All-Access reply from Athletics Dep't

[Jim Hyla]

[quote Jacob '06]I think there is one problem that doing it in house will not handle well. The cameras that they are using on some-access are not good enough to acclimate to changing light patterns across the rink as quickly as they are panning to follow game play (not counting the fact that they suck at following game play). I think if its done in house, we are definitely not going to up the quality of the camera, and this might even get worse. However, I don't know that much about cameras and it may just be some setting you can change to make it work better.[/quote]I don't understand. You imply that we wouldn't/couldn't do better with the cameras, but then say there may be some setting that could make it better. I think the bottom line is, if we give it to someone who really cares, then we have a chance of getting it better. If we leave it with a corporation who has shown a lack of concern for their viewer, and an athletic dept. who doesn't care enough to follow-through, then we can be sure we'll have less than the best. We have a large, hopefully not technologically challenged university. We should be able to do better.

[Jacob '06]

[quote Jim Hyla]I don't understand. You imply that we wouldn't/couldn't do better with the cameras, but then say there may be some setting that could make it better. [/quote]
I would guess that the only solution would be a more expensive camera. However, I don't know that much about cameras, so it may be true that you can change the settings on it. Someone like Age probably knows a lot more about this subject.

[evilnaturedrobot]

I don't get why the university wouldn't want to do this in house.  We do have communications majors here, do we not?  Why outsource somthing when you can give students some expiriance?  Especially when the prospective audiance has already demonstrated a willingness to help with funding.  

however, if athletics is dead set against doing this in house, what about outsourcing it to ICTV?  They're local, and they're already streaming over the internet anyway.

[KeithK]

[quote evilnaturedrobot]I don't get why the university wouldn't want to do this in house.  We do have communications majors here, do we not?  Why outsource somthing when you can give students some expiriance?  Especially when the prospective audiance has already demonstrated a willingness to help with funding.  [/quote]If the University worked as a cohesive unit that might be so. But let me quote Steve Worona (from Beeeej's sig): "Cornell isn't an organization. It's a loose affiliation of independent fiefdoms united by a common hockey team."  The Athletics Dept. doesn't see any obligation to help out the Comm. Dept. and the two probably have zero contact.  To AD folks who  have absolutely no idea how to provide this service themselves, outsourcing probably seems like the easiest, most cost-effective way to do it.

[Beeeej]

[quote KeithK][quote evilnaturedrobot]I don't get why the university wouldn't want to do this in house.  We do have communications majors here, do we not?  Why outsource somthing when you can give students some expiriance?  Especially when the prospective audiance has already demonstrated a willingness to help with funding.  [/quote]If the University worked as a cohesive unit that might be so. But let me quote Steve Worona (from Beeeej's sig): "Cornell isn't an organization. It's a loose affiliation of independent fiefdoms united by a common hockey team."  The Athletics Dept. doesn't see any obligation to help out the Comm. Dept. and the two probably have zero contact.  To AD folks who  have absolutely no idea how to provide this service themselves, outsourcing probably seems like the easiest, most cost-effective way to do it.[/quote]

I also seem to recall something about the contract with CSTV requiring some sort of universal fealty - i.e., if we do your website we also have to do your streaming video and we get first option on televising your games.  So in fairness to the AD folks who may actually want to get us off CSTV's streaming video disaster train wreck, it's possible they'd have more trouble negotiating a website-only contract for 2007-08 than it's worth.  Pure speculation, but I'm just sayin'.

[RichH]

[quote Beeeej]I also seem to recall something about the contract with CSTV requiring some sort of universal fealty - i.e., if we do your website we also have to do your streaming video and we get first option on televising your games.  So in fairness to the AD folks who may actually want to get us off CSTV's streaming video disaster train wreck, it's possible they'd have more trouble negotiating a website-only contract for 2007-08 than it's worth.  Pure speculation, but I'm just sayin'.[/quote]

Frankly, I'd be perfectly happy if they scrapped CSTV's website contract as well.  The Athletics site is the only official Cornell site I've seen that isn't clean-looking, fast-loading, and easy to navigate.  The flashing ads, scrolling headlines, and both external and imbedded pop-ups are an outright headache.  Every other department website on campus has a unified style and look...Athletics can't get in on that?  Websites are simpler to do than streaming audio/video.

[RichH]

[quote KeithK]If the University worked as a cohesive unit that might be so. But let me quote Steve Worona (from Beeeej's sig): "Cornell isn't an organization. It's a loose affiliation of independent fiefdoms united by a common hockey team."  The Athletics Dept. doesn't see any obligation to help out the Comm. Dept. and the two probably have zero contact.  To AD folks who  have absolutely no idea how to provide this service themselves, outsourcing probably seems like the easiest, most cost-effective way to do it.[/quote]

And this is the biggest problem, IMO.  As much as I credit Charlie Moore for doing a lot of good for the Athletics Department during his tenure as AD (including hiring a certain coach), the whole "I'm CEO of Athletics" thing did a lot to fuel this rift that appears to exist than any other publicly-known event.  Running certain aspects of the department like a business is probably essential for the benefit of the student atheletes. At the same time, CU Athletics seems like they don't even consider the resources available to them as part of a major research university.  They want control over their branding, so they came up with "huggy bear" instead of staying with the traditional, established marks.  Website and webcasting is trucked out letting whomever collect by plastering non-CU sponsor ads wherever they can cram them at Cornell's expense.  I would think keeping the money flowing between departments instead of shoving it off Chelsea Piers would benefit the University as a whole.

The recent quote from Andy that was posted a few weeks ago.  "You think we have control over this??"  Well, the answer is "You should!  You are the Director of Athletics!  You should be responsible for and IN CONTROL OF the information and content of this department.!"  If he isn't, well changes should be made.

[Al DeFlorio]

[quote RichH]The recent quote from Andy that was posted a few weeks ago.  "You think we have control over this??"  Well, the answer is "You should!  You are the Director of Athletics!  You should be responsible for and IN CONTROL OF the information and content of this department.!"  If he isn't, well changes should be made.[/quote]
Guess Noel doesn't see himself as the "CEO of Athletics," given that quote.  

One wonders what Charlie Moore is calling himself "the CEO of" these days.

[Rosey]

[quote Al DeFlorio]One wonders what Charlie Moore is calling himself "the CEO of" these days.[/quote]
I remember the sheer amount of bitching I did about Charlie Moore, in the Sun and elsewhere.  I would pay money to get him back now...

Kyle

[KeithK]

[quote krose][quote Al DeFlorio]One wonders what Charlie Moore is calling himself "the CEO of" these days.[/quote]
I remember the sheer amount of bitching I did about Charlie Moore, in the Sun and elsewhere.  I would pay money to get him back now...

Kyle[/quote]Jesus Christ himself could be appointed AD and we'd find plenty to bitch about... Even aisde from the religious implications :-)

[jtwcornell91]

[quote KeithK]Jesus Christ himself could be appointed AD[/quote]

I think he's too busy in his new job as head of Standards and Practices for NBS.

[ugarte]

[quote jtwcornell91][quote KeithK]Jesus Christ himself could be appointed AD[/quote]

I think he's too busy in his new job as head of Standards and Practices for NBS.[/quote]But he probably won't have that job next season.

[Jim Hyla]

[quote RichH]The recent quote from Andy that was posted a few weeks ago.  "You think we have control over this??"  Well, the answer is "You should!  You are the Director of Athletics!  You should be responsible for and IN CONTROL OF the information and content of this department.!"  If he isn't, well changes should be made.[/quote]Here, here!

[Jim Hyla]

[quote evilnaturedrobot]I don't get why the university wouldn't want to do this in house.  We do have communications majors here, do we not?  Why outsource somthing when you can give students some expiriance?  Especially when the prospective audiance has already demonstrated a willingness to help with funding.  

however, if athletics is dead set against doing this in house, what about outsourcing it to ICTV?  They're local, and they're already streaming over the internet anyway.[/quote]I totally agree with this. In fact I've already talked to some about the possibility of ICTV. Wouldn't it be something to have them on TV. If we maintain crowd size, of course. I don't think that will be a problem. If we were to have that broadcast I suspect others might want to pick up some games. Clarkson, Colgate, TWCNY for CNY area when those games are on?

I think Dave Wohlhueter was an IC grad, no? We obviously have the ability, it's do they have the will?

[billhoward]

[quote Al DeFlorio][quote RichH]The recent quote from Andy that was posted a few weeks ago.  "You think we have control over this??"  Well, the answer is "You should!  You are the Director of Athletics!  You should be responsible for and IN CONTROL OF the information and content of this department.!"  If he isn't, well changes should be made.[/quote]
Guess Noel doesn't see himself as the "CEO of Athletics," given that quote.  One wonders what Charlie Moore is calling himself "the CEO of" these days.[/quote]

The athletics department is perhaps the victim in all this. They're silent while they determine whether Oprah or Larry King is the best venue for their side of the story. Bring hankies.