In hindsight, we have to ask ourselves a question-

Why did the BFFF have so much hopes for this interview when a paid shill was conducting it?

First off, poor job by Helman and Co. The interview was not promoted coming up- the discussion was on the UT-Vandy game last night and afterwards.

Hence, there were no calls in.

Second- what a bunch of softballs. "Boy, Dave, this is the busy time in ETSU athletics right now!"

And he procedes to go down the list of teams that are playing.

And Kasey Mahler, usually a guy who asks tough questions and makes strong statements, instead is left asking "So, Dave- the environment at ballgames this year has been great! Way to bring in the contemporary music!"

So, Kasey, have you noticed the attendance has fallen below 4,000 fans on average?

He was asked about the delays in building the stadiums and Mullins handled that well, though those questions could have used a follow-up, like "If you knew you were having these delays, why was it being reported the stadium was going to be built at the end of November- IN NOVEMBER- and why begin a softball stadium before the soccer field is built?"

And he was asked about the OVC, but Mullins was lengthy and uncommital.

In hindsight, we can expect Helman to ask questions like "So, tell us about the wonderful time you're having in Nashville with the A-Sun tournament!" next week. Again, he's a paid shill, an ETSU broadcaster, and my little birdies tell me Mullins is upset at him for not shilling more for ETSU on his show.

So the criticism here is on Mahler. So many opportunities there- such as, "So, Dave, what are the pros and cons of the OVC against the A-Sun?" or "You said the golf team is in Puerto Rico. How can ETSU afford to send its golf team to Puerto Rico but not have football?" or whatever.

And the thing is Mahler won't be a regular on that show. His only hope for advancement is to move to another market- Kenny Hawkins won't go anywhere.

As such, Mahler can afford to p1ss off Mullins.

Mahler had the "one shot" for a good resume tape Eminem talks about and he told them what a great environment it was at Memorial Center with 9,000 empty seats.

Now, let that be the last time I ever speak of Eminem again.

Pitt,

Who said the BFFF had high hopes for this interview? You make it sound like the BFFF thought they could get some calls into Mullins and convert him. As you know, I sent out an email asking football supporters to call in to the show. As you also know, I suggested that they may actually have to lie about their discussion topic just to get on the air as I was doubtful that the radio would allow many, if any, critical comments or tough questions. Does that sound like we had a lot of hope for this interview? Yes, the BFFF was trying to encourage people to call in to ask Dave Mullins a question about football and the impact that dropping football has had but we never had any expectations that this would change things.

What time was the interview? How long did it last? I thought Dave Mullins was on from 8-9. I got to work at 8:30 and tuned in but obviously I missed it. Do you think they didn't get any calls or they weren't taking any calls?

Oh, Pitt, I've got a few good questions he can ask:

"After running the most successful athletic program in the history of ETSU and successfully negotiating a new contract with our golf coach,will you finally take some time to rest...maybe take a vacation for a few days?"

or this one...

"With the huge success of the new pharmacy school, I suppose that will give us even more students to attend Buc games. What was your personal involvement in the development of the pharmacy school?"

or this one...

"It must make you proud, as it does all of us, to see other Division I conferences coming after us. It's been several decades since conferences have fawned over ETSU the way they are now. Is it because we've had the most successful athletic program in Buc history - or are there other factors involved?"

I should do interviews for a living.

They asked for calls and did not receive any.

Interview was on from 8-8:20.

And just that last post- LIE TO A CALL SCREENER?

I don't believe the Morning Monster has call screeners in the first place. Bill Meade has never had any. They try to really cut costs there.

Having worked in talk radio, I can assure you of this- NEVER lie to a call screener.

You want to put a bad image of an organization out? Lie to someone.

Besides, when you lie to a call screener to get on, the first thing that happens is you are cut off and the host makes a fool of you.

To publicly state you suggested lying to someone . . .

Who are you? David Mullins?

Kev- that was about it.

I"m living proof Mullins will duck ANY tough questions.

This whole thing is nothing but a PR machine with his announcer to curb some of the criticism of my piece in TriCitiessports.com.

That's why I'm so disapointed in Mahler. He generally is the one TV reporter I think with some balls- Hawkins is too busy greasing palms and Johnson just seems to be playing out the string- "Oh, isn't it wonderful there's another high school basketball tournament taking place!"

But Mahler- who can afford to ask a tough question- comes up with-

"Oh, Dave! It's such a great environment this year at the Dome! You've started playing contemporary music (What were they playing before? 'Oh Suzanna?')!"

Here is Mullins, the man who must take responsibility for the fact every event from here on out there must be played in front of 6,000 empty seats- AT BEST HALF CAPACITY.

Mahler is telling that man what a great environment the venue is.

What is most disapointing is on that show there were- what- VANDERBILT CALLERS!

286 miles away.

18 years Bill Meade does a talk show. He has NO Vanderbilt callers.

You can't even find Vanderbilt merchandise around here in stores. There are no radio stations that carry their games.

THERE ARE NO VANDY FANS IN JOHNSON CITY, FOLKS!

But somehow, in Johnson City, Tennessee, on a show where the athletic director is on, where the Bucs figure to be the counter culture team for the Vols- the five Vandy graduates who live in the area effectively make the Commodores out to be the counter culture team of the area.

Sad.

"To publicly state you suggested lying to someone . . .

Who are you? David Mullins? "

That was a good one.

Well, I didn't say I was going to lie when I called in. I was just trying to be honest with this board so they would understand that the BFFF isn't as delusional as you sometimes make us out to be. We have definitely had our delusional moments but this wasn't one of them.

You didn't answer one question. Do you think they are even taking calls for his segment?

As I stated above, they asked for calls and did not receive any.

Remember, I know how these shows go, and you have to promote such an interview. You have to talk ETSU up a bit before the interview.

And while I realize the Vols did just lose to fall out of No. 1 and that is a big story, there are numerous ways you can prep this-

We've been talking a lot of Vols hoops lately. There was a time when discussion of UT stopped in the Tri-Cities after football season and the focus went on the Bucs. What will it take for those days to return and for the Tri-Cities to embrace their true home team?

Or

The Vols fell from their perch yesterday, but one team that continues to be number one are the Lady Bucs of Karen Kemp, who are the verge of clinching their first women's basketball regular season Atlantic Sun championship.

Helman is the Lady Bucs announcer. He should have no problem boosting them up- and in this case this is a team that DOES deserve a pat on the back.

You could even ask follow ups like- "The divide between major and mid-major is even wider in women's basketball than it is in men's. As a mid-major athletic director, what steps would you like to see taken to lessen the divide?"

Here's my thing with the BFFF. First of all, the recommendation to lie to call screeners- that's unethical. If they refuse to take your call for whatever reason- you can bash them here or on bucfootball.com and the message will get out.

Second, again, it just seems to me with the memos and the posts and all of that you're expecting something out of these interviews that they aren't designed to do.

Helman has criticized the BFFF. In the past he said we should raise $15 million- on our own- with no football team- and then present it to Stanton.

"And if he doesn't take it- THERE'S your story!"

Mike Huckabee hasn't raised $15 million in his Presidential campaign (you can double check that- but I think I'm right there).

And that is a really reasonable strategy. Raise this impossible amount with no team or momentum to start it and present it to the President who killed football to bring the sport back.

So how does the BFFF respond? Ray Parlier sponsors his broadcasts, gives him food during the games, and we promote his morning show.

And I like Don and I can't blame him that much because I know what his role is. Heck, for what the interview was- Helman asked Mullins tougher questions than Mahler did- which is inexcusable.

By the way, I understand the idea of "Well, you don't want to spend a whole lot of time and energy in bashing Stanton and Mullins."

But you DO have to tell people that these guys didn't do a good job. The less criticism they face, the more it seems they did a good job.

The "Why not?" question Dick Sheridan posed is easily refuted with "Because these loyal ETSU men, Dr. Paul Stanton and David Mullins, said we do not need football and the Atlantic Sun is the best place for our programs so it must be true!"

And while I don't think that's a universal opinion and I'm not sure it's a prevailing one, I am stunned by how many people are willing to just accept it.

Just an FYI,

Ron (Bliss?) from tricities.com is on a Knoxville sports talk show every Wednesday, talking about Tennessee basketball. Today, I called in and asked him about the ETSU/legislature news. He talked quite a while about it.

Even went on to say he thought there was a good chance that ETSU would end up in the OVC with Lipscomb and Belmont.

Ron doesn't know sh1t about ETSU.

Trust me about that.

Kind've figured. Just wanted to hear someone talk about it on the air.

Kev- Look at the story that just broke.

As I said, Ron does not care about ETSU.