Garry Galley on College Hockey News

rood · Post by **rood** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:43 pm

Most depressing thing I've seen yet.

http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2 ... owling.php

Altoid_storm · Post by **Altoid_storm** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:05 pm

falcons86 · Post by **falcons86** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:26 pm

I can certainly understand where Garry is coming from. The University apparently hasn't been up front with the Hockey alumni. And I honestly don't know where you put the blame..Paul Krebs, Sidney Ribeau? I can honestly tell you, if Mr. Christopher would have been here when this first was happening, it wouldn't have. Greg is an up front guy who has as much passion for the University as anyone. Boy, what a mess that 98 percent of us had no idea was going on. I've preached this before and I'll preach it now, just let us (alumni) know what is going on! Talk to us...please don't keep us in the dark. If we would have understood what was going on, this would have NEVER come to this. I guarantee you that. But they decided to keep us in the dark, for whatever reason. And that pains me...immensely. Well now, we've been pushed up against the wall, and we need to act. I can also understand now the hockey alumni's frustration at being asked to give, and then the communication, the "PLAN" that was so-called in place, is totally scrapped. And what is the University's reply? "Oh well, thanks for the money. Ahhh yeah, we'll get back to you on that..." Blah, Blah, Blah. My heart hurts for everyone involved right now, the tightness in my chest just won't leave. I love Bowling Green State University more than anything else, I love the Hockey program more than I think people can possibly know. I was there in the glory days, and for those of you who weren't, I wish there was a way to transport you back. It was truly an unbelievable experience. And the thing is..20-something years later, people STILL know BG from the Hockey program! It's been on hard times, but people still equate BG with Hockey. We need a plan, we need to all come together and decide that Bowling Green hockey is going to go back to the forefront of college hockey. And we need to decide how that will be done. Everyone has to be involved, from the casual fan, all the way up to the President of the University. Mr. Christopher, Dr. Cartwright, the Trustees...please don't rip our program away from us. We are willing to step up and do whatever it takes to keep the program alive...but you have to TALK to us, communicate with us, let us know what's going on. I see the other programs in the CCHA succeed, and I tell my wife, "Someday...Someday we're gonna be back there, I just know it". It can happen, I know it can. And we can make it happen. If everyone gets together on this. If everybody COMMUNICATES! 20+ years ago, if someone would have come to me and said this was going to be this way in 2009, I would have said they were nuts. Well it's here and it's real. Let's get together and solve the problem. We don't want excuses..we want solutions. PLEASE, TALK TO US.

Thanks for letting me vent, I feel a little better.....

GO FALCONS!!!!!

Jim (and Cookie)

ffejfalcon · Post by **ffejfalcon** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:27 pm

The thing that is starting to piss me off is that there has been ZERO effort to reach out to the alumni (people like me) to seek $$ help. I would be willing to kick in some $$ to help save this program and do my part. Why hasn't there been an effort to reach out to people like me? If they can this program without looking at all the options I will be extremely PO'd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bgwheelhorse · Post by **bgwheelhorse** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:27 pm

It sounds like the university is telling Garry the true situation. Why then don't they come out and just tell everyone what needs to be done instead of this "everything is on the table" mumbo jumbo?

jpfalcon09 · Post by **jpfalcon09** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:30 pm

Unfortunately, reading what Garry said in that interview, I get the impression that the decision has already been made. Even if alumni pony up a few million this year, aren't we going to be faced with a similar problem 2-3 years down the line? As long as the administration ignores the facilities and the program, nothing is going to change, and it hurts to say that.

I honestly believe that with this public outcry and media attention, if the program is around for one more year, I would hope that 1) the public attends more home games to boost ticket sales and balance out the loss, 2) extra time is given for the public and alumni to collect money to donate for arena renovations, or to keep the program afloat until things improve, and 3) the college hockey world understands what's going on and also tries to help pitch in.

On the basis of that, and depending on what we hear about the program, my dad and I will donate a combined $200 to the cause. I think with the support generated recently, $200 from everyone will go a long way, along with alumni money to keep the program around, and more importantly make a statement to the administration that hockey shouldn't ever be considered again for the chopping block.

MACMAN · Post by **MACMAN** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:33 pm

ITs not depressing at all, I would rather say its uplifting.
You know that Gary is not just speaking for himself in that article. He is speaking for all the names of all the guys and coaches he has likely spoken with in the past few days/weeks. When he says the support is avail to fund it. Then it is. I also think its fair for those guys to say they want to some University match and a garuntee that they wont cut the program in _____years after they give again. Its even better that they are asking for a seat at that table to discuss it, to see those numbers and keep them confidential if need be. I still trust and believe are hero's and if any one can help find a way with the AD and the others to keep this program at a D1 level they will.
This is very good, I hope the University extends them an offer to be at the meeting, and actually tries to work with them in earnest, to not would be just disturbing.

MY guess is the program has one year left in it unless something is done and what could come from the meeting with out guys like Gary being there would be an announcement that the 09 season would be the last of D1 hockey.

BGFan · Post by **BGFan** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:35 pm

It's depressing in a sense, but there's also hope. The alumni appear to be willing to help if the university will give them some assurance that the program will survive into the future. It may be up to those of us closest to the program to step forward and say that we'll help in any way possible to keep this ship afloat.

dforde · Post by **dforde** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:36 pm

Gulp!!

orangeandbrown · Post by **orangeandbrown** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:25 pm

Someone here hit on the real issue. It isn't a one-time funding issue (like a capital project) but an ongoing one that would require ongoing fund committments.

ffejfalcon · Post by **ffejfalcon** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:41 pm

Take the $$ raised for one year and put it to keeping the program in tack and then rid of Tennis, Baseball, Softball, Gynmastics, golf, track so hockey can continue! Seriously who really even cares about these smaller programs? These are teams that ,IMO, don't do that much for the university. I know you can't dump them all but why not 2-3 to get the program that really means a lot to the alumni and our reputation around the world back on its feet!?

It's the Journey... · Post by **It's the Journey...** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:59 pm

ffejfalcon wrote:Take the $$ raised for one year and put it to keeping the program in tack and then rid of Tennis, Baseball, Softball, Gynmastics, golf, track so hockey can continue! Seriously who really even cares about these smaller programs? These are teams that ,IMO, don't do that much for the university. I know you can't dump them all but why not 2-3 to get the program that really means a lot to the alumni and our reputation around the world back on its feet!?

Here's an even better idea; end anything that does not have to do with hockey!!

Tennis and Track are now only offered as a women's sport, so there are Title IX considerations.
Baseball has how many conference championships?
Softball competes in the MAC each and every year.
If NCAA champions are so damn important then gymnastics has one as well.
Finally, I believe you have to have a certain number of sports to even compete in Division I.

There are just as many students who have never set foot in the Ice Arena as there are students who have never attended one of the other sports mentioned above. Basically you are willing to cut off the Alumni of the sports you have mentioned to keep hockey, nice.

BGFalconfromCincy · Post by **BGFalconfromCincy** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:15 pm

ffejfalcon wrote:Take the $$ raised for one year and put it to keeping the program in tack and then rid of Tennis, Baseball, Softball, Gynmastics, golf, track so hockey can continue!

Its stuff like this that really upsets me when it comes to these latest discussions. Cutting a bunch of other sports to save one is not the answer

NWLB · Post by **NWLB** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:57 pm

GaGa pretty much sums what I'm being told from those whom I trust on the matter.

To get the donors off the bench for the Stroh center, they had to come up with clear and sharp plans, after decades of people saying it would never happen. With hockey it is a bit different. They are having to have a gun pointed at the program just to pony-up enough cash to run it at first, and much more to get it off its back.

Several things have to come out of this, assuming the program is given a chance to survive:
1. The dysfunctional relationship between BGSU athletics and the hockey alumni must be repaired.
2. The dysfunctional relationship between BGSU Hockey, BGSU Athletics, and BGSU Rec Sports must be rebuilt in a manner that reflects the practical realities in play.
3. BGSU Athletics must come to more fully embrace Hockey, and treat it among local press and PR, and the at-large alumni community as a true peer with Basketball and Football. In my view, that has not been the case by a wide margin.
4. Both BGSU Athletics and BGSU as an institution must admit and recognize that they have FAILED in addressing the long clear problems that are beyond the team's fault, and commit to truly support the program. And this must be done by addressing the above noted points.

Meanwhile, the question must be raised about the future of the Ice Arena without hockey, because that is more leverage in the matter which is not being addressed. How do you justify the existence of the building without BGSU hockey, considering how bad a condition it is in? Are there on campus elements pushing to kill hockey to aid their own budgets? I'd like to know.

Rightupinthere · Post by **Rightupinthere** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 6:47 pm

Those four points are spot on, Nathan.

Bravo. Hopefully, persons in administrative roles aren't afraid of that person in the mirror.