For those of you that don't know, David Mullins last season did a radio ad for Johnson City Honda that got exhaustive airplay on the ETSU broadcasts.

I continually wondered why the Athletic Director would be doing a car ad. I know of no other ADs who have endorsement opportunities.

And clearly, an AD with Mullins' track record would NEVER be given the opportunity to do any endorsements anywhere else.

So I think its important to show a message.

A publicized boycott of Johnson City Honda would really make a statement.

I wonder- could changing the "Bring Back Buccaneer Football" up above to BOYCOTT JOHNSON CITY HONDA be more effective at this point?

That would be for starters . . .

Pitt,

You seem to be stuck on this subject. Let me clear something up for you. The AD has always had a car deal as part of their contract and it's the car dealer's choice to have whoever they want on the advertisement's with the network. Because JC Honda was providing a car for the AD, they chose him as the one to voice their spot.

More importantly, this does not take away a car for other coaches. You need to know that Bartow's car deal is with Phil Bachman, while other coaches have deals with other dealerships. Mullins is not taking anything away from anybody.

It makes no sense -- especially at a time like this when even the students don't support athletics -- to go start boycotting those local companies that do support the program. You seem to be a fan of Sandos, you would ultimately only hurt the Network and his job by getting JC Honda to drop their sponsorship. While they help Mullins with a car, they also are a major sponsor on the network.

Just wanted to get some facts out there.

I think we can all smell a plant from the athletic department here . . .

By the way, I make 7000 posts a day here, they consistently prove to be accurate, and I'm stuck on this ONE subject?

Regardless, if JC Honda has a deal with the ETSU AD, then certainly they should be boycotted.

Don't give me radio sponsorship. Phil Bachman would pick up in a heartbeat if it meant their competition wouldn't get on the air. Heck, for a vocal campaign against their rival they'd probably double what ETSU is currently taking in.

Out of all the possible ETSU representatives Johnson City Honda could have gotten to do that ad (for instance Murry Bartow did it before), to choose Mullins is practically a high act of treason to "the Buccaneer tradition."

Do we really want Mullins to have a platform to speak as a positive figure in ETSU athletics? Do we really want radio ads in effect endorsing the job he's done?

The fact Mullins gets this ad is proof positive of what a terrible sports town this is. Can you imagine even someone like Rex Grossman, who took his team to the Super Bowl, doing ads for Chicago Honda?

Just like you wouldn't want a quarterback who Gayle Sayers has publicly said should be benched, you wouldn't want an athletic director whose actions have made John Robert Bell cry sell your wares.

Why not have Don Riley do some ads? What about Rich Kotite for Hempstead Chevy?

I know! Let's have Barney Frank do endorsements for the National Rifle Association!

You get one press release out there and Mullins is off the ad and the entire athletic department is looked upon in a different light.


A boycott would

I don't have a problem with the AD doing an ad for a car dealership but we have every right to boycott the dealership if we disagree with their paid (cash or car) spokesman.

Your right, it's America and anyone can boycott anything. I just wanted Pitt to stop saying that Mullins was taking Bartow's car. That just isn't the case.

What I know is that Bartow did the ads before Mullins did.

Now, did Bartow do ads for JC Honda while getting a Honda from Phil Bachman? That doesn't make any sense to me.

Or did Mullins ease Bartow out, taking his car and leaving Bartow to shill for Phil "Catherine" Bachman?

Did Bartow leave on his own volition, and then Mullins scooped up the vacant car deal?

I don't know.

What I do know is the unethical poster child for the demise of ETSU sports is doing car ads.

That just ain't right. And we need to make the dealer that would afford him this opportunity pay.

Everyone has it wrong. The AD got Paul Hamilton's car.

Funny post, Hawkeye. But that's not the case either. Anyway, no ones going to change their mind on here. Just keep singing the same song everyone.

Perhaps I can change your mind here.

I offer the following for discussion:

1. I have heard a lot of talk about the Appalachian State athletic program, and I have spent the last few days doing a little research. According to the ASU website, here is a detail of 2007 - 08 tuition and fees. The URL is:

http://www.studentaccounts.appstate.edu/...ailed.html

If you will notice for 12+ hours, the athletic fee is $244.50, plus an activity fee of $257.50 for a total of $502.00 PER SEMESTER for a total of $1004.00 per year.

And ETSU students were complaining about the fee??????????????????

2. The Indianapolis Star in 2004-2005 through freedom of information requests obtained athletic budgets with income and expenses for D1 schools. There are so many inferences that could come from these figures, I challenge each of you to review them and offer opinions.

The URL is:

http://www2.indystar.com/NCAA_financial_reports/

Here is the final question for the night. If you get it right you are smarter than a fifth grader. Is ETSU one of the schools that did not honor a freedom of information request for their athletic budget?

My questions are: Was this an oversight? Did someone drop the ball? Did someone think is was not important? Was someone too busy? Or the most important one. Is there something to hide?

I look forward to reading your comments.

Man I tell you what....20 message board posters not buying a car from a dealership that I bet noone on here has a car from is really going to change the world.

I would say boycott all the non revenue sports, but it seems that goes on anyways...

Fan1- It's a matter of publicity. If you can get a black mark against the name of Johnson City Honda for having Mullins as a spokesman, then it does a world of good in getting a new athletic director.

Just go there and deal with one of their salespeople and outrageous prices. That should help clear a few things up.