Go Golden Grizzlies!
I'm a graduate of Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Never heard of it? You're not alone. It's the seventh-largest school in Michigan (based on attendance), though I think those numbers only represent full-time students. But it's mostly a commuter school, with a lot of engineering and business students who either work for the "big three" or aspire to do so.
Oakland's never been considered an athletic powerhouse, for two primary reasons. 1) they don't have a football team and never will, and 2) until recently, they've been a NCAA Division II team.
Working in Kirksville, I often stumbled across people who had heard of Oakland. OU won a series of Division II Swimming Championships and was a DII soccer powerhouse, so anyone involved with those two sports were familiar with the OU Pioneers.
Six years ago, the Pioneers achieved "Division I" status, and the glory of playing big-name teams like Michigan and MSU. They changed their mascot from the timid-sounding "Pioneers" to the much more threatening "Golden Grizzlies." Since then, they've slowly moved up in the world. The men's basketball team beat Michigan two years ago, the women's basketball went to the NCAA "Big Dance" last year, and several of the school's teams have won conference titles.
Today, I logged on to CBS Sportsline.com, and was greeted with an article on the Golden Grizzlies. What's this? A little recognition? Apparently playing a bundle of national contenders gets you a little face time.
Ok, so the Grizzlies didn't beat sixth-ranked Missouri tonight, but they gave the Tigers a run for their money. I particularly enjoyed the quotation from Mizzou coach Quin Snyder: "This isn't a matter of us just overlooking an opponent -- we played a very good team tonight. I expect them to win their league and no one will want to play them in the tournament."
Amen, Quin. Amen.
I'm a graduate of Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Never heard of it? You're not alone. It's the seventh-largest school in Michigan (based on attendance), though I think those numbers only represent full-time students. But it's mostly a commuter school, with a lot of engineering and business students who either work for the "big three" or aspire to do so.
Oakland's never been considered an athletic powerhouse, for two primary reasons. 1) they don't have a football team and never will, and 2) until recently, they've been a NCAA Division II team.
Working in Kirksville, I often stumbled across people who had heard of Oakland. OU won a series of Division II Swimming Championships and was a DII soccer powerhouse, so anyone involved with those two sports were familiar with the OU Pioneers.
Six years ago, the Pioneers achieved "Division I" status, and the glory of playing big-name teams like Michigan and MSU. They changed their mascot from the timid-sounding "Pioneers" to the much more threatening "Golden Grizzlies." Since then, they've slowly moved up in the world. The men's basketball team beat Michigan two years ago, the women's basketball went to the NCAA "Big Dance" last year, and several of the school's teams have won conference titles.
Today, I logged on to CBS Sportsline.com, and was greeted with an article on the Golden Grizzlies. What's this? A little recognition? Apparently playing a bundle of national contenders gets you a little face time.
Ok, so the Grizzlies didn't beat sixth-ranked Missouri tonight, but they gave the Tigers a run for their money. I particularly enjoyed the quotation from Mizzou coach Quin Snyder: "This isn't a matter of us just overlooking an opponent -- we played a very good team tonight. I expect them to win their league and no one will want to play them in the tournament."
Amen, Quin. Amen.
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