Given the recent national and local news regarding the awful Chi Phi incident, I think we can all agree sexual and physical abuse at any level is unacceptable. About ten years ago, I attended a Cornell athletics presentation where the key note speaker was coach Mike Schafer who said something like, "Big Red Hockey offers our students a couple of hours of non-alcoholic entertainment and escape the academic pressures of Cornell". As a student I remember bombing a mid-term exam and I was so depressed. I was ready to drink myself into oblivion, but instead a fraternity brother handed me a ticket to that evening's hockey game. Cornell won and Larry Tobin pulled off a hat-trick with dozens of fans showering the ice with their hats. I had so much fun at that game and the next morning I hiked back up to the library to get my academics back on track.
College sports at Cornell and across the country took off during Prohibition in the 1920's. The Ivy League was founded to promote Division I athletics with academic excellence. Hey Harvard is playing at Cornell on Saturday. I hope to see you folks at the game. GBR!!!