The reason all of us are so frustrated

[MidTennMtneer]

From McPhee. "More than half of Metro Nashville graduates attend MTSU."

And we can't turn that in to more than a few thousand at a conference football championship game? As many have said here, there are major issues with our administration that they cannot turn all this academic success into supporters of the university. It's a shame really. And I have little faith anything will ever be done to help give them pride in that educational institution.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/op...29Za6fTPGgdJBWujf21t88Vlw2BW_1F4LdnqdyV7f8-_U

 

[Blueraider_Mike]

McPhee needs to channel his best "JFK" and ask our graduates to consider what they can do for the MT and not just for themselves while they were UTK gear.

 

[SpaceRaider]

The problem starts with McPhee. He really needs to go.

 

[SigmaNuBlue]

Also, in the past let's be honest, the gameday experience has been lacking at best. The game itself isn't enough anymore. And that is not just at MT. That being said, the Beer Garden and the new area for kids is a really good start. And once mobile sports betting is up and rolling, they need to make sure the Wi-Fi signal is strong enough. Have plenty of TV's in the concourse, with scores and odds scrolling. It's coming. That is what people want. Might as well capitalize on it. Or, they can keep their heads in the sand and cater to the same 4-5k blue haired crowd. We will see.

 

[sWiley]

Do something creative. Let students skip class if they go to the football game and stay until at least half time. Some of them might like it and continue to come back. I was sold after being in the stadium for 5 minutes.

Don't most students take that University Studies or university 101 class or whatever it's called their freshman year? Make one of the requirements for that class to attend a football game and stay until at least half time. Hell, hold your class IN the stadium DURING the game. If I was a teacher, I would have my class meet at the game and at a certain section of the stadium. Stay for 2 quarters and you get 100% on the assignment or whatever.

We have 20,000+ students on campus. Let's get creative and get them to the games.....

 

[MidTennMtneer]

I've said before to use students in more ways than one. Just like you said Wiley. Make athletics which helps create pride part of the lessons. Create a marketing class for athletics, use the Mass Comm department more, etc.

We shouldn't have to even do the whole Raider Traitor thing. I've said before, I grew up a WVU fan. Still go to games. But if MT and WVU ever played, I'd pull for the 'eers to get whipped. The pride in my accomplishments of my degree on my wall mean more than how I was raised and where I even still live.

I bet half the students would pull for UT if we played them. I can't believe the administration doesn't create public forums on this. And yes, the beer garden is a step in the right direction, as are a few other things.

 

[FranklinRaider315]

I took an admonishing on Facebook from a fellow MTSU Grad because I poked fun at the UTK loss to Ga State. When I asked him why he was so offended as a MTSU Grad, he replied with this.....

“graduated there. Gave them my money. My heart is in Knoxville!

 

[MTTim]

I took an admonishing on Facebook from a fellow MTSU Grad because I poked fun at the UTK loss to Ga State. When I asked him why he was so offended as a MTSU Grad, he replied with this.....

“graduated there. Gave them my money. My heart is in Knoxville!

His heart may be in Knoxville but his head is up his ass.

 

[FranklinRaider315]

His heart may be in Knoxville but his head is up his ass.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

I took an admonishing on Facebook from a fellow MTSU Grad because I poked fun at the UTK loss to Ga State. When I asked him why he was so offended as a MTSU Grad, he replied with this.....

“graduated there. Gave them my money. My heart is in Knoxville!

That makes NO sense to me at all. Guess I'm old fashioned. I drive a Ram. I gave them my money. They have been good to me. No problems. I'd go buy another one if I wrecked this one tomorrow. I gave MT my money. They were good to me, so I support them. Not the same thing, but still. There's no loyalty with people anymore.

The administration has to start with students day one on campus. Period.

 

[MTFNBY5]

To respond to two of MidTennMtneer's comments:

"use the Mass Comm department more" In yesterday's Tennessean's sports page was an article on Belmont (who doesn't have a FB team if memory serves) developing sideline reporters in their journalism dept. MT's balleyhooed Mass Comm dept. apparently goes to great lengths to distance itself from athletics as evidenced by no sports broadcasting as far as I know on 89.5. If any MT grads become sports writers or on-air personalities it is by accident when, IMHO, developing presence in athletics' writing and broadcasting should be one of many priorities.

As for driving a Ram I grew up a MoPar fan. Using a NASCAR analogy: You don't drive a Chevy and pull for Fords on race day. I quit following racing closely when Dodge pulled out. I quit pulling for the team on West End (I grew up a fan) when I went to my first MT game. You are correct in that loyalty to your school is no longer in vogue.

 

[MTLynn]

To respond to two of MidTennMtneer's comments:

"use the Mass Comm department more" In yesterday's Tennessean's sports page was an article on Belmont (who doesn't have a FB team if memory serves) developing sideline reporters in their journalism dept. MT's balleyhooed Mass Comm dept. apparently goes to great lengths to distance itself from athletics as evidenced by no sports broadcasting as far as I know on 89.5. If any MT grads become sports writers or on-air personalities it is by accident when, IMHO, developing presence in athletics' writing and broadcasting should be one of many priorities.

As for driving a Ram I grew up a MoPar fan. Using a NASCAR analogy: You don't drive a Chevy and pull for Fords on race day. I quit following racing closely when Dodge pulled out. I quit pulling for the team on West End (I grew up a fan) when I went to my first MT game. You are correct in that loyalty to your school is no longer in vogue.

MOST people are bandwagon types. They're "fans" of whatever is hot today.

 

[MTCasey]

Do something creative. Let students skip class if they go to the football game and stay until at least half time. Some of them might like it and continue to come back. I was sold after being in the stadium for 5 minutes.

Don't most students take that University Studies or university 101 class or whatever it's called their freshman year? Make one of the requirements for that class to attend a football game and stay until at least half time. Hell, hold your class IN the stadium DURING the game. If I was a teacher, I would have my class meet at the game and at a certain section of the stadium. Stay for 2 quarters and you get 100% on the assignment or whatever.

We have 20,000+ students on campus. Let's get creative and get them to the games.....

I teach a section of UNIV 1010. I always ask who watched the road games (had four raise their hand today!), and promote the heck out of the home games. Alumni does the Future Alumni Tailgate at every opener; free food for students and it's also a Connection Point event (freshmen are encouraged/required to attend so many CP events during the first semester). Had several tell me I would see them on Saturday. I think the idea of holding class at a game is cool, though I don't know how it would work logistically.

 

[FranklinRaider315]

I’ll be there Saturday. I’d much rather drive 40 min to the Boro and watch MT play TSU vs. driving 6 hours round trip to Memphis and watch them play Southern Univ. And I have Duke tickets as well.

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

Reward system for students that attend the games. Give them a crisp Benjamin if they make it to all 5 games at home.

If they miss at least one, they don't earn the Benjamin.

It would cause conversation and I think would work.

At some point in my life, I went through the gates at Floyd and I bought in. Gotta get them in the gates to build a relationship while they are a student. So what we aren't a P5. Don't sell that we are.

Sell what we got but first you HAVE TO GET THEM IN.

 

[C-Bow]

Reward system for students that attend the games. Give them a crisp Benjamin if they make it to all 5 games at home.

If they miss at least one, they don't earn the Benjamin.

It would cause conversation and I think would work.

At some point in my life, I went through the gates at Floyd and I bought in. Gotta get them in the gates to build a relationship while they are a student. So what we aren't a P5. Don't sell that we are.

Sell what we got but first you HAVE TO GET THEM IN.

I like this idea. I’ll take it a step further. Are you 21+? How about free beer for students (with ID of course). Treat em no different than the wristband wearing paying customer. Cut em off after 3.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

To respond to two of MidTennMtneer's comments:

"use the Mass Comm department more" In yesterday's Tennessean's sports page was an article on Belmont (who doesn't have a FB team if memory serves) developing sideline reporters in their journalism dept. MT's balleyhooed Mass Comm dept. apparently goes to great lengths to distance itself from athletics as evidenced by no sports broadcasting as far as I know on 89.5. If any MT grads become sports writers or on-air personalities it is by accident when, IMHO, developing presence in athletics' writing and broadcasting should be one of many priorities.

The production truck is still around isn't it? All digital now I think? When I was there 98-02 we used the truck for many football games. That is a big part of what got me in to it. Knowing I was part of something, of broadcasting something even that was only going to be shown on the city public channel. I'd watch it later and see mistakes that I myself made and it made me pay more attention overall to the game itself. Got me hooked, especially after graduating and seeing games online that were done by students then. I watched so many games that was nothing but the jumbotron feed.

You should be able to go to a game and see multiple areas of the University working together. Be able to say yup, that's the marketing majors who did that. That's Mass Comm. That's Ferm Science. Those are nursing students there helping with the team's medical personnel. Those are education majors who are student teachers and brought their class to the game.

We have so many academic resources available to promote athletics yet they can't figure out how to do it. So frustrating.

 

[lightningsig]

Don't confuse the games not being on 89.5 with them not offering ways for students to get involved with athletics. Chris Childers got his start announcing women's softball games. I remember those days very well. And as MiddTennMtneer pointed out, look around at the game and you'll see all kinds of things students had their hands in.

 

[Raiderclyde]

We have so many academic resources available to promote athletics yet they can't figure out how to do it. So frustrating.

Working together is about culture. No, the Colleges and Departmental of the university behave more like fiefdoms and medieval kingdoms than part of a larger student body working for a common goal. Even the administration thinks that way at Cope. Doctor James E. Walker got it right and during his day the administration came up with the “Can Do Crew” around the mid nineties. My dad still has one of those 1994 T-Shirts somewhere. That was right before he retired from MT. Even at its best this promotion was half-hearted, but in some ways better than now. There has been a handful of times I can say participation and united support was excellent (such as Aaron Todd’s original full house event), but mostly it’s been a litany of half baked planning or something falling short of greatness. We need a healthy dose of sustainable excellence from top to bottom!!