The title says it all doesn’t it. But is Shirley Raines right? That’s the great topic that is flooding Tigers related message boards, talk radio, and in meeting rooms around the Memphis metro area. I would be kind if I only said that it has “raised the ire” of the Tigers faithful. Because some of us Memphis folks are much more upset than that. In fact, I’m so upset that I repeated several things that I feel are important enough to really hammer it home.

The city’s stadium feasibility study was released on Tuesday and Raines almost immediately released an email statement which killed any plans for an on-campus stadium. I just find that odd to say the least. It reminded me of the information disseminated about Oswald within hours of the Kennedy assasination that it makes you wonder. But let’s look at what I feel are the two most important paragraphs of the two documents shall we.

Study said:
“Based on a review of a sampling of open-ended survey comments, it appears that there is a strong desire by many donors and season ticket holders for a new stadium to be located on the Unviersity of Memphis campus. While this potential stadium development option was not the subject of this report, further consideration should be given to exploring the feasibility of an on-campus stadium that could also accomodate the AutoZone Liberty Bowl and the Southern Heritage Classic, among other events. Any decisions regarding a renovated or new Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium should be made in the context of the potential feasiblity of a new on-campus stadium so that long-term decisions can be made that benefit all stadium stakeholders.”

Their study wasn’t done to determine any facts or possiblities regarding an OCS. But because the numbers were so overwhelmingly powerful for the OCS they recommended at least examining the possiblity. Why? Because the majority of Memphis fans, supporters and donors want one. These supporters are willing to pay for it. They are ready to amp up the athletic programs. You would think that the Shirley would take notice that there is enough interest in this issue to at least look into it. So what was her response?

“In summary, the University has no plans to build an on-campus stadium; we are focused on academics and research and the construction of facilities for those purposes.”

That’s right the President of the school looked dead in the eye of what a large number of alumni, season ticket holders and donors who want an on-campus stadium and said I don’t care what you think. I don’t care what you want. I am going to do what I want to do. Look I’m not saying that academics aren’t important. I’m not saying that we need to throw out any plans of building up the school’s academic standing. But this is far from an either/or situation. I say why not expand both academics and athletics? Many schools have done it across the country. We’re going to UCF this weekend where the OCS there has sparked a new attitude down there. I’ll tell you exactly how much when I get back. But from all the reports I’ve seen it has been amazing.

Basketball income is reaching the maximum we can milk from it. The school is ignoring what could be the cash cow for the school as it is so many other schools across the country. An OCS would increase the income from football tenfold. No longer would we lose parking income, concession profits, or pay rent. Champion Awards could have shops built into the stadium which would keep their costs down. The Unversity’s restaurants and stores would sell more products. They could sell prime tailgating spots. The revenue from parking alone would cover the the annual maintenance as well as a large portion of the bond costs. As of right now the city makes a ton of money off of parking and concessions that the school sacrifices for paying the city in excess of $400,000 per year. The rent for the Unversity at a new fairgrounds stadium will more than double. The burden of that increase will fall on the people who have asked for an OCS. Personally if you are going to ask me for my money shouldn’t I have some say in what I get for that money? I don’t take too kindly (and many feel the same way) to being told what I get and how I will like it. That’s not good business.

The University of Louisville is a school that I simply despise. There is nothing about them that I like. But I respect what they’ve managed to do over the past 15 years. After a 1-10 season they moved into Papa John’s Stadium. Since then they have continued to grow both as an athletic program and an academic school. The were a tier 4 school forever. The year after the Cards got into the BCS they became a tier 3 school. Hmm, let’s recap. Make an effort to develop athletics and enrollment goes up, donations go up, and academics expand.

Raines is right about one thing. She said that athletics are the front porch of any university. I guess Louisville proved that if you make the porch look good folks want to come inside. Imagine that. Cincinnati is another which has used athletics to expand its academic reach. The real question Shirley should be asking if two other urban universities pull it off, why can’t we. You have to ask yourself who lacks the desire to really work at making something great. The slogan of “Dreamers, Thinkers and Doers” is just that, a slogan. I’m not impressed with any of their dreams much less the lack of thinking and doing that the leaders of our school are pulling off.

The drive to get into the BCS is the single most important challenge facing our university in its history. It will be the difference between being successful or falling into college athletic wasteland. I guess the only good thing that would come out of it is that we would eventually get involved in a football playoff because it is likely we’ll be in Division 2 at best. If the leadership is banking on basketball to pay the bills and keep us at D-1 they are not only misguided but are ignoring reality. I guess that is what really upsets me is that the reckless disregard for the athletics that many of us hold so very dear by the leadership at Memphis. When she leaves we’ll be left with the mess that she has created.

Getting into the BCS is not solely dependant on an OCS. But it will go a long way in doing so. There are several things we need to do to make us attractive to these leagues. There will be a major shakeup sometime in the next decade in the BCS conferences. They will all go to 12 at some point. There will be schools who are in BCS leagues who move to other BCS leagues. I feel that we are a good candidate for one of these leagues if we do some of the things we are need to do. UCF is doing it. ECU is doing it. Even Akron is doing it. The shake could even open the possibility of the Tigers landing in any of four different BCS leagues. Those are the SEC, Big-10 (+1), Big-12 and Big East. All of which would be outstanding conferences for the Tigers to be in. I’ll explain my thought here. The PAC-10 may raid Colorado from the Big-12 and add say Utah. That would leave them one opening for the Big-12. They would probably court Arkansas to return to its roots. If not Arkansas then Memphis would join Houston, TCU and Tulsa as possible candidates. If Arkansas did indeed happen then there would be an opening in the SEC. The question there is who would the SEC view as a candidate? Could they convince FSU to leave the ACC? It would definately be an interesting situation. That’s why Memphis has to be ready. But the Big-10(+1) has wanted a southern footprint for years (not an assumption but a comment from a good source) and we could very well be that footprint if we do what we need to do. And finally the Big East possiblity. This will happen something like this. They might lose a school to the Big-10(+1). They will separate from the basketball/olympic sports members. Which would leave 4 to 5 slots open. Memphis has to make itself attractive for one of those slots. UCF, Marshall, and ECU have the advantage of geography. We have to go the extra mile to pass them. That extra mile is an OCS.

A BCS check goes a long way to balancing the books. Just ask Mississippi if their books would balance without the check the get from the SEC. Memphis lost an NFL franchise because they wanted to do things on the cheap. Shirley, don’t let the University of Memphis go down the same road. It also would put the Tigers into a conference that garners a lot more media attention which can only help recruiting of both students and student-athletes. The more someone hears your name the more you can sell them. It’s PR and marketing 101. Shirley if you would like more on that just go over to the Marketing and Journalism Departments they will get you more information on that.

Shirley is lost on an issue just seems out of her grasp based on her public statements. She isn’t going to have people donating to the school academic projects in lieu of their athletic donations. While I’m very willing to give at my limit for an on campus stadium (which means I’ll tick off my wife in the process) I’m not willing to do is give to a new music hall. There are thousands upon thousands of Tigers fans that think the exact same way I do. Especially after the little email she felt compelled to send out yesterday.

More students will live on campus if there is an OCS. The new alumni center isn’t what will give them cause to live on campus either. But a football stadium adds to the college experience. That’s been proven by the fact that 90+% of D-1A schools play on campus. They have them for a reason Dr. Raines. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, Memphis students have little to keep them on campus and alumni feel no need to go back. There is nothing there to draw them there. But an on-capmus stadium would get get students to live there and alumni to come back. When the alumni comes back then you can pitch them on giving to academics. Don’t believe me. Ask any Memphis grad who goes to football games if they’ve been on campus since graduating? Ask the schools who have built their stadiums. We’re all going back to ASU on the 27th. They routinely drive alumni around showing them the new buildings and asking for donations. Guess what, they get them too. But right now few have a reason to live on campus and less have reasons to go back. Shirley isn’t giving them one either.

“Are you paranoid if they’re really out to get you?” Could it be that there are folks that don’t want Memphis to become a vibrant, growing and stable athletic department. There are those that don’t want Memphis in a BCS conference because it might hurt an SEC school they support. If Memphis remains in C-USA and left out of the next round of BCS inclusion the threat of Memphis goes away. Let’s face it Mississippi, Mississippi State and even Vanderbilt have a recruiting advantage simply out of their BCS affiliation. If the Tigers were to get into a BCS league then advantage goes away. It is possible that the Tigers would surpass several of the SEC schools in the region. I’m not saying this is a definate but it appears there are some who don’t want Memphis to even have this chance.

The facts show that the city doesn’t care about the school at all. They promised to update the locker rooms for the Tigers at the Liberty Bowl. Has that been done? No. In the FedEx Forum debates several concil members took the opportunity to take pot shots at the school. So what makes anyone believe that the school would get help from the city in this situation. The city has used political arm twisting in the past to get the school’s state money for its own developments. The school was strongarmed out of some $8 million to build the Pyramid rather than an on-campus basketball arena. Nothing has changed since then.

Could the Tennessee Board of Regents be telling Shirley they won’t approve an increase in student activity fees to help cover the costs of an OCS? There are those on that board that do not want Memphis to be successful. Could the politicians in Nashville who have a healthy dislike for everything in West Tennessee be telling Shirley and the TBR the state won’t help? Could there be Memphis politicians who are more concerned with the business deal at the fairgrounds for personal reasons? I don’t wish to imply corruption but based on Memphis politics over the past few years it is an aspect that has to at least be discussed as a possiblity.

The political question in all this raises another question. Is Shirley simply playing politics? Was her email a way to appease the political leaders so when the end game comes around and the study shows an OCS is the best way to go she can say, “See I tried to discourage it.” Thusly saving political face with some who could make the task difficult if she fought them? I’m not in that camp but it is a possiblity.

Who has something to gain by the a new stadium on campus versus at the fairgrounds. The only groups that benefits from an OCS is the University of Memphis, its fans and supporters. Then you’ve got the Memphis and Tennessee taxpayers who wouldn’t be asked to finance a stadium on the fairgrounds that exceeds $100 million.

There are several local businessmen who might feel a new stadium will be the crown jewel of the fairgrounds reconstruction. The fairgrounds reconstruction isn’t as sexy without the stadium and therefore not as profitable. So it would make sense that they wouldn’t want to see an OCS because it might adversely affect their bottom line. Which if the Tigers don’t get into a BCS league and end up in a lower division of college football would drop anyway. You can kiss any sold out games goodbye. There will be no national media attention either. Those two things would really affect their bottom lines. I guess that isn’t a consideration to them. The flipside to that is that if Memphis gets into a BCS league there would be a lot more money to be made by Memphis businesses. Crowds would go up. Fans of BCS schools travel better and would fill Memphis hotel rooms on game weekends. But I guess they don’t see that. They see all those folks that have fled out of the city going to Best Buy or Target at the old fairgrounds complex. I have many questions about the business dealings about this whole fairground reconstruction but this just isn’t the time nor the place.

Tigers alumni, fans, supporters and many donors were insulted by Shirley’s immediate response to the report. They are the customers and she has told them that she really doesn’t want their business. She doesn’t really want their money. The tone of her email was a scolding for even suggesting an OCS. What is really sad is that my grandson who is four probably won’t exactly have Memphis on his college list when that times comes because Shirley Raines is working to destroy the “front porch” of the school. Shirley, you can’t blow up the porch and its steps then expect people to come into the house.

I would be happy if she just let the possiblity of a stadium be studied. She won’t even sign off on that. Why? Shirley is a smart woman. Is she so smart to know what a detailed study would detemine as it relates to an OCS? If it showed that an OCS was not only feasible but in the best interests of the school, its supporters and its athletics programs then would she think she had been proven wrong on a grand stage and be supremely embarrassed?

I’m not discounting academics and don’t want anyone to think I am. But if Dr. Raines really wants to be the leader of an academic institution she might want to apply at Rhodes College. Wait, don’t they have an on-campus football stadium? I guess they don’t put academics first over there either.