Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Quinnipiac adds rugby

A friend and colleague sent me the link the You Tube video (below) promoting women's rugby at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. QU added women's rugby in an attempt to come into Title IX compliance, after it was told, by a federal judge, that it could not--at this time--count competitive cheerleading as a sport. It also added women's golf and kept--per the judge's order--women's volleyball. You may recall that QU tried to cut its women's volleyball team, but because it was not providing equitable opportunities to women, it elevated competitive cheer to varsity status to compensate for the cut. But it was also revealed that there had been some roster doctoring going on.
So, as said friend noted, it was kind of interesting that the promo video stressed--repeatedly--opportunity. Seems to be a word they only recently learned. And you know how it goes. You learn a new word and you just want to use it over and over again.
I also found it kind of amusing that the video uses the de facto gay anthem as its background music. I would guess that that was not intentional but, hey, it could be effective. Today's recruits are probably more astute than the PR people in QU's athletics department.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Nice article. Might I point out at though poorly researched. The decision to add women's rugby and the other sports has been in existence for a few years so keep pouting and trying to paint this as a reactive decision for the 2 people that saw your blog which unfortunately includes me.

Your comments about the video are interesting because the NCAA Initiative that existed at USA Rugby ran the Opportunity campaign three years ago so no, I doubt that it's just a new word that QU" just learned" and more falls in line with the movement that has been going on since 2002. Do your homework.

Second of all, the theme song was also used as the theme song for in for the Olympics in 2000 as well as the hit show Biggest Loser. I guess both of these entities must have "gay" undertones too according to your observation. Keep crapping on the expansion of participation for girls' and women in sports if you makes you more comfortable to "circle the wagons".