New Athletic hires/promotions

[valpo64]

Perhaps we will see some new ideas/programs and upgrading of game activities/promotions, etc with these new people in new positions in the Athletic Department.  Along with our new President and A. D. let's hope these new faces and fresh ideas and will recognize the needs for athletic department facilities improvements and these improvements will be implemented with more urgency.

[vu84v2]

My guess is that any new athletic department staff, as well as the existing and/or prior staff, would love to see as much facility improvement as possible. These people are not the constraint. It is funds available from the university and donors. The points about news staff developing and implementing more effective marketing and promotion ideas, however, are very valid - but again these are limited to some degree by budget.

[VUSupport]

There's at least one person in the athletic department that needs to go. I bet if you asked the coaches, they'd agree whom should no longer be here.

[vu84v2]

There's at least one person in the athletic department that needs to go. I bet if you asked the coaches, they'd agree whom should no longer be here.

I have no idea of the purpose of this vague post. The person is not identified and there is only speculation of what the coaches may think.

[VUSupport]

It's been widely known that a Sertain Person with a So What Attitude has had a negative influence on teams, especially Football and Men's Basketball for a few years now that needs to go.

[vu84v2]

VUSupport - repeating your post with different words, but the same level of vagueness, does not increase its validity.

[VUSupport]

Sorry that you can't decipher the posts. At least a few of you know whom I'm referring to.

[NotBryceDrew]

Since his posts I've vaguely asked around and anyone in athletics immediately knew who the person was, very unfortunate this situation exists.

[valpo64]

I guess the new hires got here too late to stop the new mascot program...2 'dogs"!  Are you kidding me?  First, we screw up the nickname, but wait!  We're not done yet...we have the mascot program to mess with.  And you say that the new mascots were a "no brainer"?   Close, but the real no brainers were the folks that chose the new mascots!  I find it hard to believe that our School can screw up 2 things that reach the public eye as much as the nickname and mascots.  It's embarrassing!  I can see it now...a new t-shirt design showing 2 dogs at the bottom of a lighthouse looking up and barking at a crusader stranded on top of the lighthouse.  I'll take 2, please, size XL.

[valpopal]

I guess the new hires got here too late to stop the new mascot program...2 'dogs"!  Are you kidding me?  First, we screw up the nickname, but wait!  We're not done yet...we have the mascot program to mess with.  And you say that the new mascots were a "no brainer"?   Close, but the real no brainers were the folks that chose the new mascots!  I find it hard to believe that our School can screw up 2 things that reach the public eye as much as the nickname and mascots.  It's embarrassing!  I can see it now...a new t-shirt design showing 2 dogs at the bottom of a lighthouse looking up and barking at a crusader stranded on top of the lighthouse.  I'll take 2, please, size XL.

Ugh! Not only is a dog mascot unoriginal, but this is a great way to invite even more of the "Alpo" jokes and insults! 

[vu72]

I guess the new hires got here too late to stop the new mascot program...2 'dogs"!  Are you kidding me?  First, we screw up the nickname, but wait!  We're not done yet...we have the mascot program to mess with.  And you say that the new mascots were a "no brainer"?   Close, but the real no brainers were the folks that chose the new mascots!  I find it hard to believe that our School can screw up 2 things that reach the public eye as much as the nickname and mascots.  It's embarrassing!  I can see it now...a new t-shirt design showing 2 dogs at the bottom of a lighthouse looking up and barking at a crusader stranded on top of the lighthouse.  I'll take 2, please, size XL.

Never happy.

[valpo64]

I haven't seen any positive comments yet, vu72.  But I bet there will be many more negative ones in the future.

[crusadermoe]

I have been a big proponent of marketing sports more aggressively. They may or may not be indirect benefits to the larger school. We debated that endlessly.

What I can say is that expecting any promotional net revenue to impact a facility is folly.  Every revenue stream for advertising, tickets, and promotion needs go into annual revenue to athletics and be sustained as much as possible.

No revenue under 7-figures cash in a single year will move the needle on the ARC.

[usc4valpo]

for the love of God please tell me this is something from the Onion...

[JD24]

Since his posts I've vaguely asked around and anyone in athletics immediately knew who the person was, very unfortunate this situation exists.

It's the dog mascot?

[historyman]

I'm mainly impressed that anybody today knew about the dog that lived in the 1903s. I never heard of George during my four years there. It is a decent way to incorporate both brown and yellow.

It's called legacy. My father introduced me to the gravestone of "George" the campus dog back when I was 9 years old.

[valpotx]

What students touch/kiss the gravestone?  I never heard of such a thing during my time on campus.  Was that a few decades ago, and now more recently?

[vu72]

What students touch/kiss the gravestone?  I never heard of such a thing during my time on campus.  Was that a few decades ago, and now more recently?

I think that was WAY back, maybe in the 40's and 50's.  I don't remember even seeing the grave stone in the late 60's early 70's.

[valpopal]

What students touch/kiss the gravestone?  I never heard of such a thing during my time on campus.  Was that a few decades ago, and now more recently?

I think that was WAY back, maybe in the 40's and 50's.  I don't remember even seeing the grave stone in the late 60's early 70's.

This is an obscure element of campus history from the 1930s and 1940s (dog died in 1947) that almost nobody remembers. I know those who have been on campus for decades yet have never seen the gravestone and don't know where it is. On August 11 the university posted on social media a history of this dog that died 75 years ago, as if it were a big thing and part of an established "tradition." It seemed an oddly timed post since nobody was on campus but it urged folks to "head down to Old Campus to visit George"; however, most comments responding to the post were by puzzled alums responding that they never even heard about the dog. Now, it is obvious the post was apparently planted as a way to usher in an unpopular mascot announcement, which happened four days later. 

[crusader05]

I definitely remember the gravestone and it's a pretty standard part of tours and things at least regarding tellng students about it. I think they also have done like campus tours to both this and the kissing bridge and some other things when students first come to campus.  I think it's something that has become a bit "more" of a thing in the last 20 years or so.  I had several friend that did it but it wasn't a thing I did.

[usc4valpo]

Recently I have been viewing several posts about moving sports to Division 3. What is the push for this? With recent decisions there are forces that want Valpo to cease to exist. Someone needs to be held accountable.

[historyman]

I heard that George, the campus dog, that students were so moved to erect a gravestone for him when he died in 1947, looked a lot like this dog. Well, maybe not exactly but I really liked this dog's eyes.

[vu72]

Recently I have been viewing several posts about moving sports to Division 3. What is the push for this? With recent decisions there are forces that want Valpo to cease to exist. Someone needs to be held accountable.

Well we certainly wouldn't need a new ARC if we were D3.  We'd draw about 150 to a game.  Not even a remote chance of doing that.

[usc4valpo]

Great to hear, but who are the clowns pushing D3 sports?

[Valpo03]

Despite VU72 certainty- it actually makes financial sense for us to go D3
Facilities and budget constraints are not going to improve- if the Drew family couldn't get us a new arena etc - you really think new people will?
No chance