Emailed Scott Barnes/Zack Lassiter & got this reply:
Oct 3, 2017 8:54:27 GMT -8
wilkyisdashiznit likes this
Post by youngbuckbeav on Oct 3, 2017 8:54:27 GMT -8
Long story short...Zack Lassiter replied and said he appreciates the email and wants to have the rest of the staff hear it. He said that he would like to call me today @ 1pm and have a conference call with him, Fenk and others in the athletic dept. This email I sent was me "venting" in a nice way and offering some of my personal suggestions/opinions (if it is worth anything). If you have any questions you want me to ask during the call today then reply to this thread and I will try to get some answers. Again...this email was my personal feelings. There was more I could have gone into and just barraged them with complaints but I wanted to think big picture and not sound like another pissed off fan that emails them about the state of our football program with knee jerk reactions.
I wasnt trying to make this about Gray Andersen (my guess is they already get emails and calls for them to get rid of him). I was trying to think big picture in a way that meshed the athletics/fan pride together. The name of a stadium. The logo. The facilities. I wasnt about to get into a debate of calling for Andersens head, only to be followed up with an email saying "We owe too much money. Hurting for $ as is. Cannot even finish Reser. No booster is wanting to pay for him to leave. Sorry. Thanks."
Just like there are logistics in just firing a coach, there are logistics in renaming a stadium that I (and other fans) do not see.
"To Scott Barnes, Kyle Bjornstad, Zack Lassiter, Steve Fenk and any other highly regarded OSU staff that may ready this:
I am a 2nd Gen Beaver. My dad, sister, brother, wife and I all graduated from Oregon State. I grew up in Corvallis and went to school with Pat Casey's Kids (John and Brett) as well as many other OSU related family members at CVHS. I applied to be on the OSU committee to make game day experiences more enjoyable for the fans but was not chosen (understandable as there were hundreds of applications, which is a good sign that there are people who still deeply care about the well being of OSU).
The reason why I am writing is to let you know that there are OSU fans that will always be Beaver fans regardless of the success. With that said, I feel I speak for much of Beaver nation when I voice a few of these concerns (some of which I am sure you already are aware of and are actively working hard on daily).
We can agree that athletics is what brings alums and fans together. I can tell you I have never met another alum and talked about what degree we got (although it is of utmost importance). What we DO talk about is how the football, baseball, basketball teams etc. are doing and that is what makes us feel connected. This is why billions in NCAA apparel is sold each year. The academics does not cause people to go into their local college bookstore and drop $200 on items to show their pride...the athletics does. Please don't take this as me diminishing the importance of getting a degree and using it to better our communities we live in (that is the goal). With that said, here are a few items I have been hearing for years now from fans and alum alike:
1) The new logo should go. The old Benny the Beaver needs to come back and stay. OSU must find it's niche by playing off the rich tradition/history we have. What we have as a college that differentiates itself from EVERY other college in Oregon is that we are the oldest major public university in Oregon (Western Oregon is 2 years older but isn't considered a major university). Not many people know that. The rich history that is embedded in OSU athletics is noted and is found to be "The Glory Days". We must tap into that tradition. Our basketball team had MANY years of great success with that logo. Our Heisman trophy winner and those teams in that era were what birthed that logo. Alabama. Michigan. Ohio State. Oklahoma. Texas. Those are just a few colleges that chose to NOT go the Oregon Duck route and stick with the tradition. Why 'fix' what is not broken?
2) If possible, rename Reser to a name that is inclusive to OSU fans/alums and is football related and taps into our tradition. Possibly "Baker Stadium" (for our one and only Heisman winner)? The State Collesium (which tells people that OSU is the FOUNDING university of the STATE and the original major public University in Oregon) or something of that nature?
3) Finish Reser. Although this may seem obvious, to fans it seems crazy to see headlines like this in the news and still be left with half of a stadium. I can assure you that the football program and athletics as a whole brings in more money than marine research.
"OSU lands $122 million grant for new research vessel in Newport"
www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2017/07/osu_lands_122_million_grant_oc.html
I really do appreciate you and your commitments to OSU and the success of the athletics as a whole. GO BEAVS!"
I wasnt trying to make this about Gray Andersen (my guess is they already get emails and calls for them to get rid of him). I was trying to think big picture in a way that meshed the athletics/fan pride together. The name of a stadium. The logo. The facilities. I wasnt about to get into a debate of calling for Andersens head, only to be followed up with an email saying "We owe too much money. Hurting for $ as is. Cannot even finish Reser. No booster is wanting to pay for him to leave. Sorry. Thanks."
Just like there are logistics in just firing a coach, there are logistics in renaming a stadium that I (and other fans) do not see.
"To Scott Barnes, Kyle Bjornstad, Zack Lassiter, Steve Fenk and any other highly regarded OSU staff that may ready this:
I am a 2nd Gen Beaver. My dad, sister, brother, wife and I all graduated from Oregon State. I grew up in Corvallis and went to school with Pat Casey's Kids (John and Brett) as well as many other OSU related family members at CVHS. I applied to be on the OSU committee to make game day experiences more enjoyable for the fans but was not chosen (understandable as there were hundreds of applications, which is a good sign that there are people who still deeply care about the well being of OSU).
The reason why I am writing is to let you know that there are OSU fans that will always be Beaver fans regardless of the success. With that said, I feel I speak for much of Beaver nation when I voice a few of these concerns (some of which I am sure you already are aware of and are actively working hard on daily).
We can agree that athletics is what brings alums and fans together. I can tell you I have never met another alum and talked about what degree we got (although it is of utmost importance). What we DO talk about is how the football, baseball, basketball teams etc. are doing and that is what makes us feel connected. This is why billions in NCAA apparel is sold each year. The academics does not cause people to go into their local college bookstore and drop $200 on items to show their pride...the athletics does. Please don't take this as me diminishing the importance of getting a degree and using it to better our communities we live in (that is the goal). With that said, here are a few items I have been hearing for years now from fans and alum alike:
1) The new logo should go. The old Benny the Beaver needs to come back and stay. OSU must find it's niche by playing off the rich tradition/history we have. What we have as a college that differentiates itself from EVERY other college in Oregon is that we are the oldest major public university in Oregon (Western Oregon is 2 years older but isn't considered a major university). Not many people know that. The rich history that is embedded in OSU athletics is noted and is found to be "The Glory Days". We must tap into that tradition. Our basketball team had MANY years of great success with that logo. Our Heisman trophy winner and those teams in that era were what birthed that logo. Alabama. Michigan. Ohio State. Oklahoma. Texas. Those are just a few colleges that chose to NOT go the Oregon Duck route and stick with the tradition. Why 'fix' what is not broken?
2) If possible, rename Reser to a name that is inclusive to OSU fans/alums and is football related and taps into our tradition. Possibly "Baker Stadium" (for our one and only Heisman winner)? The State Collesium (which tells people that OSU is the FOUNDING university of the STATE and the original major public University in Oregon) or something of that nature?
3) Finish Reser. Although this may seem obvious, to fans it seems crazy to see headlines like this in the news and still be left with half of a stadium. I can assure you that the football program and athletics as a whole brings in more money than marine research.
"OSU lands $122 million grant for new research vessel in Newport"
www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2017/07/osu_lands_122_million_grant_oc.html
I really do appreciate you and your commitments to OSU and the success of the athletics as a whole. GO BEAVS!"