Petition to stop noon home games

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

I hear you and agree about Augusta area high school football, but I think the biggest issue with that is that football in Augusta is notoriously bad. Not quite sure why that is, but fans, including students, are drawn to good teams that have a chance in the postseason.

I checked your profile, and it says you are in Savannah. So how do you know so much about Augusta HS football? What you said is true, but how do you know that?

 

[MikeJackets1967]

Are you from Augusta? Sounds like you might be. I think the problem in Augusta is that there are way too many high schools here. Back when there was only one public (white) high school when I was in school, and even as late as the 70s, when there were only 4 (IIRC), there were some decent football teams and a few exceptional players (Mike Kelly, Ken Whisenhunt for two). But now, including the outlying areas, there are, I think, 10 high schools in the area, and that's just way too many. Meanwhile across the river in North Augusta, there is still only one high school, and they still have some damn good teams.

At least Hulk Hogan was born in Augusta Deon Grant who was an All American at Tennessee is from Augusta and former head of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke is also from Augusta

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

At least Hulk Hogan was born in Augusta Deon Grant who was an All American at Tennessee is from Augusta and former head of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke is also from Augusta

I wasn't aware of Ben Bernanke's being from Augusta

 

[MikeJackets1967]

I wasn't aware of Ben Bernanke's being from Augusta

Did the Hulkster play football and basketball while he went to school in Augusta?

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

Did the Hulkster play football and basketball while he went to school in Augusta?

His family moved to Tampa before his 2nd birthday, so no, he didn't play any sports in Augusta.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Not the only reason

link or proof? All you've offered is anecdotal evidence.

The latest numbers I could find were from 2014-2016. They were down each year. TStan dis indicate in 2017 he wanted to raise our budget, but his nember goal was still extremely low in comparison to other schools in the area.

https://www.irp.gatech.edu/gt-total-revenue

Also, this misses the bigger point. Even if we raised our athletic budged by 20%, we'd still be in the lower half of P5 football.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I would venture to say that most college students everywhere didn't attend HS football games. And yet, most colleges have students who DO attend their college's football games, although apparently student attendance IS down throughout the country, but probably not at the factories.

I agree with that to a degree, I guess it might have something to do with the “screen” generation that must be connected to some version of electronic device 24/7/365. But GT is a different kind of “non-football” than the rest, IMO, and more pervasive. I really, really was trying with all my heart not use the “n-word”, but if the shoe fits...

ps, the other n-word...

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

I hear you and agree about Augusta area high school football, but I think the biggest issue with that is that football in Augusta is notoriously bad. Not quite sure why that is, but fans, including students, are drawn to good teams that have a chance in the postseason.

The reason for this is that Richmond County has more high schools per population than most Georgia counties. As they are smaller schools, they still suffer the overcrowding, but the student populations per school are relatively low. Westside (Augusta) runs with about 800-900 students. Across the river, North Augusta High has about 1800 students. My wife always jokes she had almost as many students in her graduating class than I had in my HS. In ARC, there are 13 public high schools. If you take out the magnet schools, you have 8 traditional zoned schools. With a population of 201,000 people, thats 25,125 per school. If you look at two of the more successful programs in the state, Valdosta and Lowndes HS, they are the only two high schools in Lowndes County, where the population is 113,000 people. That's over twice the student per school ratio. Because Richmond county has chosen to build more, but smaller, schools, it spreads the talent among more schools, so we don't get the advantage of congregating all our best players into a few teams. If we went with the same ratio as Lowndes, we'd only have 4 high schools instead of 8 and I guarantee you we'd see better results on the athletic fields.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

I agree with that to a degree, I guess it might have something to do with the “screen” generation that must be connected to some version of electronic device 24/7/365. But GT is a different kind of “non-football” than the rest, IMO, and more pervasive. I really, really was trying with all my heart not use the “n-word”, but if the shoe fits...

ps, the other n-word...

I really think that we need to revisit the Total Person Program and make sure our students know how important athletics should be to them. While it doesn't need to be a consuming passion like it is for us, athletics is a vital part of the school and needs to be supported just like the academics.

 

[iceeater1969]

I really think that we need to revisit the Total Person Program and make sure our students know how important athletics should be to them. While it doesn't need to be a consuming passion like it is for us, athletics is a vital part of the school and needs to be supported just like the academics.

We have distinguished professor award presentation at half time.

I would ask that ALL GT PROFFESSORS STAND AT THIS TIME TO BE HONORED.
( Oh! no one stands).

At college where son and daughter in law teach - the hill gave proffesors " the pitch to by season tickets" like united way drive. Also hill wanted attendance.

At gt does the hill do more than come on field and stand next to players for photo op?

What do they do?

 

[ramblinwreckguru]

I checked your profile, and it says you are in Savannah. So how do you know so much about Augusta HS football? What you said is true, but how do you know that?

I grew up in Columbia Co. and went to Harlem High School. I still generally follow the Augusta area and outlying teams in regards to high school football. Actually just moved to Savannah from Nashville, TN back in November.

 

[gtcs05]

My high school football team never won a game in all my years in high school. They never SCORED in a single homecoming game. Attending their games was not a priority.

 

[OldJacketFan]

My high school football team never won a game in all my years in high school. They never SCORED in a single homecoming game. Attending their games was not a priority.

Wow! That's some bad football jeez!

 

[RonJohn]

I really think that we need to revisit the Total Person Program and make sure our students know how important athletics should be to them. While it doesn't need to be a consuming passion like it is for us, athletics is a vital part of the school and needs to be supported just like the academics.

If you were explaining to a student who has no interest in sports, what would you say? Why should athletics be important to them? I see that as hard as explaining to someone who has no interest in ballet why he should attend ballet shows.

All of the following is just my opinion. Athletics is important to me, but I don't see that it is actually vital to the school. GT already does not accept 75% of the people who apply to the school. Without sports, I doubt the application rate would drop significantly because I don't believe sports is a high priority for the majority of the people who apply. I doubt sports is a major factor in the selection of GTRI to conduct research. The majority of contributions already to to Roll Call or directly to schools in the University. I don't see a big drop in enrollment, tuition received, research money, or contributions so I believe the school would continue just fine. I would be extremely unhappy and the social experience for students would be much different than it was for me.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

If you were explaining to a student who has no interest in sports, what would you say? Why should athletics be important to them? I see that as hard as explaining to someone who has no interest in ballet why he should attend ballet shows.

All of the following is just my opinion. Athletics is important to me, but I don't see that it is actually vital to the school. GT already does not accept 75% of the people who apply to the school. Without sports, I doubt the application rate would drop significantly because I don't believe sports is a high priority for the majority of the people who apply. I doubt sports is a major factor in the selection of GTRI to conduct research. The majority of contributions already to to Roll Call or directly to schools in the University. I don't see a big drop in enrollment, tuition received, research money, or contributions so I believe the school would continue just fine. I would be extremely unhappy and the social experience for students would be much different than it was for me.

That's a fair assertion, but I still think it misses the point. Georgia Tech is NOT MIT or CalTech. We are an Institution that strives not only to educate the mind, but compete on the athletic fields as well. Our history, from the very beginning, has been one of competing in both arenas. To ask GT to accept less than total effort in either arena is to lessen the value of who we are, so, in a very real sense, it is vital to our students that we continue to strive for excellence here in athletics as well. Yes, the academic side could survive without the athletics, but the school would be the lesser for it.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

I grew up in Columbia Co. and went to Harlem High School. I still generally follow the Augusta area and outlying teams in regards to high school football. Actually just moved to Savannah from Nashville, TN back in November.

Very cool. Thanks for responding.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

Yes, the academic side could survive without the athletics, but the school would be the lesser for it.

AMEN, brother.

 

[RonJohn]

That's a fair assertion, but I still think it misses the point. Georgia Tech is NOT MIT or CalTech. We are an Institution that strives not only to educate the mind, but compete on the athletic fields as well. Our history, from the very beginning, has been one of competing in both arenas. To ask GT to accept less than total effort in either arena is to lessen the value of who we are, so, in a very real sense, it is vital to our students that we continue to strive for excellence here in athletics as well. Yes, the academic side could survive without the athletics, but the school would be the lesser for it.

My opinion of the school would be lesser without athletics. I don't want anyone to somehow understand that I think GT should get rid of sports that wasn't what I was saying at all.

To my first question, how would you try to motivate someone with no interest in sports to gain an interest or attend games? I know that the football team has done some "how to" sessions with international students to teach them about football. I have seen some of those students seated together after such an event to watch. I don't know what you could say to someone who grew up in the US with no interest in Pee Wee, high school, college, or NFL football to suddenly awaken an interest.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

My opinion of the school would be lesser without athletics. I don't want anyone to somehow understand that I think GT should get rid of sports that wasn't what I was saying at all.

To my first question, how would you try to motivate someone with no interest in sports to gain an interest or attend games? I know that the football team has done some "how to" sessions with international students to teach them about football. I have seen some of those students seated together after such an event to watch. I don't know what you could say to someone who grew up in the US with no interest in Pee Wee, high school, college, or NFL football to suddenly awaken an interest.

There is no magic bullet or easy answer. WHen I was at the Coast Guard Academy, we had a bunch of cadets with no real interest in athletics other than that we were forced to participate in at least two sports/activities a year. (mostly intramural participation) The CGA used the games to help build esprit de corps by encouraging everyone to attend and incentivizing attendance through the social aspects of it. Now, I know this is not a cookie cutter answer, and the Academy is a vastly different environment than GT, but that doesn't mean we don't make the effort. Too often we simply say we have 'too many internationals,' or 'too many who simply don't care about sports.'In reality, we have a lot who have never been exposed to them. Student athlete ambassadors who intentionally seek out interactions with non-"sporty" students could go a long way in bridging the gap. I don't pretend to have the answer, but that doesn't negate the problem staring us right in the face.

 

[MWBATL]

GT is full of students not interested in football. Period. If someone conducted a poll, I would be shocked if even 50% of current students attend football games. It has nothing to do with how good the team is. These students didn’t go to football games in high school, either. This is not a simple fix.

If we truly want to build the fan base, it’s gonna have to be through the sidewalk.

I agree with this. My daughter attended GT and got out not too long ago (4 yrs) and NONE the her male student friends at GT attended football games or had any interest in them....and you are correct, they simply weren't football fans at all...not in HS, not for any other teams (college or pro) and never had been. It's the breakdown of American society as we know it.....