Is Oak Ridge dropping football?

[GABulldawgs]

Oak Ridge is building a brand new high school. The budget for it is somewhere in the neighborhood of 55 million dollars. What is football getting out of it? NOTHING!!! How can that be? Football makes more money than any other sport. Football is forced to share its gate receipts with the rest of the athletic department just so that other sports can compete. Football players and boosters do more fund raising than any other sport. Oak Ridge is getting a brand new gym for basketball. When did Oak Ridge become a basketball school? This is an injustice. Other sports get new buildings, and the football program doesn't even hardly have grass on its practice or gamefields. Edited August 9, 2005 by GABulldawgs

[CoachTVA]

Oak Ridge is building a brand new high school.  The budget for it is somewhere in the neighborhood of 55 million dollars.  What is football getting out of it?  NOTHING!!!  How can that be?  Football makes more money than any other sport.  Football is forced to share its gate receipts with the rest of the athletic department just so that other sports can compete.  Football players and boosters do more fund raising than any other sport.  Oak Ridge is getting a brand new gym for basketball.  When did Oak Ridge become a basketball school?  This is an injustice.  Other sports get new buildings, and the football program doesn't even hardly have grass on its practice or gamefields.

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I don't think you have anything to worry about on this issue. Oak Ridge has been and always been a football mainstay in TN. The town would go crazy if they tried to. Good luck this season the the Wildcats. thumb My guys from Cookeville will be seeing you on Friday for a scrimmage.

[Rebel Nation]

Not arguing with you...but that pratice field was immaculate last Friday. Someone did need to rake the sidelines where they'd cut the grass though. Now THAT is an injustice!!

 

I'll never wear flip flops over there again!!

 

OR's stadium could use some upgrades too, that's no lie. thumb

[CardinalCat]

I'm pretty sure we are getting a new weight room, so it's not like we are being completely left out.

[DRDB]

From what I've heard the school itself needs the improvements even more... Given they're a football school, they still put academics ahead of everything and they should be commended for that....

[muffin]

From what I've heard the school itself needs the improvements even more... Given they're a football school, they still put academics ahead of everything and they should be commended for that....

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Totally agree,academics first and sports second.

[GABulldawgs]

The title of the thread post was meant to be sarcastic for those of you that are way too serious. Of course Oak Ridge is not dropping football. Of course they should put academics first. But when some sports are getting upgrades, how do you not give upgrades to the one that funds all the others? I appreciate the comments from the Maryville people about the practice field, but you apparently didn't get a great look at the middle of the field (or I need a new eye prescription). It looked pretty bare to me. If the school system can afford 55 million on a new high school, it can throw a few bones to the athletic department's cash cow. And as for the rich alumni some of you ask about, one reason they do not give money is because the school system will not allow them to give money to what they want to. They force people to put GIFTS into a general fund instead of allowing people to contribute THEIR money where THEY wish. Just some questions and observations. Seriously, what sense does it make to split the gate receipts up among other sports? The people are coming to see FOOTBALL games, not other sports (won't mention any specifically).

[p9morbid]

i hate to be the one to break this to you, but that's how high school sports work. Football/basketball pay for the vollyball jerseys and cross country bus rides.

[bigducky]

I don't think you have anything to worry about on this issue.  Oak Ridge has been and always been a football mainstay in TN.  The town would go crazy if they tried to.  Good luck this season the the Wildcats. thumb  My guys from Cookeville will be seeing you on Friday for a scrimmage.

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Where is the scrimmage and what time does it start?

[Ole Dad]

I think the point is that when football facilities began to get short changed and suffer that it equates to "killing the goose that laid the golden egg." I don't think anyone here is advocating eliminating other sports, only insuring that football keeps its fair share.

I know that this is a football board and I love football as much as the next guy/gal. But, don't you have enough school pride to want to see all of the teams have an opportunity? Yes, football brings in more money and has more boosters. But, you also have to look at the number of players vs. say baseball, softball, tennis, golf, etc........... You can't realistically expect each sport to be self supportive. That would drive the minor (and I use that term not intending any disrespect) sports out of the school. Is that what you want?

 

Besides, do you think for one minute that all of the money the UT Vols football team earns stays with the football team? Think again.

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[catmom]

In response to GAbulldawgs a;umni can donate money to a specific sport if they join the General Boosters Club. The school will send you a form and you make your donation. On the form all sports are listed and you are asked which sport you would like to donate your money to. The General Boosters keep a very small portion and the rest is given back to the specific sport listed booster club. David Clary can give you more information.

[FBEmeritus]

$55 Mil? Drop in the bucket compared to that Multi-Billion dollar government check that comes in every year for the over paid government contractors who work at those Nuke Labs! One could only wonder what the tax base rate is over there. What does the football team need that they don't have? The gate for the football games should be used to support other student activities not enjoy a profit. What other HS teams have 90 members? The band buys their own instruments should the Football players have to buy their own equipment? Lighten up, the kids in Tennessee deserve the best facilities money can buy to become productive citizens who post to HS Message boards!