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Topic: RE: Fire Phillips Now

Topic: RE: Fire Phillips Now

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spongeBOB CATpants
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Member Since: 8/16/2016
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 10:11:00 AM

rpbobcat wrote:

catfan28 wrote:

The track is not regulation. We can't host indoor meets.

The fact that we spent $10+ million and yet couldn't muster enough funds to put in a full track is absurd.

Heck, Logan High School is building a regulation indoor track! Marietta College and lots of D3 schools throughout Ohio have one too.

IMO, that was an incredibly shortsighted decision by the university.

An indoor track is 200 meter,banked oval.

In fact most new indoor tracks have the ability to hydraulically adjust banks.

They have a narrow infield,so,to the best of my knowledge,the track would actually be well inside a football field.

I've designed a number of athletic fields and running tracks.

I've only seen true (200 meter) indoor tracks in stand alone facilities.

In fact Mich. just built a beauty.

As I said before,O.U. stretched their donations and budget to the limit to
be able to get an IPF with a full size football field and practice running track.
Personally,I think O.U. did a pretty good job, and most people I've talked to
when I visit the campus are quite pleased with the IPF.

In my opinion the IPF is serving its purpose and some. Its helped with recruiting in all sports, every team except for maybe wrestling and swimming uses it (maybe they use it too?) and it was a massive upgrade to what our athletes had to use before. I would love to see some of these people come to a baseball practice in the freaking indoor tennis "tent" next to the golf course and then tell me how we were supposed to compete with Kent state.

The regulation indoor track is irrelevant. Maybe if we had both men's and women's indoor track then they should've considered the investment.

Alan Swank
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Location: Athens, OH
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 10:22:52 AM

While we're at it, has anyone played the back nine at the OU golf course?

Chicken George
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 12:31:20 PM

[/QUOTE]
The regulation indoor track is irrelevant. Maybe if we had both men's and women's indoor track then they should've considered the investment. [/QUOTE]

I don't contribute much on this board anymore, but common on man. If you're a runner, yes we do have M & W Cross Country Teams that run as a club all Winter at Indoor events---then just like you feel the runners having a place to train is irrelevant, a runner thinks a place to practice baseball when it's out of season is just as irrelevant. Runners actually have a winter indoor season and running on that track with such sharp curves is not easy.
In regards to maybe the runners should've contributed more money, how much did the softball, lacrosse, baseball, etc... (non-revenue sports) contribute?
Common on, my uneducated premise was.... if you're a little short of doing it correct and you've waited this long, then just wait until you can get it 100% right as you only do it once. I'd rather wait 5-8 more years and do it right, realizing I'm going to have it for 50 years, then do it next year and short arm a significant portion of venue. Hence, we're going to Marshall, Kent State, Marietta College for events. And if you're a serious distance runner and looking for a college, no men's track and now no indoor facility is yet another ding (reason to go elsewhere).

Last Edited: 2/6/2019 12:37:56 PM by Chicken George

OU_Country
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 12:40:12 PM

Chicken George wrote:

Forgive me in that I know nothing regarding true facts about the logistics of this decision. All I know is the "they stretched every dollar to make it happen." Secondly, don't give me the "you should've just given them the money to make it happen." But IMO you only build Walter FH once in a generation or maybe longer. You don't, don't, don't, don't build a 4 lane half butt practice track with tight corners. You've got runners at your university, the area has no such facility, you've got ONE chance to get it right---100% in my uneducated opinion you wait it out until you can do it right. By hunch is that football pushed it not giving a lick about if the track was 1 lane, 4 lanes, or regulation and they short armed it. Too bad for every one else other than those who need turf. I just registered my son for an indoor event at Marshall where I believe they cut the indoor track event off at the first 800 athletes (I think) and there was a rush to register because it sells out very quickly annually I was told.

An additional thought or two on this IPF discussion:

1) Seems to me it would have made sense to have built the field house right up flush against Peden, so the restroom facilities and concession facilities under the student side could have been renovated during this, making it more of a multi-purpose project. Now, I'm no engineer to know if that was even feasible, but at least the logic of that would have made sense.

2) While doing this project, why not build a facility that would also function as a practice facility for hoops, volleyball, etc, essentially building one practice facility for all sports? Was the feasibility of such an idea ever considered? Seems like it might have been more cost effective in the long run.

Deciduous Forest Cat
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 12:42:03 PM

Alan Swank wrote:

While we're at it, has anyone played the back nine at the OU golf course?

have you any ideas where those nine holes would go?

bigtillyoopsupsideurhead
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Location: Cincinnati
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 12:45:42 PM

Alan Swank wrote:

While we're at it, has anyone played the back nine at the OU golf course?

Yes, used to play it a lot. But it was 10 minutes west on 50 and it was called the Elm.

Ohio69
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 1:27:06 PM

OU_Country wrote:

Chicken George wrote:

It is truly a miracle the place exists in its current format at all.

Can somebody hit a pull up jumper for me?.....

Alan Swank
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Location: Athens, OH
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 2:50:48 PM

Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:

Alan Swank wrote:

While we're at it, has anyone played the back nine at the OU golf course?

have you any ideas where those nine holes would go?

Lots of places just not on campus. Most D 1 schools don't have an on campus course but they do have at least one 18 hole championship course to play. Heck Akron plays at Firestone (3 courses to choose from). For college players, OU's 9 is pitch and putt.

Buckeye to Bobcat
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 2:52:50 PM

Alan Swank wrote:

Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:

Alan Swank wrote:

While we're at it, has anyone played the back nine at the OU golf course?

have you any ideas where those nine holes would go?

Not to drag this off-thread, but I do need to work on my game with my irons. Worst part is we run a couple of golf sim shops.

So I continue to bring my club thru and each time it barely opens and messes me over. Any good tips on continuing to keep the club close?

spongeBOB CATpants
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 2:59:04 PM

Chicken George wrote:

The regulation indoor track is irrelevant. Maybe if we had both men's and women's indoor track then they should've considered the investment. [/QUOTE]

I don't contribute much on this board anymore, but common on man. If you're a runner, yes we do have M & W Cross Country Teams that run as a club all Winter at Indoor events---then just like you feel the runners having a place to train is irrelevant, a runner thinks a place to practice baseball when it's out of season is just as irrelevant. Runners actually have a winter indoor season and running on that track with such sharp curves is not easy.
In regards to maybe the runners should've contributed more money, how much did the softball, lacrosse, baseball, etc... (non-revenue sports) contribute?
Common on, my uneducated premise was.... if you're a little short of doing it correct and you've waited this long, then just wait until you can get it 100% right as you only do it once. I'd rather wait 5-8 more years and do it right, realizing I'm going to have it for 50 years, then do it next year and short arm a significant portion of venue. Hence, we're going to Marshall, Kent State, Marietta College for events. And if you're a serious distance runner and looking for a college, no men's track and now no indoor facility is yet another ding (reason to go elsewhere).

[/QUOTE]

Uhhh both teams still use the facility, its not like they decided to ditch the track all together.

If I'm reading your entire post correctly (which is not easy to decipher btw) you would've delayed the construction of Walter another 5-8 years just to include a regulation size indoor track. That makes absolute no sense. We don't even have a men's track team and there's no such thing as indoor cross country. I get it that the men could utilize the indoor facility in the winter months but they don't need the regulation track for practice and they already use it how it is. They got it 110% right.

BobcatSports
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 5:07:41 PM

My recollection of the moving forward of the IPF was striking while the iron was hot. The IPF was talked about for years and we were one of the fewMAC football programs without one. The football voices were loudest in the we need the IPF yesterday for recruiting and moving the program forward.
Since track is not a revenue producer I think the attitude was take the money and run with building the IPF with what they had. I think the powers to be figured there was no sense waiting for money that may never come and risk losing monies that were committed.

Last Edited: 2/6/2019 5:23:02 PM by BobcatSports

Chicken George
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 6:37:12 PM

spongeBOB CATpants wrote:

Chicken George wrote:

The regulation indoor track is irrelevant. Maybe if we had both men's and women's indoor track then they should've considered the investment.

I don't contribute much on this board anymore, but common on man. If you're a runner, yes we do have M & W Cross Country Teams that run as a club all Winter at Indoor events---then just like you feel the runners having a place to train is irrelevant, a runner thinks a place to practice baseball when it's out of season is just as irrelevant. Runners actually have a winter indoor season and running on that track with such sharp curves is not easy.
In regards to maybe the runners should've contributed more money, how much did the softball, lacrosse, baseball, etc... (non-revenue sports) contribute?
Common on, my uneducated premise was.... if you're a little short of doing it correct and you've waited this long, then just wait until you can get it 100% right as you only do it once. I'd rather wait 5-8 more years and do it right, realizing I'm going to have it for 50 years, then do it next year and short arm a significant portion of venue. Hence, we're going to Marshall, Kent State, Marietta College for events. And if you're a serious distance runner and looking for a college, no men's track and now no indoor facility is yet another ding (reason to go elsewhere).

___________________________________________________________________________

So I'm gathering Mr.spongeBob, you are not a runner. That much is clear. A couple quick points as I waste my time here:

1. "The Regulation Indoor Track is irrevelant?"
So let's build a basketball practice gym that has a court that's 90x40 in size and a 19 foot 3 point line. Oh ya, a regulation 3 point line is 19'9" and the court is 94x50, but who cares, they can still practice on it, right? Let's build a practice baseball field with 60 feet from the pitchers mound to home plate and 84 feet between bases as we don't have enough money for a bigger field. Oh ya, regulation is 60'6 (plate to mound) and 90' between each base. Let's build a Field Hockey practice field 275 feet in length, regulation is 299' and 10 inches, but they don't generate revenue so whose measuring?
2. "We Don't Have a Men's Track Team"
Yes, but we do have a Women's track team don't we? And we do have a club Men's Indoor Track Team I believe and our hockey team is club and they have a regulation arena with stands don't they? Marshall doesn't have men's track, they have a regulation indoor facility. WVU I don't believe has a men's track team, ditto for them.
3. "No such thing as indoor Cross Country."
Yes, but there's not such thing as indoor football either.
4. "Yes, but they can still practice"
My understanding, and this is 10th person so it could be way off, is that they could've got a more normal 6 lane track installed but football refused to shorten the endzone by a few feet to make that possible. You should've asked football, "yes, but you could at least practice." No dice, winning culture want things done right.
5. "They got it 110% right."
Read above. I wish you were scoring my daughter in gymnastics--10.0 on all events?
6. It's better than nothing.
True
7. I can't do the Quote feature right.
True :)

[/QUOTE]

Uhhh both teams still use the facility, its not like they decided to ditch the track all together.

If I'm reading your entire post correctly (which is not easy to decipher btw) you would've delayed the construction of Walter another 5-8 years just to include a regulation size indoor track. That makes absolute no sense. We don't even have a men's track team and there's no such thing as indoor cross country. I get it that the men could utilize the indoor facility in the winter months but they don't need the regulation track for practice and they already use it how it is. They got it 110% right. [/QUOTE]

Last Edited: 2/6/2019 6:45:17 PM by Chicken George

Chicken George
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 6:42:44 PM

BobcatSports wrote:

I read none of the posts when this was being debated on here and once again reiterate, I have zero facts other than wishing while they were at it, a real track with stands that would be a huge plus to the area was included. But my hunch is what you write is 100% accurate. Football generates the revenue. Football brought the donors. Everything was an afterthought and "just get it done." My understanding is that there was no track initially and the 4 lanes they got almost didn't happen in the first place. If true, we should be thankful. But yes, I doubt Mr. Solich was of the mindset, get a regulation track in here and until then let's wait. It had a field, he was good and pushing. Understood.

BobcatSports
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 9:09:00 PM

CG I as I age the memory is faded but that�s how I think the mindset was at the time. Satisfy football with the caveat that the facility could be used by baseball, softball, track and possibly even the 110 on occasion.

GroverBall
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 11:05:38 PM

Buckeye to Bobcat wrote:

Alan Swank wrote:

Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:

Alan Swank wrote:

While we're at it, has anyone played the back nine at the OU golf course?

have you any ideas where those nine holes would go?

Yea, hit balls in the IPF with the golf team, who also use the facility and don't seem to mind the rounded end zones.

GroverBall
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 11:16:00 PM

spongeBOB CATpants wrote:

rpbobcat wrote:

catfan28 wrote:

It's also been a great community resource, especially for soccer and futsal enthusiasts from age 3 to 60+. Check out the activity on a Saturday night in the winter, it's impressive with 8-10 small-sided games going on at once.

randy
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/6/2019 11:39:39 PM

Well I think most of us have expressed our feelings about Ohio Mens Basketball. at the point of hiring of Groce and Coach Phillips, the pedigree was there. By no means do I think Schaus is to blame. taking risks are part of the game. he has represented himself as a professional AD. a good background and I nice ability to communicate with us fans.. Its a time to be patient right now for me. I have to understand the variables/circumstances. I am an optimist and I have hope things should will fall into place, hopefully sooner than later

catfan28
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/7/2019 9:36:21 AM

randy wrote:

and I nice ability to communicate with us fans

I tend to think there are a lot of folks that wouldn't necessarily agree with this assessment of Schaus.

SBH
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/7/2019 10:45:02 AM

I imagine most of us have run across individuals who, while they might say our opinions are important, display ZERO interest in what we really have to say. I've been around Mr. Schaus a decent amount over the past several years and not once have I come away believing he had listened to me. He nods his head, smiles, assures you he's gonna "look into it," and then it's gone into the ether.

Ohio Pilot
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/7/2019 10:48:00 AM

[/QUOTE]

It's also been a great community resource, especially for soccer and futsal enthusiasts from age 3 to 60+. Check out the activity on a Saturday night in the winter, it's impressive with 8-10 small-sided games going on at once.
[/QUOTE]

I Agree, My little sister is coming up from Knoxville for a soccer camp in the IPF in just a few weeks. (trying to convince her to become a bobcat). It seems to me that the IPF has been good for all. Would be nice to have a regulation track? Sure, but its not like the place is useless without it.

Last Edited: 2/7/2019 10:48:40 AM by Ohio Pilot

OhioCatFan
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/7/2019 10:48:30 AM

catfan28 wrote:

randy wrote:

and I nice ability to communicate with us fans

I tend to think there are a lot of folks that wouldn't necessarily agree with this assessment of Schaus.

I had a discussion recently with another fan in the Rohr Room at halftime of a men's basketball game. We agreed that while he talks to fans, he doesn't really listen to them. It's kind of a one-way communication when talking to Jim.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

GraffZ06
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/7/2019 1:56:31 PM

Self-admission: I've never talked to Mr Schaus personally, only seen him from afar.

That being said, the fact that he doesn't "listen" to fans can be both bad and good. On one hand, you hope he's the type of individual that wants and appreciates as much input, insight and alternative viewpoints as possible in order to properly shape his own decisions - and that includes listening to the voices and concerns of the Bobcat faithful. On the other hand, if any university or professional athletics program (or even HS for that matter) truly "listened" to their "fans/parents" then they'd be hiring/firing everyone every 6 months, giving playing time to Johnny fan-favorite, among many other knee-jerk, not wholly informed (or simply not knowing all the details) or plain crazy ideas.

It's a fine line of being friendly, appreciative and responsive to community inputs while simultaneously using your own common sense and internal resources to make the best decisions possible.

Now when you combine this character observation with the claim that Schaus seems to make coaching hiring decisions wholly in a vacuum and all by himself (something I have a bigger problem with IF TRUE) - well then it STARTS to paint a picture of a guy who DOESN'T really want/care about anybody else's input but his own. Just like any good leader, President, CEO - ultimately they have to make the final decisions, but only after careful thought and weighing the inputs from many/all of those people who you trust so you can make a fully informed decision.

That it appears Schaus doesn't do this, IMO, isn't a good thing. The smartest guy in the room is the one who recognizes he's never the smartest guy in the room.

brucecuth
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/7/2019 2:03:42 PM

OhioCatFan wrote:

catfan28 wrote:

randy wrote:

and I nice ability to communicate with us fans

I tend to think there are a lot of folks that wouldn't necessarily agree with this assessment of Schaus.

Several years ago, I suggested to Schaus during the coaches caravan stop in Cbus that it would be great to bring women's hoops coach Bolden the following year, since he does such a good job recruiting Central Ohio. His response: "Great idea!" Still have yet to see Bolden at the Columbus caravan stop...

OU_Country
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/7/2019 5:06:16 PM

brucecuth wrote:

OhioCatFan wrote:

catfan28 wrote:

randy wrote:

and I nice ability to communicate with us fans

I tend to think there are a lot of folks that wouldn't necessarily agree with this assessment of Schaus.

We've had other conversations about trying to do more things with the Central Ohio Alumni chapter. They ended up in a similar fashion. I maintain the opportunity missed by the AD and his team in Central Ohio, along with other cities heavily populated with Bobcat Alumni is a huge missed opportunity.

OhioCatFan
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Location: Athens, OH
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RE: Fire Phillips Now

Posted: 2/7/2019 9:04:14 PM

One interchange between Schaus and me involved an attempt to have the University honor Athens native Arthur Carr, probably the first African American QB at a predominantly white university in 1903-04, on the occasion of the game this past fall with Howard, where Carr earned his M.D. degree. I suggested maybe something like a banner at Peden with a drawing of Carr throwing a football with some mention of him being an African American pioneer. I contacted Schaus about this about a year before the game was played. His response was that we had honored him by naming a dorm after him. The implication was that that was enough, and that I should get off his lawn. As a last ditch effort to get some recognition for Carr on the eve of the Howard game, I was able to interest the Athens News in doing a cover story about it. Just think the publicity that OHIO could have garnered had the AD's office been on board. Just one example, but I think that it's illustrative.

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