The Town Hall
The Disgrunted SID blog came up at the Town Hall during the CoSIDA workshop. In all, there was some very good banter going on about the blog, and other topics.
Some folks called on Disgruntled SID bloggers to come forward. Much like some of the anti-blog posts, there was hostility and a threatening nature in the air. A few voiced opinions, but the tension in the room likely prevented others from speaking freely.
Some believe that blogging is cowardly, because most posters use handles.
I would counter that blogging is not going anywhere. Also that it's ironic that SIDS--folks who work in and with media--might endorse suppressing opinions.
What else should've been said at the Town Hall? How about that the anti-bloggers need to lighten up. Read some of those past posts again and you'll see some tongue-in-cheek rants--some of which are funny and well written.
Remember that Disgruntled SID bloggers were not advocating "violent overthrow of CoSIDA."
I'm guessing that most who are in this business enjoy 98-percent of our busy, demanding jobs. It should be OK to take a few moments to vent about what's right, or wrong, about the profession.
Last question: Is today’s anti-blogger yesterday’s book-burner?
posted by SIDude @ 10:25 PM
16 Comments:
As most of us feel, the SID position works 80 hours a week for 40 hours of pay, so naturally we'll bark and whine about certain issues.
We already - just like any of profession - email or talk with one another about frustrations we have regarding our work, but rarely does it get us anywhere (but more frustrated). This avenue allows eyes to see it that ordinarily wouldn't (a la bosses, coaches, fellow SIDs, etc) because in the end, we all want to keep our jobs (or burn no bridges). So if someone looks at that as cowardly, so be it.
I'd like to think this blog is an excellent way for SIDs to anonymously communicate with one another, asking the question "Does this happen to you too?" ... nine times out of 10 we read what others say, laugh about it, perhaps post our own experience, and move on. Other posts actually bring up constructive talk (a la CoSIDA, dos and donts of the language we use, etc).
What I don't get is why those who complain about anonymous blogging need to know who is saying what? I could care less the identities of the bloggers who post with me ... that doesn't add or take away from what they contribute to this site.
"Also that it's ironic that SIDS--folks who work in and with media--might endorse suppressing opinions."
SIDs by nature control the flow of information, and, hence, suppress information. Blogs remove or at least thwart the control of that information flow.
Blogs and social network sites should worry SIDs, especially the people as scholarship schools. Look through MySpace or Facebook for athletes. What kind of pictures do these students post? Hey, is that a hazing photo on your MySpace page? How did those photos turn up on Badjocks.com?
As to blogs, does any athletics administer want to read a student's account of a difficult road trip that made easier because the academic tutor wrote his or her term paper? How about the blog that recounts the Freshmen Follies? More hazing.
Your job as SIDs is to create and re-enforce the school's brand identity. Your ability to perform that job function is lost when students blog or own a page on Facebook. So, yes, your job is to suppress information.
To have people within the profession talk about what a lousy job, especially on the Division III level, that ruins the image of the profession. Who wants to work in a profession that pays almost the same as a journalist, puts in 60 to 80 hours, and to perform a job that most people including coaches and other administrators know they could do?
And, this is the rub. CoSIDA cannot do a damn thing about it. This site is not revealing anything that an SID does not know after a month on the job. This site has the audacity to talk about it, and, in the process, show how impotent CoSIDA is to effect any meaningful change.
The bloggers behind this site do a great job, and the writing is wonderful. CoSIDA, however, cannot change or alleviate the issues raised on this blog. That’s scares them.
I agree ... those who are complaining and advocating anti-blogging need to get over themselves.
If you don't have an outlet for your frustrations, you're going to go NUTS and insane, especially in this profession.
My guess is that those what want to expose the bloggers and/or shut down this blog are folks who never worked in a one-man shop and had to cover 20-plus athletic programs. And probably most of them are D-I SIDs who only have one, two, maybe up to four sports to be responsible for.
I'm sorry, but I work in a one-man shop and have 21 athletic programs to worry about, so I like have a place to vent. Also, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one out there having deal with the reality of working an 80-hour week for 40-hour pay. I don't know anyone else's name, but that doesn't matter to me because I know I'm not alone.
The problem I see in CoSIDA is that there is a huge disconnect between NCAA D-I and everyone else. And let's face it, if D-I isn't for it, it's not going to happen. However, there are more D-II, D-III and NAIA SIDs in the mix, but we're not the ones with budget to get to every workshop or much leverage to do anything.
CoSIDA needs to get a clue that there is a whole other world outside of NCAA D-I and that some of the best and brightest SIDs work in D-II, D-III and NAIA and NJCAA, but are getting burned out for lack of support - whether from the school, athletic department and/or CoSIDA.
I KNEW I'd regret not being able to go to CoSIDA this year. I CANNOT understand why anyone would be upset over this blog. I do get that some folks on the CoSIDA board may have taken offense to some posts in the CoSIDA topic a few months back, but that is one topic, not the whole blog.
If you have nothing to complain/vent about or just don't want to complain/vent, then don't. Why does it matter if others do?
Most of what I saw at COSIDA was simply people venting.
Incidentally, I really hope COSIDA's move to hire a full-time general manager means that they're trying to get more notice in the NCAA and with ADs.
I'm not fond of the folks who want to merge the COSIDA and the AD conventions... if anything would kill off DIII crews coming to the event, that would do it for sure. It'd also close it off for most DI crews as well.
I'd simply be happy with COSIDA sending reps to NCAA meetings and making their presence known. If we want to make sure SIDs voices are heard, we should start at the top.
The Ironic thing is that the small college SIDs are coming to the workshops, and the D-Is are NOT.
Seems to be a quandary: small college SIDs feel the organization focuses on big universities and most of the DIs are staying home.
The other quandary? The top board posts are dominated by DIs, since the feeling is most small shops do not have the time commit to service.
THAT'S really what Blake meant about "joining NACDA" when he recently commented on the CoSIDA post? Wow. I have to say that, if that's true, I'm stunned.
I guess once that happens I will never go to another workshop/convention. There is no way I can leave during the year. Not to mention that I don't have "Assistant AD" in my title and have never been considered to be an administrator at my school (which I think is the case with quite a few small school SIDs). I'm not even sure if I WANT to be considered an administrator.
Though I didn't go to CoSIDA this year, I've always put that as a priority over attending ECAC-SIDA and, as a result, have never gone to an ECAC-SIDA workshop. A lot of the folks in my conference go to ECAC-SIDA instead of CoSIDA. I guess I'll be joining them, since NACDA is a) a convention I cannot attend and b) a convention I'm not interested in attending as a member.
Wasn't CoSIDA founded because sports information professionals felt their jobs were too different from college PR reps to be part of the same organization? Now we're going to lump ourselves into a different organization? THAT'S progress?
I'm all for sending reps (those can actually take off work in the middle of the academic year) to NACDA, but I have no interest in being a member of the organization or feeling like its convention is my workshop.
It's amazing that an organization which plans its workshop in a two-week window for the benefit of its members is actually considering telling its members that its workshop will be in the middle of the academic year. That's quite the philosophical change.
I sincerely hope CoSIDA hires a general manager instead of merging its workshop with NACDA's convention. To me, that is the wise choice - even if it means an increase in dues.
Locustgrove,
You should really consider attending ECAC-SIDA in the future...it's very beneficial to the smaller college SIDs...and always a little easier on the budget.
LocustGroveSID,
I think the resounding sentiment of the D2 SID's (the only ones I can speak to, as I was a party to the D2SIDA charter meeting that week) is that joining up with NACDA would be a disasterous proposition. Especially since we'd be relegated to second-class status in the conference. Combine with that the fact that a lot of ADs would be reluctant to send two reps to the NACDA convention every year, and there is a fear of a huge drop in attendance.
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to CoSIDA this month (my first), and look forward to going to San Diego next year.
Guys, I think we're getting off track here but here's what I took out of the potential changes in CoSIDA.
Option A was to hire a General Manager to do a lot of things current SIDs as memners of CoSIDA have trouble doing. This person would raise money, lobby other organizations about our charge, etc..
Option B was to join NACDA. The purpose, I thought, was to take the pressure off the board to organize workshops. This would, however, raise dues. I didn’t' put much thought into the time frame of the CoSIDA part of the convention, but I'm against anything that's not in late June or early July. The idea was not to run concurrently with NACDA, but perhaps overlap a bit. But, yes, the point is moot if it is at a time we can attend.
Disgruntled, here's a humbling fact for you.
I recently found out that our past public information person--who chose to be reduced to half-time (20 hours)--was making more than me in 40 hour (more like 70-hour) work week.
What's frustrating is that the job I was doing was solid--to say the least.
Our coverage in the media in other areas was obviously lacking.
LocustGroveSID,
I think you have the NCAA Convention and the NACDA Convention confused. The NACDA Convention takes place in mid-June, not during the academic year. The NCAA Convention is in January.
I have posted a brief explanation, at your request, on the Let's Talk About CoSIDA topic, that explains a bit of what the NACDA proposal would entail and a little on the executive director proposal. You can read it By Clicking Here.
Know that nothing is in stone yet and the proposals are being looked at by a board subcommittee. All of your comments are important.
Blake Timm
Blake,
Thanks! Yeah, I guess I was confused.
December 10, 1788
Proponents of the Articles of Confederation Call Federalist Papers Cowardly
NEW YORK -- Having little in reply to the actual messages of the Federalist Papers, several advocates for maintaining the Union under the current Articles began attacking the messenger this afternoon. The move marked a sharp contrast in the tactics of public debate to which our fledgling country has grown accustomed.
"Publicola is a treacherous coward, shielded only by the cloak of anonymity," said Brutus. "Lest he and his are willing to step forth from the shadows, his words, regardless of their resonance with the constituency of his cohorts, must be consumed with thy grain of salt.”
“I fail to see how Publius the Romans’ criticism, offering challenge to the status quo, can be seriously regarded if he remains without true identity,” noted Agrippa, who deathly fears the tyranny of a standing army. “Dost he fear retribution from the institution by which he earns his meager wages? Dost he fear the maintenance of a grudge from those of undeclared allegiance, whom he may one day find himself at the mercy of in obtaining employment. I assure you, stepping forward shall visit no reprisals on your head, or on the heads of your consortium.”
“Our adoration of your penned words will be met with swift change upon your revelation,” added Agrippa, dangling a withered carrot from a crooked stick.
Publius was contacted for this story, but offered only the following prepared statement:
“God bless the good works of Brutus, Agrippa and Farmer. Their calling of further attention to mine cause hath promptly resulted in 2,000 unique hits upon my publication, while lending it previously unknown legitimacy. Their public relations prowess and savvy certainly goes unrivaled. I should only hope this trend of aiming at the messenger doth not continue forward into the corpus of American politicking.”
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