Rutgers Knight Caps: a little bit of this, a little bit of that

For the Kids

The annual RU Dance Marathon went off at the RAC this past weekend and it was a winner.

Every school does something special to bring the community together, but the Dance Marathon probably does as good a job as any. It is the largest student run philanthropic operation in New Jersey.

And sometimes it gets people to do things you might not ordinarily get to see them do.

The Mantra

We still have #TheHunt but we also have this.

You can’t dwell on the past and you can’t worry about what others are doing. The ESPN piece quoted Ash: “We could complain about the division we’re in or the fact that we have to play this team and that team, they’ve got this or they’ve got that. That’s not going to do anything but waste time and energy. Right now, it’s about focusing on what we can control, focus on what we have, go recruit, go develop and go coach our tails off.”

So, we’re an adidas school now, which means....

What do you do with all the “other” stuff, you know, all that stuff with the swoosh on it? How about this....

They did this a few years ago on the same day as the Spring game. This time it’s being done separately from the April 22 event. RU staff and students get a head start on Friday, the 28th. I know I’m looking to add to the wardrobe. Just thinking out loud now, but I wonder if Mark Killingsworth will take advantage of the great pricing?

Sometimes it’s how things look

There’s no question that recruits - 16 and 17-year olds - can come away from a visit wide-eyed after seeing all the shiny stuff. It also helps to have shiny stuff that says your players have seen the big time.

So you don’t have to go searching, here’s what is now in the football locker room. Pretty cool.

Speaking of golf being indoors....

As is often the case, Rutgers’ athletes go out into the community, sharing skills, spending time, doing good. Men’s golf is no different.

Now, wouldn’t it be great if they had their own indoor practice facility?

Ultimate Warrior

I’m not a WWE fan. I know lots of people who are. Me? I vaguely remember Andre the Giant and the Kangaroo Brothers as a kid, and Captain Lou Albano, which is what my former roommate used to call me because I coached wrestling. I also know that WWE does a lot of good in the community. It also has a Hall of Fame, and as part of the induction ceremony, it gives the Warrior Award. as the website states:

The Warrior Award is presented to an individual who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of Ultimate Warrior.

And this year, that award went to our own Eric LeGrand, as noted in a full story by our Cara SanFilippo. Yes, the ultimate warrior. And worth talking about again.

Football...facilities...good stuff

Cut the bad stuff out and put the new stuff in.

Directors Cup Standings

I think they’re important. Others don’t. well, let it be known that the floggings ewill continue until morale improves.

The first winter standings came out last week. It covered Skiing, Rifle, M-W Track & Field, Women’s Hockey, Wrestling, and Women’s Swimming.

Yes, the NCAA sponsors rifle competition.

The final winter report comes out on April 27. In the mean time, Rutgers comes in at No. 78 among D1 schools. That’s up from No. 113 after the fall. RU picked up 17.5 points with Men’s Track, 55 from Wrestling, and 26 from Women’s Swimming. Rutgers is last among Big Ten schools, 25 points behind Maryland.

And on the academic side....

While there are those who criticize US News & World Report’s rankings, they do provide some measure of relative success. For those who may not have heard, Rutgers’ two law schools have merged into a single entity on two campuses and that apparently has generated some benefits.

The rise to 62 is a thirty place improvement in the school’s ranking as a single school.

And if you’re looking for a job after getting that MBA, look no farther.