Mark Muhlhauser was another guy in that dept that was awesome, approachable and would seek donors out but no pressure. Very friendly.

This thread is hitting home for me. I graduated in 1983 and attended most football games and basketball games while at NIU and really enjoyed it. Football had average success while I was there; it was before the 83 team and basketball was doing well and played an exciting brand of play that was fun to watch. Lot's of painters hats in my collection after dunks.
After graduation I got away from NIU for a while but started going back more often after settling down and having kids. The Pup club was great and allowed to to buy tickets for my kids without breaking the bank. You could see football was going to turn around with Novak and Hoops was doing well with Hammel. I found some money and bought season tickets to get the games on the calendar so I wouldn't miss any do to something else always coming up. I also starting a small Huskie club donation.
I was soon blown away by how well I was recognized and treated by everyone in the athletic department. From Pup Club, to ticket management, conversations with Coaches, it really made me me feel important. I felt like family to them and really identified with being a Huskie.
I thought to myself, this is Division 1 Athletics with a small school approach. Kind of like the old Avis commercials. We are number 2 but we try harder or something like that.
I was sold for life because it installed Huskie pride in me. Just don't see that approach as much anymore.

I will say that I can go up to STF, Jerome, Deb Boughton, Carey, Monty, Lisa Carlsen, Andrew in athletics you name it and have a good friendly conversation with them. I give a few thousand which isn’t going to save the day but I completely feel appreciated and apart of the Huskie family. Just last Thursday at the coaches show STF came by and said he appreciates that I attend so many things. He didn’t say it because I’m a big donor, he said it because he genuinely cares about having relationships with fans! If there’s something you want to discuss just attend something and go speak directly to these guys, they love those kind of interactions.

I hope that Athletics personnel are reading this thread. This should provide a lesson for them. It may be the only way to communicate this to them. In the past (pre-STF), I have gently and kindly tried to communicate these concerns to them but it got nowhere, so I gave up. I suggested things like informal "meet and greets", reaching out to donors, etc. but, again, it fell on deaf ears. Maybe if I attached a bunch of $100 bills to my suggestions, I'd get an audience.

Ole Jiff always spent a few minutes talking to my wife and me in Detroit when we attended the MAC championship games and in Chicago when we attended the Soldier Field games. We are not high rollers.

I always thought Jiff was a mixed bag and I was not as down on him as others have been. His biggest weakness was scheduling and his biggest contribution was doing an awesome job with the Indoor Practice Facility.

(02-08-2018 04:33 PM)dekalb222 Wrote:  I will say that I can go up to STF, Jerome, Deb Boughton, Carey, Monty, Lisa Carlsen, Andrew in athletics you name it and have a good friendly conversation with them. I give a few thousand which isn’t going to save the day but I completely feel appreciated and apart of the Huskie family. Just last Thursday at the coaches show STF came by and said he appreciates that I attend so many things. He didn’t say it because I’m a big donor, he said it because he genuinely cares about having relationships with fans! If there’s something you want to discuss just attend something and go speak directly to these guys, they love those kind of interactions.

I also donate a couple thousand a year. I’ve met all those above on numerous occasions. The dozen or so times I’ve met and spoke with STF I always introduce myself and I’ve yet to have been called by the correct first name during our conversations.

This ticks me off probably more than it should. I can understand forgetting a name once in awhile but he’s taking it to the professional level. Next time I speak with him I’m planning on intentionally calling him by the incorrect name. Suggestions?

(02-08-2018 06:57 PM)62423dp Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 04:33 PM)dekalb222 Wrote:  I will say that I can go up to STF, Jerome, Deb Boughton, Carey, Monty, Lisa Carlsen, Andrew in athletics you name it and have a good friendly conversation with them. I give a few thousand which isn’t going to save the day but I completely feel appreciated and apart of the Huskie family. Just last Thursday at the coaches show STF came by and said he appreciates that I attend so many things. He didn’t say it because I’m a big donor, he said it because he genuinely cares about having relationships with fans! If there’s something you want to discuss just attend something and go speak directly to these guys, they love those kind of interactions.

I also donate a couple thousand a year. I’ve met all those above on numerous occasions. The dozen or so times I’ve met and spoke with STF I always introduce myself and I’ve yet to have been called by the correct first name during our conversations.

This ticks me off probably more than it should. I can understand forgetting a name once in awhile but he’s taking it to the professional level. Next time I speak with him I’m planning on intentionally calling him by the incorrect name. Suggestions?

Shuwan?

Jiff (or Mr. Comphers)?

Mr. Master Planner?

Sean-palooza?

Homer?

Mr. Freezer?

Ricardo?

Rod?

Monty?

That's a start. Others can chime in.

Another thing with fan relations.... Not everyone lives in DeKalb/Sycamore or near burbs. Some of us live quite a bit further. We can feel detached from the NIU environment, coming to DeKalb every couple or few weeks. We don't live in Dekalb and it's hard to get there sometimes. So why are so many donor/season ticket holder events on weekdays? We can't participate, which makes us feel left out even more. I realize that Saturdays are holy and sports or events should never happen then, but come on. Why not have an informal get-together on a Saturday? I know, I know.....what I ask is sacrilegious.

I went to the Summer Circuit in Crystal Lake last year. I would say about 20 people attended. STF, a coach from each sport and Brad Hoey were there. Only 2 coaches approached me. C. Sutcliffe and the Men's Gymnastic coach. STF didn't come within 10 feet of me. I was so impressed with Sutcliffe that I made a donation to the Softball program the next day. Coaches need to take the time to visit with people because you never know what it may do for the program. Get friendly with all the people that care about the program.
I will be attending the event on Feb 18th. We will see what happens.

62423dp, call him Joe...he was a helluva a heavyweight champ

(02-08-2018 07:48 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 06:57 PM)62423dp Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 04:33 PM)dekalb222 Wrote:  I will say that I can go up to STF, Jerome, Deb Boughton, Carey, Monty, Lisa Carlsen, Andrew in athletics you name it and have a good friendly conversation with them. I give a few thousand which isn’t going to save the day but I completely feel appreciated and apart of the Huskie family. Just last Thursday at the coaches show STF came by and said he appreciates that I attend so many things. He didn’t say it because I’m a big donor, he said it because he genuinely cares about having relationships with fans! If there’s something you want to discuss just attend something and go speak directly to these guys, they love those kind of interactions.

I also donate a couple thousand a year. I’ve met all those above on numerous occasions. The dozen or so times I’ve met and spoke with STF I always introduce myself and I’ve yet to have been called by the correct first name during our conversations.

This ticks me off probably more than it should. I can understand forgetting a name once in awhile but he’s taking it to the professional level. Next time I speak with him I’m planning on intentionally calling him by the incorrect name. Suggestions?

Shuwan?

Jiff (or Mr. Comphers)?

Mr. Master Planner?

Sean-palooza?

Homer?

Mr. Freezer?

Ricardo?

Rod?

Monty?

That's a start. Others can chime in.

I would go with Stan.

(02-08-2018 07:48 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 06:57 PM)62423dp Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 04:33 PM)dekalb222 Wrote:  I will say that I can go up to STF, Jerome, Deb Boughton, Carey, Monty, Lisa Carlsen, Andrew in athletics you name it and have a good friendly conversation with them. I give a few thousand which isn’t going to save the day but I completely feel appreciated and apart of the Huskie family. Just last Thursday at the coaches show STF came by and said he appreciates that I attend so many things. He didn’t say it because I’m a big donor, he said it because he genuinely cares about having relationships with fans! If there’s something you want to discuss just attend something and go speak directly to these guys, they love those kind of interactions.

I also donate a couple thousand a year. I’ve met all those above on numerous occasions. The dozen or so times I’ve met and spoke with STF I always introduce myself and I’ve yet to have been called by the correct first name during our conversations.

This ticks me off probably more than it should. I can understand forgetting a name once in awhile but he’s taking it to the professional level. Next time I speak with him I’m planning on intentionally calling him by the incorrect name. Suggestions?

Shuwan?

Jiff (or Mr. Comphers)?

Mr. Master Planner?

Sean-palooza?

Homer?

Mr. Freezer?

Ricardo?

Rod?

Monty?

That's a start. Others can chime in.

see if I can work everyone’s suggestions into a conversation. Maybe even “meow”. See if I can get to 10 of them.

(02-08-2018 09:19 PM)62423dp Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 07:48 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 06:57 PM)62423dp Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 04:33 PM)dekalb222 Wrote:  I will say that I can go up to STF, Jerome, Deb Boughton, Carey, Monty, Lisa Carlsen, Andrew in athletics you name it and have a good friendly conversation with them. I give a few thousand which isn’t going to save the day but I completely feel appreciated and apart of the Huskie family. Just last Thursday at the coaches show STF came by and said he appreciates that I attend so many things. He didn’t say it because I’m a big donor, he said it because he genuinely cares about having relationships with fans! If there’s something you want to discuss just attend something and go speak directly to these guys, they love those kind of interactions.

I also donate a couple thousand a year. I’ve met all those above on numerous occasions. The dozen or so times I’ve met and spoke with STF I always introduce myself and I’ve yet to have been called by the correct first name during our conversations.

This ticks me off probably more than it should. I can understand forgetting a name once in awhile but he’s taking it to the professional level. Next time I speak with him I’m planning on intentionally calling him by the incorrect name. Suggestions?

Shuwan?

Jiff (or Mr. Comphers)?

Mr. Master Planner?

Sean-palooza?

Homer?

Mr. Freezer?

Ricardo?

Rod?

Monty?

That's a start. Others can chime in.

see if I can work everyone’s suggestions into a conversation. Maybe even “meow”. See if I can get to 10 of them.

Also, when you introduce yourself to him for the 13th time, excuse yourself for forgetting and ask him his name.

(02-08-2018 09:26 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 09:19 PM)62423dp Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 07:48 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 06:57 PM)62423dp Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 04:33 PM)dekalb222 Wrote:  I will say that I can go up to STF, Jerome, Deb Boughton, Carey, Monty, Lisa Carlsen, Andrew in athletics you name it and have a good friendly conversation with them. I give a few thousand which isn’t going to save the day but I completely feel appreciated and apart of the Huskie family. Just last Thursday at the coaches show STF came by and said he appreciates that I attend so many things. He didn’t say it because I’m a big donor, he said it because he genuinely cares about having relationships with fans! If there’s something you want to discuss just attend something and go speak directly to these guys, they love those kind of interactions.

I also donate a couple thousand a year. I’ve met all those above on numerous occasions. The dozen or so times I’ve met and spoke with STF I always introduce myself and I’ve yet to have been called by the correct first name during our conversations.

This ticks me off probably more than it should. I can understand forgetting a name once in awhile but he’s taking it to the professional level. Next time I speak with him I’m planning on intentionally calling him by the incorrect name. Suggestions?

Shuwan?

Jiff (or Mr. Comphers)?

Mr. Master Planner?

Sean-palooza?

Homer?

Mr. Freezer?

Ricardo?

Rod?

Monty?

That's a start. Others can chime in.

see if I can work everyone’s suggestions into a conversation. Maybe even “meow”. See if I can get to 10 of them.

Also, when you introduce yourself to him for the 13th time, excuse yourself for forgetting and ask him his name.

Hey "Bud"

Hey Jim

(02-08-2018 08:32 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  I went to the Summer Circuit in Crystal Lake last year. I would say about 20 people attended. STF, a coach from each sport and Brad Hoey were there. Only 2 coaches approached me. C. Sutcliffe and the Men's Gymnastic coach. STF didn't come within 10 feet of me. I was so impressed with Sutcliffe that I made a donation to the Softball program the next day. Coaches need to take the time to visit with people because you never know what it may do for the program. Get friendly with all the people that care about the program.
I will be attending the event on Feb 18th. We will see what happens.

The only coach that ever approached me at those events was the men's soccer coach, who isn't there anymore. And that was probably because I asked a soccer-related question. Still, the following year at the same event he recognized me and talked to me a little.

"Also, when you introduce yourself to him for the 13th time, excuse yourself for forgetting and ask him his name" this is perfect

(02-08-2018 11:28 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 10:48 AM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  I'm not faulting him for congratulating the women compared to the men via twitter. WBB gets little coverage, esp outside of the DeKalb area. Every little bump helps. I know he could do the same for the men, but I don't see it as an issue.

I think STF should congratulate every fan who attends and suffers through the games!

In all seriousness, I was always impressed with AD Cary Groth. When we attended the games in Evans, she would actually shake our hands as we left and thank us for attending. And there were a lot more fans then. Cary was excellent. Great lady!

+1

Cary Groth put up with me being a fanatic at the BG game in 2003 when ESPN came calling.
For that I will always be indebt to her.

(02-12-2018 01:08 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  Cary Groth put up with me being a fanatic at the BG game in 2003 when ESPN came calling.
For that I will always be indebt to her.

What did you do? Pull your pants down in front of the camera?

No,
I just got a little crazy and emotional yelling at the game and she was sitting behind me.
She finally had to tell me to take it easy and calm down a little so I didn't have a heart attack.