There was a long rant of a letter published in the Johnson City Press that was poorly written and focused on fingerpointing and essentially whining. Lots of negative reaction to it from those who actually supported football and it was a step backward. The t-shirts at basketball games have become a joke, because no one shows up, leading many to believe there isn't any support. I think there is much more support and BFFF's efforts to date are just plain old divisive and non productive.

I think if we were to seek to bring football back we have to concentrate on the future and not on the past. Bringing football back has to be better organized and a rationale for bringing it has to be established. You should be able to set it out in 100 words or less.

Once the rationale is established there should be a campaign to get the word out, but not in a way that points fingers.

Will be sending my letter out today

(01-27-2012 02:29 PM)BucNut22 Wrote:  Will be sending my letter out today

My letter was received last week. I wrote a short, positive letter stating that it is in the best interests of the University to have a marching band and a football team on campus. I think Dr. Noland knows this but I wanted to let him know that there are many fans and alumni willing to help by contributing and buying season tickets and supporting the program in any way we can. I think it will have a very good result.

'81 is there a specific address to his office directly?

(01-27-2012 04:07 PM)etsuBucsFan1988 Wrote:  '81 is there a specific address to his office directly?

This address was posted earlier this month:


Dr. Brian Noland
Office of the President
East Tennessee State University
PO Box 70734
Johnson City, TN 37614

missed it ...thanks

(01-27-2012 04:21 PM)etsuBucsFan1988 Wrote:  missed it ...thanks

Glad to do it! I think just a short note is fine. I just wanted him to know that football is very positive thing for our campus and we are willing to support him with this.

Wild- I understand what you're saying, but Steve Burleson has been known to write wacky letters into the JC Press and nobody's renouncing God because of them.

(01-27-2012 02:00 PM)buc-wild Wrote:  There was a long rant of a letter published in the Johnson City Press that was poorly written and focused on fingerpointing and essentially whining. Lots of negative reaction to it from those who actually supported football and it was a step backward. The t-shirts at basketball games have become a joke, because no one shows up, leading many to believe there isn't any support. I think there is much more support and BFFF's efforts to date are just plain old divisive and non productive.

I think if we were to seek to bring football back we have to concentrate on the future and not on the past. Bringing football back has to be better organized and a rationale for bringing it has to be established. You should be able to set it out in 100 words or less.

Once the rationale is established there should be a campaign to get the word out, but not in a way that points fingers.

I'm not sure which "rant" you are talking about. I do know there were four "ad's" that appeared in all the major publications in East Tennessee. I wasn't involved in the layout, I personally would have made them appear as more of an "article" than a large block of text. I do know the information was around the question of "Why Not?" and they addressed the reasons and questions of football.

From what I understand from talking to people outside the Foundation circle is that it gave information that they could use when people started talking about the football question.

We're past that now. It might have "hurt" the Foundation's reputation in your opinion or the other more narrow view of holding hands and singing like the Who's down in Whoville. The information was factual. The layout, less than desired. That won't happen again.


------

The Facebook group was asked to send personal letters to Dr. Noland. The contents were left up to the individual but I hope people were respectful, no reason to think otherwise. I'm sure there may be people who wanted to address some of the same issues that we've been discussing for 8 years, historical context isn't a bad thing. It's the individual's option.

I will not be coming back on this thread to have a pissing match over the "strategy." Been there, done that.

(01-28-2012 12:03 PM)ReturnOfMommaBear Wrote:  

(01-27-2012 02:00 PM)buc-wild Wrote:  There was a long rant of a letter published in the Johnson City Press that was poorly written and focused on fingerpointing and essentially whining. Lots of negative reaction to it from those who actually supported football and it was a step backward. The t-shirts at basketball games have become a joke, because no one shows up, leading many to believe there isn't any support. I think there is much more support and BFFF's efforts to date are just plain old divisive and non productive.

I think if we were to seek to bring football back we have to concentrate on the future and not on the past. Bringing football back has to be better organized and a rationale for bringing it has to be established. You should be able to set it out in 100 words or less.

Once the rationale is established there should be a campaign to get the word out, but not in a way that points fingers.

I'm not sure which "rant" you are talking about. I do know there were four "ad's" that appeared in all the major publications in East Tennessee. I wasn't involved in the layout, I personally would have made them appear as more of an "article" than a large block of text. I do know the information was around the question of "Why Not?" and they addressed the reasons and questions of football.

From what I understand from talking to people outside the Foundation circle is that it gave information that they could use when people started talking about the football question.

We're past that now. It might have "hurt" the Foundation's reputation in your opinion or the other more narrow view of holding hands and singing like the Who's down in Whoville. The information was factual. The layout, less than desired. That won't happen again.


------

The Facebook group was asked to send personal letters to Dr. Noland. The contents were left up to the individual but I hope people were respectful, no reason to think otherwise. I'm sure there may be people who wanted to address some of the same issues that we've been discussing for 8 years, historical context isn't a bad thing. It's the individual's option.

I will not be coming back on this thread to have a pissing match over the "strategy." Been there, done that.

yup...and how's that worked for you so far?

this is not a judgement on whether or not letters/emails should or should not be encouraged to be sent to the new president, but its working against you right now. the only ones being discussed are the negative ones, and thats not a good thing. railing about the administration and the calling for the firing of this person or that person is counterproductive and they are being viewed as such. as expected, they are overshadowing any positives of the campaign at ths point and are being dismissed immediatly (other than being talked about jokingly). try to keep yours positive if you want it to get any traction.

And how do you know this, Slappy?

Stop bending the shaft, Slappy. Stop bending the shaft.

(01-30-2012 11:34 AM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  And how do you know this, Slappy?

Stop bending the shaft, Slappy. Stop bending the shaft.

magic 8 ball...how else?

Stop bending the shaft, Slappy. Stop bending the shaft.

=

stop pointing out my mistakes, slappy. stop pointing out my mistakes...

Dishonesty, both in the first and last sentence.

Yes, I think we will follow you.

(01-30-2012 12:05 PM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  Dishonesty, both in the first and last sentence.

Yes, I think we will follow you.

im not advocating following anybody. im just giving a suggestion. those who pen the letters/emails may take the approach they wish. great how that works isnt it...

Okay. So if everyone just sits on their hands and let's Brian Noland do his job with no feedback, then utopia will follow?

Anyone else see the flaws with that one?

(01-30-2012 12:29 PM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  Okay. So if everyone just sits on their hands and let's Brian Noland do his job with no feedback, then utopia will follow?

Anyone else see the flaws with that one?

i dont think i suggested that at all...

(01-30-2012 12:29 PM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  Okay. So if everyone just sits on their hands and let's Brian Noland do his job with no feedback, then utopia will follow?

Anyone else see the flaws with that one?

I think people should write about what they see as opportunities and give some ideas as to how ETSU should go in the future. The BFFF crowd really do alienate a lot of the community with whining and arguing that we should not have cut football for some sinister reason. Maybe they are right, maybe they are wrong, but that was ten years ago. Time to get future oriented. Is football worth having? Is it worth a major commitment of time, energy and money? Should ETSU and the community make the sacrifices necessary to establish a high quality team? Nothing is made better by this never ending autopsy of ten year old decision.

(01-30-2012 01:06 PM)buc-wild Wrote:  

(01-30-2012 12:29 PM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  Okay. So if everyone just sits on their hands and let's Brian Noland do his job with no feedback, then utopia will follow?

Anyone else see the flaws with that one?

I think people should write about what they see as opportunities and give some ideas as to how ETSU should go in the future. The BFFF crowd really do alienate a lot of the community with whining and arguing that we should not have cut football for some sinister reason. Maybe they are right, maybe they are wrong, but that was ten years ago. Time to get future oriented. Is football worth having? Is it worth a major commitment of time, energy and money? Should ETSU and the community make the sacrifices necessary to establish a high quality team? Nothing is made better by this never ending autopsy of ten year old decision.

I'd like for you to give me one example of someone you've met- not a plant here on the board like Slappy but someone you've met- that says the BFFF alienate the community with whining and arguing.

Because that has never been the strategy of Jerry Robertson and/or CM Boggs and I want to know who thinks it is the strategy of the organization.

(01-30-2012 01:12 PM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  

(01-30-2012 01:06 PM)buc-wild Wrote:  

(01-30-2012 12:29 PM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  Okay. So if everyone just sits on their hands and let's Brian Noland do his job with no feedback, then utopia will follow?

Anyone else see the flaws with that one?

I think people should write about what they see as opportunities and give some ideas as to how ETSU should go in the future. The BFFF crowd really do alienate a lot of the community with whining and arguing that we should not have cut football for some sinister reason. Maybe they are right, maybe they are wrong, but that was ten years ago. Time to get future oriented. Is football worth having? Is it worth a major commitment of time, energy and money? Should ETSU and the community make the sacrifices necessary to establish a high quality team? Nothing is made better by this never ending autopsy of ten year old decision.

I'd like for you to give me one example of someone you've met- not a plant here on the board like Slappy but someone you've met- that says the BFFF alienate the community with whining and arguing.

Because that has never been the strategy of Jerry Robertson and/or CM Boggs and I want to know who thinks it is the strategy of the organization.

I sit at home games with a number of long time basketball season ticket holder fans who are not employed by the university. They have made a point of pointing out the few folks who wear the football t-shirts and point out how pathetic it is that only four or five do this, and assert that "it is time to move on". I like Robertson and Boggs, but BFFF has really polarized itself into a small group that is perceived as bitter and ineffectual. Negative emails just support this impression.