Ten-nial Celebration

What you are reading right now is the tenth edition of Extra Innings. In honor of this milestone, I’d like to look back and reflect on some points that I’ve previously addressed. I thought it would be cool to have ten points – but I don’t have that much space. So here’s five. In an order that makes sense to me.

5) I’m sorry about the Seneca Park Zoo’s loss of the baby elephant. Earlier on in the year I made the comment that they’d be “birthing some more elephants” and that we could borrow them for elephant polo. I felt kind of bad looking back at that. So, I’m sorry, elephant lovers of the world. I’m a Republican, so it touched me too.

4) I proposed that our football team should challenge USC. In the end, our season didn’t turn out exactly how we wanted it to but hey, neither did USC’s. On top of that, they basically lost the entire team to the draft. At least we still have a lot of our guys for next season. Ha. We’re still going to get you, Mount Union. You just wait.

3) Hockey got a raw deal. This is probably one of the hardest working club sports at Fisher and deserves to either be made an official sport or get better funding. I know that it’s a club’s responsibility to get funding but it’s an expensive sport and it really isn’t logical to expect them to foot the bill by themselves.

2) I still stand by what I said about the mascot. Update or overhaul. It’s a cardinal, not the Phanatic.

1) I recently commended the school for naming the basketball court in honor of Bobby Wanzer, the founding coach of the game here at Fisher. I praised the administration for refusing to succumb to monetary desires and for recognizing an integral part of our history.

I take it back.

I found out that for the court to be named after Wanzer, a group had to raise $100,000 in his name.

Ten grand.

Is that what it takes to honor someone here at Fisher? Money? Where’s the honor in that? What’s next? Rich Uncle Pennybags Presents Bon Appetit? Richie Rich Hall? Montgomery Burns Park-N-Ride?

I’m sorry, Bobby Wanzer, but despite all the pomp and circumstance you saw at the ceremony unveiling the court, the school insulted you. And we all owe you an apology for letting that happen.

And with that, here’s to another ten.

- Originally published in the Cardinal Courier (Volume 5-Issue 10; March 5, 2006)

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On Feb. 11, the basketball court at the Varsity Gym will be named “Bobby Wanzer Court” in honor of the pioneer coach of Fisher men’s basketball. Wanzer coached the Cardinals for 24 years and retired with a 311-239 record. When it comes to Fisher sports, Wanzer is a legend. Not only did he coach the Cardinals but he also played all-star basketball for the Rochester Royals – they’re the current Sacramento Kings, for those of you playing along at home – won the MVP in 1953 and is a member of the hall of fame.

So it’s only appropriate that he receives this honor. In a sports world that’s dominated by corporate sponsorship, Fisher continues to acknowledge those who helped build the community instead of turning to faceless companies.

There are too few examples left of this on the national level nowadays. There are too many Pepsi Arenas, PETCO Parks, and FedEx Fields. The San Francisco Giants’ stadium isn’t even six years old but is about to take on its third name. We need more Lambeau Fields, Ralph Wilson Stadiums, and Comiskey Park – oh, wait … that one succumbed to sponsorship too. Hello, U.S. Cellular Field. Classic. Even the local War Memorial is now the Blue Cross Arena. Gee, thanks, Blue Cross for defending freedom.

I understand that sometimes in order to build these new stadiums, teams and organizations need to raise a few bucks. But isn’t there something to be said about history? About keeping the past alive? Are we going to tell our children someday about how great the pool at the BOB in Arizona was? Or about the awesome luxury sweets at the Staples Center? Or about the train at Minute Maid Park? No. Hopefully, we’ll be able to pass on stories about the great stadiums. And God bless baseball’s trinity of untouchables: Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, and Wrigley Field.

Thank you, Fisher, for honoring those made Fisher what it is today. And thank you, Bobby Wanzer, for making us what we are today.

- Originally published in the Cardinal Courier (Volume 5-Issue 7; January 25, 2006)