(12-23-2017 04:22 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(12-23-2017 04:10 PM)CoastalAlum2011 Wrote:  Tom,

Do you consider yourself a South Alabama football supporter?

Not trying to be sarcastic, and this isn't a leading question.

I will have no follow up questions based on your answer.

I'm truly just curious as to where you stand.

I support USA and its athletic program at this time. I'm very troubled by the large student fee required to support that program.

If anything, my biggest concern with the AD at USA is related to their decision to retain a truly ineffective basketball coach.

I have serious issues about the viability of USA football. The subsidy appears to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 70%. I'm not sold that its a worthy investment of our students' money. That being said, so long as the school doesn't try to openly abuse my support, I'm willing to let it play out. If you're demanding the students subsidize that level of funding...then you better damn well take their views into account before making controversial decisions.

I've given significant sums to the University and have bequeathed a truly large sum in my will. They are aware of that. I've never donated a dime to the athletic department, as I feel that my support of USA's scholarship activities constitutes a donation to the athletic department through fees deducted from my scholarship funds towards student fees.

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I don't know what Georgia Southern's situation is. I have a better idea about Troy's situation. Either way, they're making decisions that are at best, a missed opportunity, and at worst, a potential problem for their schools. Why bother scheduling Liberty anyway? They suck at football, they don't help you recruit, they won't help you advance your program, they don't help you engage your stakeholders. And God only knows what new outrage they'll decide to attempt between now and your game. Another Teletubbies? More Mat Staver? Hiring Baylor's AD in the midst of a truly shocking scandal? Why not just schedule Kent State. Easy win and no fuss.

Since Liberty is independent, they have far more scheduling openings in the future than Kent State does

I don't like scheduling Liberty more because I don't like the fact that they can pay to get whatever they want, and work as a for profit institution. But given that Georgia Southern has struggled in the past to find opponents willing to come to Statesboro, I can understand the need.

I'm not sure the LGBT community at any of these schools is going to be terribly effected by the decision. It's not like they are sharing a conference. They are playing a football game. One that's not going to bring any money in for either school