State of Cornell Athletics

[scoop85]

With men's soccer losing 2-1 at Princeton, it seems as if Cornell will fail to win a single Ivy championship in any fall sport, men's or women's. And even Cornell women's hockey just got swept at Harvard and Dartmouth. While the pathetic state of Cornell football gets most of the attention, the overall state of our athletic program is as poor as I can recall in the 40 years I've been following Big Red sports.

Certainly a far cry from the glory days of 2010 when we had multiple Ivy champs and a Sweet 16 hoops team. Seems Cornell athletics is overdue for a big shakeup.

[blackwidow]

With men's soccer losing 2-1 at Princeton, it seems as if Cornell will fail to win a single Ivy championship in any fall sport, men's or women's. And even Cornell women's hockey just got swept at Harvard and Dartmouth. While the pathetic state of Cornell football gets most of the attention, the overall state of our athletic program is as poor as I can recall in the 40 years I've been following Big Red sports.

Certainly a far cry from the glory days of 2010 when we had multiple Ivy champs and a Sweet 16 hoops team. Seems Cornell athletics is overdue for a big shakeup.

Omg thank you so much for starting this thread. Im in so much pain

[Ken711]

After enduring decades of losing in football (including a 44 game losing streak) Columbia finally brought in an outside consultant to examine the athletic department and make recommendations.  That led to Columbia improving their athletic facilities (including an indoor practice facility which they now have), and the hiring of an accomplished football coach in Al Bagnoli.  It maybe time for Cornell to consider the same.

[blackwidow]

After enduring decades of losing in football (including a 44 game losing streak) Columbia finally brought in an outside consultant to examine the athletic department and make recommendations.  That led to Columbia improving their athletic facilities (including an indoor practice facility which they now have), and the hiring of an accomplished football coach in Al Bagnoli.  It maybe time for Cornell to consider the same.

Or they could get rid of athletics altogether and focus more on academics!

[scoop85]

After enduring decades of losing in football (including a 44 game losing streak) Columbia finally brought in an outside consultant to examine the athletic department and make recommendations.  That led to Columbia improving their athletic facilities (including an indoor practice facility which they now have), and the hiring of an accomplished football coach in Al Bagnoli.  It maybe time for Cornell to consider the same.

Or they could get rid of athletics altogether and focus more on academics!

I've suspected Martha Pollock was trolling this forum!

[Ken711]

After enduring decades of losing in football (including a 44 game losing streak) Columbia finally brought in an outside consultant to examine the athletic department and make recommendations.  That led to Columbia improving their athletic facilities (including an indoor practice facility which they now have), and the hiring of an accomplished football coach in Al Bagnoli.  It maybe time for Cornell to consider the same.

Or they could get rid of athletics altogether and focus more on academics!

You do realize the "Ivy League" was based on a common athletic conference goal. Chances of giving up athletics and dropping are zero. :-D

[blackwidow]

After enduring decades of losing in football (including a 44 game losing streak) Columbia finally brought in an outside consultant to examine the athletic department and make recommendations.  That led to Columbia improving their athletic facilities (including an indoor practice facility which they now have), and the hiring of an accomplished football coach in Al Bagnoli.  It maybe time for Cornell to consider the same.

Or they could get rid of athletics altogether and focus more on academics!

You do realize the "Ivy League" was based on a common athletic conference goal. Chances of giving up athletics and dropping are zero. :-D

Good thing im a nobody  after so much suffering coming from me caring though, ive made it my lifelong mission to give it my best shot !

[CU2007]

After enduring decades of losing in football (including a 44 game losing streak) Columbia finally brought in an outside consultant to examine the athletic department and make recommendations.  That led to Columbia improving their athletic facilities (including an indoor practice facility which they now have), and the hiring of an accomplished football coach in Al Bagnoli.  It maybe time for Cornell to consider the same.

Generally agree but I think the Ivy league's ridiculous response to COVID last year screwed a bunch of our teams. Men's hockey, women's hockey, men's lacrosse all heading towards championship level seasons and now all those teams seem to be rebuilding

[Weder]

With the hockey teams, at least, don't the rosters look fairly close to what they would have been this year anyway? I'm not aware of any recruiting losses. Obviously, not playing last season has consequences in terms of player development. (And according to Neutral Zone, the Cornell women have next year's No. 1 recruiting class in the country.)

[billhoward]

In terms of change: Andy Noel is in the home stretch of his Cornell career and some of the change others clamor for might await a change in leadership. He's been at Cornell since 1974 (except early 1990s), is a 1972 Franklin & Marshall grad (I keep forgetting he's not a Cornell grad), and is now getting into his early 70s.

The longest tenured Cornell AD, Bob Kane '34, was full-time AD 1944-1971, then he moved upstairs as dean of athletics for five years as he became more and more involved with the U.S. Olympic Committee. Others have said Kane was Cornell's best AD ever. That may well be, if you leave out the five years 1971-76 as dean of athletics, when basketball turned into a highly visible shitshow: players walking off the team, a replacement coach brought in to calm tensions who inflamed them, was fired mid-season, and the same coach getting his wish to make Sports Illustrated, only it was for a story headlined "Low In Cayuga's Waters."

Does David Jeff Archer fit into Cornell's plans for Cornell athletics going forward, administration if not coaching? Interesting thought. If and when the AD's positions opens up, there will be significant pressure to consider women and people of color. I believe the ADs at Brown, Penn and Yale are female now.

[Cop at Lynah]

There will be more than pressure for an equity hire, it'll be a mandate

[Ken711]

In terms of change: Andy Noel is in the home stretch of his Cornell career and some of the change others clamor for might await a change in leadership. He's been at Cornell since 1974 (except early 1990s), is a 1972 Franklin & Marshall grad (I keep forgetting he's not a Cornell grad), and is now getting into his early 70s.

The longest tenured Cornell AD, Bob Kane '34, was full-time AD 1944-1971, then he moved upstairs as dean of athletics for five years as he became more and more involved with the U.S. Olympic Committee. Others have said Kane was Cornell's best AD ever. That may well be, if you leave out the five years 1971-76 as dean of athletics, when basketball turned into a highly visible shitshow: players walking off the team, a replacement coach brought in to calm tensions who inflamed them, was fired mid-season, and the same coach getting his wish to make Sports Illustrated, only it was for a story headlined "Low In Cayuga's Waters."

Does Jeff Archer fit into Cornell's plans for Cornell athletics going forward, administration if not coaching? Interesting thought. If and when the AD's positions opens up, there will be significant pressure to consider women and people of color. I believe the ADs at Brown, Penn and Yale are female now.

Neither "Jeff" or David Archer have any business being considered in Cornell's future plans going forward,  It's been a dismal failure after 8 straight losing seasons.

[billhoward]

Cornell athletics has from time to time found positions in the athletics department for coaches who stepped down. At least in the past.

[Ken711]

Cornell athletics has from time to time found positions in the athletics department for coaches who stepped down. At least in the past.

I'm good with that. Just move Archer to an administrative position if he wants to stay at Cornell and relieve him of coaching duties.

[rss77]

Let's see over the last 20 or so years: Pendergast, Knowles, Austin, Archer with only 1 winning season between them and 31 years when they last won a championship.  I think a lot more than a "savior coach" is needed.    I would like to see Cornell do a deep dive study on why they have such limited success in football.