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Bulldawg03, just do it. Tech and Tails is a grass root event. Get a few of the NO folks to organize and get it done. We are getting the DFW group going again, thanks to Aron Capps, but it will take time and effort. That's a great idea for the senior send off; I used to invite and pay for all incoming freshman to the DFW crawfish bowl. Even with free crawfish, we would just get 5-10 kids. Maybe a summer event could do better.Originally Posted by bulldawg03
Talking and doing are two different things.
Talking for this summer. It's a new idea we're putting together. Not sitting on anything.
Moving the event to the Northshore alienated many people from the Southshore who would normally be there. It's not just about being "lazy" to drive the Causeway as a few of you have sort of implied.
From Houma, I would normally and easily attend an event in Metairie. I estimate I would have had to leave my office at 3:45 to have a shot at making the Mandeville event. Besides anyone from Houma/Thibodaux area, it really alienated anyone from the Westbank of NOLA... it's a feat to get from the Westbank to Metairie at rush hour, then to tack on the drive to the Northshore is a bit much. It's not just as simple as hopping on the ol' Causeway as some of you are implying.
Within a day of the announcement, I contacted Adam with my concerns about moving the event... the response was something about how the "concentrations" of alumni were higher on the Northshore. That's great. That's not a reason to move the event... it sounds like a reason to ADD an event!
But wait, I almost forgot, this is little old Tech, where we do the bare minimum. They try incredibly hard to ignore the entire southern half of the state. Having really the only alumni event that I had access to taken away because of some B.S. reasons really pissed me off. I let my frustrations be known.
Tech has ZERO interest in anything to do with south Louisiana. A lot of people have tried to get things going, but there is ZERO support to be had.
The turnout for the northshore was awesome. And I do believe it is a different crowd than probably shows up on the south shore. All the more reason to have two events. I think if timing was tight and they could only fit in one event, they made the right decision because the northshore has been neglected for a long time. As for the drive, from Mandeville to Metairie it's probably about 45 minutes, but New Orleans/Kenner to Covington/Madisonville/Lacombe is pretty much an hour either way. It makes for a pretty long night if you have to tack an hour before and after the event to make it. And living on the North Shore doesn't make it any less of a drive. I drive it every day now and it's pretty terrible. I think Champ's view is exactly how most people on the south shore view the drive. They always want you to come to them, but it's a huge deal for them to come see you. I do not view an extra trip across the causway as an extra 20 minutes to listen to the radio, I view it as an extra two hours out of my day (round trip). I'm pretty sure that people on the south shore view it in much the same way.
The point is that we need two events if at all possible. Guice did mention that he is willing to support smaller events if we coordinate it with them. Maybe the strong support that the Northshore event had will encourage them to have two events next year.
I agree that Metairie probably would have represented the most central location for Tech grads living throughout the GNO region.
We aren't talking about Bunkie, it is NEW ORLEANS; spend the night and do two functions for crying out loud! It isn't that complicated. Even if we just pick up a few season ticket holders for the trip it is worth it.
Also, they can do other things while down there...recruit HS kids to come to Tech, put on a seminar, rub elbows with big wigs, etc.
This is the right idea.
The first statement is false. The group in Lake Charles is one of the most active recently due to the alumni down there. For the second one, it takes people to do the leg work and prep. All you should realistically expect from the alumni associaition is to send out postcards and show up with swag.
I might have been venting a bit, but my point is regarding the resources they are willing to put into south La. I'm not the organizer of stuff in NOLA... but they have put together a few terrific events like the Poinsettia Bowl party for example. I'm sure a few of them could elaborate. The NOLA group was rewarded for their efforts by having the one, single sponsored event pulled.... for no other reason than some sort of data mining...
Analogy:
"Dear Dallas- We normally have quite a turnout for your Tech's in Town event. However, our alumni database indicates we have a higher per capita ratio of alumni in McKinney. So, we are going to be cancelling the Dallas event, and holding it in McKinney instead. We hope you will make every effort to attend. Thanks, Tech."
This is their logic! [They counted HogDawg 16 times by mistake]
That is pretty much the case for those of us in the Fort Worth area but I still make it when it doesn't interfere with other events I can't miss. In fact that's where I had the joy of meeting Hog Dawg.
The Tech alumni event for the Dallas area was in Frisco, in the Stonebriar area, where rich alums live (not far from Hogdawg's mansion). It never has been there before and the turn out was outstanding and the poor urban Dallas folks drove with rush hour traffic the 30 miles to get there. And I haven't heard one complaint.
Funding is still the issue. You have to have funding to have the events. And every bit of funds you expect LTAC/Alumni Assoc to give is less to the the things we all want. And you can't take into account any money made from the event. Future monies are not available, AT ALL!
That said, if you want to have an event in your area YOU will have to find the funds to support the back bone of the event. We joke about Tech & Tails in 2008 being a $20K Event organized on our credit cards for $500! We did a lot of robbing Peter to pay Paul that year but when it all was said and done we (OUR PERSONAL CREDIT!) did a little better than break even and was able to give money to the school and LTAC. And honestly, some worried we would even get our money back!
bulldawg03, you are going to have to put both your money and your effort into an event if you want it to truely happen. The school and LTAC can't afford it.
Good news is when you do that YOU can control a lot of things that happen.
TAG has proven that IF you put forth the effort the support will come from the school!
But they won't/can't do it for you. The funds to do so simply aren't there!
Tech & Tails is supported by the school. But they, the school, take on ZERO responsibility for the event. They put nothing but time and effort into the event. If TAG loses money..... it's not on them to make the payments.
This is true....
But.... IF.... someone takes the lead and organizes an event that makes at least a little money for LTAC or the Alumni Assoc. they can do more to help you in year 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6! The more you can help them, the more helpful they are allowed to be!
Aahh...but it's good for you rich city slickers to make the drive once in a while out to middle America and see how us "country folk" live. You probably saw more grass and trees during that 30-mile drive than you've seen in the last 5 years in Dallas.
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