hockey fund raiser

[melissa]

it apparently is in full force. just received a phone call from a player and had the unpleasant task of trying to explain why i didn't feel comfortable donating at present. felt like a schmuck but would have felt worse had i not stuck to my previous decision. weirdest thing of all was that he had not heard of any such issue.

[judy]

On a somewhat related note, Mark's letter made it into the latest issue of the Cornell Alumni magazine.

[Keith K]

I got the call at work a few hours ago.  Explaining my position was a little uncomfortable but, like Melissa said, I would have been worse to cave.  Either he didn't care what my reason was (just marking the No box) or else he had heard the same response from others because he just blandly accepted my explanation and politely let me go.

[Al DeFlorio]

Also in the latest Cornell Alumni Magazine is mention that "Cornell's CyberTower online program series [an Internet-based offering of Cornell's Adult University] has dropped its subscription fee."

[marty]

I'm lost here (which regulars on the board can attest is not an uncommon phenom  ::nut:: ).  Is there a "hockey fund raiser" that is separate from other fund raising efforts at CU?  Is it under the AD?

Thanks.

[Al DeFlorio]

Some of us who have given specifically to hockey in the past--or who have participated in other hockey-related activities, like the summer golf outing--get solicitation calls from the players each winter.

[marty]

I guess attending the after game pizza party doesn't rate!

:`(


Seriously, its nice to know that the forum members are/were so supportive.

[Al DeFlorio]

Just got off the phone with my paisan' Sam, who really is a terrific guy.  Explained the "protest" to him, and he was understanding.  He did not seem to be aware that hockeycam had been cut off by "your friends at Cornell athletics" (as they referred to themselves in the recent issue of Spirit), although he did know that it had been implemented last year by Age.

[CU at Stanford]

Well, I sent in my donation after the Harvard game and earmarked it for the team.  As much as I support the "protest," I think if you really think about it, by withholding your contribution, you are not helping the team.  To me, the more effective way is to voice our individual and collective opinion against the fee-based broadcast to AD Andy Noel (and by not subscribing to the plan, and I am decidedly not).  Nevertheless, our hockey team is having one of its best years in memory and they deserve our support--in spirit and financially as well.  So, I urge you to give and earmark your fund for the team as you always have.  Trust me, you can have your cake and eat it, too.

Tom Tseng (a fundraiser)

[Keith K]

I've got to disagree with you here Tom.  The folks at Athletics are unlikely to change anything unless it affects their bottom line.  If a bunch of us refuse to sign up for the broadcasts they may well not care, because they will be getting some revenue from those who do sign up.  (Who knows how many fans of other ornell sports have signed up?)  But if they see that a lot of regular contriibutors to the hockey team stop donating they will be more likely to respond.

I fully support the team in spirit this year and am enjoying an excellent season.  But I have to the stop the financial support for the time being.

[Robb]

I got my call, too, but as soon as I said "not this year," the player said "Okay thanks anyway" and hung up, so I didn't have/get to explain why....

[melissa]

Yup. I'm with Keith on this one. We get ignored when we speak out. In my opinion the only way to get the pt across is to withhold cash. Maybe then someone will take notice.

[Ken71]

I received a call from Shane Palahicky last night and explained why I feel I can't give now.  I followed this up by sending an e-mail to Mike, attaching my 11/8/02 e-mail to Andy Noel, which has now gone unanswered for two months.

I want to support Cornell Hockey, but I feel strongly that we deserve some answer to our pleas and expressions of outrage. I hope that citing this as a reason for withholding will help get the message understood.  The decisions to go to CornellPass and to kill the HockeyCam were bad enough.  The decision to ignore the pleas of the Lynah Faithful adds insult to injury.

Ken '71

=============
I received e-mail from Mike this morning expressing his understanding of my feelings, but also mentioning that the misinformation on this issue was hurting the efforts to raise funds for recruiting.  He's clearly caught in the middle of this.  

As my anger is with the AD and not with Mike and the team, I've decided to send a check directed specifically to the Men's Hockey program.   I don't want to betray our efforts to restore free access to hockey broadcasts, but my highest priority is supporting the team the best I can...

Ken

[R]

Each year the team makes phone calls for a few hours to former players, boosters, ticket holders and past contributors.  Nearly all of this money goes to recruiting efforts.  Ivy League rules apparently prohibit the Athletic Department to fund recruiting - funds may only be applied to administrative costs, i.e. road trips, uniforms, equipment, etc.  By donating during the player phonathon, you are directly affecting the coaching staff's ability to recruit future players.  We all get several pleas a year from CU for donations, but this is one that shouldn't be ignored.  Mike, and especially the players making the calls, have nothing to do with your beef with CU Athletics.  Unfortunately, purchasing tickets to the games more directly supports CU Athletics than anything else.

[melissa\'01]

Though it may be (and probably is) true that this $ goes to recruiting I strongly believe that the hockey coach has influence on the AD. Hockey is the most popular sport at Cornell. If the coach is unhappy (and holding back hockey donations could definitely make him this way) then I believe he will make it known to the AD. AD shouldn't want to have the coach of their fav team P.O.'d. Thus, hopefully some sort of resolution.

Yeah - I'm stretching - but a girl can dream! :-)