4PM ESPN3

(02-07-2018 12:57 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  4PM ESPN3

Thanks, Boca!

Not something I'd normally watch but I'm feeling "fannish." Thanks for the heads up.

Might have to back off the ESPN bashing a bit. I wonder if AD has something to do with this?

There are several teams with their signing on ESPN but none in our competitive market at the same time slot. Auburn and Tenn. shrug.

Doesn't look like there are many people there. Had a little snow overnight. The roads really aren't bad, though.

Maybe not advertised as a party? Also a bit short for a trip to campus. If they make it event like pre-season football, they'd get a crowd I think.

I thought it was fun to watch. I liked Coach's opening statements.



My pet peave though is "undecided major." Is there an advantage to "undecided?"

UT isn't inflicted with it near as bad a many teams but a Freshman, a serious Freshman should commit to a purpose. We ALL know you can change major but I just think it looks better when students, particulalry athletes have commited to an academic program. Would love to see our coaches encourage that.

For the majors they did announce, I'd like the team's chances in quiz bowl. At least in the sciences.

(02-07-2018 06:30 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  Maybe not advertised as a party? Also a bit short for a trip to campus. If they make it event like pre-season football, they'd get a crowd I think.

I thought it was fun to watch. I liked Coach's opening statements.



My pet peave though is "undecided major." Is there an advantage to "undecided?"

UT isn't inflicted with it near as bad a many teams but a Freshman, a serious Freshman should commit to a purpose. We ALL know you can change major but I just think it looks better when students, particulalry athletes have commited to an academic program. Would love to see our coaches encourage that.

For the majors they did announce, I'd like the team's chances in quiz bowl. At least in the sciences.

eh, I don't see the major as a big deal. Most kids have no real idea what their academic focus will eventually be at 18, and a lot put in a bunch of early work on a major that sounds good but ends up not really interesting them, simply because they felt pressure to seem focused and choose a major from the start.

I changed majors 3 times, work in something not directly related to any of them, and did previous work related to the 2nd and 3rd ones.

I'm happy with athletes that are decent classmates, good teammates and have or develop some academic motivation-even if it means being all over the academic map and graduated with a general studies major. Unless, you have a clear long term career focus-engineering, music, architecture...- the key thing is to develop your capacity to think critically and deeply, build your written and verbal communication skills and get a degree. And most employers who want a college diploma could care less what your major was.

(02-08-2018 01:22 AM)pono Wrote:  eh, I don't see the major as a big deal. Most kids have no real idea what their academic focus will eventually be at 18, and a lot put in a bunch of early work on a major that sounds good but ends up not really interesting them, simply because they felt pressure to seem focused and choose a major from the start.

I changed majors 3 times, work in something not directly related to any of them, and did previous work related to the 2nd and 3rd ones.

I'm happy with athletes that are decent classmates, good teammates and have or develop some academic motivation-even if it means being all over the academic map and graduated with a general studies major. Unless, you have a clear long term career focus-engineering, music, architecture...- the key thing is to develop your capacity to think critically and deeply, build your written and verbal communication skills and get a degree. And most employers who want a college diploma could care less what your major was.

Can't argue with that given the way my career has gone as well Pono. Retirement in 28 days and a wake-up!!!

I know of many UT freshmen that were undecided that went on to graduate with a degree, and know personally of many others who also changed majored numerous times and some of those never graduated (as do undecided freshman). I am not sure of the graduation data exists to show how undecided freshmen succeed compared to those who had majors. With the State of Ohio and UT general education requirements for all college students it is very possible to take those first year and not move into a major until sophomore or even junior year. The noted exceptions would be the professional schools, especially engineering, pre-nursing, pharmacy, and pre-med. I do know that UT and national data shows the best prediction of college success and ultimate graduation are high school GPA and ACT/SAT scores-and they are not perfect measures and the correlation is not absolute - but they are the best indicators that exist and easily supported by student graduate data.

(02-08-2018 10:11 AM)RangerRocket Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 01:22 AM)pono Wrote:  eh, I don't see the major as a big deal. Most kids have no real idea what their academic focus will eventually be at 18, and a lot put in a bunch of early work on a major that sounds good but ends up not really interesting them, simply because they felt pressure to seem focused and choose a major from the start.

I changed majors 3 times, work in something not directly related to any of them, and did previous work related to the 2nd and 3rd ones.

I'm happy with athletes that are decent classmates, good teammates and have or develop some academic motivation-even if it means being all over the academic map and graduated with a general studies major. Unless, you have a clear long term career focus-engineering, music, architecture...- the key thing is to develop your capacity to think critically and deeply, build your written and verbal communication skills and get a degree. And most employers who want a college diploma could care less what your major was.

Can't argue with that given the way my career has gone as well Pono. Retirement in 28 days and a wake-up!!!

(02-08-2018 01:22 AM)pono Wrote:  

(02-07-2018 06:30 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  Maybe not advertised as a party? Also a bit short for a trip to campus. If they make it event like pre-season football, they'd get a crowd I think.

I thought it was fun to watch. I liked Coach's opening statements.



My pet peave though is "undecided major." Is there an advantage to "undecided?"

UT isn't inflicted with it near as bad a many teams but a Freshman, a serious Freshman should commit to a purpose. We ALL know you can change major but I just think it looks better when students, particulalry athletes have commited to an academic program. Would love to see our coaches encourage that.

For the majors they did announce, I'd like the team's chances in quiz bowl. At least in the sciences.

eh, I don't see the major as a big deal. Most kids have no real idea what their academic focus will eventually be at 18, and a lot put in a bunch of early work on a major that sounds good but ends up not really interesting them, simply because they felt pressure to seem focused and choose a major from the start.

I changed majors 3 times, work in something not directly related to any of them, and did previous work related to the 2nd and 3rd ones.

I'm happy with athletes that are decent classmates, good teammates and have or develop some academic motivation-even if it means being all over the academic map and graduated with a general studies major. Unless, you have a clear long term career focus-engineering, music, architecture...- the key thing is to develop your capacity to think critically and deeply, build your written and verbal communication skills and get a degree. And most employers who want a college diploma could care less what your major was.

My peeve has more to do with how it looks when students bios are being introduced with "undecided" after "undecided." Whether they be athletes or not. Committing to a major as you noted in your own experience, doesn't fix you on that experience.


We teach, coaches teach and successful people teach, success is more likely when you have both a goal and a plan. If you don't have an academic goal or can't at least state one, I just don't feel that reflects well or is as likely to lead to success.

(02-08-2018 12:03 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 01:22 AM)pono Wrote:  

(02-07-2018 06:30 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  Maybe not advertised as a party? Also a bit short for a trip to campus. If they make it event like pre-season football, they'd get a crowd I think.

I thought it was fun to watch. I liked Coach's opening statements.



My pet peave though is "undecided major." Is there an advantage to "undecided?"

UT isn't inflicted with it near as bad a many teams but a Freshman, a serious Freshman should commit to a purpose. We ALL know you can change major but I just think it looks better when students, particulalry athletes have commited to an academic program. Would love to see our coaches encourage that.

For the majors they did announce, I'd like the team's chances in quiz bowl. At least in the sciences.

eh, I don't see the major as a big deal. Most kids have no real idea what their academic focus will eventually be at 18, and a lot put in a bunch of early work on a major that sounds good but ends up not really interesting them, simply because they felt pressure to seem focused and choose a major from the start.

I changed majors 3 times, work in something not directly related to any of them, and did previous work related to the 2nd and 3rd ones.

I'm happy with athletes that are decent classmates, good teammates and have or develop some academic motivation-even if it means being all over the academic map and graduated with a general studies major. Unless, you have a clear long term career focus-engineering, music, architecture...- the key thing is to develop your capacity to think critically and deeply, build your written and verbal communication skills and get a degree. And most employers who want a college diploma could care less what your major was.

My peeve has more to do with how it looks when students bios are being introduced with "undecided" after "undecided." Whether they be athletes or not. Committing to a major as you noted in your own experience, doesn't fix you on that experience.


We teach, coaches teach and successful people teach, success is more likely when you have both a goal and a plan. If you don't have an academic goal or can't at least state one, I just don't feel that reflects well or is as likely to lead to success.

I agree that it can "look bad" especially in terms of recruited student athletes, but I can tell you in terms of incoming freshmen there are often very well prepared, excellent students who still come in undecided because they are considering a number of majors. From a perception appearance it may look like the student has no goals or plans, which would result in not completing college-and in some cases that is very likely-but not for all of them, some turn out to be very successful students who find and succeed in a major to graduation.

Is there a link somewhere that shows the entire class???

(02-08-2018 01:41 PM)FtLauderdaleRocket Wrote:  Is there a link somewhere that shows the entire class???

http://utrockets.com/documents/2018/2/7/..._Class.pdf

(02-08-2018 12:03 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 01:22 AM)pono Wrote:  

(02-07-2018 06:30 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  Maybe not advertised as a party? Also a bit short for a trip to campus. If they make it event like pre-season football, they'd get a crowd I think.

I thought it was fun to watch. I liked Coach's opening statements.



My pet peave though is "undecided major." Is there an advantage to "undecided?"

UT isn't inflicted with it near as bad a many teams but a Freshman, a serious Freshman should commit to a purpose. We ALL know you can change major but I just think it looks better when students, particulalry athletes have commited to an academic program. Would love to see our coaches encourage that.

For the majors they did announce, I'd like the team's chances in quiz bowl. At least in the sciences.

eh, I don't see the major as a big deal. Most kids have no real idea what their academic focus will eventually be at 18, and a lot put in a bunch of early work on a major that sounds good but ends up not really interesting them, simply because they felt pressure to seem focused and choose a major from the start.

I changed majors 3 times, work in something not directly related to any of them, and did previous work related to the 2nd and 3rd ones.

I'm happy with athletes that are decent classmates, good teammates and have or develop some academic motivation-even if it means being all over the academic map and graduated with a general studies major. Unless, you have a clear long term career focus-engineering, music, architecture...- the key thing is to develop your capacity to think critically and deeply, build your written and verbal communication skills and get a degree. And most employers who want a college diploma could care less what your major was.

My peeve has more to do with how it looks when students bios are being introduced with "undecided" after "undecided." Whether they be athletes or not. Committing to a major as you noted in your own experience, doesn't fix you on that experience.


We teach, coaches teach and successful people teach, success is more likely when you have both a goal and a plan. If you don't have an academic goal or can't at least state one, I just don't feel that reflects well or is as likely to lead to success.

some of it is semantics, say a school describes a recruit as majoring in Liberal Arts or Interdisciplinary Studies that sounds like there is an academic plan in place. "Undecided" sounds bad in most situations.

The signing day event was made for TV. Quick, and get out. There were previous years where they would take questions from the audience, have some of the mid-term signees there to talk and in general make it a better fan experience. With the early signing period, much of the steam was taken out of the day. Plus, there was little information about if a signing event was even happening. Should be better next year.