Football No Spin Zone

[WuDrWu]

I was OOP yesterday but did get a chance to catch some of the internet stream of the KGSO bringbackshockerfootball discussion.


I try not to allow my passion for all things WSU cloud my decision making abilities for what is best for all involved.


The one thing that I took away from the discussion that really hit hard was the player from the '86 team (I'm sorry I foget who it was) that when asked if they knew much about the tragedy when he played said that it never came up and frankly he didn't even know about it at the time.


It isn't that I think we can or should build a football program for those that died that awful day. It isn't that I blame the incident for the demise of the program. What I blame is the total lack of leadership. From AD to president to coaches to FANS, to alumni.....the entire program lacked leadership, bigtime.

No focus, no goals, no direction. Lew Perkins (as an example) was a giant failure. How he got work elsewhere is as big a mystery as Barney Frank continuing to be re-elected.


Can we support a football program? I think so. Should we? I think so. Will we? I have no idea, but I doubt it.

BUT, we need leadership to start the support and although I applaud the effort so far and I sincerely hope that their early success continues to grow, we do not have that support yet.

How do we get it? The $64,000 question.

First though, I would like to have a no-spin, honest discussion on exactly what it is going to take to bring it back.

Expenses, revenue........what's it going take?

[Hotel Paper]

last time I checked, the site wants 15 mil and 50k signatures before it presents its case to the school.

so far we barely have $175 k and 700 signatures.

isn't that goal a bit much

[ShockBand]

Here would be my plan:
----------------------------------------------------------
Pledges for a 5 year commitment to season tickets for 20,000 seats

$100 deposit made with the pledge towards the first year's season ticket (meaning 2 million in the bank from the Joe Sixpack fans like me)

Deadline of May 31, 2009 to meet this goal

If met, university moves forward with taking issue to students regarding student fees and boosters for further fundraising efforts

If not met, any monies in the fund are allocated in some way to either SASO or general university scholarship funds
----------------------------------------------------------

I would be willing to plunk down $100 for this right now, BTW.

[WuDrWu]

Now THAT'S what I am talking about!

Forward thinking leadership, defined goal, monatary commitment.


:clap: shockband :clap:

[Veritas]

Excluding some of the athletic teams' success and the recent addition of the Gordon Parks' museum at WSU, I am personally not very happy with WSU. I have absolutely NO idea what direction the school is taking. Is it a commuter school, a traditonal 4-year school, a part-time student school, etc... Is WSU masking the enrollment decline of students from Wichita and Kansas with emphasis on enrolling those from other countries who do not share in our passion for college football? What is the direction?

Pres. Donald Beggs needs to support the endeavor to bring back football IF that is what the alumni want. Otherwise, petitions should be generated to the Kansas Board of Regents to have him removed. It is not coincidence that KU and KSU football started to get better with WSU's demise, and that this is exactly what the Kansas Board of Regents wanted. The playing field for state supported funds needs to be equal. Does WSU receive its fair share?

The WSU website announces "At Wichita State, YOU CAN have it all" and that WSU is for "Thinkers' Doers, Movers & Shockers". That is if you don't want to watch football. I don't see or hear of much thinking and moving going on with our President and AD who continues to ignore the growing shouts to bring back football.

There is NO reason that a university sitting in the largest city in Kansas can not and will not support a home-school football team. We do need support from people like Gary Burrell, Devlin, Carney, and Koch, and a strong grass roots approach that refuses to let die the resurrection of Shocker Football.

Former Valley member U of L (Louisville) has an enrollment of approximately 21,000, sits in the largest city in Kentucky, and plays football at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Why are they successful?

People, if WSU does not break out of the current lethargic growth that we've been experiencing since 1986, we will fall further and further behind.

[Hotel Paper]

Many of the people I go to school with want to leave as soon as they graduate that includes me too. It's a much bigger problem than having a football team. this city dropped the ball when it comes to keeping its young people here. i'm afraid for me and others like me, it's too little too late

[kcshocker11]

Guest appearance by Barney Frank! :D 8)

[dregn]

Many of the people I go to school with want to leave as soon as they graduate that includes me too. It's a much bigger problem than having a football team. this city dropped the ball when it comes to keeping its young people here. i'm afraid for me and others like me, it's too little too late

Doesn't sound so much as a WSU issue by this statement. I started school the year before Beggs and the change I noted by the time I was done was dramatic. Much friendlier to traditional college students without leaving behind the non-traditionals.

As far as football I think either enough money should be generated by whatever plan to support football before it is started (i.e. raise all endowment scholarships) or an idea simliar to Shockband's.

[ShockBand]

Maybe I'm just old enough now (at the ripe age of 40) to not get it, but I'm curious Veritas and Hotel, what specifically is it that WSU and Wichita lack that you seek? I have lived in a bigger city so I do have that in my perspective, but maybe its the fact that I'm a family man now that makes me see Wichita, with all its problems, as a pretty good place to live. The grass isn't always greener somewhere else and each place has its own set of issues and problems.

If the argument is boredom, I'm one who believes that boredom is a self-inflicted wound. I grew up in a very small town (120 people) with little to do, but we always managed to keep ourselves occupied, with activities that were mostly reputable. :)

[Hotel Paper]

we're the 51th biggest city in the country (formely 50th last year) and the lack of restaurants (notably chain restaurants disturb me) Topeka has a ruby tuesday before we do. Also, they have a Macy's built into one of the malls there. We're the biggest city in the state and we should get more things. the waterwalk and waterfront is a great idea and i wish it came sooner. I wish we had a dog park around here to be honest. Sure it's great to raise a family but us younguns need some other stuff to do besides clubbing.

[C0|dB|00ded]

The problem with Wichita is a lack of white collar jobs (that don't include working at a manufacturing plant). It's Koch or buh bye if you want to work in high finance.

Wichita is changing but it will take a long time to stem the tide of "brain drain".


T


...8)

[C0|dB|00ded]

we're the 51th biggest city in the country (formely 50th last year) and the lack of restaurants (notably chain restaurants disturb me) Topeka has a ruby tuesday before we do. Also, they have a Macy's built into one of the malls there. We're the biggest city in the state and we should get more things. the waterwalk and waterfront is a great idea and i wish it came sooner. I wish we had a dog park around here to be honest. Sure it's great to raise a family but us younguns need some other stuff to do besides clubbing.

Dude... we've got more chain restaurants per capita than any place on earth. We are actually known for being a fantastic test market for new chains.


T


...8)

[Hotel Paper]

still it's kinda sad to tell your friend that came from chicago or somewhere else "we just got T.G.I.Friday's" and she replying with "I've had that since I was 10" (she's 35 now

[C0|dB|00ded]

Re: Football No Spin Zone

I was OOP yesterday but did get a chance to catch some of the internet stream of the KGSO bringbackshockerfootball discussion.


I try not to allow my passion for all things WSU cloud my decision making abilities for what is best for all involved.


The one thing that I took away from the discussion that really hit hard was the player from the '86 team (I'm sorry I foget who it was) that when asked if they knew much about the tragedy when he played said that it never came up and frankly he didn't even know about it at the time.


It isn't that I think we can or should build a football program for those that died that awful day. It isn't that I blame the incident for the demise of the program. What I blame is the total lack of leadership. From AD to president to coaches to FANS, to alumni.....the entire program lacked leadership, bigtime.

No focus, no goals, no direction. Lew Perkins (as an example) was a giant failure. How he got work elsewhere is as big a mystery as Barney Frank continuing to be re-elected.


Can we support a football program? I think so. Should we? I think so. Will we? I have no idea, but I doubt it.

BUT, we need leadership to start the support and although I applaud the effort so far and I sincerely hope that their early success continues to grow, we do not have that support yet.

How do we get it? The $64,000 question.

First though, I would like to have a no-spin, honest discussion on exactly what it is going to take to bring it back.

Expenses, revenue........what's it going take?

Unfortunately I think it will take a new university president. I think Beggs is a good man but I think Beggs is in the pocket (perhaps not literally) of ..umm .. you know who.

We've had documented events over the years of donors offering 10 million toward football and being told to go home and take their check with them. I am very excited about bringbackshockerfootball.com and hope that they approach the big money that has come forward before to get that financial interest accounted for in the pledge drive. I'm sure it will happen. If it doesn't happen quickly I will probably approach him with some ideas and possibly some angles.. or just walk right up to a couple fat cats myself and tell them to make a pledge.


T


...8)

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

What were the reasons behind Pizza Hut and Rent a Center leaving town? wichita has born some great restaurant chains from White Castle to very recently Freddie's Frozen Custard. They just can't seem to keep them in town. Curious how long Freddie's stays.