Alumni Social recap

[danefan]

Well nothing of import came out of the social last night.

A very small turnout (maybe 35-40 guys tops).

 

Stadium:

Ford and McElroy had a meeting yesterday with the architectual firm. They were just given $250,000 by the school to finish up the impact and design phase of the project. Looking at 2-3 months for that to be finished.

 

Then comes the problem. The funding is going to come from the state construction fund. So moral of the story...write your assemblyman/state senator and Gov. Spitzer and express the community and state need for the money. It's not going to be automatic, and we still need private donors as well.

 

McElroy conveyed Ford's message - "He isn't leaving until Bob Ford Field is finished."

 

Conference:

Nothing of consequence either. Although Ford did publically acknowledge that he thought Stony Brook's move to the Big South was a big mistake. "Try convincing a recruit that a school on Long Island belongs in the Big South."

 

He said they are still looking for a conference in the future and there are still hopes of an America East Football conference. Nothing else was said about that.

Upcoming Season:

Talked about the Montana game and how exciting it will be to play in the two best environments in FCS football two years in a row (Delaware and Montana).

 

For those fans that want to go to the Montana game:

Sat. September 22, 2007

$1,100 per person. Includes charter flight from Albany to Missoula, Montana with hotel accomodations and tickets the game. If you want to go this is a pretty good deal. I assume because its a charter, its non-stop. The cheapest flight right now from Albany to Missoula has one layover in Minnesota and is $733. Any other flight has 2+ stops and you're looking at about 14 hours of flying time.

 

Departs - Friday, Sept. 21.

Returns - Sat. Sept. 22 after the game.

 

For more info call 518-442-DANE

[reeder]

I appreciate the update.

 

 

This article is from 2004 - says the stadium should be done in 2007...

 

The school hopes to have a new football stadium completed by 2007 at a cost of between $20 million and $30 million, said Coe.

 

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/.../05/story8.html

[scrabbleship]

I appreciate the update.

 

 

This article is from 2004 - says the stadium should be done in 2007...

 

The school hopes to have a new football stadium completed by 2007 at a cost of between $20 million and $30 million, said Coe.

 

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/.../05/story8.html

 

Such a unnecessary dragging of heels. This stadium should be the #1 priority of the school above all else.

[alum73]

It is, but you still need to raise the funds.

[Patch]

In regard to the stadium.....

 

Such a unnecessary dragging of heels. This stadium should be the #1 priority of the school above all else. - scrabbleship

 

Why?????

 

Isn't UA an academic institution? I believe the Football Stadium has already been #1 on the Athletic Deapartment's list for awhile.

 

Sure I'd like to see it built and built fast but that's a ridiculous statement.

 

Without saying anything about a Football Stadium ask the non Athletic Administration about their top 5 priorities for UA, ask random students (non athletes) for their Top 5 priorities to improve college life and ask the non athletic Alums about what the university needs to keep improving and see what responses you get.

 

If it was such a priority to the masses of alumni - the money would be flowing in.

 

Why should this stadium be such a priority when our staff (non athletic), students and alumni haven't made it such?

 

Even within the athletic department I'm sure other coaches would like their facilities upgraded or completed before seeing a Football Stadium built. They probably wouldn't come out publicly about it but in private, that's another story (ie the area of the turf fields hasn't even been completed. There are no permanent bleachers, storage areas, team lockerroom areas, concession stands and bathroom facilities. Shouldn't one major job be completed before we take on another or should we start a football stadium and get the job 2/3 completed and move onto something else of importance?

[danefan]

If it was such a priority to the masses of alumni - the money would be flowing in.

 

Very true. But why would people donate money if there are no concrete plans? That's the only issue I have. Make something public and go from there.

 

 

Shouldn't one major job be completed before we take on another or should we start a football stadium and get the job 2/3 completed and move onto something else of importance?

 

Actually, there may be a method to this issue. Why do we need two major facilities that serve the same purpose? A multi-use facility is the way to go here. I don't understand why we should spend an extra $5mm for bleachers on the lacrosse field when we are also spending $60mm for a stadium that will sit idle next door when there is a lacrosse game? Doesn't make any sense and this could be a consideration right now.

[danefan]

I appreciate the update.

 

 

This article is from 2004 - says the stadium should be done in 2007...

 

The school hopes to have a new football stadium completed by 2007 at a cost of between $20 million and $30 million, said Coe.

 

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/.../05/story8.html

 

 

I think if President Hall was still here, we'd be looking at a different situation. Additionally, when you raise the cost of from $20-$30mm to $60mm it is going to take some additional time.

 

 

Another thing. And this has been a continuous gripe for me....where are the Giants when you need them? If they like it so much here (as reported in the TU today) donate some $$$. $10mm is a drop in the bucket for the Mara family. Shoot name it Giants' Stadium North if you want. As the TU points out (in an almost positive way somehow) the Giants only pay for their food (which they bring in themselves). Everything else is FREE for them!!!!!!!!!!! FREE.

 

 

I'll be composing a form letter in the near future for everyone to send off to their local reps and Gov. Spitzer's office, that is of course unless a more responsible person wants to do it first. ;-)

[Patch]

Let me clearly state I want to see a Football Stadium but enough is enough.

 

"It's time to pee or get off the pot"!!!!!!

 

It seems everything else in the Athletic Department is being put on hold until a Football Stadium is built, no completion of the Turf Fields, no official sized track, no improvements to baseball area, no major improvement of the facilities for Volleyball, no new recreational facilities for the general student population and no renovations to SEFCU to make it a trues Arena ( chairbacks, concession area, bathroom facility upgrades, luxury boxes, etc.)

 

The school hopes to have a new football stadium completed by 2007 at a cost of between $20 million and $30 million, said Coe.

 

To me it's evident the hold up is only money and there is a need for a whole bunch of it, 20-30 million probably is now insufficient. If the money was earmarked or in hand ground would have been broken by now.

 

I for one believe that a stadium by 2010 isn't going to happen it's all just a pipedream as is the concept of Full Scholarship Football. Without a stadium there is no reason to go full scholarship football - unless you want to play as an independent or play all your good games on the road.

 

If the stadium isn't started in 2007 ( and most likely it won't be) expect the cost the spiral well above $20-30 mill or the project will have to be to be so watered down that the facility will be inappropriate or nonfunctional.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Actually, there may be a method to this issue. Why do we need two major facilities that serve the same purpose? A multi-use facility is the way to go here. I don't understand why we should spend an extra $5mm for bleachers on the lacrosse field when we are also spending $60mm for a stadium that will sit idle next door when there is a lacrosse game? Doesn't make any sense and this could be a consideration right now. - danefan

 

I guess it's OK for our Great Lacrosse program and our Field Hockey Program to sit around another 4 or 5 years while the cost of our 20-30 mill Football Stadium goes to 60 mill or maybe doesn't get built and by that time we''l have to resurface the turf fields and therefore again not have the money to complete those areas.

 

With the current turf facilities that we rent out consistently why not reinvest the rental monies into those facilities and therefore make those facilities even more attractive to outside groups.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

How would you like to be in charge of our excellent track program and have to wait till after the completion of our football stadium in order to get a track on which you could actually host important meets - right now that would appear to be around 2112. How Vives can recruit to UA is mind boggling to me!!!

[danefan]

Let me clearly state I want to see a Football Stadium but enough is enough.

 

"It's time to pee or get off the pot"!!!!!!

 

It seems everything else in the Athletic Department is being put on hold until a Football Stadium is built, no completion of the Turf Fields, no official sized track, no improvements to baseball area, no major improvement of the facilities for Volleyball, no new recreational facilities for the general student population and no renovations to SEFCU to make it a trues Arena ( chairbacks, concession area, bathroom facility upgrades, luxury boxes, etc.)

 

The school hopes to have a new football stadium completed by 2007 at a cost of between $20 million and $30 million, said Coe.

 

To me it's evident the hold up is only money and there is a need for a whole bunch of it, 20-30 million probably is now insufficient. If the money was earmarked or in hand ground would have been broken by now.

 

I for one believe that a stadium by 2010 isn't going to happen it's all just a pipedream as is the concept of Full Scholarship Football. Without a stadium there is no reason to go full scholarship football - unless you want to play as an independent or play all your good games on the road.

 

If the stadium isn't started in 2007 ( and most likely it won't be) expect the cost the spiral well above $20-30 mill or the project will have to be to be so watered down that the facility will be inappropriate or nonfunctional.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Actually, there may be a method to this issue. Why do we need two major facilities that serve the same purpose? A multi-use facility is the way to go here. I don't understand why we should spend an extra $5mm for bleachers on the lacrosse field when we are also spending $60mm for a stadium that will sit idle next door when there is a lacrosse game? Doesn't make any sense and this could be a consideration right now. - danefan

 

I guess it's OK for our Great Lacrosse program and our Field Hockey Program to sit around another 4 or 5 years while the cost of our 20-30 mill Football Stadium goes to 60 mill or maybe doesn't get built and by that time we''l have to resurface the turf fields and therefore again not have the money to complete those areas.

 

With the current turf facilities that we rent out consistently why not reinvest the rental monies into those facilities and therefore make those facilities even more attractive to outside groups.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

How would you like to be in charge of our excellent track program and have to wait till after the completion of our football stadium in order to get a track on which you could actually host important meets - right now that would appear to be around 2112. How Vives can recruit to UA is mind boggling to me!!!

 

 

Welcome to Division I athletics. I'll be brutally honest here and you guys can hate me now or resent me later. If you're not football or basketball (and hopefully lacrosse here)...get in line and wait. That's the model that works for athletics. Start at your high profile sports and practice Reaganomics from there. It has worked so far. Basketball's trickle-down has been great for everyone. With the exception of Stanford, what school with a national athletic prowess has done so without a strong football and basketball program. Stanford gets by on academics and endowment (neither of which we can match).

[Patch]

danefan - I understand your position, but "I think you have to crawl before you walk". Building a football stadium would be great but it is not going to elevate UA's Athletics to BCS standards.

 

I think we should build on what has been successful. Football hasn't led the way and football is not going to put us on the national map right away. Maybe someday in football we'll be like a Michigan State or a Stanford but I woould expect in the forseeable future to be more in the category of UNH, URI or "G*d Forbid Buffalo.

 

We will get more National exposure through Basketball, Lacrosse and Track in the near future then we will get by having a Football Stadium (ie. - look at Stony Brook, Buffalo, Maine etc.).

 

My idea is make sure we take care of those sports that garner us national attention and also work on funding a Football Stadium but don't retard the growth of our primary recognition sports in order to get a Football Stadium, in what year do you feel our football team will play on National TV?.

[danefan]

There is only two sports at UA that will play a prime-time game on ESPN - basketball and football.

 

I'm all for lacrosse, but lets face it most people in the US have never seen a lacrosse game or care for that matter. I know its an up and coming sport, but it lives in the realm of soccer - somewhat of a niche sport (in the US only of course). Lacrosse will only put us on the national lacrosse map and nothing else. Just my opinion and I'd be happy to eat crow later on if I'm wrong. Same with T&F - niche sport (which I am a huge fan of).

 

Reasonable minds can differ but I prefer to take the "if you build it....everything else will happen" approach, rather than "you have to crawl before you walk".

 

And you don't have to be at the BCS level (which I DO NOT advocate for) to be nationally recognized. You guys need to experience big time FCS football if you have not done so. What it can do for the student body and the community is a great thing.

 

And the schools you have mentioned UNH, URI and Buffalo are not good examples. UNH has no stadium and that hurts them greatly. URI has the same problem and Buffalo's stadium is a piece meal structure in a cold-weather economically depressed city.

 

And I agree with some of your sentiment in the short-term, but this plan is not a short-term plan. Its to better the university for the future.

[Patch]

danefan - you and I both want what's best for UA which is great, we just don't see eye to eye on everything.

 

I guess we'll just have to wait and watch.

 

I was much more upbeat in 2005 then I am now about a Football Stadium. Here it is 2007 the price is going up and we're sitting down and still twiddling our thumbs.

 

What was 20-30 million seemingly according to your post is more likely 60 million, what will the final coasts be in 2112 or so?

 

Meanwhile project 2010 is totally on hold.

[danefan]

danefan - you and I both want what's best for UA which is great, we just don't see eye to eye on everything.

 

I guess we'll just have to wait and watch.

 

I was much more upbeat in 2005 then I am now about a Football Stadium. Here it is 2007 the price is going up and we're sitting down and still twiddling our thumbs.

 

What was 20-30 million seemingly according to your post is more likely 60 million, what will the final coasts be in 2112 or so?

 

Meanwhile project 2010 is totally on hold.

 

I agree. I also don't like the way this is spiraling. I was also surprised to hear Dr. McElroy say that the cost is looking more like $60mm. Any action would be better than nothing at this point, even if it doesn't pan out the way I'd like to see it.

 

 

Go Danes!

[scrabbleship]

danefan - you and I both want what's best for UA which is great, we just don't see eye to eye on everything.

 

I guess we'll just have to wait and watch.

 

I was much more upbeat in 2005 then I am now about a Football Stadium. Here it is 2007 the price is going up and we're sitting down and still twiddling our thumbs.

 

What was 20-30 million seemingly according to your post is more likely 60 million, what will the final coasts be in 2112 or so?

 

Meanwhile project 2010 is totally on hold.

 

I agree. I also don't like the way this is spiraling. I was also surprised to hear Dr. McElroy say that the cost is looking more like $60mm. Any action would be better than nothing at this point, even if it doesn't pan out the way I'd like to see it.

 

 

Go Danes!

 

The stadium should be the biggest priority over everything, even if it means a few other things are arrested for a few years. As much as nanotech is seen as a savior, the locals are cynical it'll fully take hold given the past saviors that have never panned and I tend to agree with them. If the football stadium is holding all athletic development up, get the stadium done so the backlog and the cost doesn't soar.

 

As for the stadium, or at least the surface, it should be named for Kermit. Something on campus HAS to be named for him and it's sad it hasn't been done already.

 

Shame on John Fallon and his grudge...

[GreatDanes06]

danefan - you and I both want what's best for UA which is great, we just don't see eye to eye on everything.

 

I guess we'll just have to wait and watch.

 

I was much more upbeat in 2005 then I am now about a Football Stadium. Here it is 2007 the price is going up and we're sitting down and still twiddling our thumbs.

 

What was 20-30 million seemingly according to your post is more likely 60 million, what will the final coasts be in 2112 or so?

 

Meanwhile project 2010 is totally on hold.

 

I agree. I also don't like the way this is spiraling. I was also surprised to hear Dr. McElroy say that the cost is looking more like $60mm. Any action would be better than nothing at this point, even if it doesn't pan out the way I'd like to see it.

 

 

Go Danes!

 

The stadium needs to be built NOW!! I don't care if all the eggs aren't in the basket, build it now and screw any consequences. I'm ashamed by McElroy and his lack of action and all else at the school--the other programs, the dorms, nanotech--should take a backseat to a new stadium, period, end of discussion.

 

I wish Kermit never went swimming, then the ground would have been broken. Herbst is oblivious, and that sad.

 

that last part is highly offensive. i recommend editing it.

 

Also, how does a couple million dollars and the #1 nanotech school in the world hurt the university??? That school will do more good for this university then any football stadium ever will (AND YOU ALL KNOW I AM A DIE HARD SPORTS GUY)