How to fix all of our problems!

NWLB · Post by **NWLB** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 12:58 pm

Here we go, the solution to all of our problems.

We rent out the stadium seating to the Moonies, and have five mass weddings each year, at the same time as the games.

We extend the stadium fence-line around the entire parking-lot, turn the scoreboard around, and make BGSU the first drive-in football stadium!

We should be able to boost attendance by 10 to 20 thousand a game!

For basketball, we could have a massive Amish Barn Raising event to build the convocation center. The down side is cleanup up the parking lot after they go.

CapitalFalcon · Post by **CapitalFalcon** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 1:56 pm

One thing I think that needs to happen is something that came up a month or so ago when discussing the SAC. There seems to be annimosity between the profs and the athletics dept. Is this pretty much industry standard across all DI-A schools? I just think that most profs at OSU, UM, etc. probably either support athletics or are neutral to them. According to our previous posts, it's almost like there is an open hostility towards the athletic programs. Do you think that if there was more support in the campus community of faculty and students that that would help out the attendance?

Tech83 · Post by **Tech83** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 2:07 pm

Motown Falcon - an excellant question and a very true statement in general. I think as a whole - faculty and staff could careless about athletics. They see it as a funds drainer from their much maligned budgets. There are a few exceptions.

The Dean of the College of Technology is a HUGE BG hockey fan and football fan. He has season tickets to Hockey I know for sure (I have used his tickets) - He sits behind the visiting fans, who have the section behind the visiting bench. He likes to cheer loud and clear for BG while being in the midst of the visiting beast. We need more guys like Ernie Savage, Phd.

I think is helps having alumni on our coaching staff. They respect the institution and hold the players to a firm standard. Our own hockey coach is proving that this past week. The same is happening at Miami. The staff who are also alumni really press on these kids the value of the education and the reputation of the institution.

One way to increase faculty/staff interest and attendance - pay checks will now be handed out after the third quarter of the football game. "Please make an orderly line at the north endzone"

NWLB · Post by **NWLB** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 2:14 pm

I think there is resistance to athletics among the faculty. Not a huge amount of it, but it is there. I can understand it as well. These people pursue academics as their love in life, and the antithesis of that is athletics. It is seen as drawing money away from what they consider to be the important work of a University. In principle they are right. However they miss the point that athletics is part of the University culture as well. I had a history proff. I personally liked and respected, basically decry the existence of the football team, and encouraged us all to find something else to do. This was in 1992. I sat with a University trustee at a large mall reception room, in Alabama, the night before our game against the Tide. She, and her husband, glowed about how great it was to be there. Then they went on for 20 minutes about how they agreed with PJO and felt that there shouldn't be any scholarships for sports, and that far too much was spent on athletics. Two years before that I sat in the map room at Mc Fall and was lectured in detail by PJO about how he liked the Ivy League model of funding sports.

That was some time and I don't know the current disposition of the trustees or president. The point is that one can not assume all is love and kisses towards athletics at BGSU. Even from among its own faculty, staff, administrators, and trustees.

Tech83 · Post by **Tech83** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 3:09 pm

NWLB wrote:I think there is resistance to athletics among the faculty. Not a huge amount of it, but it is there. I can understand it as well. These people pursue academics as their love in life, and the antithesis of that is athletics. It is seen as drawing money away from what they consider to be the important work of a University. In principle they are right. However they miss the point that athletics is part of the University culture as well.

Well-stated. I think what the Trustees/Faculty/Staff need to understand is that after we all leave the University, the athletic teams are how we stay in tounch or feel in touch with the Institution. I have attend far more BG and Miami sporting events since graduating then I ever did when I was on campus. They need to figure out how to use that to their advantage.

What is more important to BG over time? George McPhee winning the Hobey Baker and playing in the NHL or what he has done with his degree since his playing days. To me - its what he has done since his playing days and the University needs to focus attention on those kind of things. George MePhee having a scholarship and playing at BG or going elsewhere. This is a missed opportunity for the University. He was a quality college/professional athlete that has done great things with his education.