The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(04-21-2015 07:11 AM)wmutkelaw Wrote:  I am not trying to poke the bear here, but seriously, why don't more of you participate in the events? The cost is not all that great if you look at from a a multi-season perspective. I am not trying to soap box for the boosters, but they do have a good cause, one that we all (the people of the Stampede) seem to be interested in. Plus it is a write off.

It is interesting how some here, like to marginalize the boosters, call them "joke sniffers" etc.

Had little league

(04-21-2015 12:33 PM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  

(04-21-2015 07:11 AM)wmutkelaw Wrote:  I am not trying to poke the bear here, but seriously, why don't more of you participate in the events? The cost is not all that great if you look at from a a multi-season perspective. I am not trying to soap box for the boosters, but they do have a good cause, one that we all (the people of the Stampede) seem to be interested in. Plus it is a write off.

It is interesting how some here, like to marginalize the boosters, call them "joke sniffers" etc.

Had little league

yeah, we are between sessions of soccer...I find it nuts that there is soccer for toddlers!

(04-21-2015 07:54 AM)wmutkelaw Wrote:  can a joke sniffer be a booster, and vice versa?

Anyways, my post was not meant to be prickly. The reception was nice.

It would be nice if some young blood would get involved. My wife and I were about the youngest people there. We felt odd with our 3 yr old, despite him being very well received by the grandpa and grandma types.

The grandpa and gramma types often bring grandchildren. A younger group would be cool. We're kind of over the event thing, although we do season tickets for football and basketball and enjoy the games. Don't feel a need for the networking thing any longer.

(04-21-2015 07:54 AM)wmutkelaw Wrote:  can a joke sniffer be a booster, and vice versa?

Anyways, my post was not meant to be prickly. The reception was nice.

It would be nice if some young blood would get involved. My wife and I were about the youngest people there. We felt odd with our 3 yr old, despite him being very well received by the grandpa and grandma types.

It's always been old guys. Back in the 80s(was your age) I was very active with the basketball program. I put together their ball boy program and got them free shoes and monogramed shirts. Attended all the coaches luncheons, bought advertising (highly overpriced, little bang for the buck) knowing full well it was little more than a donation. Gave money, fed players over Xmas break, and provided freebie give aways for booster meetings and luncheons. I had a tight relationship with a couple of assistant coaches. I always felt the old crowd resentful. It was an old boys club and probably still is.

When I stopped wearing a suit I stopped doing the booster luncheons and really never had a desire to get back in it. I started the Rivals site because I believed we needed that kind of exposure. Trust me, the time you put into it was significant (took up a lot of after work evenings), and the money was virtually nothing.

Bottom line, lots of people on here have done and still do things for WMU athletics, and many have opinions that some would disagree with. Doesn't make them less of a booster.

it is kind of interesting, as it seems to be the same 20 people at all the events. Of those 20, 10 will not be around in 10 years. It is kind of sad, but a fact of life.

WMU needs to do a better job of getting 30-40 year olds (my demographic) to donate and get involved.

No offense intended, but of those in my demographic, it seems most are children of the Kalamazoo royalty, who will likely never contribute much of their own money or time...and are there as more of a country club or civic obligation. But then again their families do contribute greatly to WMU.

Oh, so Kalamazoo doesn't step up for Western????? Are you frickin nuts!!!!
How about $100,000,000 for a Medical School
The Millions poured into football by the Seelye family
A gift of over $2.5 Million to the OT program from local donors.
The College of Fine Arts just recently received over $2 million from local donors
Many of the full academic ride dollars coming to the Medallion Scholarship program, are from local sources..This ride is worth over $50,000.
The list of donors to Western is very long...Virtually every academic program on campus has benefited from local giving.

The argument could be made that our athletic programs will receive more from the community when we match the quality of our academic programs...

(04-22-2015 08:40 AM)wmutkelaw Wrote:  it is kind of interesting, as it seems to be the same 20 people at all the events. Of those 20, 10 will not be around in 10 years. It is kind of sad, but a fact of life.

WMU needs to do a better job of getting 30-40 year olds (my demographic) to donate and get involved.

No offense intended, but of those in my demographic, it seems most are children of the Kalamazoo royalty, who will likely never contribute much of their own money or time...and are there as more of a country club or civic obligation. But then again their families do contribute greatly to WMU.

Law, they look at those old guys with dollar signs. Some have money, some like them to believe they have money. Outside of the Stryker and Groce sp donations, the single largest donation came from a retired school teacher who willed a million plus estate to them. I'll bet they didn't see that one coming.

Broncojohnny, don't get too worked up here. As you and I both know the look from the inside is much different than the look from the outside. I read here from a very disgruntled alumni and then hear him boast of the number of views his rants have. We see that there are a lot of people that "are not involved" and yet we do not see them when there are events.

I get invitations at least two or three times a week to events at WMU, unfortunately, I live 50 miles away and can not make all of them. I hear people that don't know what is going on, yet if I just check out the website I can find things to do all of the time. It is easy to sit back and comment rather than rolling up your sleeves and actually helping to get things done.

We will be putting our our 52nd annual golf outing in Grand Rapids, and we get university support in doing it. The key is to work "with" and not work against.

I also understand the plight of the younger crowd, they have growing families and sometimes limited budgets. Today there are so many options for people it makes your eyeballs roll like a one armed bandit. On our golf outing committee we have made a concerted effort to "include" the younger people and we have an excellent mix of people on the committee. It is not easy work, I've been on the committee a very long time, and am aware that these days it is more important for me to listen rather than talk. It is important when things change not to let it bother you, just remember what the goal is and continue to work towards that goal.

I know that I love WMU. I know that you love WMU, and I can tell that most of us here on this website LOVE WMU. Isn't that what counts, now go out and represent our university in the manner that tells everyone else that WE ALL LOVE WMU.
People that meet me know that and I find interesting people that also love WMU perhaps not as much as I do, but you know what, that is okay, I meet more a more people today that "admit" to have attended WMU than at any time in the past. Yes it still bothers me that WMU grads do not support our university but think nothing of going to events at a larger school, paying a lot more money to be entertained than I do by supporting my college.

I guess I've gone a little crazy with this rant, but you all know where my heart is.

Always proud to be a Bronco, RTB.

(04-22-2015 09:32 AM)broncojohnny Wrote:  Oh, so Kalamazoo doesn't step up for Western????? Are you frickin nuts!!!!
How about $100,000,000 for a Medical School
The Millions poured into football by the Seelye family
A gift of over $2.5 Million to the OT program from local donors.
The College of Fine Arts just recently received over $2 million from local donors
Many of the full academic ride dollars coming to the Medallion Scholarship program, are from local sources..This ride is worth over $50,000.
The list of donors to Western is very long...Virtually every academic program on campus has benefited from local giving.

The argument could be made that our athletic programs will receive more from the community when we match the quality of our academic programs...

I did not intend to upset you.

For some being a WMU supporter means you are a lapdog for the coach and you ogle players like a 10 year old meeting the President. That part I never understood. They're 20 year olds, most younger than the ogler's own kids.

As for the golf outtings they are what they have to be to cover expenses. But that makes them too expensive for most young families.

As for the boosters clubs, they've always been old boys networks but it's probably that way at every school. And while the people were nice once they felt you out, as a young guy you always felt like an outsider.

Also know many Bronco fans who are significant in the community and/or formidable financially are not participants in the booster events. Some of the booster community are only big shots in their own mind.

I'd say, event-wise, try it. If you like it, great, participate. If you just see it as cheap pizza, hot dogs, platitudes, and gold digging, find another tailgate to hang with.

(04-22-2015 07:07 PM)Dirty Ernie Wrote:  Also know many Bronco fans who are significant in the community and/or formidable financially are not participants in the booster events. Some of the booster community are only big shots in their own mind.

I'd say, event-wise, try it. If you like it, great, participate. If you just see it as cheap pizza, hot dogs, platitudes, and gold digging, find another tailgate to hang with.

BAM

Did I mention that cookies were superb?

(04-22-2015 07:57 PM)wmutkelaw Wrote:  Did I mention that cookies were superb?

Now that is a plus! Got to keep things in perspective.

I was tempted to go back for a couple of them they were so good.

Always proud to be a Bronco, RTB.