Athletes lose scholarships for becoming mommies

A University of Memphis student has learned the hard way that sex-based discrimination isn't just a political problem. It's a biological reality, with impact in the business and academic world.

Like the other young women who attend U Memphis on a full athletic scholarship, Cassandra Harding signed an agreement that, if she became pregnant, she would lose her scholarship.

She got pregnant.

She lost her scholarship.

Quel surprise.

Of course, One of her teammates is now complaining that the male athletes can have kids and still be on the teams, still get their cash, still attend classes, so why is it that females are singled out?

''There are guys on our team that have babies. Why wouldn't they have to follow the same rule?'' [Gail] Lee asked.

I gather that she didn't have a supplemental academic scholarship, if she thinks guys have babies. Or, maybe Memphis has something going on we should look into...

I don't suppose Ms. Lee ever bothered to look down at her body and d0 the math?

When a woman gets pregnant, her body undergoes dramatic changes in shape and capability -- many are temporary, of course, but nonetheless, a college athletic program usually is expecting your best athletic performance during the academic year. If you've added thirty-five pounds of baby fat and are waddling across the field, it makes most coaches doubt you'll be up to speed this Tuesday for the hurdles.

If you can't play because of something you did that was entirely preventable (and unrelated to the game), the coach and the school should have every right to deem you in breach of contract, and boot you out. If a guy goes out drinking, falls off a balcony and breaks his leg and arm, he's not going to be starting pitcher this baseball season. The position on the team should go to someone slightly more responsible and totally capable, and with the position should go the money.

Fortunately, pregnancy is a temporary condition (in most women). Once Ms. Harris had given birth and sufficiently recovered from the stresses to her body, she was able to rejoin her team. So, all she really lost was a little time.

And, if you're going to fool around while young and fertile, that's a pretty small loss, indeed.



Now, though, comes the end of my heartless moment of young-mommy-bashing. Even though the university was wholly within its rights to make clear and to enforce such restrictions within their athletic scholarship program, it would be nice if more academic institutions were prepared to deal with mothers who wish to continue their educations. Very few colleges or universities in this country have on-campus daycare programs for the babies of undergrads. I realize a big problem with trying to establish such a program costs money -- especially when one has to factor in liability insurance.

Nevertheless, in a society where the so-called liberals in academia keep pronouncing "pro-choice" is the only rational perspective, shouldn't students be given a choice as to whether or not they should carry a child to term? If your options are abort and attend classes to advance your future career or give birth and be stuck in a McJob (or worse) until the adoption papers are signed or until the kid turns 21 and moves out, is that really much of a choice? Where is the "I'll go for educated motherhood" choice? Where is the support for young student mothers, from among the left-academics?

Are these the only people liberal enough to support young mothers' continuing to learn and grow?

Gratuitous postcard: season opens!

Batta, batta, batta, batta....
SWING!



And I'm planning to avoid the television broadcasts of the games -- not because I don't like baseball, but because I love it. I watch the Cubs and my blood pressure shoots up to "normal" and I can't sleep for days.

But you all can watch them for me, if you wish, and let me know when they win... and only when they win. er. maybe I should hope for word more frequently, from my friends.

Democrats even hate their own

Recent comments by Democrat leadership leave me wondering what they use instead of their brains. There they sit, on the floors of the Washington State legislature, calling the NASCAR crowd all sorts of names, when I know for a fact there are NASCAR fans who also vote blue ticket... such as my brother-in-law.

This is not a man of inferior intellect, either. He couldn't be, and still have had the good judgment and good luck to marry my seester. That smug comment about my blood kin aside, my BIL is a smart, strong, decent, well-educated man who works for the federal government, and still likes watching stock cars perpetually turn left. His brains are not in question. His taste is not in question. And I am beginning to admire his loyalty, if he remains a member of that party after they call him and his fellow fans this sort of thing:

“These people are not the kind of people you would want living next door to you. They’d be the ones with the junky cars in the front yard and would try to slip around the law.”

I'm thinking most folks would rather have my BIL and sis next door to them than have me, with my dagnabbed cats and my falling trees. But then, I'm not the kind of person who judges a person by the sports he enjoys. I like and respect my BIL regardless of the fact that he has a thing for noisy toys.

Sun-Times Suing Tribune for Cubs' failure

If this ain't the best way to gin up sales for yer paper... Sue the competition for something other than its news works.

The Sun-Times is filing a class-action suit against the bean counters at Tribune Co. for mismanaging America's sweethearts, the Chicago Cubs. A century of disappointment, and the past 26 are to be lain at the foot of Tribune Tower, it seems. I can't really argue with that. I don't believe in curses. And, having been a fan of the Cubbies since I was but a tad, that's saying something.

How many times since the 1970s have we heard Maxwell Smart in our heads, saying, "Missed it by that much"? How many seasons have we walked away, saying, "Next year, for sure!" and not truly believing, but clinging to that forlorn hope.... But when you dream, dream of large women -- no, that's advice for Fezzik -- dream big, anyway.

The Cubs ought to have a chance, and somebody needs to take responsibility for a century of disappointment.

There must be a reason other than that they're a Chicago team. After all, the Bulls won the championship at least a few times in the past 26 years. The Bears have seen the Super Bowl... let's not go into this year's final result, though. I seem to recall that even the Hawks once brought home the Stanley Cup... oh, wait. That wasn't in my lifetime, either. They blew it in 1971, and haven't really seen a glimmer since then, either. Like the Cubs. Are they owned by the Trib, too?

I'll have to see more of the case as presented by the S-T.

It could be fun to watch, though. If you're a masochist. And, as a Cubs' fan, I think I qualify, there.

Bears are headed for the Super Bowl

Who cares about anything else, today? I'm doing the happy dance in my chair. DA BEARS WIN! Now, all they need to do is bring us home the trophy & rings.

Of course, since I'm a Chicago fan, I'm not counting those chicks until they're hatched... but I have high hopes. I may even tape the game for the game itself, and not just for the commercials, this year.

happy happy happy dance