Does The SWAC Office Have Enough Staff?

[Mighty Dog]

After reading all the comments about the SWAC Office and what I have read about what they should be doing. If people call us a backward organization what should we do about it. How can we help improve it.

1. Do we need additional personnel?
2. Should institutional membership fee be increased?
3. Should all institutionals be required to meet scholarship standards?
4. Should our major sports (basketball and football) have a staff of people to work nothing but these two activities?
5. Can we provide the proper training for our officials?

From the seat of my pants, I would say that if we are looking for all the improvements I have been reading about lately; the real question is do we have the proper resources to be like the PWCs or look for the so called highly qualified person and ask him or her to work with a small budget. In reality, we have the resources, but my gut feeling is the majority of our schools don't think athletics is worth spending the extra dollars to improve the current situation.

What is your opinion?

 

[MACHIAVELLI]

1. Do we need additional personnel? YES...MARKETING
2. Should institutional membership fee be increased? PROBABLY NOT.
3. Should all institutionals be required to meet scholarship standards? YES
4. Should our major sports (basketball and football) have a staff of people to work nothing but these two activities? MAYBE
5. Can we provide the proper training for our officials? YES WE CAN AND SHOULD

 

[Blu Panther]

To prove they are understaffed, look at Wallace Dooley (PR man) at the SWAC Championships and watch him work his azz off with no help. The give him an intern as his help.

Rudy was headed in filling the needs because one night he called and said he needed an Assistant PR person when Lonza was in office. Nevertheless, that never materialized.

 

[Jag Voice]

MD:
I think all the problems you list are because of poor leadership and nothing else.

It seems to me I-AA conferences with a smaller revenue base (Southland, MEAC, etc.) are able to survive without as many problems.

I say less revenue because traditionally the SWAC schools generate more $$$$ from Classics and our huge attendance at football games.

 

[Mighty Dog]

Originally posted by Jag Voice
MD:
I think all the problems you list are because of poor leadership and nothing else.

It seems to me I-AA conferences with a smaller revenue base (Southland, MEAC, etc.) are able to survive without as many problems.

I say less revenue because traditionally the SWAC schools generate more $$$$ from Classics and our huge attendance at football games.

JV, do you think our leaders really understand the role of the SWAC Office?

Do you think the membership fees should pay all the salaries for the administrative staff or should they receive a basic salary and bonus based on the amount of revenue they bring into the conference?

Take for example, should all classic be required to reserve about 10% of the gross to help with operational cost of the SWAC office. I don't know what is being done, but if you know that they don't need any additional revenue, then it could be leadership as you mentioned. But as I read comments from you old SWAC Fans, it appears to me that the SWAC Office cannot overcome all the issues with additional support.

Sometime we get emotional about things and winning championship rather than making progress.

 

[MikeBigg]

Mighty Dog, I'm not sure in what capacity you are currently employed or even if you would consider making such a move, but we could use you in the Commissioner's office. I'm being serious...some of your ideas and insight shows more vision and awareness than what we are currently receiving.

I think you would hire and surround yourself with qualified and quality folk to make the conference progress. For one thing, you are aware of the sensible and "do" able recommendations that come from TSPN. I would hope that the commissioner's office would sign on to this forum and take advantage of some of the suggestions/opinions that are given in this forum.

I'm not saying that everything we say is credible or even remotely feasible, however it is a "brainstorm" of ideas from various segments of the SWAC that is intended to help our conference to grow. TSPN dessiminates a lot of information, the SWAC headquarters need to make better us of this resource and be in constant communication with TSPN in terms of Marketing of it's product. Hell, maybe the office needs to include in it's budget
some funding to TSPN to be it's on-line information site.

 

[Mighty Dog]

Mike B, we are passing this way but once and each of us should try to make the best contribution we can. Thanks for the compliment, but when I left the workforce it was for good. My experience tell me that a person with no vision should not accept the SWAC Commissioner position. At the same time there is no reason for whoever accept the position to be placed at a disadvantage. If the SWAC Office need more positions or what ever it need to be on a level playing field we should provide at least 50% of what is necessary. The NCAA rules are the same for each conference and we should be able to match up. A person coming in with 50% more staff than the previous Commissioner should be able to develop a program to get the other 50%.

It appears that the SWAC has a great relationship with B'ham and we need to continue to develop this relationship. The Mayor is a graduate of Miles and I know he love sports which is another plus. Miles is on the move and will be a force in the future like in the old days. Therefore, a lot of great things are about to happened. Just because most SWAC Fans are not familar with Miles, I think it is a plus for them to be playing GSU, SU and any other SWAC Team. I believe Rudy did some great things during his tenure and a new person can come in and continue to expand. I know our success will come from the ten institutions.