Open Invitation to the AD et al.

[Big D]

I was checking out Valpo's board the other day and noticed that their AD (Mark Labarbera) posts on their message board. He's registered and has almost 40 posts. He does a little question/answer type thing with the fans.

I doubt I'm alone here in thinking that's really cool. It's been debated whether any UIC staff visit this place, but why not post and interact with the fans in a positive manner? Clearly, the AD doesn't have to say anything he doesn't want to. If you read ml's posts on Valpo's site, I think it's quite interesting that he gets in on the fun.

So, I for one would love to see AD Schmidt participate...And this goes for coaches as well. Mike Dee supposedly posted here a couple times. Come on back and brag about your team if you want...we like that kind of thing around here

[soccer fan]

It would definitely be cool, but I think the amount of player and head coach bashing that goes on around here probably makes the likelihood of that happening pretty remote.

At the very least you'd have to start mod-ing and filtering the posts. Do YOU feel up to that?

[EzE]

There is a message board that relates to where I work and while I do read it, I don't reply to comments even if I really want to. I may address it via other means.

The problem is that they may be too responsive to the board or be taken out of context. Our comments aren't exactly well thought out press releases. I am sure they would not want to respond to many of the questions we had about JC's illness, Mitchem's issues, players not in uniform, etc. It is one thing to have a "sources close to team officials" stating 2nd or 3rd hand information, but it if somebody posted here it would be viewed the same as an official statement by the team.

Also, other teams could get insight on our team depending on the comments made.

I wouldn't mind if they had a weekly spotlight on a player, coach, etc. and people could send in various questions to them. This way they can pick through some of the questions and we can learn more about them and the program. It is safer on their end and doesn't reveal anything to other teams.

[Chuck A]

eze said:

There is a message board that relates to where I work and while I do read it, I don't reply to comments even if I really want to. I may address it via other means.

The problem is that they may be too responsive to the board or be taken out of context. Our comments aren't exactly well thought out press releases. I am sure they would not want to respond to many of the questions we had about JC's illness, Mitchem's issues, players not in uniform, etc. It is one thing to have a "sources close to team officials" stating 2nd or 3rd hand information, but it if somebody posted here it would be viewed the same as an official statement by the team.

Also, other teams could get insight on our team depending on the comments made.

I wouldn't mind if they had a weekly spotlight on a player, coach, etc. and people could send in various questions to them. This way they can pick through some of the questions and we can learn more about them and the program. It is safer on their end and doesn't reveal anything to other teams.

I agree with your statements EzE, especially the last one. I see AD Schmidt from time to time and I'm sure he's checked onto the board on ocassion. I've mentioned the site to him and even given him the address, so he knows it's here. Like "soccer fan" alluded to, the problem some of us would run into would be tempering our comments if we "KNEW" Schmidt was online or a regular. For one, I know I probably would because I do see him and he knows my handle. It's like a reporter becoming too chummy with a team or personality he's supposedly covering. Eventhough we're not being objective so much as being opinionated, knowing a staff member is viewing could affect "free" or should I say, "true" speech.