In response to "Snake Driver"s post below. I won't name you a first year program that has done well but I will give you a team that after having their loosing their funding due to budget cuts, rebuilt their team and were able to raise money themselves to even have a team. They ended up medaling that year. That team was the New Hampshire Women. You have to give props to the underdogs who don't let adversity stand in their way.
Why was Princeton's 2nd Varsity faster than its varsity, and for that matter why was the 3V only 4 seconds off of the varsity? I'm just curious if anyone knows...
if lance armstrong won his 8th tour de france would you vote for him as cyclist of the week? Or would you vote for johnny novice who won in his first race won tour de local town?
i love johnny novice...but he wouldn't look as good in baby blue ya know. I love the tour de local town too....it is so local yet so French! Like this whole thing...Oh-La-La!
That doesn't make any sense. The whole point is that Columbia hasn't beaten Princeton in the Child's Cup in 46 years. If they beat Princeton every year then they wouldn't have been nominated. Duh...
haha. good point. earcox, i believe you missed the point, he's saying the child's cup is a big race to win and knecht cup is a smaller scale win. even though these schools have more money to spend doesn't take away from the fact that the child's cup is a high profile win. As both accomplishments are notable, the columbia win is a pretty big deal.
ODU did an outstanding job last week. Name for me another first year program that has done as well. Two firsts, and a third (less than a second out of second). You go girls. "row it like you stole it!"
congratulations to all crews nominated. however, if you know anything about anything in the rowing world, the crew of the week is undoubtably Columbia. their coach has done one helluva good job of taking their program to the next level. ...perhaps harvard should consider getting their checkbook ready whenever parker retires?
First of all: hatehatehatehatehate Second of all: Good job old dominion, but just as those in the Ivy League have been accused of not understanding what it means for a crew without any experience, history, or funding to win, I say to those people you probably don't understand what it means for a crew like Columbia to win such a race against Princeton. The history, the passion, the complete reversal for a crew in just three years is something so compelling maybe only the alums and coaches who have been around to witness the race over the years are the ones who can truly appreciate what it means.
Why so much hate for the non-ivy or non "tier 1" crews on this list (and in weeks past)?This poll isn't supposed to pick the best or fastest boat on the water, but those who accomplished the most given their circumstance.
I understand if you grew up and started rowing in Boston/philly/DC or some CT prep school and have never seen the inside of a boathouse not filled with vespolis or resolutes, that it is easy to look down on the accomplishments of those racing in the Knecht, Murphy, SIRA, Dad Vail or other "tier 2" event. Additionally, I have read that the competition was nothing special (maybe ask the IRA stewards about the "tier 2" club competition they have decided to stop including) and on some level this is true. The athletes at UNH, ODU, Loyola, like athletes in any race, can't do anything about their competition. All they can do is line up and try to win. Why are they being punished because you've "never heard of the knecht cup?"
Not to detract from what Columbia did this weekend, its always nice to win by open water, but pointing at a 46 year gap as some sort of accomplishment is weak. These 8 guys haven't been trying and failing for 46 years and its no underdog story of the weaker team finally overcoming the stronger team. These are two fully funded Ivy league schools, Columbia has no excuse not to be in the mix.
I don't think anyone is taking away from the "tier 2" teams, I think the consensus primarily is that they aren't going to get a vote just because they are "tier 2." Put all the funding this, varisty that aside and I personally still believe what Columbia did was a greater achievement than the other teams in this poll.
Just because Columbia has sucked for 46 years (despite having Ivy League drawing power), them beating a Princeton Crew that still hasn't figured out how to make their V faster than their JV doesn't really merit 'Crew of the Week'. Then again, the other nominees are nothing special either.
It's about time Columbia finally beat Princeton. It was overdue and should have happened sooner. ODU Women's Rowing has been established for less than a year and have already seen some impressive success. For having a brand new program I think they're making great strides as the underdog in the rowing scene. They've already showed that they're a force to be reckoned with as they displayed two fast 8's in the fall at the Head of the Occoquan. Knecht Cup was an impressive display of what's to come for the rest of the spring for ODU.
At the Head of the Occoquan they fielded two novice eights, it's funny how they had so many rowers quit on them that they can't even produce two novice eights anymore. Something is clearly off in that picture.
oh no! they had a few girls who were to busy or maybe some got injured. I think it is very impressive of them to have only 16 girls able to row and to make such a good showing.
Seems row2k feels the same way. Homepage right now says Columbia V8 is crew of the week, even though the votes may say otherwise. Good racing all around last week, including the Knecht Cup which I was at, but Columbia did something a little more special than anyone else.
Seems they updated the vote count after they put Colombia up as Crew of the week. Basically i spend too much on this website when I should be payin attention in class.
I currently row for a club program and I whole-heartedly agree that it is a great achievement to beat a number of varsity/ncaa teams. The fact of the matter is Columbia broke a 46 YEAR (!!!!) losing streak over a favored princeton. Put the political and sob stories behind and focus on the racing. Taking nothing away from ODU or Loyola or whoever it may be, my vote is undoubtedly for Columbia.
Why does Loyola get no respect? They are essentially a club team operating with minimal funding and ZERO recruiting dollars. The kids fundraise to help pay for their 2nd/3rd-hand boats as well as to fund trips to races and entry fees. That was a true novice boat, with one girl only having rowed for 1 month (total exprience) prior to racing. The fact that they destroyed the field in that event is much more impressive to me than the acheivements of fully funded schools with enormous endowments and endless recruiting dollars.
they get respect. It's just that my vote goes to the boat who i wouldn't have wanted to race against last week. If you asked me to vote for the crew for whom I admire and respect, then yeah, those girls would get a nod.
Walk on rowers are why there are novice events. I'm impressed that ODU won the novice 8+ at the Knecht Cup, but a program with varsity funding winning one novice event at a regatta with the competition seen at the Knecht Cup doesn't impress me as much as Columbia beating Princeton for the first time in 46 years.
46 YEARS. Did you hear me? If not here it is again: 46 YEARS.
If an Ivy League university has so much money why did it 46 YEARS for them to do it? It's clearly not this simple. It takes a group of dedicated athletes and coaches to pull off this feat. Columbia wasn't lacking the funds or the attractiveness of degrees to win. It took extremely dedicated people.
Easy on the caffeine chim chim. For 46 years, another crew was better despite many dedicated coaches and athletes along the way. Columbia winning is not a fluke, they were the better the crew. You forget to mention that winning also takes support, which comes in many forms - scholarships, facilities, equipment, etc.
What I'm saying is that Columbia wasn't lacking support. They have new boats year-to-year, a boathouse, and all the necessary new equipments. Columbia doesn't get the best recruits and it's a fact. But honestly, these guys are more dedicated and have committed more than the previous guys on the team. Support was never a factor in this victory because it was always there. These guys collectively decided to change the program around. The university didn't just throw their money at them and say, "Win." By this logic, Harvard and Princeton should be winning IRAs every year.
This is silly, Crew of the Week honors belong to the crew that has exceeded expectations or broken a long-standing trend. According to the polls, Princeton was favored to win that race and Columbia beat them by 2 lengths of open water to claim the cup for the first time in a half century. That's a HUGE deal. Old Dominion far exceeded expectations at the Knecht Cup and even though there is little to no competition at the Knecht Cup, that is still a giant leap in the right direction for a budding program. That's my 2 cents, I gotta give it to Columbia thought because I love to see Princeton lose.
If the voting was just about merit the Columbia Mens would probably be leading. But, ever since some commentators began taking shots at the women the voting has soared for ODU. What's that about a woman scorned? Some people's experience must be limited to rowing a boat.
wait a minute, wait a minute... hold the phone here guys... old dominion's 4+ didn't even win? so they had 3 experienced rowers on the team, and a 4+, presumably they could have had those three in that boat, then what their 4+ did isn't anything special. most coaches would say that around this time of year the good walk ons have caught up with the experienced rowers, and that's coming from coaches at the top schools with the best walk ons. Additionally, often the poor recruits never change their bad habits and are left in the dust by april. The Cornell Light F8 on the list has a bunch of walk ons, but that is clearly not an atypical performance. So well done to Old Dominion, but this sort of accomplishment at the Knecht cup isn't something that would come only once every 46 years.
old dominion has existed for a short period of time, and did well at the knecht cup against some decent competition, so bravo. good coaching+good recruiting
buuuuuuuuut, you have to give it to Columbia. 50 years of frustration leading to this renaissance surely has to top anything else listed
Considering the Mercyhurst 4 won two grand finals at the Knecht Cup in as many hours and won both respective heats the preceding day, my vote goes to them. I'm a little partial though as I just like seeing lightweights beat heavyweights... and my boat got destroyed by them in the lightweight event...
Considering the level of competition in the women's novice races at the Knecht Cup, and the fact that they didn't even win all their races is making this a little ridiculous. The Buffalo novice 8 probably was full of first time rowers too. Columbia won the Child's Cup against Princeton and UPenn for the first time in 50 years.
so just wondering does the winning team get anything from this other than being on the main page for a week? (and saying that they won a online voting contest) because it seems like every week that people get all bent out of shape when novice crews get nominated and get votes. (and also apparently when crews that have women in them do too). i get posting why a certain crew deserves votes, but i don't get the knocking on the other crews?? seems pointless and its really annoying to read....i'm not someones parent or anything like that, i just don't get the idea of saying that a certain crew doesn't understand the importance of their win, so they don't deserve to win this online voting contest!...i actually think that is hilarious.
Which means they don't even get the gravity of winning something that important. I won a medal as a walk-on at EAWRC sprints my freshman year, and it took losing for the next two seasons to make me appreciate that. An historic win fifty years in the making, which has taken your program out of obscurity and made it a national title contender, that's something to be proud of.
I do think it would be helpful to have a short blurb re: what the accomplishment was to help voters. It is tough to sift through all the results to find the highlights, even when you know exactly what team you're looking for. Otherwise, it turns into a popularity contest rather than a celebration of these teams that is raising awareness of their accomplishments.
ahh thanks for that. i guess it would be cool if the link to that info was right near the poll on the site, so that passerby wouldn't have to dig for it.
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I understand if you grew up and started rowing in Boston/philly/DC or some CT prep school and have never seen the inside of a boathouse not filled with vespolis or resolutes, that it is easy to look down on the accomplishments of those racing in the Knecht, Murphy, SIRA, Dad Vail or other "tier 2" event. Additionally, I have read that the competition was nothing special (maybe ask the IRA stewards about the "tier 2" club competition they have decided to stop including) and on some level this is true. The athletes at UNH, ODU, Loyola, like athletes in any race, can't do anything about their competition. All they can do is line up and try to win. Why are they being punished because you've "never heard of the knecht cup?"
Not to detract from what Columbia did this weekend, its always nice to win by open water, but pointing at a 46 year gap as some sort of accomplishment is weak. These 8 guys haven't been trying and failing for 46 years and its no underdog story of the weaker team finally overcoming the stronger team. These are two fully funded Ivy league schools, Columbia has no excuse not to be in the mix.
04/16/2009 6:18:27 AM
-This is coming from a dad vail competitor
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If an Ivy League university has so much money why did it 46 YEARS for them to do it? It's clearly not this simple. It takes a group of dedicated athletes and coaches to pull off this feat. Columbia wasn't lacking the funds or the attractiveness of degrees to win. It took extremely dedicated people.
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As for old dominion, no offense but their success doesn't say too much for the competition at the knetch cup.
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buuuuuuuuut, you have to give it to Columbia. 50 years of frustration leading to this renaissance surely has to top anything else listed
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my vote goes to columbia, tho.
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