Dear Herd Supporters,

I am writing to you today to thank those of you who have stepped up to support our athletics program in the past and for the present through the Big Green, and in the future through the all-important Vision Campaign.

Thank you, at least you communicate with us... That's a big improvement from the last ten years.

I also want to say that while the Thundering Herd’s 5-7 finish this football season may not have been quite what we expected,

No, No, That's what pretty close to what some of us DID expect (and predicted)... and Doc didn't let us down...

there were a lot of positives in Coach Holliday’s team, and the youth on the roster delivers plenty of hope for the future.

Yes Sir, That defense was ranked very high... like 117?

Those of you who came to Edwards Stadium this season grasp that.

For those limited amount of you... Like the one's who actually attended.. not the ones who were sent to the media as attendance figures....

Those of you who came should be congratulated, too. The Herd ranked near the top in football home attendance in Conference USA this season.

See above comment...

However, we can do better at the gate and we will do better at the gate.

We can't do much worse...

The recent membership moves in Conference USA – expanding with Middle Tennessee and FAU -- do not deter us in any fashion,

Except for programs with smaller budgets and stadiums...and a smaller television budget... other than that, we're good.

or affect what we are doing here. In fact,

Which isn't much...

C-USA in the last year has become more regionally “friendly” to Marshall

MAC south...

with some of those changes, and we look forward to new challenges.

We have a bunch of 1-AA programs coming in which means the football coach has a marginal shot at a winning record... Give more money...


You should also know that our momentum will not wane. We are moving forward, and we need you to get on board … now.

Give more money despite a lousy football coach...

The state of the program is solid, and despite the fact we did not reach our goal of a bowl game,

We're in the worst FBS conference... SOLID...

we’re going to stay the course because we know it is the right one. And as you are aware, we have already begun to make needed changes in football.

We can't afford to fire my Buddy, Doc... Suck it up... Give more money...

We had one of the nation’s top offenses,

And an equally awful defense... Give more money...


one that was consistently productive.


And a defense that was consistently unproductive...

Coach Holliday and his staff are out recruiting, too.

That's about all he can do... Coaching ain't his forte'... Give more money...

We look forward to 2013 with a whole lot more than the nation’s top passing quarterback returning. We have six home games and we were competitive this season with a team that had only eight seniors.

This or next?

Construction on the new soccer stadium is about to begin. The project to add eight new suites on the Edwards Stadium sky deck will start soon. The final designs on the indoor facility will be on my desk any day now. You will be amazed at the state-of-the-art facilities our student-athletes, coaches and supporters will have at your university!

I'm happy about that... what about the baseball stadium...

We are going to get where we want to go because the train is moving forward, and we need you to get on board. Our co-chairs of the Vision Campaign – Mike D’Antoni and Chad Pennington – are helping me greatly as we drive toward our goal. As an aside, how many schools have an NBA head coach and 11-year former NFL quarterback actively involved in raising needed dollars for their university?

God bless them... They have a big job ahead of them...

The answer is, one. Your school. My school. Its quality people like Chad and Mike who have achieved so much at the highest level in athletics that make Marshall a special place.

The Vision Campaign is doing well, but we’re still not where we need to be. I have said this before, and I’ll say it again: we have the poorest facilities in Conference USA. In the ‘90s, our school won, won and won,

So why can't we win, win, win now?

but never built the infrastructure we need to compete today. We’re still playing catch-up and you can help us catch up.

Well.... won, won, won....

As of today, Vision contributions and commitments have eclipsed $10 million. That amount does not include a $5 million gift from longtime and loyal Marshall benefactor, Chris Cline, to the “Bucks for Brains” program administered through the West Virginia Research Trust Fund (and directed by us to the Sports Medicine Translational Research Center).

While I’m very encouraged that we have surpassed the $10 million plateau, these dollars are from only 240 very generous donors to date … and we have 3,200 Big Green members. We are out asking for contributions every day. It’s a huge effort, but when our new facilities are a reality – and they will be – then you’ll see how the effort has been really worth it.

I know it’s easy to support things when things are going well. When things get tough, it isn’t so easy.

It's not easy to support this football coach... unless you like losing records...

During his postgame press conference two Saturday’s ago after a very impressive win over a very good Nevada squad , Coach Tom Herrion was asked by the media about bouncing back from a two-game losing streak and serious injuries suffered by two of his players in a practice. What he said fits how I want Herd supporters to look at our program:

“When there’s adversity, it’s one or the other: you rally or you run.”

I know how our coaches and student-athletes would handle that option. I think I know what Herd supporters would choose, too, because if you’re standing still in athletics, you’re losing ground.

We’re moving forward. We need you to move with us.

Thanks, and LET’S GO HERD!!

Mike Hamrick

Director of Athletics

Thank you...