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Thread: A shout-out for van de velde

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    Champ Russdawg has a reputation beyond reputeRussdawg has a reputation beyond reputeRussdawg has a reputation beyond reputeRussdawg has a reputation beyond reputeRussdawg has a reputation beyond reputeRussdawg has a reputation beyond reputeRussdawg has a reputation beyond reputeRussdawg has a reputation beyond reputeRussdawg has a reputation beyond reputeRussdawg has a reputation beyond reputeRussdawg has a reputation beyond repute
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    A shout-out for van de velde

    Our athletic director has earned a special "thank you" from Tech fans.

    Under Bruce Van de Velde's watch we have achieved our dream of getting into C-USA and seen fan excitement (and WINS!!) grow under his two signature hires, Coach Dykes and Coach White. I cannot remember when we've ever been this realistically optimistic and energized about our future. Financial support and attendance are growing.

    I've found that BVDV answers email quickly and is approachable. He "gets" the Tech culture, understands the innate class and quality that is Louisiana Tech--that essence that made so many of us fall in love with our university. I've personally seen him handle three fan issues at basketball games and it just seems Bruce stands for class and being a cut above. One of them involved the post season game with USM a couple of years ago, and while I might have handled it somewhat differently, it dawned on me that night that even back then he was personally working the C-USA angle and showcasing La Tech to the Golden Eagle fans and officials who we'd need some day. He also had the backbone and perception to pull the trigger on Coach Rupp. And, I think he's sold on the fact that it's not where we are but WHERE WE ARE GOING. We had and have a loooong way to go, and many challenges and problems lie ahead. Yet: C-USA, Dykes, White, GROWTH!!

    Sometime you've just gotta say thanks. This week is one of those times.
    Last edited by Russdawg; 05-05-2012 at 04:58 PM.

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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    I agree...thanks Bruce! We are grateful for all your hard work to bring Louisiana Tech to C-USA.

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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    If the Mens basketball team makes the NCAA Tourney, BRuce will go down as the most complete or best AD we have ever had. That's a fact.

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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    Quote Originally Posted by KSDAWG View Post
    If the Mens basketball team makes the NCAA Tourney, BRuce will go down as the most complete or best AD we have ever had. That's a fact.
    That's just a matter of a couple of years or so IF we can hold on to Mike.

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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    Way to go, Bruce. We appreciate all your hard work!!! It is just that many of us (myself included) want it all...NOW!!! and don't have much patience.

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    2004 Bowl Confidence & 2006 NIT Bracket Champion hoopdawg is just really nicehoopdawg is just really nicehoopdawg is just really nicehoopdawg is just really nicehoopdawg is just really nicehoopdawg is just really nicehoopdawg is just really nicehoopdawg is just really nicehoopdawg is just really nicehoopdawg is just really nicehoopdawg is just really nice
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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    Thats right! Thanks Bruce! Lets start making more money so we can give Bruce a raise, nothing says thank you like a bigger pay check. I would give some money right now to go towards a little bonus for BVDV.

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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    He is responsive.
    I've given him some grief in the past over game-day management...specifically the jumbotron vs BoP.
    He's been quick to respond and addressed my concerns. Not always the answer I wanted....but an answer nonetheless.

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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    i was going to start a "thank you" thread, but i will say it here instead:

    1. reneau, van de velde and the entire current administration - it may have taken reneau a while, but he gets it now. and all you said regarding van de velde is true. he is the key to all of this happening.
    2. dykes, white, and their staffs - the basketball team getting to the conference tournament finals in white's first year and showing steady improvement all year was great. and after the hawaii football debacle last year, i left the stadium convinced we were going to tank the rest of the year, the wac would fold, and it would be "hello sunbelt" for us. amazing recovery to say the least.
    3. fans in general, especially students - the students are so into it now. when i was there in the late 80's the football games seemed to be a place to be until the frat party started. it is great to see the culture change so much for the better.
    4. derek dooley - he found a way to force the administration to make the athletic progam be seen as a way to improve the entire standing of the university and that has not always been easy to do around here.
    5. jack bicknell - it finished very badly, but we won a wac championship in our first year in the league. it let our university know we could more than hold our own against teams that were, at the time, more "name brands" (fresno, hawaii). we really did more with less then.
    6. crowton, rattay, edwards - gave us national recognition in the 90's with that amazing offense. having no conference affiliation killed us then; that was a team that should have had two or three bowls in them.
    7. barmore and hogg - national recognition and national championships in the 80's. as good as it gets.
    8. joe raymond peace - early in the D1 move with a lot of doubters, he put some very good teams on the field. we have to be the only university in the history of college football to lose our first game of the year by 70 points and come back to earn a bowl birth. that is good coaching.
    9. f.j. taylor - when the university president sits in the front row at a lady techster game in flaming red cowboy boots and berates the refs more than barmore, i'd call that a commitment to athletics.
    10. terry bradshaw - he has been an ambassador for the university for 40 years and his role now has been more significant then ever. he bleeds tech blue to the bone and pours himself into the university.
    i am sure i left out a lot of deserving folks. please add to the list.

  9. #9
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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    Quote Originally Posted by hoopdawg View Post
    Thats right! Thanks Bruce! Lets start making more money so we can give Bruce a raise, nothing says thank you like a bigger pay check. I would give some money right now to go towards a little bonus for BVDV.
    Bruce, it's neat that you're on the board and all, but now that everyone knows your handle is "hoopdawg"...

  10. #10
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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    Quote Originally Posted by ChipDog View Post
    Bruce, it's neat that you're on the board and all, but now that everyone knows your handle is "hoopdawg"...
    Just kidding. BVD has always been good for us and he has worked hard for all of us and I am glad to see folks giving him due credit.

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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    From all that I've seen of Bruce, he is a class act.

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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    Think about what Bruce's life has been like...just since December:

    1. DR deciding our spirit groups couldn't go to the Poinsettia Bowl, and Bruce bearing the brunt of a lot of disgruntled alumni and friends
    2. Organizing, coordinating and planning for the "rethink" of the Poinsettia Bowl and ensuring all of our team and spirit groups got to go
    3. Negotiating and securing Sonny's contract all at the same time. Guys, I don't think we know how close we came to losing Sonny Dykes...but Bruce contacted whom he needed to contact, and did his selling job and WE KEEP SONNY...announced the day of the Bowl Game.
    4 Conference USA --- dear Lord, can you imagine..."Yes you ARE in the Alliance...ehhh maybe you're NOT." "We're merging...all sports...and you might be in" "NOOOOO it looks like its gonna be full...you don't have a market." "Ohhh we aren't merging, but we are going for the alliance again." "Yes" "No" YES...
    5. And all the while...ALL THE WHILE...Dan Reneau is your boss, and your subordinates in some "major" sports are really struggling.

    Then there was YESTERDAY. The media asked him how he felt about what he'd accomplished getting us into C-USA and his response? "Seeing what this means to this group of people...the Bulldog Nation...is all the satisfaction I need." WOW. That was a response from a very classy guy.

    The more I think about it...BVDV has proven the calibre of AD he is, and guys I am SO proud he's at our University.

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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    Thank you all for believing in La. Tech. This university has a wonderful future. It is a first class university. Now, let us put our efforts behind the merger.

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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    Bruce, thanks for the myriad of things you have done for and brought to our University. I saw your remarks on video and as you were speaking, pride welled in my chest and I thought, Bruce really gets it, Bruce is a Bulldog. Our our athletes could not have a better spokesman. Thanks, you will always be one of us.

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    Re: A shout-out for van de velde

    BVDV's priority of the moment is 10,000 season ticket sales. The BEST way to thank him is to recruit season ticket purchasers.

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