The Sports Beat
Matt Charbonneau
With Carleton University’s fall varsity season now over, athletics director Drew Love must make tough decisions in evaluating some teams’ accomplishments.
Topping his list should be the university’s most prominent team — football.
After watching Carleton falter from a 5-3 record and a playoff spot in 1996 to consecutive 1-7 last-place finishes, Love must choose to keep the football program or sack it.
His priority must be to decide head coach Donn Smith’s future with the team.
During his six-year tenure, Smith has compiled a record of 12 wins, 33 losses and one tie. He has collected a single winning season and just one post-season berth, which he lost.
Since the Ravens’ miraculous playoff season two years ago, their first since 1987, Carleton’s athletics department has made bold predictions of the pigskin posse contending for a conference title.
Well, two straight years in the basement don’t cut it.
All too often, local fans and media have heard how the team “did not play 60 minutes,” or how the players “can’t take stupid penalties” and how “turnovers really killed us today.”
The jig is up.
Getting blown out this year by scores like 46-15, 59-17, 40-8 and 53-6 is not only embarrassing to the players, but humiliating to the university.
Carleton prides itself on building great student-athletes. Coaches are hired to foster positive social attitudes and maturity.
Yet, is winning not also important at the varsity sports level? Do athletes not go to particular schools to play for contenders and teams where they can learn and improve on their skills? Do fans not attend games to watch their teams provide competitive entertainment?
While it is true the football program fields several Academic All-Canadians, it has fewer all-stars on the team.
Love must consider how much money would be saved if the football program were scrapped.
Funding can go to more successful teams, while club teams can finally get their crack at the varsity level.
Equipment and services could also be improved, and such dreams as another gymnasium can be realized sooner, rather than later.
As Carleton’s football team continues to flounder, Love will soon have to decide whether to fish or cut bait.
If he decides to give the team one last chance to prove itself worthy of school funding, maybe Love should choose a different raven to lead the flock.