Finals more important than the final match

Sports at almost every level, nowadays, seem to be more and more about trophies and titles. <br/><br/>However, News on 6 reporter Rick Wells talked to some folks at the University of Tulsa who decided

Thursday, May 5th 2005, 10:44 am

By: News On 6

Sports at almost every level, nowadays, seem to be more and more about trophies and titles.

However, News on 6 reporter Rick Wells talked to some folks at the University of Tulsa who decided the real prize lay somewhere else.

The University of Tulsa men's golf team has been WAC champions before, they won it in 2002, and they've got the big trophy to prove it. They finished up the WAC tournament down in Louisiana on Wednesday tied at the top with SMU.

TU menâ€™s golf coach Bill Brogden: "When I talked to Jay Loar the coach at SMU, I said does it matter to you, he said no lets have co-champions." But the Conference insisted on a play off but TU had a plane to catch, there were finals to take. Bill Brogden: "We started the play-off, I kept looking at my watch, and we gotta 4:30 flight. We're out there playing, the first group goes off and it's 20 after 3. We've got a 30 minute drive to Monroe, I said that's it we're leaving, we're gonna make that flight we're gonna get home and take those finals. I think that's the right thing to do."

Conference officials wanted to know if he was forfeiting, he said, no I'm just leaving. So the conference declared the forfeit. Brogden: "He declared the forfeit, I'm not forfeiting anything."

In reality, the finish at the WAC tournament shouldn't affect TU's selection to the NCAA regional tournament; they've played well enough all year to get in.

The players were upset at not finishing it on the course, they feel like co-champs, but there's a certain pride in putting first things first. Mitch Cohlmia: "All in all it was the right decision, coach made the right decision." Brett Myers: "We have an obligation we actually have a chance to do the right thing to maybe set the example."

Perhaps there ought to be a big trophy for that.

TU Athletic Director Judy MacLeod is protesting the tournament final result to the conference. TU expects to be selected to play in the NCAA Regional Tournament in South Bend, Indiana later this month.