Read all about it-
http://johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?ID=70868
My thoughts are as follows-
First off, let's get something established. Roosevelt Memorial Stadium, in its current state, was NOT viable for college football. In fact, the fact it was off campus and was in the condition it is in was a likely factor why Science Hill traditionally lags behind Tennessee High and Dobyns-Bennett for local football supremacy despite having a much larger population base to draw from.
What got me about that article was this-
"Marcy Walker said she is excited by the possibilities in now having a tract of land large enough for this center and feels it would help attract people to the downtown area."
HELLO!!!!! You don't think having a FOOTBALL STADIUM is going to attract people to the area?
You really want to debate with me how bad of a sports town this is?
By the way, I'm interested. What were Meade and Rader talking about on the talk shows? Did they address this (Rader actually isn't bad at addressing such issues, all things considered)? Or did they ignore local issues for "ONLY TWO DAYS FROM KICKOFF IN KNOXVILLE! LANE KIFFIN IS GOD! THE NATIONAL MEDIA HATES UT! GOOOOOOOO VOLS!!!"
Going back to Walker, this is a woman with very close ties to David Mullins. This woman also is the main person involved on commission with building facilities in town. She has told me directly she doesn't think he has an agenda and that if he really was all about pushing the non-revenue sports ahead of the revenue ones he'd have built a tennis facility for ETSU(!).
The bottom line is that in reality, I don't think this decision has any impact on potential ETSU football revival. Think about it- if ETSU hadn't played there since 1976- and only on a temporary basis at that- they weren't going to move back to that venue.
The only way I think it would have affected ETSU is if football was brought back on a club or non-scholarship level. And if that was the case I think another yard could be found for the games to be held at.
Here's the WJHL video. Take the minute and a half to watch this- the shots really show just how run down the old yard is-
http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local...pus/31782/
My favorite is the city commission scolding Pete Paduch on being "Un Johnson Cityish!"
I agree. Oh, sure, it's the lamest thing I've ever heard- it reminds me of when Maureen Dowd scolded Theresa Heinz Kerry for calling someone "Un-Pennsylvanian" and asked: "What is that? Rooting for the Browns to beat the Steelers?"
But I would say speaking out against backroom deals is very un-Johnson Cityish. No, we blindly follow whatever our leaders say we should and if we so much as question them, then we're impolite, uninformed, a crackpot, or worse.
Just like me, right?
My question is still this: Why do they have to tear down the old stadium? There are umpteen places to build an arts center in JC. Why this mentality to tear something down to build something in a completely different part of town?
Quote:Commissioner Steve Darden said a multi-use, on-campus facility would not only enhance the experience of being a student at Science Hill, but would also be an asset to the community.
“This decision is about wise spending, but it’s not just about dollars and cents,” he said, adding that athletics are a important component of education.
He's not talking about football is he? I think Dave and Paul need to have a chat with this guy.
No- I think from the standpoint of Science Hill- which is the main tenant (ETSU football is merely hypothetical- we have to face that)- it's better for them, and any school- to play at a modern, on-campus stadium.
I would presume- I don't know but I would presume- that the other uses of the stadium- such as middle school games or what not- would be transferred to another venue. Also, the police obstacle course- but that's very easily moved somewhere else.
Why get rid of the old stadium? For the simple reason it would no longer serve a purpose. Who would be its tenant?
I think we are going to have to consider that what has been the place for Johnson Citians to go to watch football and baseball (for the most part) is soon going to be no longer.
From where I sit, however, Keystone and Downtown just became much less desirable places to live and shop now. Of course, Downtown has NEVER, EVER, EVER embraced the idea of being the place to go to before a game- and that's why it struggles.
And also why I think Johnson Citians are idiots.
would presume- I don't know but I would presume- that the other uses of the stadium- such as middle school games or what not- would be transferred to another venue. Also, the police obstacle course- but that's very easily moved somewhere else.
Why not move all of this to the old stadium and keep it? Is there anything wrong with having two stadiums in Johnson City?
If there were two high schools, nothing would be wrong with having two stadiums.
But the problem is Roosevelt Memorial is run down to the point the wooden bleachers (WOODEN BLEACHERS!) are warped and concrete is broken. The middle school kids parents are liable to get hurt when they go to games. And the cost of upkeep for Roosevelt Memorial does not make it economically viable for middle school games.
Then you have the question the 7th graders will want to know- which is "WHY CAN'T WE PLAY AT THE GOOD YARD?"
I have watched over the years Johnson City tear down the Majestic Theatre, the Tennessee Theare, and good building after good building torn down for no reason other that to tear it down. I wish they would get into a mode of preserving what they have and building on what they do not have. The old stadium could be kept for middle school games, soccer games or they could even return to motorcycle races like they did in the 1940's! Here's for preserving what we have.
I watched part of the meeting the other night when they talked about building a new stadium on campus at Science Hill. They were talking about moving all the football games to the new stadium, high school and middle school. They also talked about using it for band and soccer. If they do build a new on campus stadium I don't see them using the old one across town for anything. The whole point of having an on campus stadium is for the students, why make some of them still drive across town to use a subpar venue?
I agree with Rod Shaw.
81- The thing about these structures you mention is they were not kept up. I believe when Majestic was torn down the roof had collapsed. It simply wasn't viable to save it.
I honestly don't think Roosevelt Memorial Stadium is a "historic" stadium. Certainly not more than Yankee Stadium, Tiger Stadium, The Orange Bowl, Boston Garden, Montreal Forum, etc.
Look, you really believe in Roosevelt Memorial Stadium I will tell you what to do. Heck- PM me and I'll help you.
Buy the place. You heard me. What can the cost be- a million dollars, tops? Get some investors and make the city an offer.
You'll get media attention. And then you'll be a local celebrity because you'll be the President of "BucFan81 Promotions."
But I think you'll find you'll need, in order to attract enough events there to make it viable, that you'll have to pull out all the seats and replace them with chairs, you'll need to build a lot more rest rooms, you'll need to build locker rooms, you'll need to build suites, you'll need to build more concession stands, you'll have to redo the concrete, you'll have to restructure the ramps in such a way that they make sense, and you'll need a new scoreboard- FOR STARTERS!!!!!!!!
And by that time, you don't have Roosevelt Memorial Stadium anymore. You have a new stadium, and from a Science Hill standpoint it makes more sense for such a new stadium to be on campus.
From the standpoint of what is best for Downtown and/or Keystone- not so much.
(09-04-2009 10:23 AM)PittsburghBucs Wrote: [ -> ]By the way, I'm interested. What were Meade and Rader talking about on the talk shows? Did they address this (Rader actually isn't bad at addressing such issues, all things considered)? Or did they ignore local issues for "ONLY TWO DAYS FROM KICKOFF IN KNOXVILLE! LANE KIFFIN IS GOD! THE NATIONAL MEDIA HATES UT! GOOOOOOOO VOLS!!!"
Can't help out on that Pitt. I haven't listened to the Sprots Munster since they banished Don Helman.
(09-05-2009 03:29 PM)BucDoctor Wrote: [ -> ] (09-04-2009 10:23 AM)PittsburghBucs Wrote: [ -> ]By the way, I'm interested. What were Meade and Rader talking about on the talk shows? Did they address this (Rader actually isn't bad at addressing such issues, all things considered)? Or did they ignore local issues for "ONLY TWO DAYS FROM KICKOFF IN KNOXVILLE! LANE KIFFIN IS GOD! THE NATIONAL MEDIA HATES UT! GOOOOOOOO VOLS!!!"
Can't help out on that Pitt. I haven't listened to the Sprots Munster since they banished Don Helman.
What was the deal with Don anyway ? I do not listen that often, so it took me awhile to notice he was gone.
(09-06-2009 07:19 AM)JWBUC Wrote: [ -> ] (09-05-2009 03:29 PM)BucDoctor Wrote: [ -> ] (09-04-2009 10:23 AM)PittsburghBucs Wrote: [ -> ]By the way, I'm interested. What were Meade and Rader talking about on the talk shows? Did they address this (Rader actually isn't bad at addressing such issues, all things considered)? Or did they ignore local issues for "ONLY TWO DAYS FROM KICKOFF IN KNOXVILLE! LANE KIFFIN IS GOD! THE NATIONAL MEDIA HATES UT! GOOOOOOOO VOLS!!!"
Can't help out on that Pitt. I haven't listened to the Sprots Munster since they banished Don Helman.
What was the deal with Don anyway ? I do not listen that often, so it took me awhile to notice he was gone.
I don't have any idea, but once he left, the Sprots Munster became completely indistinguishable from Vol Calls. I am not a Tennessee native so without Don's input on other sports topics, they lost me as a listener.
The sports media there is TERRIBLE. You've got about two people in the entire market that are doing all they can to atleast try to cover things other than UT, Kenny and Kasey. If you listen to the radio shows up there, it's nothing more than some AP articles and ESPN.com Page 2 columns pulled and essentially read on the air. No show prep, No call ins from coaches around the area and state. Either Mike Keith, Wycheck, or someone involved with Titans radio should be on the shows 2-3 times a week, along with someone from Va. Tech, UTK, App. State, ETSU, and any other entity. Instead we're innondated with calls from "Meathead from Bean Station" who comes on and is still bitching about Fulmer. You would think after seeing their ratings be a complete disaster that they would recognize that the current formula ISN'T WORKING. But it's not just WXSM, and it's not just sports radio. After leaving the area and coming back for visits and race weekends, it's the whole news/media market itself that's gone straight to crap.
Example: WCYB did a NEWS STORY, not sports about the transporter parade race week, where Boobs McGhee reports live from the newsroom about an annual event that has been happening for the last what, 5-10 years? The worst was that was the week of the horrible tragedy involving the kid at Sullivan South. Was it front page news? NO, a feature on how popular playing cornhole has become. Now I love the game, built my own set of boards (it's actually kind of therapeutic to do), but come on. A fluff piece is front page news? Did they even run a follow up about how the kids at Knox West gathered on the field that Saturday and held a memorial service? The picture in the Knoxville News Sentinel was one of the most powerful photos I've ever seen. The football team, cheerleaders, parents all gathered at the spot on the field praying with a rainbow over the stadium. The market has gotten horrible, I don't know if it's the lack of budget, or some of the old farts there have just squatted on their jobs, but damn. Compare the Tri-cities papers, newscasts and local radio shows to that of other markets. It'll make you sick.
And don't get me started on fat Ron Bliss CHARGING for that garbage he posts? That bunch of nothing is barely above a high school blog. I hope nobody here pays for that junk.
Actually, Ron Bliss was bought out of Tricitiessports.com a few months ago.
On the tragedy at Sullivan South- this isn't an apology for the local papers, but I believe when Jake Louge passed the time was 11 p.m. The front page, was being printed at around 10:45 p.m. which is the deadline at the Johnson City Press.
Budgets ARE the reason that doesn't get on the front page. They'd have to remake the pages and that would cost thousands of dollars.
Again, not an excuse- I think the story would merit the cost. But practically, that's the explanation.
I agree on more local news on the talk shows, but Mike Keith is on once a week on the morning show. And having him on more than that to merely tout the Titans' company line might be a bit much. I wouldn't mind having on a beat writer for a second, more journalistic perspective during the week- but if it was from a Tri-Cities paper that would be Joe Avento, and you get the feeling that might be awkward as he is a former co-host of the show.
I have touted speaking of things of a local interest- such as if Roosevelt Memorial Stadium should stay or go- but I also have been listening to those guys for a long time. I remember Bill Meade in the '90s championing a move of ETSU football from Memorial Center to Roosevelt Memorial Stadium for some time and his view on Keener Fry seemed to sour when, among other things, Fry ruled such a move impractical.
Speaking up for the stadium's preservation, however, would have meant going against the wishes of SHHS AD Keith Turner and their head coach. And there is a fear among local media types that could come with reprisal. I'm living proof of this.
Again, I don't know. They may have done hours on the issue- if so- good job.
But the bottom line is it is safer to talk about how the mean ol' national media hates the Vols than it is to comment on a controversial issue such as the stadium. Blantant homerism is in, and journalism and responsibility to community is out.
And even if Meade were to argue for a new stadium for Science Hill, then there is the thought it would go against his previous views on the stadium, though I would say things have changed during the last 13-15 years and it's apples and oranges at best.
Regardless, as I said before, I don't think the demise of Roosevelt Memorial means the ETSU football revival movement has taken a hit. The stadium wasn't in shape to host a college football program in the first place- and while a revamped stadium on the site might have been- I'm not sure the way they were talking of restoring the place would have been viable, either (they were talking about keeping the press box- and the press box isn't even suitable for the media Science Hill gets, let alone a college team).
I hear your feeling of wanting a new stadium for ETSU to play in, but it's a $15 million obstacle. I think the $15 million would be much more practical to be raised if a team was already playing.
If that's playing in Memorial Center for a few years from the get go, a rotation of high school yards, or trying to make the new SHHS stadium suitable for a temporary college home, then let's do it!
Well then whoever is running the thing is a damn fool. Why would I pay for two has beens and a couple of never will be's to tell me that high school football is GREAT up there even though it was shown when Clinton High School waxed that ass for D-B it shows how weak it really is. (And yes, that's calling out any parent with a boy playing to get their rear ends in the weight room).
There was no excuse for that not being front page news, there was time enough to change the layout. From a local perspective that was a huge deal, and the follow up that I don't think ran is still a disgrace. Do the people up there even know about what the Knox West community did?
As for the Titans, and hopefully those at Citadel are reading, bring on Joe Biddle once a week, and/or Teresa Walker, Walker writes for the AP and is incredibly knowledgable. Just about every AP story you read on the Titans is her work.
Now, from a local standpoint, you can have a stance on something and still be respectful. Believe me I see it down here all the time with the Titans, Wycheck will tow the company line usually because they sign his paycheck, but the other media members around here aren't afraid to call the organization on the carpet for ill doings, a prime example is Quinton Ganther. I won't be suprised at all if the radio guys don't just crush Fisher over letting him go over Chris Henry.
I'm also not opposed to local people being on either. Every major coach in the region should be on atleast once a week from Tennessee and Southwest Va. It's all about show prep and having an actual format to things, which doesn't seem to happen anywhere up there.
Joe Avento is gone now? Wow.
(09-06-2009 09:16 PM)PittsburghBucs Wrote: [ -> ]Actually, Ron Bliss was bought out of Tricitiessports.com a few months ago.
On the tragedy at Sullivan South- this isn't an apology for the local papers, but I believe when Jake Louge passed the time was 11 p.m. The front page, was being printed at around 10:45 p.m. which is the deadline at the Johnson City Press.
Budgets ARE the reason that doesn't get on the front page. They'd have to remake the pages and that would cost thousands of dollars.
Again, not an excuse- I think the story would merit the cost. But practically, that's the explanation.
I agree on more local news on the talk shows, but Mike Keith is on once a week on the morning show. And having him on more than that to merely tout the Titans' company line might be a bit much. I wouldn't mind having on a beat writer for a second, more journalistic perspective during the week- but if it was from a Tri-Cities paper that would be Joe Avento, and you get the feeling that might be awkward as he is a former co-host of the show.
I have touted speaking of things of a local interest- such as if Roosevelt Memorial Stadium should stay or go- but I also have been listening to those guys for a long time. I remember Bill Meade in the '90s championing a move of ETSU football from Memorial Center to Roosevelt Memorial Stadium for some time and his view on Keener Fry seemed to sour when, among other things, Fry ruled such a move impractical.
Speaking up for the stadium's preservation, however, would have meant going against the wishes of SHHS AD Keith Turner and their head coach. And there is a fear among local media types that could come with reprisal. I'm living proof of this.
Again, I don't know. They may have done hours on the issue- if so- good job.
But the bottom line is it is safer to talk about how the mean ol' national media hates the Vols than it is to comment on a controversial issue such as the stadium. Blantant homerism is in, and journalism and responsibility to community is out.
And even if Meade were to argue for a new stadium for Science Hill, then there is the thought it would go against his previous views on the stadium, though I would say things have changed during the last 13-15 years and it's apples and oranges at best.
Regardless, as I said before, I don't think the demise of Roosevelt Memorial means the ETSU football revival movement has taken a hit. The stadium wasn't in shape to host a college football program in the first place- and while a revamped stadium on the site might have been- I'm not sure the way they were talking of restoring the place would have been viable, either (they were talking about keeping the press box- and the press box isn't even suitable for the media Science Hill gets, let alone a college team).
I hear your feeling of wanting a new stadium for ETSU to play in, but it's a $15 million obstacle. I think the $15 million would be much more practical to be raised if a team was already playing.
If that's playing in Memorial Center for a few years from the get go, a rotation of high school yards, or trying to make the new SHHS stadium suitable for a temporary college home, then let's do it!
Don't you get it, BucLover?
After what ETSU did to me, the local media is scared to death to address anything controversial, be it ETSU dropping football or a ballplayer's tragic death.
They could have stood up for one of their own, called for the dismissal of a new regime because of it, and remembered what I've done for them with radio guest appearances, support in columns, etc.
That's the ethical thing to do, both professionally and personally.
But instead, even Brian T. Smith at the end was sucking up to ETSU in the hopes of getting Mullins and/or Stanton to talk to him again.
No guts. No ethics.
Look- I hear you about Logue. But one of the problems is with a 10:45 deadline the baby is put to bed and the news staff that laid out the front page has probably gone home by the time the story broken at 11 p.m.
The 10:45 deadline is, of course, a result of budget.
So the only thing you have now is assuming sports has a later deadline on high school football Friday (which I don't think they do), could Kelly Hodge or Pat Kenney have called up the managing editor and told him what happened, thus asking for some staffers to come back or for himself to reset the front page? Possibly.
But did he have a photo to go with the piece? If not, that makes it tough.
Look, I agree with your statement and really the arguement. If it was all practical, they should have put Logue's death on the front page. Even if it would cost $10,000 in additional printing and overtime costs (which is probably what that would cost).
But, then again, I was once fired from the Elizabethton Star for reporting a football player lived with a guardian. Had the player's permission and everything.
What do you think would happen if they ran a picture with a dying 17-year-old collapsed on the field?
They'd fire the whole staff!
JOURNALISM IS DEAD IN THE TRI-CITIES!!!!! REPEAT- JOURNALISM IS DEAD IN THE TRI-CITIES!!!!
Can you even tell the Johnson City Press apart from the News and Neighbor anymore? I mean when the Press isn't out trying to out alleged homosexuals.
Give it a few years. A story like this will read "The Sullivan South head coach reports his senior defensive captain is out for the remainder of this, his final season, due to an undisclosed injury."
This is going off on an area it wasn't originally designed to. We need to start another thread.
So, going back on topic- what are your thoughts on Roosevelt Memorial coming down? I think it's what is best for Science Hill, doesn't impact potential ETSU football revival, but seriously question the direction downtown and Keystone are taking with the stadium's demise and wonder why that wasn't addressed.
I fail to see a reason why I should care what Science Hill does...but that's just me
I'm glad for Science Hill, it's been long overdue that they get a new stadium, but I'll forever say that it has nothing to do with ETSU and what ETSU needs to do.
As for what happened with you Pitt, that's been re-hashed over and over, let it go dude. As for the rest of the tri, it's not just an issue of being controversial, it's the whole "wing it" mentality they take. It blows.