It’s too late, but I would still like to nominate University of Mount Union Football Coach Vince Kehres for 2017 Sportsman of the Year. Kehres likely saved UW-Oshkosh from some major embarrassment by signing off on tomorrow’s Division III Football National Semi-Final game being played at Titan Stadium instead of in Ohio.
When it was announced that UWO was hosting the game, reporters that follow D-III football more closely than me were surprised–as Mount Union had a better record and a higher national ranking than the Titans. But a Federal Bankruptcy Court hearing this week revealed that UWO getting the home game had more to do with economics than strength of schedule. You see, there was a very real possibility that UWO wouldn’t be able to pay for a road trip.
The Athletic Department doesn’t budget for post-season travel (which when you are one of the top programs in D-III football seems very short-sited)–relying instead on funding from the Foundation to cover that cost. But when the Foundation went into bankruptcy earlier this year, that required the judge overseeing their case to approve that expense–and there was no guarantee that was going to happen. UWO likely told the NCAA that having to hit the road before the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl may result in a forfeit–which would be incredibly embarrassing. That’s when Mount Union likely agreed to hit the road instead of hosting the semi-final game.
But should have UWO been made to face that embarrassment? Let’s not forget that the Foundation is in bankruptcy due to irresponsible actions of not only its former directors, but former Chancellor Richard Wells in racking up debt that it could not possibly hope to repay. And when inappropriate transfers from the school itself to the Foundation dried up after Wells split town, the gig was up. So why should the creditors who are legitimately owed millions of dollars be made to wait longer for payment so a football team can play a game?
I don’t fault Bank First National for trying to block this spending in the bankruptcy court. This is no different than the family that is in foreclosure on their house taking the kids to Disney World for a week. We always like to say that playing sports in school is about “learning important life lessons”–and “pay your bills first” is certainly an important lesson to know. Who knows, today’s backup offensive lineman may be a future Foundation Director–and he will know first-hand the effects living beyond your means can have.
It may not be “patriotic” but I shall be rooting for Mount Union to win on Saturday and move on to the Stagg Bowl so that the UW-Oshkosh Foundation can do what is actually right and pay that $100-thousand dollars to the people it is owed.
