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Sports Forum / Re: HOF & Celtics Legend, Bill Russell Passed Away

« on: July 31, 2022, 05:56:20 PM »

RIP to both Bill Russell and Nichelle Nichols, two American trailblazers 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾😇

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Sports Forum / Re: Is the NIL ruining college sports?

« on: June 02, 2022, 05:24:22 PM »

I'm glad to see these athletes get paid but if some serious controls aren't put in place this whole thing is gonna turn sideways.

Large sums of money flowing to young athletes in sports where heavy betting takes place might be a baaaaad idea. Some of these NIL deals are eventually gonna come with strings attached. 

Overall, I think the NIL concept is good for the athletes, and will work with the right tweaks in the system!!

I agree with you Decks. I think there has to be more of a National approach to governance, as opposed to a state by state, or regional approach, as which is kind of the case now.

Also, I think there also has to be some type of limits of how much corporate money that can be funneled into each program. What Nick Saban was saying in a round about way is that under the current setup, Alabama would be at a huge disadvantage as compared to the Texas schools that have access to all the oil money (Chevron-Texaco, Exxon-Mobil), the West Coast schools where they all of the technology money (Microsoft, Apple, Starbucks). Alabama would even be at a competitive disadvantage to a school like UGA (Coke, UPS, Home Depot, Gulfstream, and Flowers Foods, which is the company that makes Wonder Bread, Sunbeam, Merita, Roman Meal, and Tastycake).  Then you have the Michigan schools (GM, Ford, Quicken Loans) plus ND and the Illinois schools that have tons of F500 Corporations at their disposal in Chicago.  I could go on with Ohio St (P&G), and others!! Alabama and/or Auburn won’t be able to come anywhere near matching those type of corporate resources!!

IMHO, This is where the limits and caps have to be placed!!

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Sports Forum / Re: Reginald Ruffin Stepping down

« on: June 02, 2022, 04:51:19 PM »

Smart move for Coach Ruffin!

1. In a modern day collegiate athletic department, it’s humanly impossible for one individual to be an Athletics Director and a head coach of a sport!!

2. Considering the scope of the plans, his very aggressive schedule to get this completed, and the funds necessary to cover facilities, additional sports, and scholarships, he needs to be on this 24/7, and not part time.

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Sports Forum / Re: Tuskegee AD has DI plans,...

« on: May 28, 2022, 01:56:08 PM »

Coach Ruffin was here last weekend for the "Sound Mind Sound Body" football and cheerleading recruitment event. 

Those who know me know that we conversed (I don't conversate) about our athletic teams and facilities. D1 still not in the foreseeable future despite what you may have read/heard. Those who read the strategic plan know this...

Hi Utopia!  Hi Ramses! 

HI GK and yes, I am 100% sure there was a discussion.

The thing that baffles me, is the notion that moving to D1 is somehow every schools desire. It simply is not and it has nothing to do with shortsighted vision, it has more to do with sustainability. I would prefer we perfect our craft where we are and become more successful across the board in all aspects of our Athletics in D2, because once you move all your programs move. There is a reason Albany State has declined offers about moving to D1, its called COMMON SENSE.

The thing that we all are going to have to realize, and adapt to is that Collegiate Athletics as we have known it in our lifetime is undergoing a huge paradigm shift. All universities, regardless of size or classification, are either going to have to step up their spending on athletics, or not be a player in the game. In the modern day world of college athletics, scholarships are just the very beginning of what the modern day athlete are looking for.  They are looking at how much they can make off of NIL, who has the nicest, over the top facilities, and on the Power 5 / Group of 5 Level, who can give them the surest route to the NFL. Even having pretty coeds to greet potential recruits isn’t going to have the same effect as it had in our era. Even though it may take a few years for all the paradigm shifts to filter down to FCS / D2, it’s like a huge, unstoppable snowball gaining momentum. Like it or not, it’s going to affect all of us, sooner or later. It will behoove all of our institutions to be able to adapt to the changing environment of collegiate athletics.

What Coach Ruffin is attempting to do is to get our athletics program in order so that in the future, TU will have the flexibility to go in whatever direction it needs to go in to be an even more viable program. Whether we go FCS, or remain D2, TU has no choice but to get a handle on its athletics facilities. Having officiated Football on the FCS, and the Group of Five level, one thing that sticks in my craw is how far behind we are in fundraising, facilities, and just general overall operations. When I make this comparison, I’m talking these institutions vs our larger HBCU FCS programs.  If we are going to have some semblance of being able to compete with PWC’s we have to at least close the gap to where is considerably smaller than what it is now.

I like Coach Ruffin’s plans to address all of our athletics deficiencies, both facilities wise, and other wise.  IMHO, I think a 5 Year plan is a tad bit aggressive.  Given the scope of the work that needs to be done, and the finances, Capital Campaign, and sponsorships needed, I feel that a 7 - 10 year plan would be more attainable. Either way, we’ll either be in a position to be a top notch D2 program if TU decides to remain at D2, or will have the flexibility to reclassify to FCS if that’s what’s best down the road. All of our institutions are going to have to invest in our programs going forward!!!

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Sports Forum / Re: Tuskegee University Football Facility Virtual Tour (YouTube)

« on: May 28, 2022, 12:49:36 PM »

First Class all the way.  Ready to open the checkbook!!!

A lot of folks don’t realize it, but a lot of recruiting battles are won on the strength of the locker room, and the overall appearance and condition of the athletic facilities. That’s why athletic departments are investing huge sums of money into their facilities!!

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Sports Forum / Re: Tuskegee AD has DI plans,...

« on: May 23, 2022, 09:43:28 PM »

If TU could go SWAC East with SC State or Albany it would make for a very interesting situation.  The furthest travel within the SWAC East would be 5.5hrs (Orangeburg, SC).  But we all know that until we see a few facility upgrades this is looking like wishful thinking.

East:

BCU
FAMU
AL A&M
AL State
SC State / Albany
TU
JSU

Yeah, I will believe this when they get some lights down in that hole and play some night games. It's rough playing at noon with that Macon County heat set on Hell! 

Those hot and steamy Saturday afternoons are a huge home field advantage for TU, especially against HBCU’s from the Upper South that aren’t as acclimated to that kind of heat and humidity!!

As far as actual stadium improvements are concerned, I think it’s pretty safe to say that there will be the obvious major improvements such as a new field house, press box, weigh room, electronic scoreboard, parking, and of course lights for starters. 

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Sports Forum / Re: Tuskegee AD has DI plans,...

« on: May 23, 2022, 05:03:12 PM »

One other factor to consider is that thanks to Trump’s debt forgiveness, TU is basically debt free. No more excuses for deferred maintenance on facilities, or that things can’t be done because of the debt!!!

Being debt free is a huge game changer for TU.

TU is the one remaining D2 program that has the brand name and worldwide name recognition to make FCS work, if planned out properly!!

Explain how the student loan debt forgiveness program help TU get out of debt.

Not student loans, but loans the university took out from the Federal Government to renovate many of the historic buildings on campus!!

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Sports Forum / Re: Tuskegee AD has DI plans,...

« on: May 23, 2022, 04:45:28 PM »

One other factor to consider is that thanks to Trump’s debt forgiveness, TU is basically debt free. No more excuses for deferred maintenance on facilities, or that things can’t be done because of the debt!!!

Being debt free is a huge game changer for TU.

TU is the one remaining D2 program that has the brand name and worldwide name recognition to make FCS work, if planned out properly!!

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Sports Forum / Re: Tuskegee AD has DI plans,...

« on: May 23, 2022, 04:05:02 PM »

The big difference in now and previously is that there are now members of the Board of Trustees who are supportive of a move. Not only that, but Ruffin wouldn’t be discussing it publicly if the administration was totally opposed to such a move!!! My take is that they have basically said to Ruffin that if you can raise the money, and generate all the resources to go forth with it, put your money where your mouth is and get the ball to rolling!!!

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General Discussion Forum / Re: Alabama researchers share plan to close education gap in Black Belt: Lottery

« on: March 23, 2022, 05:10:37 PM »

If the State of Alabama put the same emphasis on education on all levels (Secondary/ Post Secondary) that they put on College Football, they would have an education system without rival anywhere in the country!!

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General Discussion Forum / Re: Alumni of these 10 HBCUs earn more than other Black graduates in their states

« on: March 14, 2022, 04:59:00 PM »

Most of the 10 universities on the list are STEM heavy. STEM grads generally have considerably higher salaries than Liberal Arts grads do!!!

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Sports Forum / Re: T.U.

« on: October 24, 2021, 03:52:34 PM »

That's what the lack of stability in leadership, plus making bad choices in the choosing of leadership will do for an institution!!!

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Sports Forum / Re: 2021 Red Tails Classic - Fort Valley ST vs Tuskegee

« on: September 06, 2021, 02:58:32 PM »

bluedog, the TU Presidency has basically been a revolving door since Dr. Payton retired in 2010. Three permanent presidents, Dr. Morris served as the Interim President on three different occasions, with the last occasional parlaying into becoming the permanent President!!

We’ve had more presidents in the last 10 years than we had in the previous 130 years 😤😤

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Sports Forum / Re: 2021 Red Tails Classic - Fort Valley ST vs Tuskegee

« on: September 06, 2021, 02:20:29 PM »

For the life of me, I can't understand why TU seem to be so content with D2. Can you imagine how that classic can be promoted and blown up if they were D1 and a SWAC affiliation

They tell you the reason why all the time. Tuskegee can't AFFORD to move up like the rest of the D2 HBCU's!

The fact that the same person is the AD, HC, and the OC says it all. 

This^^^^^^

That’s what years of the lack of vision and leadership on the administrative and departmental levels get you.

With the right leadership, Tuskegee could easily have a successful athlete program on either the FCS or D2 levels just on name recognition alone.

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Sports Forum / Re: T.U.

« on: September 06, 2021, 02:12:47 PM »

While I congratulate FVSU for winning the game, TU was just pathetic, especially on offense. Looked totally unprepared. No halftime adjustments, change in strategy, just terrible coaching!!

While Slater has done many great things for TU Football, and for them, we are greatly appreciative of, it’s time for TU to start looking for a new AD, Head Coach, and someone who’s well versed in athletic fundraising.

Time for a total culture change in TU Athletics!!!