Union Tribune
Thanks for you continual excellent coverage of the Farmers Insurance Open by Tod Leonard.
Regarding your sub headline concerning the Scott Piercy: "Ex-Aztec Piercy has the first-round lead"
FYI there are no Ex-Aztecs. We are all Aztecs for Life!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Count the toes
Ok listen up fine Aztec alumni. We need your help. There seems to be some controversy lurking regarding the number of toes on the left foot of our venerable iconic symbol: The Aztec. As you likely know the original Aztec was sculpted by Donal Hord and sits in the Prospective Student Center, while his grandson is the awesome centerpiece of the rotunda of the brand new Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center.You tell us: Is his left pinky toe hidden beneath his robe as is asserted by SDSU alum and architect Jeremy Blake, or does our beloved Montezuma suffer from a digital deficiency?
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Today's UT
Today's UT reports that the "Big 6 BCS conferences expect pay outs from bowl games of either $22 or $17 million per school. Meanwhile the Mountain West and the WAC lead the have-nots with around one million per school. This payday due to the great seasons from Boise and TCU.
Eventually some powers that be will figure out that every game played requires one loser. And that long term, the schools with no chance of competing for victories with a 20 million dollar handicap will elect to invest their scarce dollars into educating students.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
About Ken Kramer
Ken Kramer, investigative optimist, is back on the airwaves with his genuinely uplifting and iconic “About San Diego.”
I know this because I like Ken Kramer and I have enjoyed his show ever since I moved to San Diego in 1984 and listened to it on the radio. Since then, of course, Ken moved to television and for many years and 600 episodes on NBC 7/39 we were regularly treated to truly powerfully positive heart-melting vignettes about San Diego and our eclectic denizens. These stories were always delivered with Ken’s great voice, comfortably paced presentations and, most importantly, his ability to cajole us towards a prideful place.
I know I am sounding like a media critic who has been wined and dined and wooed and bamboozled into drinking Ken’s Kool aid.
Yes, I have.
I think as we age we get the ability to truly know the things we appreciate. We actually understand what makes us feel good. For me, one of those things is Ken Kramer’s “About San Diego.”
And I understand why we regularly get bombarded with bad news, scandal, treachery, crime, disaster and malfeasance. But to get it occasionally punctuated with stories about goodness is essential to my well being. Perhaps yours, too.
So last night Ken Kramer announced his new partnership with KPBS. This only happened, he told us, because of the “underpinnings which define the character” of the principles from NBC 7/39 and KPBS which agreed to allow Ken and KPBS to use all of the material from his previous 600 shows aired on NBC 7/39. Wow. Hats off to NBC former general manager, Phyllis Schwartz, (SDSU ’77); current General manager, Jackie Bradford; KPBS GM Tom Karlo, (SDSU ’75) and, obviously, Ken himself (SDSU ’74, and current SDSU Alumni Association board member) for putting the public good ahead of the usual corporate agenda.
Here is when you can see Ken’s new show on KPBS. Enjoy some happy time!
www.kpbs.org/tv/schedule/
I know this because I like Ken Kramer and I have enjoyed his show ever since I moved to San Diego in 1984 and listened to it on the radio. Since then, of course, Ken moved to television and for many years and 600 episodes on NBC 7/39 we were regularly treated to truly powerfully positive heart-melting vignettes about San Diego and our eclectic denizens. These stories were always delivered with Ken’s great voice, comfortably paced presentations and, most importantly, his ability to cajole us towards a prideful place.
I know I am sounding like a media critic who has been wined and dined and wooed and bamboozled into drinking Ken’s Kool aid.
Yes, I have.
I think as we age we get the ability to truly know the things we appreciate. We actually understand what makes us feel good. For me, one of those things is Ken Kramer’s “About San Diego.”
And I understand why we regularly get bombarded with bad news, scandal, treachery, crime, disaster and malfeasance. But to get it occasionally punctuated with stories about goodness is essential to my well being. Perhaps yours, too.
So last night Ken Kramer announced his new partnership with KPBS. This only happened, he told us, because of the “underpinnings which define the character” of the principles from NBC 7/39 and KPBS which agreed to allow Ken and KPBS to use all of the material from his previous 600 shows aired on NBC 7/39. Wow. Hats off to NBC former general manager, Phyllis Schwartz, (SDSU ’77); current General manager, Jackie Bradford; KPBS GM Tom Karlo, (SDSU ’75) and, obviously, Ken himself (SDSU ’74, and current SDSU Alumni Association board member) for putting the public good ahead of the usual corporate agenda.
Here is when you can see Ken’s new show on KPBS. Enjoy some happy time!
www.kpbs.org/tv/schedule/
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Aztec Athletics
As we commence the process to hire a new Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, I’d like to weigh in on some of the things we have going for us.
First of all, athletics at the Division One level is part of who we are at San Diego State University. We have incredible athletic history; lengthy and potent. And we have tens of thousands of graduates who claim to have attended games in the fog in Aztec Bowl, who met the train when the 1941 Basketball team triumphantly returned from Kansas City and who never missed a Marshall Faulk touchdown.
So our tradition of fielding Division One teams, despite the constantly increasing financial challenges, isn’t likely to go away. And it shouldn’t.
In 1985 we hired a visionary athletic director who was resolutely determined to upgrade our facilities. And lo and behold, here we are with first-class everything where 24 years ago we had nothing. Do you need a recount? Okay, Tony Gwynn Stadium, new Aztrack, new Softball Stadium, new Tennis complex, new Aquatics complex, colossal athletics administration complex with state-of-the-art weight room, a still-beautiful Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl, a fantastic Rec Center and even a new Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center.
So we have an aging Qualcomm Stadium and some legitimate angst regarding the future of the Chargers and the stadium trickle down. We can only hope and work and will ourselves to collectively conquer this community challenge.
And let’s not forget our coaching staff. Plenty of sports have surged lately with some new and some veteran coaches who seem to share the mindset that winning games within the proper parameters of academic transcendence and NCAA regulations is doable at a place like San Diego State. Our “big three,” of course, - Burns, Hoke and Fisher - have our confidence like no previous triumvirate. Ever.
Finally, and most importantly, we have a great university. We have the brain power on our own campus to attack and conquer the challenges and opportunities presented by having Division One Athletics. So let’s get to it!
First of all, athletics at the Division One level is part of who we are at San Diego State University. We have incredible athletic history; lengthy and potent. And we have tens of thousands of graduates who claim to have attended games in the fog in Aztec Bowl, who met the train when the 1941 Basketball team triumphantly returned from Kansas City and who never missed a Marshall Faulk touchdown.
So our tradition of fielding Division One teams, despite the constantly increasing financial challenges, isn’t likely to go away. And it shouldn’t.
In 1985 we hired a visionary athletic director who was resolutely determined to upgrade our facilities. And lo and behold, here we are with first-class everything where 24 years ago we had nothing. Do you need a recount? Okay, Tony Gwynn Stadium, new Aztrack, new Softball Stadium, new Tennis complex, new Aquatics complex, colossal athletics administration complex with state-of-the-art weight room, a still-beautiful Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl, a fantastic Rec Center and even a new Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center.
So we have an aging Qualcomm Stadium and some legitimate angst regarding the future of the Chargers and the stadium trickle down. We can only hope and work and will ourselves to collectively conquer this community challenge.
And let’s not forget our coaching staff. Plenty of sports have surged lately with some new and some veteran coaches who seem to share the mindset that winning games within the proper parameters of academic transcendence and NCAA regulations is doable at a place like San Diego State. Our “big three,” of course, - Burns, Hoke and Fisher - have our confidence like no previous triumvirate. Ever.
Finally, and most importantly, we have a great university. We have the brain power on our own campus to attack and conquer the challenges and opportunities presented by having Division One Athletics. So let’s get to it!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Brian Sipe
At 6:43 this morning I was pulling into PS 5 to go to work at the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center. I saw Aztecs Quarterbacks Coach Brian Sipe walking up 55th Street. Since I was stopped at the left turn light I had the chance to observe Brian and I took some pride in seeing that he was staring at our beautiful new alumni center and its exquisite rotunda.
After all, this was Brian Sipe, Little League World Series champion, Aztec superstar, NFL MVP, accomplished architect, and outstanding high school football coach, among many other accomplishments. Here was a man whose extraordinary tangible achievements have only been exceeded by his extreme humility and graciousness.
And just as I was thinking we have to start rallying our alumni around the Aztec team that Coach Hoke and his staff have begun to put together, what did I see?
Brian Sipe leaned over and plucked a piece of trash off of the sidewalk and deposited it into the next trash can.
Perhaps this is the time for all of us Aztec fans to start pitching in.
After all, this was Brian Sipe, Little League World Series champion, Aztec superstar, NFL MVP, accomplished architect, and outstanding high school football coach, among many other accomplishments. Here was a man whose extraordinary tangible achievements have only been exceeded by his extreme humility and graciousness.
And just as I was thinking we have to start rallying our alumni around the Aztec team that Coach Hoke and his staff have begun to put together, what did I see?
Brian Sipe leaned over and plucked a piece of trash off of the sidewalk and deposited it into the next trash can.
Perhaps this is the time for all of us Aztec fans to start pitching in.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Why We Need an Alumni Center
An Alumni Center for San Diego State. Why?
Having primarily focused my professional life for the past decade on this quest I thought I should be able to answer the question.
When we think about San Diego State what comes to mind? A university growing with the times and our region to produce the workforce we need in business, education and science? A massive State school which delivers quality education for bargain tuition? Perhaps an all grown up Cal State commuter school with a burgeoning research effort struggling for an identity in the shadow of the UCs? Or maybe a once proud football program attempting yet another return to glory with Brady Hoke as coach?
We have heard plenty of this and much more over here on the Mesa. Certainly there is much to be proud of in the product of SDSU. But there is much to be done to help elevate the university’s standing among institutions of higher learning and in the community we serve. A big part of that job is raising awareness of San Diego State and encouraging greater involvement among its alumni.
Increasing support for the university through strong alumni relations builds the foundation for a better institution. You can’t build a powerful organization without a strong base and at the Alumni Association, everything we do is directed toward strengthening the university’s base.
There are more than 200,000 SDSU alumni. Presently, fewer than 8,000 are Alumni Association members. Growing Alumni Association membership is the first step in a process that ultimately leads to enhancing the university’s prestige. The more engaged and involved the alumni are, the stronger the university becomes as a result.
So what, then, is the role of the new Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center in helping to strengthen our base? First, it serves as a literal touchstone for Aztec alumni all over the world. If you want to reconnect with the university, this is the place to do it.
Want to come to campus, but you’re not quite sure where to go? Check in here. You’ll be welcome.
Do you have questions about university programs or events? This is the place to call if you don’t know exactly where to plug in. We’re happy to help you.
This is your home. It’s the one place on campus you will always belong no matter how the campus has changed or how long it’s been since your last visit.
The Alumni Center is also the physical location where our common experience as Aztecs may be shared and remembered. It’s where we’ll celebrate our collective triumphs and mourn our tragedies. Our traditions will be honored here.
And even as our rich history is revered in this place, so is our future planned and prepared for. Various boards and committees representing the university and its alumni will meet here. They will imagine, they’ll dream, and draw on their talents, educations and experiences for ideas to help make SDSU a stronger institution in the years to come.
In the end, what will this new Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center mean for San Diego State? It’s hard to say exactly. We’ve never had anything quite like it before. But the possibilities are thrilling.
So we invite you to come check it out at 11:00 a.m. on October 17 or any time after that when you’re in the neighborhood. Ultimately, my fellow Aztecs, the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center is all about you.
Having primarily focused my professional life for the past decade on this quest I thought I should be able to answer the question.
When we think about San Diego State what comes to mind? A university growing with the times and our region to produce the workforce we need in business, education and science? A massive State school which delivers quality education for bargain tuition? Perhaps an all grown up Cal State commuter school with a burgeoning research effort struggling for an identity in the shadow of the UCs? Or maybe a once proud football program attempting yet another return to glory with Brady Hoke as coach?
We have heard plenty of this and much more over here on the Mesa. Certainly there is much to be proud of in the product of SDSU. But there is much to be done to help elevate the university’s standing among institutions of higher learning and in the community we serve. A big part of that job is raising awareness of San Diego State and encouraging greater involvement among its alumni.
Increasing support for the university through strong alumni relations builds the foundation for a better institution. You can’t build a powerful organization without a strong base and at the Alumni Association, everything we do is directed toward strengthening the university’s base.
There are more than 200,000 SDSU alumni. Presently, fewer than 8,000 are Alumni Association members. Growing Alumni Association membership is the first step in a process that ultimately leads to enhancing the university’s prestige. The more engaged and involved the alumni are, the stronger the university becomes as a result.
So what, then, is the role of the new Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center in helping to strengthen our base? First, it serves as a literal touchstone for Aztec alumni all over the world. If you want to reconnect with the university, this is the place to do it.
Want to come to campus, but you’re not quite sure where to go? Check in here. You’ll be welcome.
Do you have questions about university programs or events? This is the place to call if you don’t know exactly where to plug in. We’re happy to help you.
This is your home. It’s the one place on campus you will always belong no matter how the campus has changed or how long it’s been since your last visit.
The Alumni Center is also the physical location where our common experience as Aztecs may be shared and remembered. It’s where we’ll celebrate our collective triumphs and mourn our tragedies. Our traditions will be honored here.
And even as our rich history is revered in this place, so is our future planned and prepared for. Various boards and committees representing the university and its alumni will meet here. They will imagine, they’ll dream, and draw on their talents, educations and experiences for ideas to help make SDSU a stronger institution in the years to come.
In the end, what will this new Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center mean for San Diego State? It’s hard to say exactly. We’ve never had anything quite like it before. But the possibilities are thrilling.
So we invite you to come check it out at 11:00 a.m. on October 17 or any time after that when you’re in the neighborhood. Ultimately, my fellow Aztecs, the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center is all about you.
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