Copyright 2002 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc. Chicago
Sun-Times
September 19, 2002 Thursday
SECTION: SPORTS; BETWEEN THE LINES; Pg. 133
LENGTH: 710 words
HEADLINE:
Title IX supporters leery of hearings
BYLINE:
Ron Rapoport
BODY: When the Bush
administration announced hearings on Title IX, supporters of women's college
sports were suspicious. Was this the opening shot in an attempt to water down
the law's equal-opportunity requirements? Was it a payoff for those who believe
the gains women have made have come at the expense of men's teams?
But when the members of the commission that would hold the
hearings were announced, there was a disconnect. Athletes like Cynthia Cooper ,
Julie Foudy and Donna De Varona ? Women athletic directors like Deborah Yow of
Maryland and Cary Groth of Northern Illinois? Coaches like Muffet McGraw of
Notre Dame? These are all solid supporters of Title IX, and they are hardly
likely to recommend changes that would mollify the college wrestling coaches who
insist Title IX is killing their sport.
"When I got
the call from the White House, I said, Why me? You know my position,"' De
Varona, co-founder of the Women's Sports Foundation, told me Wednesday as the
commission's two-day hearing at the Drake Hotel was winding up. "But I couldn't
resist being on it."
And when I asked Groth if she was
concerned the purpose of the hearings might be to give cover to those who would
cut back on Title IX, she said, "If I were to accept that, I would have been
silly to accept the job."
"Everything's political, and
anything is possible," De Varona said when I asked if she was worried about the
future of Title IX. "The administration had to bow to very powerful forces"--and
here she made special reference to the nation's most famous former wrestling
coach, House Speaker Dennis Hastert --"and I really think the wrestlers were
convinced they could make a case against Title IX."
For
now, De Varona is heartened by the way the hearings have gone, but she is
keeping her guard up.
"In the best of all worlds, we'll
report back that the heartland is in favor of Title IX," she said. "But I have a
right to be nervous. That's why I'm on the commission."
Who killed wrestling?
To the argument by
wrestling coaches that Title IX is killing their sport, De Varona said: "I think
wrestling has died a natural death. A lot of wrestling programs were dropped
from 1984 to '88 when Title IX enforcement was dormant.
Insurance costs are very high in that sport, and it could have been a lack of
interest.
"We're all sympathetic to the sports that
have been dropped, and we're sorry that women have been blamed."
We're No. 1
How about the Bears kicking off
the 2003 NFL season in the new Soldier Field on a Thursday night, the way the
Giants and 49ers did this year? "A lot of owners have asked if we'll rotate it
around and if their city will be included," Paul Tagliabue told Sports Business
Daily. "Larger cities with a lot of energy and a largely populated downtown
would be most appropriate. Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas and Miami come to
mind." ... Representatives of the Los Angeles Coliseum Commission met this week
with architects and officials involved in the reconstruction of Soldier Field to
get ideas they can use to lure an NFL team back to Los Angeles. "Our best
example currently is Soldier Field," City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas told the
Los Angeles Times. "They've shown considerable insight in protecting and
utilizing their assets." Though the NFL dearly wants to return to Los Angeles,
the Coliseum is considered a real long shot. ... Fore! Mike Ditka is set to host
a golf show--of all things--called "Business Golf" on the Golf Channel and CNBC.
Golf World Business says the program is set to start next April and also will
feature Pat Summerall . ... Loyola celebrates the 75th anniversary of the
founding of its men's track team and the 25th anniversary of the women's team at
a dinner dance at Alumni Gym on Oct. 5. The school's three world-record holders,
Tom O'Hara , George Crosby and Bob O'Connor will be honored. Call (773) 508-2582
for information.
And finally ...
Faced with big losses to revenue sharing, George Steinbrenner has cut
back on expenses in a big way. The Newark Star-Ledger says he has ordered a 60
percent reduction in Yankee Stadium elevator operators and a two-thirds
reduction in luxury-box hostesses.
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