. . . - Not completely going away, yet.
I was going to write a three part epistle on my Blue Raider fandom (1. Just how I am pulling back; 2. How I became a BR fan, things I have done, what it has meant to me; 3. The ups and downs of being a MT fan and what specifically has brought me to this place) but I have decided to make it (somewhat) short and sweet.
Being a BR fan has been a huge part of my life and has brought me much enjoyment and happiness but recently it's just not much fun. I hesitate to call being a MTsU fan my #1 hobby but other than family and career it has been in my thoughts and actions more than any other endeavor. I've dabbled in various activities throughout my adult life but following the BRs has been a constant. Now, I must pull back. It's not illness, it's not old age, it's not other activities taking it's place. What it is, to you younger folks, is realizing one gives up various things during life (some very enjoyable and some not so much) and as you give up something if frees you to focus on other things. I've come to the realization that I need to devote time and resources to other things although I have no idea what they are.
I think I would be happier if MT had never left the OVC and had Walker, Donnelly, and Fowler not had higher aspirations for the athletic program. The move in FB to D-1 gave me hope; No, not really hope but the expectation that MT would be relevant throughout the mid-state, as relevant as VU in the mid-state (especially outside of West End and Belle Meade) and as relevant in the mid-state as UT-K is from Mountain City to Lake Co. Since I first heard Dr. Walker say that the athletic program was the front porch of a university I just knew we would grow academically, alumni support would explode and the endowment would grow because of the notoriety the athletic program would bring. And, since men's BkB is my favorite sport I just knew a side effect of moving to D-1 in FB would be that we would no longer be just another %#&-major and would join Memphis and the two $EC schools as a member of the Tennessee Big 4 basketball schools.
For the first decade of being D-1 in FB we had enough successes to think it could happen, my school would be relevant and would be extensively covered in the mid-state media, fans would stream into M'boro for games, FB tailgating would be covered by local stations (had two for a few years), the teams would be talked about at the water cooler, between Sunday school and Church services, at the bar after work, and at the gas stations throughout the mid-state. I started to be apprehensive when we apparently didn't raise the measly $80 million expected from the 100th anniversary Centennial Campaign, when we failed to capitalize on the N. O. Bowl victory, when we couldn't fill the stadium for name opponents, and when men's BkB continued to flounder until Davis finally hit his stride. (As an aside: The last few years of Davis' tenure were my most enjoyable since the Bruce Stewart days but we still have failed to make a deep NCAA run which was my dream 50+/- years ago.) Among other huge disappointments were the 4 game FB series with VU, the removing of MT FB and BkB from WMOT, and the wasted "regional ready" BB stadium.
I realize many of you posters will place the blame for the athletic department's downfall in the offices in Murphy and Cope and they are not blameless for some obvious missteps. However, I tend to place more of the blame on the explosion of funding for "power" schools along with changes in the mid-state population, the media, and society as a whole; things over which the school has no control. It's a shame that to the casual mid-state fan the move to D-1 has been completely wasted and the image of the school's athletic program is similar to where it would have been should the resources used to move to D-1 in FB have never been spent. IMHO the image of the academic program along with the entire university has regressed over the last decade.
It's not the one "straw which broke the camel's back" which has caused me to realize that MTsU will never be where I hoped the school to be academically or athletically. Instead, There are four relatively recent developments which have caused me to realize my support, limited as it is, is not going to affect the future of the school in the least.
First is the most recent: The University of Tennessee - Southern was approved by the UT Board on Friday. The acquisition of Martin Methodist (which should be University of Middle Tennessee - Southern IMHO) shows the lack of political and financial clout surrounding MTsU. Another UT-K reality was from a UT-K alumni whose most recent visit in several years to the Knoxville campus was a college visit with his daughter. Of course the tour guide was from M'Boro and the father raved about the looks of the campus ("like a park compared to the time I was in school") and the new buildings (with many funded partially by alumni). (and we can't keep the drain gutters on the Murphy Ctr. wookiee steps swept during BkB season). And let's not forget as far as athletics: UT-K golf was 2nd in the $EC (division?) with a MT coach, transfers, and signees. How do you compete with a school which receives $23 million from their conference office in "Covid relief" funds?
Belmont - where to start? Even during the best of Davis' tenure Belmont and Byrd were right there tagging along (or were we tagging along with them?). And now both Belmont BkB teams have left us in the dust. Not only do they have a law school and a pharmacy school but they are adding a third Nashville medical school. Not to forget they have hosted 2 recent presidential debates. We should be glad they don't have FB (LOL). When I became a MT fan/supporter Belmont was a NAIA school whose star player made a 6 (a SIX) on their ACT and now they are going to have a medical school.
And as far as adding programs: We don't have the political power to accept a law school which was to be donated. What does this tell you about our support and the number of forces allied against our progress. Since the mid-state doesn't have a publicly supported law school and there is not one from Knoxville to Memphis I guess we'll see one soon at UT - Southern (LOL).
Lastly, the inability of the men's Basketball program to maintain even a small level of respectability after Davis left has been truly devastating to me. After Bruce Stewart left MT under the cloud of NCAA sanctions from which it took 20 years to recover I had thought it couldn't happen again but I'm not so sure and there are no sanctions this time. I can't wait another 20 years to once again enjoy MT BkB.
MTsU is what MTsU is - a regional (directional?) state supported university with a 4 letter acronym feebly trying to compete at the highest level of athletic competition, still primarily a "suitcase" college, a college for which few if any area academically ambitious students see as a "stretch" school - probably not even a "fall-back" school, a school without any professional programs, and a school which few of the area's high profile athletes even consider attending. MTsU's primary purpose is to provide mid-managers for businesses, knowledgeable employees for various trades, and public servants (teachers, nurses, law enforcement, etc.). Many students see MT as similar to the high school they were zoned to. Few come for the college "experience". It is what it is and it's not going to change any time soon, if ever.
It's a sad time for me, I've lost sleep and just a few tears over the time I've thought about this post. I must back away. No more promoting the school, no more donations, no more letting the athletic schedule rule my life, and no more checking this message board every time I sit down to the computer (a habit since the old Delphi board). I'll still follow the Blue Raiders, just not as closely. My message board activity will be limited unless I feel I have something important to add.
I could go on-and-on but I'll leave with this admonition to you few posters here: Be True to Your School - Go Blue Raiders!
I was going to write a three part epistle on my Blue Raider fandom (1. Just how I am pulling back; 2. How I became a BR fan, things I have done, what it has meant to me; 3. The ups and downs of being a MT fan and what specifically has brought me to this place) but I have decided to make it (somewhat) short and sweet.
Being a BR fan has been a huge part of my life and has brought me much enjoyment and happiness but recently it's just not much fun. I hesitate to call being a MTsU fan my #1 hobby but other than family and career it has been in my thoughts and actions more than any other endeavor. I've dabbled in various activities throughout my adult life but following the BRs has been a constant. Now, I must pull back. It's not illness, it's not old age, it's not other activities taking it's place. What it is, to you younger folks, is realizing one gives up various things during life (some very enjoyable and some not so much) and as you give up something if frees you to focus on other things. I've come to the realization that I need to devote time and resources to other things although I have no idea what they are.
I think I would be happier if MT had never left the OVC and had Walker, Donnelly, and Fowler not had higher aspirations for the athletic program. The move in FB to D-1 gave me hope; No, not really hope but the expectation that MT would be relevant throughout the mid-state, as relevant as VU in the mid-state (especially outside of West End and Belle Meade) and as relevant in the mid-state as UT-K is from Mountain City to Lake Co. Since I first heard Dr. Walker say that the athletic program was the front porch of a university I just knew we would grow academically, alumni support would explode and the endowment would grow because of the notoriety the athletic program would bring. And, since men's BkB is my favorite sport I just knew a side effect of moving to D-1 in FB would be that we would no longer be just another %#&-major and would join Memphis and the two $EC schools as a member of the Tennessee Big 4 basketball schools.
For the first decade of being D-1 in FB we had enough successes to think it could happen, my school would be relevant and would be extensively covered in the mid-state media, fans would stream into M'boro for games, FB tailgating would be covered by local stations (had two for a few years), the teams would be talked about at the water cooler, between Sunday school and Church services, at the bar after work, and at the gas stations throughout the mid-state. I started to be apprehensive when we apparently didn't raise the measly $80 million expected from the 100th anniversary Centennial Campaign, when we failed to capitalize on the N. O. Bowl victory, when we couldn't fill the stadium for name opponents, and when men's BkB continued to flounder until Davis finally hit his stride. (As an aside: The last few years of Davis' tenure were my most enjoyable since the Bruce Stewart days but we still have failed to make a deep NCAA run which was my dream 50+/- years ago.) Among other huge disappointments were the 4 game FB series with VU, the removing of MT FB and BkB from WMOT, and the wasted "regional ready" BB stadium.
I realize many of you posters will place the blame for the athletic department's downfall in the offices in Murphy and Cope and they are not blameless for some obvious missteps. However, I tend to place more of the blame on the explosion of funding for "power" schools along with changes in the mid-state population, the media, and society as a whole; things over which the school has no control. It's a shame that to the casual mid-state fan the move to D-1 has been completely wasted and the image of the school's athletic program is similar to where it would have been should the resources used to move to D-1 in FB have never been spent. IMHO the image of the academic program along with the entire university has regressed over the last decade.
It's not the one "straw which broke the camel's back" which has caused me to realize that MTsU will never be where I hoped the school to be academically or athletically. Instead, There are four relatively recent developments which have caused me to realize my support, limited as it is, is not going to affect the future of the school in the least.
First is the most recent: The University of Tennessee - Southern was approved by the UT Board on Friday. The acquisition of Martin Methodist (which should be University of Middle Tennessee - Southern IMHO) shows the lack of political and financial clout surrounding MTsU. Another UT-K reality was from a UT-K alumni whose most recent visit in several years to the Knoxville campus was a college visit with his daughter. Of course the tour guide was from M'Boro and the father raved about the looks of the campus ("like a park compared to the time I was in school") and the new buildings (with many funded partially by alumni). (and we can't keep the drain gutters on the Murphy Ctr. wookiee steps swept during BkB season). And let's not forget as far as athletics: UT-K golf was 2nd in the $EC (division?) with a MT coach, transfers, and signees. How do you compete with a school which receives $23 million from their conference office in "Covid relief" funds?
Belmont - where to start? Even during the best of Davis' tenure Belmont and Byrd were right there tagging along (or were we tagging along with them?). And now both Belmont BkB teams have left us in the dust. Not only do they have a law school and a pharmacy school but they are adding a third Nashville medical school. Not to forget they have hosted 2 recent presidential debates. We should be glad they don't have FB (LOL). When I became a MT fan/supporter Belmont was a NAIA school whose star player made a 6 (a SIX) on their ACT and now they are going to have a medical school.
And as far as adding programs: We don't have the political power to accept a law school which was to be donated. What does this tell you about our support and the number of forces allied against our progress. Since the mid-state doesn't have a publicly supported law school and there is not one from Knoxville to Memphis I guess we'll see one soon at UT - Southern (LOL).
Lastly, the inability of the men's Basketball program to maintain even a small level of respectability after Davis left has been truly devastating to me. After Bruce Stewart left MT under the cloud of NCAA sanctions from which it took 20 years to recover I had thought it couldn't happen again but I'm not so sure and there are no sanctions this time. I can't wait another 20 years to once again enjoy MT BkB.
MTsU is what MTsU is - a regional (directional?) state supported university with a 4 letter acronym feebly trying to compete at the highest level of athletic competition, still primarily a "suitcase" college, a college for which few if any area academically ambitious students see as a "stretch" school - probably not even a "fall-back" school, a school without any professional programs, and a school which few of the area's high profile athletes even consider attending. MTsU's primary purpose is to provide mid-managers for businesses, knowledgeable employees for various trades, and public servants (teachers, nurses, law enforcement, etc.). Many students see MT as similar to the high school they were zoned to. Few come for the college "experience". It is what it is and it's not going to change any time soon, if ever.
It's a sad time for me, I've lost sleep and just a few tears over the time I've thought about this post. I must back away. No more promoting the school, no more donations, no more letting the athletic schedule rule my life, and no more checking this message board every time I sit down to the computer (a habit since the old Delphi board). I'll still follow the Blue Raiders, just not as closely. My message board activity will be limited unless I feel I have something important to add.
I could go on-and-on but I'll leave with this admonition to you few posters here: Be True to Your School - Go Blue Raiders!