Where Are We Bowling?

[kdog27]

Great way to sell recruits. Have a great season and stay home in bowl season. This is ridiculous. We may as well get rid of athletics altogether then.

[poltergeist]

Great way to sell recruits. Have a great season and stay home in bowl season. This is ridiculous. We may as well get rid of athletics altogether then.

hyperbole much? nobody said anything like that, and you know it.
once again, all we want is to see the figures. if they turn out to be in the school's advantage, so much the better.

[Flipper]

It's a 3.5 hour commercial for BGSU on National TV...it's an educational opportunity for the team, band and cheerleaders...it's a competitive advantage to go to a bowl because you have additional practices going on when recruiting and those extra practices help you into the next year. Just think...Dave Clawson gets hired for a new gig and we promote Mike Elko...that gives Mike Elko a number of practices and a game to get ready for next year...bowl appearance strengthen the ties between the University and alums....Alums don't follow academics, they don't care if a member of the English department wrote the definitive analysis of the Bronte sisters use of the word "tangy", no matter how much discussion it spurred amongst the 55 people who heard of it...they care if the football team is on TV over the holidays and that might lead them to come back for a game next year and maybe...just aybe..throw a few dollars towards the good ol Alma Mater.

But yeah...you go ahead and take up the killjoy "we shouldn't spend any money on this" line of thinking the egg heads spouted last year...nobody bought it in relation to the Military Bowl and we ain't...yeah I said ain't...buying it now.

in these tough times for the university, cost transparency is exactly the right thing to do. I also suspect that we won't lose money on a bowl game--but let's see the figures.

and yes, alums do follow academics. alums like me care about faculty cutbacks that may affect my son's classes at BGSU. We also care about ever-rising general fees.
a bowl game is a great reward for the team, but an "educational opportunity"?... lol, cmon. nope, it's just one more football game (and if we end up playing somebody like Arkansas State, not a very meaningful one).
The meaningful game was the one we just won. a job well done!

Who are you to decide what an "educational opportunity" is? The faculty likes to take a very narrow view of that term too...like they're the only ones who can decide what the University's mission should be.

And the argument made by Falcon1970 wasn't "let's see the cost"....it's a public institution, of course it should be an open book. The argument initially offered was "we shouldn't go because it costs money". As if profitability of the trip absent any other considerations should be the determining factor. I refuse to allow such a narrow viewpoint to go unchallenged

[poltergeist]

Who are you to decide what an "educational opportunity" is? The faculty likes to take a very narrow view of that term too...like they're the only ones who can decide what the University's mission should be.

And the argument made by Falcon1970 wasn't "let's see the cost"....it's a public institution, of course it should be an open book. The argument initially offered was "we shouldn't go because it costs money". As if profitability of the trip absent any other considerations should be the determining factor. I refuse to allow such a narrow viewpoint to go unchallenged

I'm an alum and tuition-paying father. who are you?
we paid $732 in general fees this semester. damn right I get an opinion on what an "educational opportunity" is.

But glad we agree on the open book.
Go Falcons!

edit: make that paid $747 in general fees this semester. up from $732 in the spring.

[ffejfalcon]

Fingers are crossed for LCB in Detroit! If so I'm there! If not I'm on the couch watching as Mobile just too far........

[kdog27]

No it's not a hyperbole. Falcon1970 said if we're losing money we shouldn't do it. If that's the case close the doors to athletics, intramurals and heck maybe the school. OK maybe that is a hyperbole.

[hammb]

I think it's almost a lock that bg and the other Mac schools lose money on most bowl bids. This is especially the case because the bowls require the university to purchase large blocks of tickets that are almost impossible to sell...especially for destination bowl games such as mobile.

It's also a fact that winning that game last night cost bgsu (and every other school in the Mac) about $750k

It's also a fact that if they were to decide to not go bowling due to it costing money I will be here the next day denouncing the athletic department and calling for us to drop football entirely.

The cost is irrelevant and it is part of having a d1a football program. Ithinif you deem football to be worth the expense, which bgsu does, the bowls are one of the biggest bang for your buck games we get. As flip mentioned it is actually guaranteed to be on national tv, unlike our mid week games. It's also one of the view national TV games that will actually garner ratings as people do watch the bowls. That's a lot of eyes learning about bg. Throw in the massive competitive advantage of the extra practices and it's a must for the program.

Quite frankly I'm appalled that anybody would even suggest not going to a bowl game. To me this is far dumber than somebody suggesting we tank the game last night so Niu gets us a fat check...

[always a falcon]

a bowl game is a great reward for the team, but an "educational opportunity"?... lol, cmon. nope, it's just one more football game (and if we end up playing somebody like Arkansas State, not a very meaningful one)."

I can't let this one go.

Last year at the Military Bowl, our student athletes were touring many of our nation's monuments and historical sites. If it wasn't for the Bowl Game, they would not have had that opportunity. I talked to some of the players who had seen the Viet Nam memorial... something they had only heard about hit them between the eyes. Heck, even some of the Coaches had never been to DC. History came alive. There were banquets where they met students from other schools, and got to hear from inspirational speakers and made some contacts. AND they went to a children's hospital to visit sick kids. Talk about educational-- it puts football in perspective.

In Mobile, there is the trip to the Battleship, and other opportunities.

Heck, just taking the Falcon Fanatic students to Detroit was educational. We talked with some of them about the reality of seeing the decay of Detroit in person. You can read about the problems, but seeing them in front of your face makes a great difference. Maybe one of them will do great things for Urban Renewal some day.

Any chance a student gets to be exposed to a different place or part of the country is a good experience. Debate team or Football team.

Maybe, your view of Bowl Games is colored by the hoopla of the BCS. I've been to every single bowl game we have played in after 1974. There hasn't been a one where our students have not been exposed to something new and different besides football. How many have you been to?

We aren't going to lose money. We may not make much, but others are correct- the MAC helps out as do alums.

And don't start. I also strongly support our academic departments.

The soapbox is now turned back over to someone else, and I will go back to not reading for another year.

[Flipper]

It is an educational opportunity...it certainly isn't another game. The EMU game was just another game...it didn't have a fancy name and logo, it wasn't on National TV and we sure as hell didn't have to beat anyone to play them. Jeez...you want to argue a point at least have the decency to argue it honestly...

[kdog27]

Quite frankly I'm appalled that anybody would even suggest not going to a bowl game. To me this is far dumber than somebody suggesting we tank the game last night so Niu gets us a fat check...

+1

[gspointer]

It's a 3.5 hour commercial for BGSU on National TV...it's an educational opportunity for the team, band and cheerleaders...it's a competitive advantage to go to a bowl because you have additional practices going on when recruiting and those extra practices help you into the next year. Just think...Dave Clawson gets hired for a new gig and we promote Mike Elko...that gives Mike Elko a number of practices and a game to get ready for next year...bowl appearance strengthen the ties between the University and alums....Alums don't follow academics, they don't care if a member of the English department wrote the definitive analysis of the Bronte sisters use of the word "tangy", no matter how much discussion it spurred amongst the 55 people who heard of it...they care if the football team is on TV over the holidays and that might lead them to come back for a game next year and maybe...just aybe..throw a few dollars towards the good ol Alma Mater.

But yeah...you go ahead and take up the killjoy "we shouldn't spend any money on this" line of thinking the egg heads spouted last year...nobody bought it in relation to the Military Bowl and we ain't...yeah I said ain't...buying it now.

in these tough times for the university, cost transparency is exactly the right thing to do. I also suspect that we won't lose money on a bowl game--but let's see the figures.

and yes, alums do follow academics. alums like me care about faculty cutbacks that may affect my son's classes at BGSU. We also care about ever-rising general fees.
a bowl game is a great reward for the team, but an "educational opportunity"?... lol, cmon. nope, it's just one more football game (and if we end up playing somebody like Arkansas State, not a very meaningful one).
The meaningful game was the one we just won. a job well done!

Does not matter poltergeist. Even if it costs a little you send the team. Cuts are everywhere in public education K-12 and beyond. The only way it makes sense if it was a huge bill like six figures. Get over it. The benefit of this far outweighs any costs. The team deserves it. Transparency is not really what you are after- be honest. You a looking to pick.

[gspointer]

Who are you to decide what an "educational opportunity" is? The faculty likes to take a very narrow view of that term too...like they're the only ones who can decide what the University's mission should be.

And the argument made by Falcon1970 wasn't "let's see the cost"....it's a public institution, of course it should be an open book. The argument initially offered was "we shouldn't go because it costs money". As if profitability of the trip absent any other considerations should be the determining factor. I refuse to allow such a narrow viewpoint to go unchallenged

I'm an alum and tuition-paying father. who are you?
we paid $732 in general fees this semester. damn right I get an opinion on what an "educational opportunity" is.

But glad we agree on the open book.
Go Falcons!


edit: make that paid $747 in general fees this semester. up from $732 in the spring.

Ah.... No you do not. Determining what educational opportunities is the job of the university- not you. You sound like a school board member who is overly involved in the operation of a school and not making policy. You can have an opinion - we all can but that is not your decision. You are a consumer - if you do not like it well you know...

[FalconTurf]

In a perfect world athletics would be provided by alums, boosters, sponsors and ticket sales. In a perfect world academic scholarships for the gifted students, musicians and artists would NOT be provided by the average college students. The reality is that not everyone uses the Rec Center nor does everyone attend shows at the planetarium or theatre yet they are important functions of the university regardless of our individual interests.

Athletics attract students and alums back to the university. Currently Div. II Findlay and Div. III Heidelberg are constructing on campus football facilities and will have a roster of around 140 next fall in an effort to attract athletes and more importantly students. Small schools across the country are expanding athletic programs to include more, I repeat MORE, athletics to attract potential students who often arrive to play and stay to graduate. At the same time their tuition supports the very athletic program they no longer participate in. It's all part of the total package - the college experience. Athletics provides opportunities for all students to socialize and get involved.

[Falcon1970]

Hey, lets try this again. I am opposed to spending money to go play. There is NO WAY spending 50k,100k or more to play in football game helps the team, or the school in any way. The athletics teams at BGSU operate on shoe string budgets to begin with, playing in one of many feel good bowl games is far less meaningful than the MAC Championship. That is not even arguable, its just true. It is not fair for one game to burden the student bodies fees in any way, or be cause for the University to assign funds from other areas. I am tired of people feeling Bowls are equal and some how magic money makers, or they increase students wanting to come to the school. They do not.
Listen, the MAC takes a cool 30% off the top, and 14 schools dividing up the remaining before the costs of getting the team to the game is crap. ALL THE MONEY should be used to pay for said team go. That schools band to go, the students to go (transportation and free admission only) The point is, there is no point spending to play a football game, when the game is more than capable of being self funded, if those funds from that game are properly applied. BGSU just won a post season game. The Mac Championship. The biggest most meaningful game the team will play all season, in any season. That is BIG NEWS. That is the recruiting tool. BG will not flip a recruit from the big ten, big east, ACC or SEC with the xyz bowl. We get recruits from other MAC schools with the Championship, that's the gravy. The Football team did not take in revenue this season to fund this trip, they dont have some magic coffers swelling with donors. Back in the 1950's BGSU passed on bowl games due to costs, the players in fact made that decision for the same reasons they should today. Going makes no economic sense, and if the MAC will not all the team to cover the costs via full utilization of the estimated 750k take, to pay for our trip in full. Its bunk. That is what I am saying. Anyone with common sense, and a reasonable sense of responsibility in spending agrees.
The money is there to fund this trip, in the bowl pay out. I am open to even saying after covering all the teams expenses, if there is anything left, divide that up. Give the MAC 30% off the top of the remainder, and divide the rest 14 ways. BUT any team traveling to any bowl, should not have to pony up a dime, the bowl take should cover it, and does, if the you cut off the leeches, and cover expenses first. Not as some random after thought, as it is now. As a proud Alumni, and donor I can say I don't make my donations, then figure out how to cover my living expenses. I use my excess for donations, or reasonable planed giving. The same fundamental rules should apply here. Commonsense economics.

[ZuluWarrior]

So 1970, if i understand you correctly, you would kill every non-revenue sport because they lose money and thus every sport would have to be cut because of Title IX and the requirement to have equal men's and women's sports. So you're point is to kill all college athletics? Just seeing if I have your point right?