MBB: Great South Athletic Conference

[Pat Coleman]

You're giving GSAC schools a hard time for doing so, aren't you?

[GSAC Killer]

Man of Wit aka Wilburt,
  What you are stating is that Lambert wants Fisk out of the GSAC because the are a black school??

[Highlander]

Wilburt,
I know that I haven't called you any type of name. I just have a few questions. How do you feel that Lambert is doing a poor job in regards to this situation? Is it because he chose to speak to the local newspaper, which does a good job reporting on Maryville College ahtletics, or is it because you feel slighted that Fisk doesn't get enough press in the Metro area? During B-ball season everyone, including yourself, talked at lenght on how having two teams in the tourney would help the conference gain some much needed respect nationally. Mavbe the conference feels that Fisk's performances in their other athletics is keeping the GSAC from gaining respect nationally in all of the sports that the conference fields. Why is it sooo bad to want to become a conference that is competitive on a national level in all of the sports? With the records of Fisk's other athletic teams I feel that it just can't happen.

[GSAC Killer]

Highlander your the man!! Well said..

[mattgrubb]

let's get back to a recurring theme, what about FU's facilities?  they directly reflect their athletic budget which is a key component of the actual argument from the newspaper article

[Highlander]

Thanks Killa, I gained all my wisdom from spending all of the winter months making sure my guys did their flex work and conditioning in the gyms while you all were practicing b-ball.

[Highlander]

Killa- great news about the recriut from Miami. My significant other and I love to watch the Lady Scots. It is enjoyable to watch the game be played at such a fast tempo, and to the intensity that the girls play and the way they are coached. I know that you feel like your heart is with the men, but don't sell yourself short on the women's side. Besides who else could be a better mentor than the great coach and person- Dee Bell?

[wilburt]

Let me address some of Highlander's points. 

1. I would not have spoken to the local paper about inhouse GSAC issues whether it was the Tennessean, the Daily Times or USA Today.  That is neither here nor there...

2. It seems to me that Lambert is head strong to kick Fisk out rather than addressing the problems.

3. Addressing the problem to me would be proposing a possible solution like this.  Put Fisk on a timetable to increase its athletic budget.  For example for the 2006-07 year require a budget of at least $300,000 and incrementally increase it $50,000 or $75,000 or so each year until you get to the desired goal.  I don't know whether that has been proposed or not.  Seems to me a convenient solution if the athletic budget is the "real issue" here.  But I don't think that it is... 

4.  Now if you think Fisk is keeping the GSAC from gaining national respect in other sports please be more specific as to why.  That 's a vague comment...

I do think this discussion is healthy.  It is about time we talked about the elephant in the middle of the room and express what we really feel rather than hide behind euphemistic talk.

[Highlander]

Why not speak with the local media, especially when this decision could seriously put in doubt the chance of gaining AQ status for the women sports? Also, how do we know that Fisk has not already been put on a timetable, and that the time is running out? In regards to the other sports, when there is no AQ it certainly does not help the conference champion or any others,in regards to QOWI, that might be seeking to gain entry into postseason play when thay have pummeled the teams that Fisk has fielded the past several years. Also, the conference cannot be viewed with respect nationally when there is a team that has not produced wins, much less even been competitive with the rest of the teams in the conference. Similiar to the early years of the GSAC men's basketball, when Maryville dominated. This caused everyone to climb to that level in man's b-ball, and it has made so much better. Why can Fisk decide to compete with Maryville and the rest of the conference in men's b-ball, yet it cannot or will not step up and become competitive in the rest of sports that Fisk fields?

[Ralph Turner]

Let me address some of Highlander's points. 

1. I would not have spoken to the local paper about inhouse GSAC issues whether it was the Tennessean, the Daily Times or USA Today.  That is neither here nor there...

2. It seems to me that Lambert is head strong to kick Fisk out rather than addressing the problems.

3. Addressing the problem to me would be proposing a possible solution like this.  Put Fisk on a timetable to increase its athletic budget.  For example for the 2006-07 year require a budget of at least $300,000 and incrementally increase it $50,000 or $75,000 or so each year until you get to the desired goal.  I don't know whether that has been proposed or not.  Seems to me a convenient solution if the athletic budget is the "real issue" here.  But I don't think that it is... 

4.  Now if you think Fisk is keeping the GSAC from gaining national respect in other sports please be more specific as to why.  That 's a vague comment...

I do think this discussion is healthy.  It is about time we talked about the elephant in the middle of the room and express what we really feel rather than hide behind euphemistic talk.

Wilburt, if I may interject from the outside,

on addressing the problem,

the investments in the programs across the GSAC are like to be at the cost of inflation at the least, $50,000 on $1M from here on out.

Let's remediate the problem over a 5-year schedule, so that Fisk's investment is "no worse" than "tied for 4th" in the conference in 2010-11.  Piedmont spends 5% more per year. $680,000 becomes roughly $860,000.

Fisk has to add nearly $120,000 per year for each of five years and then sustain that ad infinitum.  If Piedmont adds football, then so does Fisk, over and above the $860,000..

With that level of commitment in cold hard cash, facilities, coaching both number and quality, admin people, and sports added at competitive levels, then Fisk has addressed every objective criteria in the room.  If the elephant goes away, good.

If it is "sportsmanship", then there is something different to address.  Now I personally despise any overt "celebration", taunting or similar acitvity, but that is another discussion.

[wilburt]

Ralph you are talking solutions and I like that. 

Highlander speaking to the media is a minor issue with me, but let me state again.  How has Fisk's performance impeded the GSAC?  In order for me to accept your generalizations please point to me (in sufficient detail) where Fisk's QOWI has impeded the other GSAC teams from receiving Pool B bids in the other sports.  Otherwise I am inclined to believe it is just a matter of perception/conjecture on your part and others. 

We don't know if a timetable has been proposed or not but Lambert certainly hasn't or didn't discuss in the papers. Why is that?  Likely because there wasn't one.  Again if you all believe it is just a matter of Fisk increasing its athletic budget then the proposal or some variation of it is the solution to me and we can end this discussion.

Again I ask you all is this "really about" the athletic budget and the overall performance of Fisk's athletic teams or is it something else.  Let's get REAL here people... 

[Pat Coleman]

Since nobody publishes QOWI for the other sports in which Fisk participates (other than what we do with women's basketball) your demand for specifics can't be answered.

But you know that, otherwise I'm sure you wouldn't have asked.

Let's be honest -- if every time someone in the league plays Fisk it puts an 8- or 9-point game on their playoff resumes, it HAS to drag the QOWI of contenders down. This is not rocket science.

[Highlander]

Wilburt,
Being a man of knowledge, you should know that it takes more than just increasing your athletic budget to be competitive. With that you must also have quality coaches, facilities, support from admin, etc...  Do honestly believe or think that Fisk is prepared to take a proactive role in transforming their athletic dept. in a positive manner? To me this is not at all about getting rid of Fisk, because it is Fisk, this is about doing whats best for the conference. With that being said, isn't what is best for the conference to enable our Student- Athletes to be able to perform to the best of their ability? I am just questioning once again, if Fisk can step up to the plate in men's b-ball then Why can't they in the other sports?

[ohyeah]

Wilburt calling Lambert a racist is funny.  Maybe Glover is a racist for not having more white people on his team.  I have seen one, so dont tell me they cant get in. 

Wilburt whining about the SCAC...go back, we dont care. 

Wilburt being a man of wisdom and talking about academics at Fisk must mean he makes a lot of money.  Why dont you pony up some funds then?

[wilburt]

Honestly Pat I did not know that the other sports did not publish the QOWI.  I thought that was readily available information.   But that aside, and I know it is not rocket science, but seriously give me a specific example where a GSAC team has been close to getting a Pool B Bid but did not get one because they believe Fisk hindered them.    

Highlander, I'll answer your question another way since you keep repeating your same question. Wouldn't increasing the athletic budget be the first quantitative and measurable step in transforming the athletic department to be competitive? Do you desire a solution or do you do want to harp on the problem?  Or have you shifted the discussion to more subjective factors like determining the "commitment and support" from the Fisk administration?  If so we are sliding down a slippery slope here?  

Again I say if that is the issue, then we can end this discussion.  What more evidence do you need of commitment than a commitment from the administration to put the financial resources behind the school's athletics?   But since you keep repeating that point about Fisk's competitiveness it may be a smoke screen for another issue.  

And Oh yeah, I won't tell you my salary but I have given Fisk several thousands of dollars since I graduated.   BTW you are too funny... Please post again soon.  I mean that!  I hope I answered your question.   I wish we were still in the SCAC like when I was in school, where there are no Lamberts around.