

O