" What a sad day for EIU athletics, when the ONLY Panther sports program that annually sends an athlete to the NCAA Championships is dropped. Ralph McCausland is one of the nicest coaches in the world, and most loyal former EIU student-athlete, my heart really goes out to him and the fellas on the team. I only wish that Dr. McDuffie had put as much energy and funds behind the wrestling program as he seems to do for his regular trips to Hawaii (along with his wife and selected friends). Where exactly is ALL that Panther Club athletic fund money going to I wonder? Should an investigation be in order? Makes one think, doesn't it. "

" From reading the article it sounds like a decision that had to be made. "

" Have you not noticed how much better Panther athletics is now thanks to McDuffie. The whole program is thriving. It is not his fault the wrestlers cannot make the grade. "

" Maybe the blame should fall on those student athletes that didn't take care of business in the classroom? Ralph may have been a great coach and continually sent someone to compete at the NCAA's but the role of a student athlete is getting it done on the court/mat/field as well as in the classroom. The NCAA has obviously taken that stance with their committment to the importance of the APR. Maybe those student-athletes should've taken advantage of the new academic center that was built - just one of the many improvements to the facilities at EIU since McDuffie arrived. Take a look at EIU athletics 11 years ago and take a look now... "

" Way to put Eastern on the Map.... Show's how much faith the school has in its coaches/students. And why don't someone ask Greg Perez his GPA. Well while were at it lets drop Basketball Football, and Golf. This is pitiful. If GPA is the problem why don't they point fingers at the professors instead of the students. Ralph is a dedicated man and shouln't be treated in this way. Sounds like the new president has a lot of "issues" he needs to deal with. "

" This should have been done along time ago. EIU doesn't have the budget to fund as many sports as they try to do. They should get rid of mens and womens swimming too. "

" Obviously some of you out there don't REALLY know what is going on in the athletic department. If you did, you would demand your tax money back. Dick (I mean Richard) McD has been gunning for the wrestling team from the beginning, this was just a good excuse. "

" People can and will rip on McDuffie but wrestling needed to be dropped. It should have been done a long time ago. "

" "If GPA is the problem why don't they point fingers at the professors instead of the students." Perhaps because the professors assign the grades based on what the students earn? Or would you prefer that good grades be awarded for breathing? "

" Let's look at MCduffie's EIU resume - Half of new softball field seating can't view the field - new baseball field built with no toilets - what is with all the red brick, when school color is blue - basketball coaches get multi year contract yet lose and suck in OVc - rarely if ever attends wrestling matches even though more fans attend those then at basketball - only bothers to deal with former star athletes if they can give him money or tickts to pro bowl in Hawai - money was no object for new bball offices like expensive couch or flat screen t.v.s but no cash for more scholarship - bad staff turnover rate due to poor managment style - list is endless "

" what is with the red brick when the school colors are blue? Now, there is an intelligent complaint. They were out of blue brick. Wrestling has been dropped all over the country. Sad but true. It had to be done. "

" "If GPA is the problem why don't they point fingers at the professors instead of the students" Are you kidding me....that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. "

" This is a disgrace! EIU Wrestling has a long and proud history. There had to be some other solution here. Dropping the sport is the only possibility? McDuff probably needed some more $$ for the Women's Rugby Team. Give me a break. "

" MCDuffy has done a good job with alot of the programs, but wrestling never got it due. What other sport could have competed with the Major Universities? EIU with just a little more scholorship money could have competed with the Big 10 or Big 12. Illinois is a breeding ground for wrestling, and Ralph would have gotten his share if he would have been given the tools to do so. It is a sad day for EIU Athletics. "

" Blue and grey are school colors - not red - this isn't Illinois state - all the rest of the buildings on campus are the traditional yellow brick - so the red stands out like sore thumb - what a waste of money AND bad planning (sight lines - bathroom access - insufficient storage and thinking longterm for future needs - not just doing something quickly without thinking - that's McD's prob - he's not a forward thinker - he's a reactionary - which explains this whole mess - I agree that this will lead to the end of his reign - people are beginning to wake up to the abuse of staff/coaches, bad decision making (rick samuels fiasco anyone?) - if the news reporters would do even a little research about hidden issues behind McD's 'thriving' program he'd also be history by the end of the month - that would be the best thing to happen to panther Athletics in years "

" is it true what I heard that Ralph's wife gave McDuffie a tongue lashing to end all tongue lashings yesterday?? if so, nobody deserves it better, good for you, Joan! "

" It's called APR, not GPA... there is a difference for all of you small town idiots who haven't done your research! "

" Renny is right! Was was the program sandbagged without any warning or given a chance to survive? Has anyone ever been to a wrestling meet here? More fans were in Lantz Gym during those meets then during the joke of a basketball season - men/women combined. Ralph and his boys deserve better. The department deserves better than current McDuffy leadership to. I have a feeling this issue isn't finalized. Things will be hitting the fan before it is over. Watch out McDuffy, Renny is coming for you! "

" First of all, Rick Samuels could not win a game that is why the decision was made to let him go. Second, what was there before all the red brick went up....NOTHING. The campus sports area looks great now thanks to McDuffie. "

" Get a brain 'hello' - so I guess its okay to look like Illinois state or the cardinals - red buildings over campus from now until the end of time - instead of thinking ahead, match the rest of campus while also planning for the future needs instead of a knee-jerk immediate gratification and "I'm McDuffie, look what I can do, pat me on the back but don't ask how we are paying for all these 'improvements' or where the money is actually going." UofI (or any state school) wouldn't do such half-a** things, they would plan accordingly, have appropriate designs and not only be concerned about how it might make their AD look. "

" also - rick samuels led team to two NCAA tournies - what has mike miller, that sallee guy, schmidtz, schute and countless other coaches hired under Dick's leadership accomplished? under your thinking they should be canned to, no? "

" Two NCAA tournies in 26 seasons isn't very good... "

" Everyone is saying Ralph had no warning...if he was unaware that his program was in jeapordy after not meeting the APR standards set by the NCAA the past three years then maybe he shouldn't have been coaching. Maybe some of you should get the whole story before blaming McDuffie for making the decision that was best for the department. "

" Is it just me, or do all of these pro-Rich McDufie postings sound like they are coming directly from the man himself... "

" Hello, get a brain....if you look at the big picture Samuels was not a winning coach. Get your facts straight. "

" 'Two NCAA tournies in 26 seasons isn't very good...' ... I'll grant you that, but Ralph's squads 23 appearances at NCAA wrestling championships in 24 seasons as head coach sure look darn good to me and is more than any other panther squad. Learn your EIU sports history, buddy, cause your comparison in that regard is completely meaningless! "

" It's wrestling people...it's getting cut all over the country...get over it. Don't you have anything better to cry about!! "

" Let's calm down and take a serious look at the situation. Maybe the wrestling coach had some advance warning and didn't take advantage of the time to improve his guy's overall academic performance in order to meet the new NCAA standards, etc. But did the AD really do all he could do to help the coach and the program improve, actively trying to keep the team ... or did he just sit and wait it out until he could end the program? Something to think about. "

" Yeah maybe they made 23 appearances in 24 seasons....the fact of the matter is college is about continuing your education, getting good grades and if you can't do that then you shouldn't be involved in sports....Sorry to inform you of this but college isn't all about sports! "

" What a shame. All this political BS is never ending. It's so nasty, believe it or not, there was a time when the people in charge of big decisions had dignity and wanted the best for people. It's different now a days, now they cut your throat when you least expect it or when you turn your back. I hope the wrestling program will be up and running again soon. God bless "

" Athletes have to make the grades, they just have to. They are not entitled to cop some scholarships to play for four years and not learn. They should be better when they leave college than when they came in, that's for sure. "

" I am sorry to see this happen. "

" Yes, that is why they are called STUDENT-Athlete! "

" Do you think higher profile sports would have suffered the same fate? "

" I was a student at EIU during the 70's when we dropped gymnastics, and other sports (I'm getting so old I can't remember them any more). I think wrestling may have been one that bit the dust way back then. Do any of you remember? "

" Hey Good Move --- Why is dropping a sport and eliminating opportunities for student-athletes a good move? "

" It may or may not have been handled poorly, but this is the right thing to do. Look how many other schools with bigger budgets have cut wrestling. There is no use having a ton of sports and sucking at all of them because your resources are spread to thin. Wrestling would be the first of a couple sports I would eliminate at EIU. "

" I think they should have kept the coaches as long as they had the wrestling student-athletes. It is wrong to recruit people to come to EIU and then drop their program suddenly. This is EIU's decision, not ours. However, I'm sure the wrestlers here are very disappointed. "

" I remember that now. EIU dropped sports that didn't really yield a lot ogf gate receipts in order to build up the football program. A long time ago, right? "

" McDuffie is a bad athletic director and his treatment of the wrestling program is just another example. "

" Was the NCAA contacted for comment, or to clarify, the APR numbers, and penalties? Checking of facts, and doing some journalism, remember the free press, is also free, to not just give statements. It is a public institution of higher learning. Scholarships, are supposed to have academic requirements, or at least they used to. Are the wrestlers meeting their scholarship requirement, if there is one? It hits me as odd, that their academics, are in question, the program, is cut for that, and they are honoring scholarships, and letters of intent. Not withstanding the "we don't have funds, to recruit the top scholar athlete", comment, which is a larger issue to address. Tuition just went up. It has been reported the wrestling budget, will get spread around for other not cut yet sports. Seems if the sport is cut, cut that money out of the budget, as well. Save the students, and taxpayers that much money, instead of folding it into the paintball team. How is their academics, by the way? Perhaps when the paper does its investigation, and contacts the NCAA, it can check, on all sports making the grades, and if they get a passing APR, or are on a reprimand, but not immediately cut. Are the wrestlers that stay, able to tryout to play on the paintball team, for EIU? Are there paintball Scholarships? School just let out last week, so I will have to wait for the mid summer edition, of the Daily Eastern News, to get objectively investigated, details, of the facts that seem to be missing, from this article. "

" When a coach with the integrity and excellence of Ralph McCausland has given years to building a program, establishing relationships with his wrestlers and recruiting for EIU in good faith, then the university should have the same good faith, integrity and clarity in considering this cut. A university is a community of educators and learners. Please, may we recall what we are about. "

" I read the article, on the EIU paintball team, for the first time, to find they are unsanctioned. I answered some of my own questions, with that. I hope this move is questioned more, and the decision is reversed. This will have a trickle down effect, on high school athletics, all over the state, including here. If everything, is on the up and up, let it be a one strike your out, but if the something just doesn't smell right, with the facts, as presented, is more than just an ill wind, let the chips fall, for a three count, where they may. "

" 'McDuffie is a bad athletic director and his treatment of the wrestling program is just another example'... as a former long-time staff member in EIU athletics I can personally concur with this statement. McDuffie has absolutely no respect from other staff/coaches within the department due to his management style, bad decisions, arrogance, taking credit for other people's work, and talking down/treating staff like children. His handling of this situation is just a tip of the iceburg as an example of how bad an AD he really is. If it was up to him the only sports at EIU would be football and men's basketball - period. "

" I agree Mike P. This wil effect our High school program and other High school programs across Illinois. I think we have got a movement that says we want to be a kinder and gentler nation and wrestling does not fit that agenda. Wake up people, if you want us to be like the French or the Brits that don't even put up a fight when someone trys to board your ship and kidnap you and possibly kill you then this is a step in the right direction. Wrestling builds men to be leaders. "

" Again, it comes down to reruiting quality STUDENT-athletes in all sports. There should be blame placed on coaches for not bringing in solid students! Their academic progress and short-comings should have been monitored by the coaches and AD Department. I have also worked closely with the Athletic Directors and their immoral, unethical, and poor character ways. I strongly believe that all problems would be fixed if the new president cleaned house with all of those in athletic director positions! Attitude reflects leadership! And the arrogant and immoral ways of McDuffie and his assistants needs to leave EIU now! "

" Most sports, on all levels, if the grades aren't met, the individual that has the issue, is penalized, not the program. If there is a movement, against wrestling, in particular, it is an uninformed one, as so many tend to be. Organized, school sanctioned, wrestling programs, are a physical form of chess, countering moves, and utilizing strengths, and finding weaknesses, to defeat an opponent. It is ruled, so the WWF type bodyslams, and piledrivers, that are still quite popular, entertainment, with many, are not allowed, and each competition, of two wrestlers, is overseen by many, and a referee. Any physical sport, runs the risk of injury, but much has been done, to reduce as much as possible, any flagrantly infliction, of injury, taking place. Wrestling, is a sport, of honor, that dates back, to the greeks and romans. To haphazardly remove, such a sport, should be questioned, and I would say, it will be, when school gets back in session. Its removal timing, conveniently happened a week after school let out. We all know how outraged college students, getting behind a cause, can increase the media coverage, and sometimes change the course of things. If this paper, doesn't take on the getting to the bottom, of the truth, honoring its comittment, to the freedom of the press, students will, in a few months, if not sooner. "

" Here is the NCAA report card: APR -- Academic Progress Rate. Look up any D-1 school and any sport. 925 is the magic passing grade -- meaning that 92.5% of the athletes are on track to graduate. However -- inexplicably - - that usually translates into 60% of them actually graduating. And the 867 average for the past three years for the wrestlers means that about 50% graduate. That puts the team in the 1st--to--10%-tile. Percentile: 90% of wrestlng teams had a better grade ( or graduation rate ? ) than EIU. 90%-tile means 90% of the other teams are below you. In contrast, look at women's golf & our 974 score. That sounds pretty good. It is! Yet that only makes the 30-40 percentile. Yikes - there must be a lot of smart women golfers out on the fairways. There are enough statistics here to please a real NUMB3RS cruncher. Interpreting them . . . . hmm. http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN4j3CQXJgFjGpvqRqCKO6AKGph4QIUNTb5iYTxhEyNdA39cjPzdV31s_QL8gNzQ0NKLcEQBohnWq/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvUUd3QndNQSEvNElVRS82XzBfTFU!?CONTENT_URL=http://www2.ncaa.org/portal/academics_and_athletes/education_and_research/academic_reform/apr/2005-06/school_data.html If that long URL doesn't Link you to the site -- go to the Home Page & look for the APR ratings: www.ncaa.org "

" If those numbers are correct, then great job, womens golf. That a graduation rate, would be a determining factor, by the NCAA guidelines, falls to the AD, and them, being the problem. I know there are more than grades, that affect if people graduate, or not. Some basketball players go pro early, for example, and don't graduate. If those are factors, being applied, in determining sanctions, then the NCAA, needs to be put in its place. It has over stept its place, again, and the AD should have been on the forefront, of pointing that out. Here was a place for the local paper, to provide, valid, facts, and get exposure, for uncovering a possible wrong, and it gets done, in the anonymous, comments section, instead. "

" What's not stated is that the program got the axe to make room for more women programs. Title IX is the real culprit all in the name of gender equality. "

" Who really cares? "

" I do (hic). "

" The APR is dependent on scholarship athletes, not the entire roster, so if you've got a school that has low scholarships, like EIU presumably has, the APR has a small pool of athletes and one or two issues can drastically change the score. The thing about wrestling is, scholarships are small compared to other sports, so it has an ability to repair its APR quickly, but the downside is that an APR can slide with just a few instances. What this could do is affect which athletes get scholarships, which athletes are recruited for academic reasons and such. It's going to change the entire game. I think EIU is setting a VERY dangerous precedent by blaming APR for this. "

" See, if, you, could, stick, a, couple, more, commas, in, that, paragraph,,,,,,,,,,,please, "

" See name of poster for details. "

" So now we are judging others posts by their use of commas? Who are you the Internet police? I guess if you don't have enough sense to debate any issues, that is the best you can do. That's sort of sad. "

" I have had the pleasure of knowing Ralph for a decade. He is one of the most honorable and straight forward men I have ever met. Which is the complete opposite of what I can say about the AD. EIU has always been known for being a great university to recieve an Illinois teacher certification. The requirements to recieve this certification is a semester of student teaching after all course work is completed. In pertanance to collegiate wrestling, education majors can not student teach until after their eligiblity is completed. Wrestling season lasts almost all of the academic year and it is impossible to wrestle and student teach simultanously. APR punishes athletic programs for not having their athletes graduate at the end of their eligibilty. The wrestling program has been punished repeatedly in the past for this scenario. In my case I graduated with an Education degree from EIU with a 3.0 GPA, but yet the program was still punished for me not graduating at the end of my elegibility. Is this right? This has been an ongoing problem for the EIU wrestling program being that many of of the wrestlers are ecucation majors. This in addition to a couple unfortunate incidents where some scholorship student-athletes were unable to continue their education at EIU due to finances or personal reasons has led to some significant APR reductions. Yes some of the wrestlers probably don't have the best of grades, but I am sure some have good grades too. Greg Perz for example is going to be a senior next year. He is a two time ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN, as well as a two time national qualifier. His parents both went to EIU and his father wrestled at EIU. Does he really want to transfer? I doubt it. I wonder if the athletic administration even considered the student-athletes? Another point... The coaching staff just completed a recruiting season by signing some key recruits who have the intention of being a EIU Panther. These athletes as well as existing panther wrestlers now have to decide if they are going to stay at EIU or go compete elsewhere. By waiting to make the announcement that the athletic administration was going to discontinue one of the most successful programs at EIU proves that Rich and his staff are unethical and not in the best interest of the student athletes. I honestly feel that if the wrestling program was properly funded at EIU Ralph would have made this program a stand out in NCAA Division I wrestling. In my case and many other wrestlers who have passed through the EIU wrestling program I would have never been able to recieve an college degree without the opportunities given to me by EIU wrestling and Ralph McCausland. People need to understand that the real reason for the dismissal of the wrestling program is Rich McDuffie not APR. He has been taking away from the program for years and has finally found a way to TRY to remove the program. Rich McDuffie is not an ethical man! Nor is he good for EIU athletics. The community should ask themselves why is their such a coaching turn over at EIU? Plain and simple. The dissatifaction with the AD and his staff. Rich McDuffie needs to go not EIU wrestling. "

" To 'terrible tragedy': Well said! "

" All of you are making some very interesting comments...some valid and some not even close. But did you realize that another one or two bad APR reports for wrestling could've put restrictions on postseason play for ALL of EIU's sports not just wrestling. If you are a true supporter and fan of Panther Athletics then you will realize however upsetting it may be to some, that McDuffie made a tough decision that was best for the department. He's here to stay, I would suggest getting used to it. "

" It is interesting that the fellow who is the personification of all that is good and honest about EIU, Louis V. Henken, has nothing to say about what has happened. What gives there? "

" Mr McDuffie, Did you know that Greg Perz was named to the Academic All American Squad by the Coaches of Wrestling? I find it INTERESTING that in my search for the dismissal of the wrestling progam, I come up on an article about Perz having a GPA of 3.73/4.00. (Article dated May 9th.) Yet almost one week later you cut the wrestling program. I'd like to hear you explain that one. Something smells......... "

" Actually, it's Dr. McDuffie. Sounds like Greg Perez is a great student and a great competitor, however the fact remains that he is part of team and that team didn't get it done in the classroom. The smell...maybe you should shower soon, it's probably you. "

" I get tired of paying $150+ for athletic fees when I do not use the rec. center. Most sports team don't have it together!! Why should I support that! Like McDuffie says, "no one goes to the games because WEIU broadcasts it.Well, No Athletics just can't win! "

" I don't care if he is a DOCTOR of brain surgery. In Charleston, his name is MUD. "

" Doesn't McDuffie still have a staff member on payroll while he awaits trial for sexual assult? Seems maybe we should look in our own closet before we go slamming the door on other programs. Lead by example Rich. It's time for you to go. Maybe we should work on the basketball team gpa.. Seem to be throwing alot of money at Miller for very little return on your investment... "