New Article on Football

Just playing Devilā€™s Advocate here but some of you folks need to grow thicker skin and avoid the knee jerk reactions when it comes to something like this. Surely you realize that there is going to be a lot of opposition to getting a football program. A simple editorial such as this one is just a drop in the bucket compared to what weā€™ll face when this topic starts to pick up more steam.

Totally agree with Silvio in that you need to get used to opposing stances such as this one because there will be plenty more to follow. And there are appropriate ways to provide rebuttal but ripping someone on a personal level isnā€™t one of them. I disagree with 99% of what this lady had to say but at the same time, her voice has the right to be heard. And the best we can do is just supply information to negate the information sheā€™s providing.

Sheā€™s simply one of the first in a long line of anti-football people weā€™re going to encounter during this quest for football.

[QUOTE=metro;210188]What qualifies her to comment on this as a media correspondent? She lives in Charlotte? She works for the O??[/QUOTE]

Sheā€™s an expert in higher education. Last time I checked UNCC was in that business.

Like I said, you donā€™t have to agree with her; she still did you some good. The debate is extended by a day, two when you guys start writing letters to the editor. BOT sees discussion, sees your passion. They think about football, so it stays front of mind.

Mary is a very smart woman. Sheā€™s entitled to her opinion, and The Observer pays her for expressing it, just like we pay Sorensen and Fowler and Tommy Tomlinson, etc.

Itā€™s all about creating discussion in the community.

Any publicity is good publicity.

[QUOTE=kevinharbin;210187]Now there is an idea that should stick. Perhaps make a sticky of the arguments against and the worked out rebuttles.

Then, have a thread for each argument so that the main thread doesnā€™t get bogged down.[/QUOTE]
Done

[URL=http://www.ninernation.net/forum/showthread.php?t=15154][B][U][COLOR=SeaGreen]The Great Football Debate[/COLOR][/U][/B][/URL]

[QUOTE=jcl49er;210192] I disagree with 99% of what this lady had to say but at the same time, her voice has the right to be heard. [/QUOTE]

what does she have a right to be heard?
she is not affiliated with UNCC in any way, and she is not a sports professional (writer). Something has to pertain to you in order to be ā€œheard.ā€

[QUOTE=Mike_Persinger;210193]Sheā€™s an expert in higher education. Last time I checked UNCC was in that business.

Like I said, you donā€™t have to agree with her; she still did you some good. The debate is extended by a day, two when you guys start writing letters to the editor. BOT sees discussion, sees your passion. They think about football, so it stays front of mind.

Mary is a very smart woman. Sheā€™s entitled to her opinion, and The Observer pays her for expressing it, just like we pay Sorensen and Fowler and Tommy Tomlinson, etc.

Itā€™s all about creating discussion in the community.

Any publicity is good publicity.[/QUOTE]

I donā€™t disagreeā€¦ ā€œpub is pubā€ ā€¦no doubt

is she an expert on higher education? usually it says in a small blip that the author specializes in the subject. IE: Mary Newsome specializes in urban developement and its always noted. If she is the ā€œhigher educationā€ op-ed writer, then it needs to be attached to the story.

otherwise I stand by my arguement.

Just playing Devil's Advocate here but some of you folks need to grow thicker skin and avoid the knee jerk reactions when it comes to something like this. Surely you realize that there is going to be a lot of opposition to getting a football program. A simple editorial such as this one is just a drop in the bucket compared to what we'll face when this topic starts to pick up more steam.

Totally agree with Silvio in that you need to get used to opposing stances such as this one because there will be plenty more to follow. And there are appropriate ways to provide rebuttal but ripping someone on a personal level isnā€™t one of them. I disagree with 99% of what this lady had to say but at the same time, her voice has the right to be heard. And the best we can do is just supply information to negate the information sheā€™s providing.

Sheā€™s simply one of the first in a long line of anti-football people weā€™re going to encounter during this quest for football.

agreed, my point was that I dont think we have any allyā€™s in places that will reach 100k people?

[QUOTE=Mike_Persinger;210182]So, if youā€™re not an alum, your opinion is moot? Iā€™ll have to tell Sorensen his opinion about football at UNCC is moot since heā€™s not an alum. Too bad he supports you. Now I canā€™t let him write anymore.[/QUOTE]

I would like to know what this ladies qualifications are for making such comments?

Does she have sports and/or university financial reporting experience?

Has she every done Division I or professional sports reporting?

Does she have a Buisness or Sports Management Degree?

Does she have any qualifications for making accusations about a college sport other then what she found in a 10 minute online search?

Has she any experience reporting about UNC Charlotteā€™s finances and atheltics department?

Was she at least a towel or water girl for a high school team?

Mike, you really should tell your bosses to quite hiring Google journalists, it really makes people not want to buy the Observer. Either that, or offer the sports section separately.

I don't disagree.... "pub is pub" .....no doubt

is she an expert on higher education? usually it says in a small blip that the author specializes in the subject. IE: Mary Newsome specializes in urban developement and its always noted. If she is the ā€œhigher educationā€ op-ed writer, then it needs to be attached to the story.

otherwise I stand by my arguement.

Thats a good point. It should say that, so people know that she is not a football expert or something.

But Mikes got a good point. It is an opinion, and when it comes to that, there arent really any rules for opinions.

I would like to think that as this goes great football debate continues, that people will show the alumni and students respect, and I hope no one bashes students and alumni for their efforts. That will raise a stinkā€¦ Not that this lady did, just throwing it out there

I would like to know what this ladies qualifications are for making such comments?

Does she have sports and/or university financial reporting experience?

Has she every done Division I or professional sports reporting?

Does she have a Buisness or Sports Management Degree?

Does she have any qualifications for making accusations about a college sport other then what she found in a 10 minute online search?

Has she any experience reporting about UNC Charlotteā€™s finances and atheltics department?

Was she at least a towel or water girl for a high school team?

Mike, you really should tell your bosses to quite hiring Google journalists, it really makes people not want to buy the Observer. Either that, or offer the sports section seperately.

Honestly, if those are the requirements for editorials, then NO ONE would ever get an editorial published. If you write an opinion column in favor of football and want it published in the Observer, are you going to send along your credentials showing that you are qualified to have an opinion on it? I would like to write a long opinion column on why football is good and necessary, but I have none of the experience you say is necessary. Does that make my column worthless?

[QUOTE=metro;210198]I donā€™t disagreeā€¦ ā€œpub is pubā€ ā€¦no doubt

is she an expert on higher education? usually it says in a small blip that the author specializes in the subject. IE, Mary Newsome specializes in urban developement. If she the ā€œhigher educationā€ op-ed writer, then it needs to be attached to the story.

otherwise I stand by my arguement.[/QUOTE]

She writes about higher ed and other topics. Hereā€™s what editorial page editor Ed Williams said about her at the end of the year, in reviewing her work:

ā€œAssociate Editor Mary Schulken: Mary writes timely, insightful commentary on higher education and is our lead writer on city government and immigration. This year she was selected to participate in the ā€œImmigration: Issues for a New Americaā€ seminar at the University of Marylandā€™s Knight Center for Specialized Journalism. Early in '06 she picked up her first-place award in the NCPAā€™s 2005 editorial writing competition.ā€

Also, her bio in the page introducing the editorial page writers, published last November, lists the following as her job description:

Mary C. Schulken

JOB: Associate editor. Write editorials and columns on a variety of local and N.C. issues. Focus on city government and higher education, including UNC Charlotte.

Iā€™d say sheā€™s not only qualified, but sheā€™s doing what sheā€™s assigned to do.

[QUOTE=Mike_Persinger;210193]Sheā€™s an expert in higher education. Last time I checked UNCC was in that business.

Like I said, you donā€™t have to agree with her; she still did you some good. The debate is extended by a day, two when you guys start writing letters to the editor. BOT sees discussion, sees your passion. They think about football, so it stays front of mind.

Mary is a very smart woman. Sheā€™s entitled to her opinion, and The Observer pays her for expressing it, just like we pay Sorensen and Fowler and Tommy Tomlinson, etc.

Itā€™s all about creating discussion in the community.

Any publicity is good publicity.[/QUOTE]

How is she an expert in higher education? Was she a college professor, because anyone on here knows that not all of them are really as bright as theyā€™ld like to think they are.

[QUOTE=Mike_Persinger;210207]She writes about higher ed and other topics. Hereā€™s what editorial page editor Ed Williams said about her at the end of the year, in reviewing her work:

ā€œAssociate Editor Mary Schulken: Mary writes timely, insightful commentary on higher education and is our lead writer on city government and immigration. This year she was selected to participate in the ā€œImmigration: Issues for a New Americaā€ seminar at the University of Marylandā€™s Knight Center for Specialized Journalism. Early in '06 she picked up her first-place award in the NCPAā€™s 2005 editorial writing competition.ā€

Also, her bio in the page introducing the editorial page writers, published last November, lists the following as her job description:

Mary C. Schulken

JOB: Associate editor. Write editorials and columns on a variety of local and N.C. issues. Focus on city government and higher education, including UNC Charlotte.

Iā€™d say sheā€™s not only qualified, but sheā€™s doing what sheā€™s assigned to do.[/QUOTE]

Mike, if this is all it takes to be an editorialist at the Observer then we can all save the O a lot of money, because you have 300 or 400 editors that can do just as good an op piece as she did with this story.

Plus weā€™ld do it for free!

[QUOTE=Mike_Persinger;210207]She writes about higher ed and other topics. Hereā€™s what editorial page editor Ed Williams said about her at the end of the year, in reviewing her work:

ā€œAssociate Editor Mary Schulken: Mary writes timely, insightful commentary on higher education and is our lead writer on city government and immigration. This year she was selected to participate in the ā€œImmigration: Issues for a New Americaā€ seminar at the University of Marylandā€™s Knight Center for Specialized Journalism. Early in '06 she picked up her first-place award in the NCPAā€™s 2005 editorial writing competition.ā€

Also, her bio in the page introducing the editorial page writers, published last November, lists the following as her job description:

Mary C. Schulken

JOB: Associate editor. Write editorials and columns on a variety of local and N.C. issues. Focus on city government and higher education, including UNC Charlotte.

Iā€™d say sheā€™s not only qualified, but sheā€™s doing what sheā€™s assigned to do.[/QUOTE]

ok, if she is your higher education authority, so be it. Iā€™ll give her a pass. I just think it should be noted that is her particular role somewhere on the page. Like I said, when Tom speaks, you know its from someone within the professional sports community. When this Mary speaks, it might help her if she wrote under an ā€œeducationā€ banner of some sort. Her bio last November is fine, but who the heck remembers that? Every piece they write should have a reference to their assigned specialty.

[QUOTE=49RFootballNow;210208]How is she an expert in higher education? Was she a college professor, because anyone on here knows that not all of them are really as bright as theyā€™ld like to think they are.[/QUOTE]

Rick Bonnell was never an NBA player, an NBA coach or an NBA executive, but Iā€™d say he knows as much about how the league works as any of them.

If youā€™ve never played college basketball or coached it, are you not qualified to have an opinion on Lutz? If you wrote a letter to the editor that was published, would you be open to the same questions on your qualifications.

Sheā€™s very qualified to comment on higher education, on spending at institutions of higher education, on their mission, etc.

Just because she doesnā€™t think the time is right for football doesnā€™t make her unqualified to have the opinion.

Mike, if this is all it takes to be an editorialist at the Observer then we can all save the O a lot of money, because you have 300 or 400 editors that can do just as good an op piece as she did with this story.

Plus weā€™ld do it for free!

Unless Iā€™m mistaken, and Mike please correct me if Iā€™m wrong, thereā€™s an avenue for you to become a regular opinion writer for the Observer. I believe they yearly select a panel of editorialists who write on a variety of topics.

Iā€™d follow Mikeā€™s position on this one. Weā€™ve got new publicity. Letā€™s respond. For the first time in years, I wrote an outline on things I want to concisely address in an Observer Forum response. My 5th grade teacher would wet his pants if he knew I was finally drafting outlines!

[QUOTE=Noreaster;210205]Honestly, if those are the requirements for editorials, then NO ONE would ever get an editorial published. If you write an opinion column in favor of football and want it published in the Observer, are you going to send along your credentials showing that you are qualified to have an opinion on it? I would like to write a long opinion column on why football is good and necessary, but I have none of the experience you say is necessary. Does that make my column worthless?[/QUOTE]

Of course not, but you and I are not on the Observer payroll either. Meaning of course, no one asks us for our opinion, nor or we gauranteed its publishing.

Iā€™d just like to know if the women has any real world contact with major college sports, or if she just did this because she doesnā€™t like college atheltics and likes to write opposing opinions on them.

I do agree with Mike on the fact that any publicity on football is good!

[QUOTE=metro;210210]Every piece they write should have a reference to their assigned specialty.[/QUOTE]

Thatā€™d be nice, but I donā€™t want to have to put ā€œPat Yasinskas covers the Panthers for The Observer, and has since 1999ā€ under each thing he writes. We could put actual news in that space.

Just write a letter, put in whatever ā€œfactsā€ you want, and perhaps itā€™ll get published.

Name-calling and questioning her credentials without checking them probably wonā€™t get you far.

I would like to know what this ladies qualifications are for making such comments?

donā€™t be retarded. she lives in charlotte and cares about unc charlotte and that affords her the right to an opinion about the school. i donā€™t agree with her opinion but if charlotte has any hope of getting football then weā€™ll need community support. if you want to respond to her, find someone who is articulate enough to carry our message without sounding like theyā€™re a kid who just lost their toy and letā€™s respond with a letter or an op-ed.

Thatā€™s the great thing about opinionsā€¦ you donā€™t even have to be qualified to have them.

[QUOTE=NinerLoudNProud;210213]Unless Iā€™m mistaken, and Mike please correct me if Iā€™m wrong, thereā€™s an avenue for you to become a regular opinion writer for the Observer. I believe they yearly select a panel of editorialists who write on a variety of topics.

Iā€™d follow Mikeā€™s position on this one. Weā€™ve got new publicity. Letā€™s respond. For the first time in years, I wrote an outline on things I want to concisely address in an Observer Forum response. My 5th grade teacher would wet his pants if he knew I was finally drafting outlines![/QUOTE]

Sounds interesting, but I doubt the O would want someone who focused solely on the 49er football question and how this university gets shafted by the state gov on a regular basis. I could be wrong on that though.