Whose team is it? Students? Alumni? Boosters?

[The Dude]

Would you say aTm has a bigger student following of the team and are their students more involved with the game?

Yes (just based on the number of students) and yes.

 

[KJ.]

Students.

Without the students, the university doesn't exist, and the team doesn't exist. They're the foundation that makes it possible, and they're the most loyal, vocal and dedicated fans.

You can make that argument for any of the options.

The non-bolded is just flat out not true unless you count vocal as stadium noise. Loyal and dedicated are pretty subjective, but I'm just not buying how students (who get discounted tickets as a perk for attending the University) are more loyal and dedicated than those who pay thousands for their season tickets. Donors are the ones who actually have influence in the running of the team, whereas the students have absolutely none.

EDIT: Before some fool responds to me with the "But the students pay millions in tuition!!" argument, remember that UNL and the athletic department are two separate financial entities.*

*Actually, no they're not. UNL receives some money from the athletic department. So that makes that argument even dumber.

 

[Landlord]

Students.

Without the students, the university doesn't exist, and the team doesn't exist. They're the foundation that makes it possible, and they're the most loyal, vocal and dedicated fans.

You can make that argument for any of the options.

The non-bolded is just flat out not true unless you count vocal as stadium noise. Loyal and dedicated are pretty subjective, but I'm just not buying how students (who get discounted tickets as a perk for attending the University) are more loyal and dedicated than those who pay thousands for their season tickets. Donors are the ones who actually have influence in the running of the team, whereas the students have absolutely none.

EDIT: Before some fool responds to me with the "But the students pay millions in tuition!!" argument, remember that UNL and the athletic department are two separate financial entities.*

*Actually, no they're not. UNL receives some money from the athletic department. So that makes that argument even dumber.

Money doesn't equal dedication. It can for some, but there's no direct variation there. However, showing up hours before kickoff no matter what and packing the section full every single game is dedication. How many students go to UNL for no other reason than to go to the football games? There are literally thousands. And yes, they DO pay a ton of money in tuition, not that they are paying that to the AD, but that their half-price tickets are a gift from the university for their investment.

And you really can't make that argument for any of the options. Universities can and do exist without a lot of boosters and donors and involved alumni. Name one university that exists without students.

 

[B.B. Hemingway]

All the above.... All listed options have had a great hand in making Nebraska what it is today..... Any other answer is absurd....

 

[Count 'Bility]

For those arguing for the students, put yourself in the shoes of the fundraisers and the AD. When huge donors and alumni approach you with large sums of money in exchange for such seats, what do you do? Take the guaranteed money at the time, or refuse it for the sake of students that *might* donate at a significantly later date, which will probably do so anyway.

I dont have a dog in the fight. I'm not, nor was I ever, a student, and I'm not even close to being considered a donor or booster. It's just my subjective point of view. It's just the way it is here.

 

[Landlord]

For those arguing for the students, put yourself in the shoes of the fundraisers and the AD. When huge donors and alumni approach you with large sums of money in exchange for such seats, what do you do? Take the guaranteed money at the time, or refuse it for the sake of students that *might* donate at a significantly later date, which will probably do so anyway.

I dont have a dog in the fight. I'm not, nor was I ever, a student, and I'm not even close to being considered a donor or booster. It's just my subjective point of view. It's just the way it is here.

I'd like to think if I was in their shoes, money would not be my ultimate focus, but I would trust that if I run the department well, with respect and integrity, that the money side will take care of itself as we go along.

 

[Count 'Bility]

For those arguing for the students, put yourself in the shoes of the fundraisers and the AD. When huge donors and alumni approach you with large sums of money in exchange for such seats, what do you do? Take the guaranteed money at the time, or refuse it for the sake of students that *might* donate at a significantly later date, which will probably do so anyway.

I dont have a dog in the fight. I'm not, nor was I ever, a student, and I'm not even close to being considered a donor or booster. It's just my subjective point of view. It's just the way it is here.

I'd like to think if I was in their shoes, money would not be my ultimate focus, but I would trust that if I run the department well, with respect and integrity, that the money side will take care of itself as we go along.

I agree with you 100%. I wish it was that way, with all my heart. But the reality is, money drives everything in life. It is what it is, and unfortunately, there's no changing it anytime soon.

 

[Landlord]

For those arguing for the students, put yourself in the shoes of the fundraisers and the AD. When huge donors and alumni approach you with large sums of money in exchange for such seats, what do you do? Take the guaranteed money at the time, or refuse it for the sake of students that *might* donate at a significantly later date, which will probably do so anyway.

I dont have a dog in the fight. I'm not, nor was I ever, a student, and I'm not even close to being considered a donor or booster. It's just my subjective point of view. It's just the way it is here.

I'd like to think if I was in their shoes, money would not be my ultimate focus, but I would trust that if I run the department well, with respect and integrity, that the money side will take care of itself as we go along.

I agree with you 100%. I wish it was that way, with all my heart. But the reality is, money drives everything in life. It is what it is, and unfortunately, there's no changing it anytime soon.

I don't think that's true to the same extent in our athletic department. We had an AD in Tom that gave himself an incredibly modest salary, we have a new baseball coach that did the same thing so he could bring in quality coaches to help him, we have a football staff of mixed motivations I'm sure but money doesn't seem to be anywhere near ultimate to Pelini, Brown, Cotton and possibly others. Further, Cook, Yori and Revelle are here because they want to be at Nebraska.

Money is important here, no doubt. I'm not so sure it's king, though.

 

[Count 'Bility]

For those arguing for the students, put yourself in the shoes of the fundraisers and the AD. When huge donors and alumni approach you with large sums of money in exchange for such seats, what do you do? Take the guaranteed money at the time, or refuse it for the sake of students that *might* donate at a significantly later date, which will probably do so anyway.

I dont have a dog in the fight. I'm not, nor was I ever, a student, and I'm not even close to being considered a donor or booster. It's just my subjective point of view. It's just the way it is here.

I'd like to think if I was in their shoes, money would not be my ultimate focus, but I would trust that if I run the department well, with respect and integrity, that the money side will take care of itself as we go along.

I agree with you 100%. I wish it was that way, with all my heart. But the reality is, money drives everything in life. It is what it is, and unfortunately, there's no changing it anytime soon.

I don't think that's true to the same extent in our athletic department. We had an AD in Tom that gave himself an incredibly modest salary, we have a new baseball coach that did the same thing so he could bring in quality coaches to help him, we have a football staff of mixed motivations I'm sure but money doesn't seem to be anywhere near ultimate to Pelini, Brown, Cotton and possibly others. Further, Cook, Yori and Revelle are here because they want to be at Nebraska.

Money is important here, no doubt. I'm not so sure it's king, though.

I'm talking about the entire Dept as a whole though. We need money to do the things and build the stuff we have. Now a days when folks donate such substance, they usually require some sort of recognition.

Not necessarily the salaries of coaches but rather just dept. revenue as a whole. Moneys have completely gotten out of control in college sports and it's turned into nothing but an arms race.

 

[jsneb83]

Mine. End of discussion.

 

[Mavric]

Mine. End of discussion.

The team may be yours but the Stadium belongs to the Landlord.

 

[NUance]

Students? All of the alumni and most of the Big Money Boosters were students at one time. At what point was "ownership" taken away? Graduation day?

 

[KJ.]

Money doesn't equal dedication. It can for some, but there's no direct variation there. However, showing up hours before kickoff no matter what and packing the section full every single game is dedication. How many students go to UNL for no other reason than to go to the football games? There are literally thousands. And yes, they DO pay a ton of money in tuition, not that they are paying that to the AD, but that their half-price tickets are a gift from the university for their investment.

And you really can't make that argument for any of the options. Universities can and do exist without a lot of boosters and donors and involved alumni. Name one university that exists without students.

Since when are we talking about the university? I believe the question here was regarding the football team. Furthermore, I never said the team could exist without students, just that it's a stupid argument because I can do the same for just about anything else:

Boosters: There's a reason that athletic directors stress to their higher profile coaches that they need to kiss booster a$$ constantly. Boosters are who pay for anything nice, including facilities, coaches, and players if you're the SEC. If Nebraska were to become a 100% publicly funded athletic department, we would have a sh#t stadium with a sh#t coaching staff and a sh#t team. Since football are almost always the biggest profit generator in an athletic department, you slash into those profits and the entire athletic department probably dies. = no team.

Alumni: No alumni = no students = no university = no team.

Students: No students = no university = no team.

So now that we've put that ridiculous concept behind us, money absolutely shows a higher dedication. Toothless cletus can say how much he loves the Huskers so much all he wants, but what does that show? He doesn't give up anything in the process, so he might as well love his 'skers with all his heart. It's not really a great way to compare two people's emotions about something when you have nothing on the line. If you really care about the football team you'd be willing to give something up in order to show your support.

And with that said, what's the difference between donors and students? 100% of boosters give money to the athletic department. <100% of students do that. Boosters donate far more than students, who not only don't donate anything but also benefit from subsidies along the way. Although it's not necessary to have tickets to be a booster, I'm guessing there is a higher percentage of boosters who have season tickets than the percentage of students that do.

The only thing students have on boosters is the fact that (some of them) show up extremely early for games, yell and scream during games, and pack their section fuller than the season ticket holders do. Wait, never mind on that last one...they definitely don't do that. While those things may be nice, they don't say a whole lot for the "ownership" of the team. Having your name written on the side of the building that the team practices in, or being the one who signs Callahan's buyout check...now there's your ownership.

 

[knapplc]

Students? All of the alumni and most of the Big Money Boosters were students at one time. At what point was "ownership" taken away? Graduation day?

That's actually where I was going with this, but looking at all the people who are, obviously, ardent fans by their posts on HuskerBoard, I have a new question:

Those of you who never went to UNL - do you feel in any way that you are "less of a fan" than those who attended UNL? (again, don't get hung up on the phrase - you know what I mean)

My reasoning for that question - had I never attended UNL, I'd still be a Husker fan. I was as a kid, and if I had gone to any other college I'd still root for Nebraska today. I cannot imagine any way that people who didn't put their butt in some lecture hall seat at UNL feel like the Huskers are "less" their team than the ownership I feel.

I just can't wrap my head around the team being primarily for the students. Maybe at a smaller school like Doane or Creighton where the teams aren't state- or region-wide institutions, but in Nebraska, no way. It's everyone's team.

 

[In the Deed the Glory]

Students? All of the alumni and most of the Big Money Boosters were students at one time. At what point was "ownership" taken away? Graduation day?

That's actually where I was going with this, but looking at all the people who are, obviously, ardent fans by their posts on HuskerBoard, I have a new question:

Those of you who never went to UNL - do you feel in any way that you are "less of a fan" than those who attended UNL? (again, don't get hung up on the phrase - you know what I mean)

My reasoning for that question - had I never attended UNL, I'd still be a Husker fan. I was as a kid, and if I had gone to any other college I'd still root for Nebraska today. I cannot imagine any way that people who didn't put their butt in some lecture hall seat at UNL feel like the Huskers are "less" their team than the ownership I feel.

I just can't wrap my head around the team being primarily for the students. Maybe at a smaller school like Doane or Creighton where the teams aren't state- or region-wide institutions, but in Nebraska, no way. It's everyone's team.

This is the answer. I think the team "belongs" to whatever group of people it relates to, reaches out to, is committed to, and represent. Nebraska is that, it represents the state. It represents past citizens of the state, it represents graduates of UNL, UNK, UNO, Midland, Doane, Creighton, Dana, Wayne State, Chadron State, Peru State. It represents people who never went to college, or never graduated from high school.

Above all, it is a representation of the "Nebraska Way" and the fact that it represents all these things make those of us that are passionate about it have ownership and that, my friends, is what makes it so special. It sets Nebraska apart from every other program in the country.

It isn't just a football team. It is representative of our identity, of our culture.