I mentioned in another thread that Mike White would like to be the next AD.

But if they hire someone else, then what happens to Mike? I mean, there will be no room for advancement for him here then but he is established. SID used to be a revolving door and that was one reason why ETSU couldn't get the pub they needed. Now they have a stable SID but less media attention than before with only one newspaper providing regular coverage.

Would the new broom sweep clean under the idea that he's not getting enough pub for the school and there are a number of media types in Johnson City that really don't care for the guy and that's one of the reasons there's been some cutbacks in coverage from the local media?

Or would the philosophy be that it would be coldhearted to fire the guy, he's been a good soldier, and that a new hire that has just graduated from college and is coming in from out of town won't have the media ties needed to really branch out the name "ETSU" and so you're better off with White?

My guess is the latter.

Still, let's ask ourselves- what role does Mike White have in the demise of newspaper coverage to ETSU? He's had feuds with at least two members of the media I know of and frankly I feel a lot of local media- the ones not cut from the Tom Taylor/Kenny Hawkins mold- may feel he's condescending to them.

I understand part of the reason ETSU doesn't get the coverage they used to- which wasn't exhaustive to begin with- is because of media budgets. There is no more WKPT-TV sports department. The Times-News and Press are owned by the same people and so they just run Joe Avento or Kelly Hodge's story in the Times-News. The Greeneville Sun and Elizabethton Star have to be looking at cutting budgets all the time and certainly have a responsibility because of their location to cover Tusculum and Milligan first and then what is going on in Johnson City and/or Knoxville.

But the Sun and Star used to staff ETSU games regularly. So did the Bristol Herald-Courier. In their case, how much of their decision to reduce ETSU coverage is because of budgets and a need to cover King and Virginia Intermont first and how much of it is that Mike White leaving that paper to be the SID at ETSU and the investigative series they did a few years back has created a divide?

And how much of this lack of coverage simply the way ETSU has treated the media under David Mullins, which is with condescention at best and martyrdom at worst?

I'm betting a lot. As I mentioned a few weeks back, even Kelly Hodge isn't doing columns during the season anymore. Maybe he's gotten lazy, but I would bet instead he just doesn't want to have to hear about it from ETSU anymore.

Anyway, part of the demise of ETSU coverage is because of the way they treat the media. And the front man for their message is White.

I don't know how much you can blame him. He's a puppet for sure, which is why I think it's unlikely he'll be the new AD.

Still, he did do some things initially that saved face for ETSU. For instance, when ETSU was looking for a new basketball coach in 2003 it was White who made sure the candidates were available to be interviewed by the media. Mullins didn't realize he should do that. I'll go on record as saying I think Mike White would have been a better AD than Mullins, but who wouldn't?

Bottom line question I'm asking- we obviously all want new athletic direction. Is the dismissal of Mike White part of that new athletic direction, simply because on his watch bridges have been burnt?

Even if his contribution to this is minimal (though to be honest, if you're the BHC, do you want to deal every day with the SID who once dumped you and left you without a sports editor for eight months?), he's still that face and the guy who told us Ed DeChellis hadn't interviewed at Penn State when he did.

Shooting the messenger? Perhaps, but how effective of a messenger can he be henceforth? That's all I'm asking.

If there's a Wiki entry for butt hurt, sour grapes or out right shiny bald head envy, please include this messageboard post.
I wasn't going to enter into this pissing match, and this will be the only post I make about it but here goes.
Mike and I don't see eye to eye on every single thing in the world, but I can tell you that without him (and a few select students) there's a ton of things technology wise that ETSU wouldn't have at the level they are today.
1. Inside BucSports. Mike, along with Jay were the ones who really got the ball rolling on that, though some guy named Fatty came up with the news magazine style format. But ultimately, Mike was the point man on that, especially while Jay was off serving his country.
2. Live stats/web streams. NONE of that existed before Mike, he's the one who got it in the budget, got those projects off the ground and done at ETSU.
3. Radio coaches show. Whether it was the old days at The Sophisticated Otter, Firehouse or wherever, this programming didn't exist. The BSN provided football and basketball broadcasts, that was it.
4. Video Streaming - ETSU's website now has video streams of things on the site, as well as live feeds through asun.tv. And I think everyone here can agree that ours blisters everyone else's in the A-Sun.
We like to place alot of blame on different things for the people in charge. Personally, I love to take a shot at Mike's bosses every chance I get, but under his watch, ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS has grown.
As for the Bristol paper, Joe Sacco couldn't give a rip about ETSU. He doesn't know anything about the Bucs and as print media continues to die, the coverage from Greeneville, Elizabethton, and the Bristol papers will too. Also, you've got that d@chenozzle at WCYB "sports" that can't pronounce names properly, botches common lingo in football/Nascar, and again is most likely too lazy to go out there anyway.
When Mike took the ETSU job he did what anyone of us would do, he took a job that paid better, had better benefits and had a ton more job security.
I don't know that he'll go after the A.D.'s job, and if he did I don't know how well he would do in the role, he's never been an A.D. but I do know that he's done the best job he could possibly do at ETSU under the set of circumstances he's had to deal with.
And if anyone of you that wouldn't do what was necessary to keep your job, your home and raise your family even IF you disagreed with the bosses decisions, you're either lying or probably have been fired multiple times from various jobs.

pitt...you are reaching, and looking bad doing it.

"shiny bald head envy" is a pretty good line.

(05-04-2012 11:29 AM)slappywhite Wrote:  pitt...you are reaching, and looking bad doing it.

"shiny bald head envy" is a pretty good line.

If you ever saw the old coaches shows when Mike hosted them, the lighting was so harsh on his head the show people had to adjust for it washing him out.

Let's get something straight. This post isn't motivated by any antimosity, personal agenda, or anything else. It is not a personal attack.

It is to shed insight into the ETSU athletic dept. and motivate board activity during a slow period.

I suppose you missed this little line in the above post- "it would be coldhearted to fire the guy, he's been a good soldier, and that a new hire that has just graduated from college and is coming in from out of town won't have the media ties needed to really branch out the name "ETSU" and so you're better off with White?"

So the only person looking bad is the overweight poster who tends to speak in a language all his own. I will point out the inaccuracies in his above post as soon as I can, but not from a Smartphone.

Lover, Lover, Lover-

A few things I saw in your post that were inaccurate.

You say Mike took the job for more money. I can tell you the salary advertised for the position when it was available was approximately $31,000. I know one BHC writer was in disbelief when Mike was interested in the job because it would be a pay CUT for him.

Now, could Mike be motivated by doing public relations rather than actual journalism? I can't speak for the man's interests or motivations to make such a move.

Could he have believed there was more room for advancement as the SID at ETSU than the sports editor at the BHC? My guess is yes, and that might be why he took an initial pay cut.

I have no idea what Mike is making right now. I suppose I could go online and look it up but to be honest, I kinda feel that's his business. But the move to ETSU for Mike was not motivated by money, at least not initially.

B- Radio coaches show. The shows DID exist before Mike. I remember Mike Cavan giving me two tickets to ETSU-Auburn PERSONALLY at the Holiday Inn when Chip Kessler did the show in 1994. I can remember Frank James hosting the Debbie Richardson Show from Olive Garden on WJTZ in 1992!

So what you're saying isn't accurate. In fact, you're really not doing Mike any favors here. It was revenue from the radio show and the pay Chip Kessler received (or rather did not receive) that led to Chip leaving the broadcasts. That led to Chuck Jones, and Chuck Jones was so dreadful on the broadcasts, prefacing every sentence with "Football Fans!" and the like, that I feel he contributed to the demise of the football program. Why wasn't that guy replaced for Game 2?

If Mike oversaw the coaches show fiasco, then Mike contributed to the demise of the football program.

C- I can't speak of his involvement in the development of any web sites or anything like that. More power to him if he did do what you say.

What I remember from the guy is he couldn't type in the stories at Sports Talk without making copy errors.

Alot of the stuff you are crediting White with bringing to ETSU didn't exist before White took over at ETSU. Yes new technology evolved and he took advantage of it but, really, wouldn't anyone? White hasn't been allowed to think for himself in 10 years. you really think he can now?
Besides, an SID as the new AD? really is that all ETSU thinks they can get? first a tennis coach next the SID, way to think big.
No I don't blame him for doing anything and everything to keep his job, I have even said that many times. But he pisses me off coming on here spouting the company line bullet point by bullet point the whole time loudly proclaiming, I am my own man!! I say what I believe, not what I am told to. Which isn't his job, his job IS to say
what he is told to and spin it to shed ETSU in the best possible light. But if he does honestly believe the stuff he says I sure as hell don't want him as the next AD.

I have to say that I always have a problem with the "I'm only following orders" excuse.

If your employer asks me to do something and you don't want to do it, then eventually if you have any character, backbone, or integrity whatsoever you will have to stop doing it.

You'll find another job, or you'll stand up to the person giving you the order, or you'll do SOMETHING!

Even if you wanted to move up in the organization, you don't do it. Yes men don't make leaders.

Here's what I know, the department grew under his watch to G.A's, four FTE's, undergrad assistants, a network that educated a crapload of students and provided an incredible service to ETSU that bottom line fellas wasn't there. I know, I LIVED IT BOYS! I was there when it was Mike, Don and about four of us students who busted our butts to lay a foundation that everyone is happy with. Live stats have been around for sometime if I'm not mistaken.
Give the guy some credit for doing his job, and yes Pitt, anytime you even bring up Mike White it's nothing more than good old fashioned butthurt.

Could somebody please define butthurt?

I've lived it to. And the question I am asking is if, biases of loyalty aside, if a new broom is coming (is it?), and it's going to sweep clean, should ETSU be less concerned with who brought "live stats" into their midst and more towards who can get them publicity?

(05-04-2012 05:19 PM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  Let's get something straight. This post isn't motivated by any antimosity, personal agenda, or anything else. It is not a personal attack.

22- I'm sorry. Nothing personal here. And frankly I resent the idea you think it is.

Why do you think it would be personal? I'm just curious?

It is frankly disturbing and telling of the ETSU fan base that you'd rather take shots at me than consider and discuss ideas to get your team more publicity.

(05-05-2012 12:16 PM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  22- I'm sorry. Nothing personal here. And frankly I resent the idea you think it is.

Why do you think it would be personal? I'm just curious?

It is frankly disturbing and telling of the ETSU fan base that you'd rather take shots at me than consider and discuss ideas to get your team more publicity.

You are right we don't appreciate you, you should just wash your hands of us and take your ball and go home. Show us, never post here again, I am sure we will be sorry but we don't deserve you so punish us by going away, forever. I agree with 22 though every friggin thing you post is motivated by personal agendas. Resent it all
you want.

That's why you're stupid, Rod.

Can't wait to see you agree with a post I made, like on here with your comments on White, and then turn it into a personal spin against me because you resent the fact I've lived all over and know just how bass ackwards east Tennessee is and am not afraid to post it.

Shows your character. Why don't you take your ball and your crocodile christianity and go home?

You add NOTHING to this board, except maybe the opinion that Buzz Peterson should have been hired instead of Ed DeChellis(!).

(05-05-2012 01:20 PM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  That's why you're stupid, Rod.

Can't wait to see you agree with a post I made, like on here with your comments on White, and then turn it into a personal spin against me because you resent the fact I've lived all over and know just how bass ackwards east Tennessee is and am not afraid to post it.

Shows your character. Why don't you take your ball and your crocodile christianity and go home?

You add NOTHING to this board, except maybe the opinion that Buzz Peterson should have been hired instead of Ed DeChellis(!).

There you go again, flat out lying, I never said Buzz should have been hired, period, never said that. What I did say was that based on thier success at Appy St and Chattanoga that either Peterson or Lebo would have had the same amount of success had they been hired at ETSU. All 3 were successful mid major coaches. All 3 flopped when they tried to move up. I did say that Lebo or Peterson would have made more sense since both had ties to ETSU and our traditional recruiting base. I never understood why Fry said he hired DeChellis because he didn't have ties and could broaden ETSU recruiting but hired Paul Hamilton because of all his ties to ETSU.
You always get mad because I said DeChellis wasn't a good coach when he came here, he wasn't, however as I have also said he became a pretty good coach while here.
(this is where Marky will tell you that DeChellis only had 1 scholarship player eligible when he got here and how someone in Titus Shelton's family told him that Titus was mad because DeChellis told him he had to go to class).

crocodile christianity? WTF does that mean? I have never posted anything religous or anything that might reflect my views on this board, none of your business or anybody elses and I don't want to hear them from you either on a sports messageboard anymore then I want to see thedoctor post his political views on here. Not interested.

I am not afraid to post I don't like White, don't know him personally, never met him, have no desire to ever meet him but based on what he has posted here I have no use for him. Don't like you either, not afaid to post that. I pretty much let people know where I stand and I sign my name to each and every post I make.

Oh my God, Rod. For YEARS you railed against DeChellis. You said you would have hired Peterson instead, and if winning the NIT and going to the NCAAs at Penn State, not the easiest place for a basketball coach, is a flop in your mind, I think my point is proven.

And frankly, as someone who had insight to DeChellis in that first year, you're out and out wrong. The guy did a great job that year- yes- even with a 7-20 record. I know you want to dismiss the one eligible player thing- it doesn't fit your arguement after all- but hey. Guess anyone could have beaten both first place teams in the conference with the bums he inherited.

Crocodile Christian? Only an east Tennessean couldn't figure that one out, someone who would brag on signing his own name to the only other poster on this board who doesn't post under a cloak of anonymity.

OHHHHHHHHHHH CUSSING OUT MIKE WHITE IN THE PARKING LOT!!!!!! OHHHHHHHHHHH SOFTBALL WITH KELLY HODGE!!!!!!! OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH DR NOLAND'S JUMPSHOT!!!! OHHHHHHHHHHHH DECHELLIS!!!!! OHHHHHHHHHHHHH JIMMY PASTOS!!!!!!!!!!!!! OHHHHHHHHHHHH MULLINS!!!!!! OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THE PITT PANTHERS WON THE CBI!!!!!!! OHHHHHHHHHH THE CITY OF CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!! OHHHHHHHHHHH HOW ABOUT THAT TIME THE STEELERS GOT TEBOWED!!!!!!!! OHHHHHHHHHH THAT WAS FUNNY!!!!!! OHHHHHHH TIM SMITH!!!!!! OHHHHHHHHH SAM OATMAN!!!!!!! OHHHHHHHHHH ROD SHAW!!!!!! OHHHHHHHHHHH ORGASM!!!!!!

DeChellis 114-138 overall, 41-95 in conference with only 2 winning seasons in 8 years (never had a winning record in conference) at Penn St sounds like a flop to me. Plus add the fact he took a paycut to go Navy because he knew he wouldn't make it another year at Penn St without getting fired. Hey I don't blame him he took a shot, didn't make it and found a great landing spot at Navy. Good Job Ed. Thanks for what you did, but you have nothing to do with ETSU now.

Oh yeah. Peterson won the NIT at Tulsa, you think that was easier then Penn St? lol

Rod,

114-138 at Penn State is GREAT! He was a success there! You're scewing up the great works of the Buccaneer Nation Messageboard. How do you put that on a resume, I wonder....
(I'm incredibly bored in what I'm doing today, btw)

If you really think Buzz Peterson could have done what Ed DeChellis did here, you're sadly mistaken and a homer.

That's all.