Check out the first comment.

http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local...:20:54:03Z

I really wouldn't get too upset about that comment. Even from a standpoint of spirit, there's always gonna be that one guy.

I can even pick out the shortcomings of his arguement-

A- If there was ever going to be another vote (and I hope there isn't), it's a new student body. It's not like putting a new referendum to raise your taxes on a ballot, where you'll only get one chance in a community every 20 years or so. There's a brand new student population now. The fact there was a vote in 2007 is not relevant.

B- I also agree that ideally student fees shouldn't be increased. But since Wilsie Bishop said they were going to go up anyway at the information meeting the day before the vote, and they have, it makes you wonder why the administration didn't say that more often.

C- If you really wanted to argue the point, you don't need a marching band for a football program, though that is not the position of the BFFF. Ultimately, the marching band arguement is a major component because of the additional students (and revenue) it would provide the university.

So to paint football supporters as anti-marching band, or say that we're not aware of the need to revive the band, is simply not true. It's like saying Phil Bredesen is pro-smoking.

D- I truly believe football can be revived at ETSU without raising student fees. It can be done by private donations, though you'd have to have a major fundraising drive, and that really hasn't happened before at ETSU.

The other way is to explore things like club and non-scholarship football, which I believe would at least be a first step to meeting our visions for ETSU sports.

E- I've been through this, but I honestly don't think that supporting soccer or basketball is going to bring back football. The idea is that then there will be additional revenue, but my belief is that if, say, ETSU baseball suddenly started drawing sellout crowds it wouldn't be a sign that people wanted ETSU sports to get bigger and better, it would be a vote that the current administration is supported and any additional revenue would go back to the baseball team.

Not that I'm against that additional revenue for the baseball team. What I am against is the way the programs have been prioritized at ETSU, which I'm sure people will take as being anti-non revenue sports, but it's not.

When you build golf, soccer, and softball facilities first, it makes a statement those will be your lead sports. And when you make those your lead sports, it makes a statement of cherry picking your success.

And if you cherry pick your success, you are saying you can't fully compete as an athletic program.

And if you say you can't fully compete as an athletic program, you can't possibly expect full support.

Good post! I especially say start the serious fund raising now. Let it build up. Who know's how much will be raised? They have never started the band wagon up so we do not know how much can be raised. My guess is that it would start building up once businesses and indivuals began to see something happening here. Pretty hard to donate when they are being asked NOT to donate. Also, the starting out with non-scholarship football may be a "foot in the door" method of getting it back. I think it worked for Austin Peay and could work here possibly. Anything would be better than what they are doing now which is nothing.

My basic ideas on ETSU football returning.
The main hindrance to Buc football returning is Stanton. The BFFF and anyone else who simply cares about the long-term well being of ETSU should focus on removing Stanton. DO NOT work with him. Contact your local state representatives, governor and really campaign to push him out the door.
Non-scholarship football is not the answer. We need scholarship football to get the hell out of the A-Sun. Big South, OVC anything would be better than the A-Sun.
Finally, the discussion concerning the return of ETSU football needs a complete shift of perspective. What I mean is how and why is football a drain on other sports at ETSU? The golf and tennis aren’t teams a drain on football? There is, no sport at ETSU where revenues exceed expenses.

Finally, STANTON & MULLINS are liars.
STANTON & MULLINS are liars. The BFFF should say so loudly and publicly.

(10-23-2009 07:30 PM)ETSUfan1 Wrote:  Check out the first comment.

http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local...:20:54:03Z

I want to karate chop this person in the neck!

That's not a student. This is right out of the Obama playbook. Flood the internet with comments supporting your view in order to depress the opposition into believing they are a minority. I wouldn't be surprised if this comment was secretly left behind someone deep inside the administration. No way it's a student.

I agree. It sounds like a "planted" statement to me. A rehearsed one. There is a question that I have been asked and I could not immediately come up with a suitable answer to. The question has actually been asked me several times: Why is it that you(meaning fans and alumni) do not go out and get rid of Dr. Stanton and get a president like all the other schools in Tennessee? I really cannot say why and wonder how some of you guys would answer this question.

Is it a question of why or how

(10-26-2009 02:15 AM)Goldfinger Wrote:  Is it a question of why or how

I would think "how" do we do it. We all pretty much know why but we are pretty much lost as to acutally go about solving our problem.

The answer is to lobby the Tri-Cities political leaders as well as the governor. The THEC. It can be done folks!

I hate to tell you this, but I don't think the revival of ETSU football will be done through the backdoor of lobbying congressmen and the like.

(10-25-2009 09:51 PM)bucfan81 Wrote:  I agree. It sounds like a "planted" statement to me. A rehearsed one. There is a question that I have been asked and I could not immediately come up with a suitable answer to. The question has actually been asked me several times: Why is it that you(meaning fans and alumni) do not go out and get rid of Dr. Stanton and get a president like all the other schools in Tennessee? I really cannot say why and wonder how some of you guys would answer this question.

What I would like to ask that person is when did the "students" ever vote on men's soccer, a softball stadium, or any of the other things they are doing with their money? Crazy...

Its a proven fact that you can only take out loans or bonds for soccer, softball, baseball, or tennis stadiums. Banks won't do loans for football; there's just no money in the sport. Thats why there had to be a vote to raise athletic fees. gosh... everybody knows that!! j/k

Pitt,

I must disagree. Stanton is clearly the one decision maker holding back the return of ETSU football. Perhaps he did receive really bad advice from Andrews or encouragement from the THEC to drop football back in 2003, but at this point in time only Stanton apparently can revive Buc football.
Stanton is the key!
Stanton is a political edu-crat if you will. If enough pressure is applied to him he will realize the winds have shift

(10-27-2009 09:10 AM)buc1997 Wrote:  Pitt,

I must disagree. Stanton is clearly the one decision maker holding back the return of ETSU football. Perhaps he did receive really bad advice from Andrews or encouragement from the THEC to drop football back in 2003, but at this point in time only Stanton apparently can revive Buc football.
Stanton is the key!
Stanton is a political edu-crat if you will. If enough pressure is applied to him he will realize the winds have shift

This is exactly what many of us are hoping for. That he will see the big picture and re-instate football before he leaves. That way he can salvage his legacy in the minds of fans and alumni. I am still hoping he will make it a "Centennial" goal to have football(of some sort) by 2011. Hope springs eternal!

(10-26-2009 08:44 PM)etsualumni00 Wrote:  

(10-25-2009 09:51 PM)bucfan81 Wrote:  I agree. It sounds like a "planted" statement to me. A rehearsed one. There is a question that I have been asked and I could not immediately come up with a suitable answer to. The question has actually been asked me several times: Why is it that you(meaning fans and alumni) do not go out and get rid of Dr. Stanton and get a president like all the other schools in Tennessee? I really cannot say why and wonder how some of you guys would answer this question.

What I would like to ask that person is when did the "students" ever vote on men's soccer, a softball stadium, or any of the other things they are doing with their money? Crazy...

I can't look through the internet to see whether it's a student or anyone else. But alumni00 raises the same issue I thought of when I read this. When I was a student, I don't recall being able to stroll into the bursar's office and being able to say, "Yes, here's my check for tuition and fees this semester, but please make sure it only goes to buy new chemistry lab equipment, and you don't use any of it to pay salaries for the fine arts professors." The tail can't wag the dog; the decision on football comes from the top, by people paid to make that decision, who in theory should have ETSU's best interests in mind. The decision on football does not come from here-and-now students who in theory should have their own self-interests in mind. You don't like that your tuition/fees would be going to support football? Feel free to get your education from Florida Gulf Coast.

(10-27-2009 11:32 AM)Buc Island Wrote:  

(10-26-2009 08:44 PM)etsualumni00 Wrote:  

(10-25-2009 09:51 PM)bucfan81 Wrote:  I agree. It sounds like a "planted" statement to me. A rehearsed one. There is a question that I have been asked and I could not immediately come up with a suitable answer to. The question has actually been asked me several times: Why is it that you(meaning fans and alumni) do not go out and get rid of Dr. Stanton and get a president like all the other schools in Tennessee? I really cannot say why and wonder how some of you guys would answer this question.

What I would like to ask that person is when did the "students" ever vote on men's soccer, a softball stadium, or any of the other things they are doing with their money? Crazy...

I can't look through the internet to see whether it's a student or anyone else. But alumni00 raises the same issue I thought of when I read this. When I was a student, I don't recall being able to stroll into the bursar's office and being able to say, "Yes, here's my check for tuition and fees this semester, but please make sure it only goes to buy new chemistry lab equipment, and you don't use any of it to pay salaries for the fine arts professors." The tail can't wag the dog; the decision on football comes from the top, by people paid to make that decision, who in theory should have ETSU's best interests in mind. The decision on football does not come from here-and-now students who in theory should have their own self-interests in mind. You don't like that your tuition/fees would be going to support football? Feel free to get your education from Florida Gulf Coast.

Zingo!
Still our best hope right now is for Dr. Stanton to have a change of heart and correct things before he goes. Hope.

What did hope ever accomplish?

It's just that you sound like me when I had a crush on a girl in high school that wanted nothing to do with me.

I really don't want to bring this up- but the idea that Paul Stanton is going to say "Oh, you're right. I really wanted football all along" is absurd.

That girl was never going to go out with me, and I never could get it through my head.

Stanton is not going to revive football in its old form. Even if he was given a check for $20 million to do so, he would likely tell the donor to give it to the pharmacy school or for lights for the soccer field.

They've had the chance to go to the Big South and the OVC and turned them down.

What really has to happen is an effort that makes Stanton out to be the area's Art Modell. If and when that happens, then you'll see the political gains needed.

But that won't happen when you have people in the BFFF talking about how great Stanton is and how he improved the education at ETSU/