The model for success without football has not worked at ETSU. I admit that without qualms.

It has worked for the Atlantic 10, the Horizon league, and the Missouri Valley, West Coast Conference, Belmont in the OVC.

It is my hope that new administration will bring us that level of success. Clearly Coach Bartow and AD Mullins were not up to the task. But if they choose to bring back football to help in the process I am fine with that.

This is my problem with the board.

This thread started with the premise of if we don't have football and we end up in D2 should we consider dropping sports all together.

It has dissolved into vindictive attacks by Gold because he thinks I should want ETSU football no matter what.

I was trying to start a hypothetical and you hijacked it into weird accusations on tennis and who you think I am.

You're very sly. Very sly.

Vindictive attacks on this board?

No! Say it ain't so!

WELCOME TO THE CLUB, 31!!!!

HOW DOES IT FEEL?

This ridiculous thread can be deleted along with your small minded ideas of dropping to D2

(01-29-2013 11:30 AM)KingsportBucsFan31 Wrote:  Is it time for ETSU to drop all athletics?

This may be the most ridiculous thread in a while. Not because of the he said/he said/he posted 'discussion', but because of the premise/original question. Even Pitt**** got it right in post #7 - ETSU simply ain't droppin' sports. Ain't a possibility. No use in discussing it. It's a moot point.

That being said, an ETSU tennis match, especially the men, is quite an exciting event, if we are playing a good opponent. The conference championship matches held here in recent years have been absolutely riveting, both men's and women's. Both 2 and 3 years ago, they were quite special. And well attended. As well attended as a basketball or football game? Of course not, but better than almost all baseball games. Maybe better than *all* baseball games. I posted back at those times how many people were there. Those matches were the equal of, say, an average ASun basketball game - maybe a bit better - in terms of enjoyment and excitement. If you know the sport, of course.

And since there are several new posters on the board recently, let me remind you all that tennis for the most part over the years has essentially funded itself, not counting Zaatini's salary and other relatively small things. It has taken very little from what football took up. Dropping football *did* take a little of the pressure off Yaser for his intensive (and successful) fundraising. Further, as I've noted many times, much of the outside contributions to the tennis program is money that would not otherwise be given to the university AT ALL. That's just the way it is. Just like the golf center (except many more donors, with no gigantic single gifts like Green gave).

Please don't get me wrong - I'm not saying tennis (or track, or futbol, or whatever) is more "valuable" than football or basketball. For the overall image of the university, it's not. But it's not fair to bash tennis (which is not the same as bashing a poster for waffling on whether he actually watched a match); it didn't cause, or in any way contribute to, the funding issues with football. That's stanton's, paty's, and the Pirate Club's fault.

Too bad the new tennis courts are so far out. I dare say that will draw down attendance for the matches.

(01-30-2013 02:30 AM)posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Wrote:  But it's not fair to bash tennis (which is not the same as bashing a poster for waffling on whether he actually watched a match); it didn't cause, or in any way contribute to, the funding issues with football. That's stanton's, paty's, and the Pirate Club's fault.

No one was bashing Tennis (the sport) per se. However the Stanton/Mullins legacy did draw a line between, as you previously stated, our heritage and the celebration and over emphasis on the country club sports. The poster in question had come out in favor of this Mullins model time and time again. He opposed football. Then, to you use your terminology, he waffled as to whether he went to tennis matches. If you want to go to tennis matches then by all means go. When you come out in support of the Mullins model over football then you have intiiated a fight.

I was not implying you (or anyone) was bashing tennis, per se, in this thread. But it has definitely been happening in other threads, and I think it's because of the lack of knowledge of some of the younger (or at least newer) posters. And I think you know I'm not defending the Kingsport Bucs poster.
The post was not directed at you, I just put it in this thread because tennis was a major part of the discussion. I've been biting my tongue in the other threads. And now is not the time, to nit-pic, anyway...... Things will begin to fall into place, as Noland has said, in their "proper balance".

(01-30-2013 02:47 AM)posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Wrote:  Things will begin to fall into place, as Noland has said, in their "proper balance".

Has anyone noticed the basketball goal Noland had put up at Shellbridge in the lower parking lot?
As if we needed any more evidence.......he gets it. I just think that's great symbolism - a manifestation that there most certainly is a place for sports at regional universities.

When ETSU was at the lowest of lows...I would have thought we had a better chance of dropping athletics than being where we are now. Glad I was wrong. Amazing what good leadership can do.

Goodness what a time. Glad its over.