Every year at some time, athletic departments around the nation release their budgets, and everyone has to toss out their little rant about how all these sports lose money and that we need to stop the bleeding and cut all the revenue-eating sports.  So, while I had planned on initially devoting this space to the NCAA bids that went out this week, and presenting the Big 12 Composite Standings I’ve been working on (they’ll be here next time – Nebraska’s third, by the way), I was driving to work today and heard 1620 the Zone’s Unsportsmanlike Conduct bringing up the same argument after the Omaha World-Herald published the annual sports profit/loss budget this weekend.

The argument is simple: only football and basketball are revenue sports.  Ergo, we should find enough women’s sports to meet the Title IX requirements, and cut the rest to maximize profit (or at least cut down to the Big XII minimum 16).  But Tom Osborne, like someone who understands why college sports exist, has no plans to cut programs or cut funding.  Osborne does say that he has no plans to add sports either, though men’s swimming (which was cut after an academic scandal a few years back), men’s soccer, and ice hockey (a potential revenue sport) have all been tossed around as possible additions.

I see this as two parts.  First off, a university and its athletic department are nonprofit organizations (or government agencies, in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s case), and are not intended to do more than be self sufficient.  Instead, the purpose of the athletic department is to enable students to attend the university, and most of those are athletes in non-revenue sports.  Revenue sports and TV contracts subsidize the non-revenue sports so that they can provide opportunities for everyone else – why do you think you see so many other student athletes at football and basketball games?  Secondly, the athletic department isn’t losing money.  Even without counting in television revenue, the department makes $1,151,634 more than it spends, so I’m not sure what the fuss is about when a nonprofit isn’t losing money.  Not to mention that Nebraska has the second highest revenue in the Big XII.

I’m curious to hear your thoughts.  Now, back to our regularly delayed (but for good reason) Corn Kernels.

I do apologize in the delay in getting Corn Kernels up this week, but I was waiting for the NCAA to release Golf and Tennis championship berths yesterday and today, after this weekend’s Big XII Championships.

Women’s golf got the best news out of all the Husker sports this weekend, when the were selected for the NCAA Central Regional at the University of Texas Golf Course in Austin.  The Huskers are the 17th seed (out of 21) in the Regional, along with fellow Big XII schools Texas A&M (8), Texas (10), and Texas Tech (15).  UCLA is the top seed in the region, and is ranked #2 overall by NGCA Coaches Poll.  The Huskers also finished 6th at the Big XII Championships this weekend.  Elli Brown led the Huskers with a 12th place overall finish, while Charlotte Wendner and Kate White also finished in the top 20.

The Men’s Golf team had a disappointing end to their season, finishing 11th at the conference championships.  Mike Coatman led the Huskers with a 16th place finish.  The men were not selected for the NCAA tournament, so their season is over.  The young Huskers return the entire team next season.

Men’s Tennis had a fast end to its Big XII tournament, falling to 2nd-seeded and 11th-ranked Baylor 4-0 in the first round.  The Huskers season ends at 10-16, short of the NCAA tournament.  The Huskers lose two seniors, but have added Christopher Aumuller, Germany’s no. 99-ranked player, for next year’s squad.

Women’s Tennis also saw their Big XII tournament end early, after being upset by 10th-seeded Kansas State 4-3 in the first round.  The loss probably cost the Huskers an NCAA bid, as they were not selected for the NCAA championships.  The Huskers will lose senior standout and multiple Academic All-Big XII selection Imke Reimers, who may yet be selected for the NCAA singles tournament.

Three members of the Women’s Gymnastics team competed at the NCAA Championships as individuals this weekend.  Senior Emily Parsons, Nebraska’s all-time event title leader and an 11-time All-American, failed to capture her first NCAA title, but did finish 2nd in the balance beam.  Nebraska’s other senior, Desiree Sniatynski, placed 12th in the uneven parallel bars.  Junior Tricia Woo, the Big XII and South Regional Balance Beam champion, did not advance to the finals.

The Husker Softball team had another forgettable weekend, losing twice to Big XII-leading No. 5 Texas A&M after sweeping North Dakota State during the week.  The Saturday game against A&M was the same story as many games this season: pitching mistakes and too little offense.  The Huskers fought back on Sunday after falling behind, but still lost, 6-3.  The Huskers wrap up their season this week at home with a make-up game against Iowa State tonight, a double-header against Kansas tomorrow, and a two-game set with Missouri over the weekend.

The highlight for the week in Track & Field was Freshman Nicholas Gordon’s impressive 50’-5 1/2" triple jump at the Nebraska Open on Sunday.  the mark moves Gordon up to 9th in the Midwest Region in the triple jump (he is ranked 3rd in the long jump).  Huskers Paul Hamilton and Audrey Svane swept the high jump titles as well.  This week brings the Ward Hyatt Invite in Manhattan, KS on Saturday, and the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational in Palo Alto, CA on Sunday, before a break for finals prior to the Nebraska Invitational on May 10.