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Name:   au67 - Email Member
Subject:   Coach Dye's Letter
Date:   12/16/2008 3:08:32 PM

Auburn Family,

I woke up this morning with Auburn on my mind, which is not surprising since I went to sleep with Auburn on my mind.

This is a very emotional time for the Auburn family. We all have our own opinions about what is best for Auburn and about the impact that Auburn decisions will have on our lives.

I don't expect everyone who reads this to agree with everything I say, but I just want you to know what I feel in my heart. This time of transition we are going through now reminds me of the time in 1981 when I walked into a room full of football players who had many questions and doubts about me coming in as the new head football coach.

Their frustration showed in their faces, and anxiety was in their eyes because of the unknown. I had a simple message: Whether they had come to Auburn for the right reasons or the wrong reasons, they had chosen to get their education and to play football at Auburn University, which would lay the foundation for the rest of their lives.

I told them that Auburn had chosen me and that I had chosen Auburn. I asked them as a team to be loyal to Auburn and to love Auburn. I said that I would also be loyal to Auburn and would love Auburn, and this loyalty and love would be our common ground which would lay the foundation that would serve Auburn for many years to come.

There is a lot of misinformation out there right now. The media people have their jobs to do and should have our respect for doing those jobs. But unless an individual has served as president of a major university, has been on the board of trustees of a major university, or has been athletic director or head football coach at a major university, it is hard to grasp how the people in these positions make the decisions that affect so many.

Unless you have walked in their shoes, you cannot begin to understand all that is involved in the process of making these decisions.

In addressing the current situation pertaining to our Athletic Director, Jay Jacobs, and his decision to hire Gene Chizik as our new Head Coach, I applaud all parties involved in the process for allowing Jay Jacobs to do his job.

Nobody is more qualified to make this decision than Jay. He is a true Auburn man to the bone and understands better than anybody the kind of man we need to lead our football program into the future. Gene Chizik is that man.

Because of the years I was involved in football - as a player, an assistant coach, a head coach, and as a part of teams that won championships at every level - I learned something about winning. One thing I am sure of is that I know what it takes to win. Teams where everyone played with the same heartbeat had a chance to win championships; teams that were not able to play like that never reached their full potential.

We don't need to worry about what is going on around us. We only need to be concerned about what is going on at Auburn. And being the best we can be at Auburn will take care of what is going on around us. We are an Auburn family. Let's see if we can play with the same heartbeat.

I know winning is important to the Auburn people. But so is character. Jay Jacobs has it and so does Gene Chizik. Now we'll see if they can win. They are our team. I like it. War Eagle.

Coach Pat Dye




Name:   Mr.Jenkins - Email Member
Subject:   Coach Dye's Letter
Date:   12/16/2008 4:31:57 PM

what a load of bs



Name:   JustAGuy - Email Member
Subject:   Coach Dye's Letter
Date:   12/16/2008 9:02:31 PM

Mr. Jenkins ..... I have to ask .... what's your problem? Coach Dye is entitled to his opinon.



Name:   AUCATZ - Email Member
Subject:   Coach Dye's Letter
Date:   12/17/2008 9:40:40 AM

Just like JJ's letter to Tigers Unlimited folks - CYA. The Sports Illustrated comment describing GC as a 'dead man walking' pretty much says it all.

One of these days, perhaps not in my lifetime, the administration and BOT is going to realize that athletics are supported and exist solely because of the fan base. When there is constant turmoil eventually the fans will bail. We can always support Auburn, THE SCHOOL, and not support athletics.





Name:   lamont - Email Member
Subject:   Great Post Catz....
Date:   12/17/2008 9:53:59 AM

That is exactly how I feel about the whole situation. The older I get, the less I care about Auburn football although, I am still a college football fanatic. I have made the decision to not renew the season tickets I have had for 30+ years. That's a whole lot of money I can donate to other places... like the Auburn Business School, ministries, etc. As I came to this conclusion, it really had a lot more to do with the "Beverly Hillbillies" running the show at Auburn rather than the head coaching hire. I've simply had enough of Lowder, Jacobs, etc. I'll still cheer for them on TV and wish Chizik the best of luck but, my Saturdays will, once again, belong to me.



Name:   AUCATZ - Email Member
Subject:   Great Post Catz....
Date:   12/17/2008 11:10:45 AM

<sad to say it> but, thanks. The tickets my family held since season tickets were first offered, were denied us after my parents died. Still bitter about it since we and our sons had always sat there. I mostly hate it for the sons and losing that tradition.

When JJ told me he had done 'all he could, but that others deserved to sit there' and that 'the last person that skipped priority to get better seats donated $250k to the university' I was done. You know, priority resides with a person, so we lost that...the one year, back in the early 1990's when Auburn offered to legacy tickets, my father decided to not do it because he thought the process would continue. No such luck.

So, if anyone has tickets that have been in their family forever, forget about keeping them after the person whose name they are in dies. Unless you want to buy your way into keeping them for a cool few hundred thou, you are SOL.

Anyway, with 7 degrees in our family (and almost 1 more), and a history that goes back to 1926 when Daddy went to API to play football, we will always be Auburn fans. But, as you say, there are better ways to spend the money than on the football monopoly.

Cheers!



Name:   lamont - Email Member
Subject:   Wow.....
Date:   12/17/2008 12:42:45 PM

Compared to you and your family, I am a Johnnie- come- lately. I have been giving to the TUF for 30+ years but, I have been doing it with a friend who died last year. Since the donations were in his name and not mine, I now have to coordinate with his divorced wife who now lives in New jersey. She, obviously, cares nothing about the tickets but, is nice enough to let me know when it's time to pony up. I called the Ticket office in an effort to put the tickets in my name but, you can probably guess the result. I even sent them cancelled checks of the TUF donations for the last 6 years that were my personal checks for my buddies tickets. Still, no go. I offered the "priveledge" of the TUF donation and tickets to my 2 sons and they declined so, from now on, I'll go to 2 or 3 games a year, you know, the good ones, and just stay at the lake for the La. Monroes, Tennessee Techs, etc. Even at scalper prices, I figure I'll save a coupla thousand $ and probably get better seats. I am almost thankful this chain of events has taken place to enlighten me as to what is really important. Best of luck to you Gene.






Name:   AUCATZ - Email Member
Subject:   Wow.....
Date:   12/17/2008 12:57:44 PM

True, since the TUF (formerly GAF) is totally based on a single 'owner' and TUF number, you can't change things there. There is the rub...when my Dad died in 1998, they tried to take the tickets away. I got them to agree that we could keep them as long as Mama lived.

Mama passed away in 2003 and I didn't get an invite to get tickets the next year. When I called I was told that I had to start all over 'in my name' - even though I had been paying for the tickets for years. Didn't matter. I had no priority status - it was all in parents' name.

I forgot to mention that I was graciously offered 30-yard line tickets if I would buy scholarship seats. Our season tickets were in Section 28, between the 47 and 50 yard lines. It was just the principle of the thing - loyalty has no meaning in Auburn athletics. Money rules everything. Since, if I had taken the offer, my sons would be in the same position when I'm gone, I told the sons to start their priority if they wanted tickets and work their way through the system. They are in their 30's, so if they began they might actually get out of the upper deck by the time they are 60. What a total crock.



Name:   lamont - Email Member
Subject:   Not Likely....
Date:   12/17/2008 1:07:04 PM

Aft.er 30+ years, I am still in the upper deck



Name:   AUCATZ - Email Member
Subject:   Well Heck...
Date:   12/17/2008 1:43:15 PM

You should be one of the 'deserving ones' by now!



Name:   PC Al - Email Member
Subject:   My Situation
Date:   12/17/2008 11:40:18 PM

I had been a GAF/Tigers Unlimited participant since the beginning of the program and a scholarship donor for about 20 years. I got a little peeved a couple of years ago because I could not get Tim Jackson to return my phone call and did not send in my scholarship money. I did not get a phone call, a letter or any form of communication from them. I had seats in the North Club Level and they had people giving half a million dollars wanting my seats. Bottom line is the Administration did not care if I dropped out. It did not matter how long I had been a contributor. I had choice seats that they could sell for bigger bucks. I did not go to a game this year. I am still Auburn through and through, but the Athletic Department will never get another dime from me.



Name:   peruecreek - Email Member
Subject:   Coach Dye's Letter
Date:   12/18/2008 11:28:17 AM

The ticket situation at all large universities is driven by money. It does not make any difference how long you have had the seats or if your attended or graduated from the university. It is the same situation in Tuscaloosa made even worse by the fact the team went 12-1 this year. The "sidewalk" alumni are out in force and all it takes is money to buy your way in.

On another note, at one point Pat Dye had a "personal" services contract with either Colonial Bank or Bobby Lowder himself. I wonder if he is still under contract as this might influence his view of the coaching situation.



Name:   AUCATZ - Email Member
Subject:   Coach Dye's Letter
Date:   12/18/2008 12:16:30 PM

It appears, at least to the casual onlooker, that anyone in any position of authority at AU has ties to BL and Colonial. It's a sad case, but as you mentioned - money talks and wields the power pretty much everywhere. I liken what we are going through at Auburn to be similar to the last few years at Alabama (prior to Saban). I just hope our outcome is better, although I'm not optimistic.



Name:   bamagirl - Email Member
Subject:   Great Post Catz....
Date:   12/18/2008 12:17:02 PM

I am replying as a parent of an Auburn Student. We have just sent in $3600 for our sons tuition for next semester.
The day Coach Tuberville "resigned" we got a letter from the school of business stating they will need another
$500 plus dollars for a professional fee. The letter was signed by Gouge. The school of business is needing
more money to operate. My husband and I were livid. We started to send it back to him and ask him to pay
for it out of his athletic fun. My point is, what about the expense of an education today. We as football fans
can throw all the money in the world to athletic programs, but we are pricing our future out of an education!!
Lets get back to the basics folks!!! Education First!!



Name:   bamagirl - Email Member
Subject:   Great Post Catz....
Date:   12/18/2008 12:18:32 PM

This $3600 did not include his living expense nor books for the semester!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1



Name:   AUCATZ - Email Member
Subject:   Donations to athletics...
Date:   12/18/2008 12:23:43 PM

from my house ceased in 2004 (see above). The only thing they get from me is the $50 from my Auburn license plate and I'm reconsidering that purchase next year when it expires.

I feel your pain. Our 2 sons have 3 degrees from AU, and we are very proud of them and the education they received - but it came at a big price. It would be great if a big portion of the athletic funds went back to the university for 'real' education, wouldn't it? It just seems obscene to me to pay coaches so much money then turn around and raise tuition, nickel and dime families for more 'fees', etc.



Name:   peruecreek - Email Member
Subject:   Coach Dye's Letter
Date:   12/18/2008 1:32:28 PM

As A follow up to my earlier post I did some research in public documents filed by Colonial Bank with the SEC(Securities and Exchange Commission) as required by law for all publicly traded companies. Pat Dye is a Director of Colonial Bank with direct ownership of 38,549 shares of stock. At the current depressed price of the stock at $2.25 this is worth only approximately $86,500. He also receives cash and stock compensation of $40,250 as yearly directors fees. Additionally he is paid $36,000 per year for "consulting and public relations" services. All this should be noted when judging his objectivity toward the Auburn football coach. IMO it seems that the letter in question was to serve notice that he is back in power to do Lowder's bidding after the banishment of Tuberville who kept him at arm's length.



Name:   4691 - Email Member
Subject:   Coach Dye's Letter
Date:   12/18/2008 7:22:23 PM

I perceive more than just a hint of arrogance in Coach Dye’s letter (assuming it is real). He basically says that unless you have walked in the shoes of the people making the decision (probably no one reading this forum has), your opinion is not valid…just accept the decision because you are not capable of understanding. Of course, your unconditional support and money are still good, but your opinion is not. He may well be sincere in his expressed convictions. There was no need to state it in such a condescending manner. Just my interpretation of the posted letter...I could be wrong. ;-)



Name:   longtimer - Email Member
Subject:   Keep in mind...
Date:   12/19/2008 6:01:52 PM

that very little of a coach's "salary" actually comes from the university. The base salary is usually six figures; the rest (which can total millions) is stuff that is guaranteed under the contract, but that does not come out of the school's pocket. This can include money for appearing on a weekly highlights show, a shoe contract, commercial endorsements, etc.

And university monies NEVER go into an athletic department. Any money that you hear about a department spending is either from funds that they generated or donations. Athletic Departments are businesses, and the ones that make the most money can then spend the most money. But that money that they are spending isn't being taken away from professors, students, staff, building and grounds maintenance, and so on.



Name:   longtimer - Email Member
Subject:   Not Likely....
Date:   12/19/2008 6:06:32 PM

"Aft.er 30+ years, I am still in the upper deck"

Wow, since the first upper deck wasn't completed until 1980 (LESS than 30 years ago), those first few years must have been interesting! :-)







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