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Post by Outsider on May 24, 2023 14:17:36 GMT -6
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archsimon
arm chair Grad Assistant
Posts: 241
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Post by archsimon on May 24, 2023 16:39:38 GMT -6
I'm glad ACU hired someone with fairly strong ties to Abilene to run this branch of the athletics department. It's extremely important for local businesses, alumns, etc. to support the Wildcat programs and its student-athletes. I'm very excited to see what Sam and Zack can come up with.
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Post by bogeyman on Jun 23, 2023 20:05:01 GMT -6
Playing golf Monday with Sam Ferguson and Hall of Fame basketball coach Gene Keady at the Love Course at Barefoot Resort. Excited for the opportunity to meet Sam and of course coach Keady.
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Post by bogeyman on Jun 26, 2023 17:20:48 GMT -6
Really impressed with Sam Ferguson. He can really hit a golf ball but what really impressed me was how he "served" coach Keady (87 yrs young). Sam has a servants heart and I think he will do great things in his new role at ACU. RC, you need to look him up for a golf game. He plays at Fairway Oaks.
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Post by rc on Jun 26, 2023 19:10:18 GMT -6
Really impressed with Sam Ferguson. He can really hit a golf ball but what really impressed me was how he "served" coach Keady (87 yrs young). Sam has a servants heart and I think he will do great things in his new role at ACU. RC, you need to look him up for a golf game. He plays at Fairway Oaks. Thanks Bogey!
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Post by Evan from KTXS on Jun 27, 2023 13:34:08 GMT -6
Really impressed with Sam Ferguson. He can really hit a golf ball but what really impressed me was how he "served" coach Keady (87 yrs young). Sam has a servants heart and I think he will do great things in his new role at ACU. RC, you need to look him up for a golf game. He plays at Fairway Oaks.
Sam played golf (and basketball) at Div. III Averett
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Post by Outsider on Jun 27, 2023 15:20:07 GMT -6
Really impressed with Sam Ferguson. He can really hit a golf ball but what really impressed me was how he "served" coach Keady (87 yrs young). Sam has a servants heart and I think he will do great things in his new role at ACU. RC, you need to look him up for a golf game. He plays at Fairway Oaks.
Sam played golf (and basketball) at Div. III Averett
I am still a little hesitant on how he will do at the DI level, but you never know.
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Post by Cap'n Cattitude on Jun 28, 2023 11:53:35 GMT -6
Outsider, I don't think his D1 job is much different from D3. He's an administrator and community liason. I think he will do very well. Talented guy from all accounts.
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Post by Outsider on Jun 28, 2023 14:07:00 GMT -6
Outsider, I don't think his D1 job is much different from D3. He's an administrator and community liason. I think he will do very well. Talented guy from all accounts. I hope so. I understand his job position, but a DI school has higher money needs and expectations, as well as larger footprints. Even though he is primarily an administrator, the liaison piece will come into play with visibility/exposure and money raising. I have not heard anything bad about him, but I know that ACU will bring new challenges. I hope he does nothing but great things as our sports need a lot right now. Trust me, if I could do more I would.
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Post by dallasalum on Jun 28, 2023 14:45:54 GMT -6
What does "community liason " mean? Who is the "community"? Just curious.
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Post by acumedic on Jun 28, 2023 16:41:38 GMT -6
What does "community liason " mean? Who is the "community"? Just curious. I would assume the Abilene MSA
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Post by Cap'n Cattitude on Jun 30, 2023 9:41:51 GMT -6
What does "community liason " mean? Who is the "community"? Just curious. Yes. It is primarily the Abilene area. The AD realizes that a primary path to increasing attendance is to make ACU “Abilene’s Team”. So among his duties is to differentiate ACU from the D3 teams in town and build relationships within the community. He will also take over admin duties from Steve Harrell. The marketing and promotions teams will report to him.
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Post by dallasalum on Jun 30, 2023 13:53:09 GMT -6
IMHO this is a huge mountain to climb. Would love to meet the reincarnation of Sir Edmund Hillary. How many people in the Abilene MSA who have no affiliation to ACU are willing to pay $160 per couple to attend an ACU football game? Going back decades Abilene has had "ACU" city councilmen, mayors, state representatives, civic club members and officers, etc. Yet it has never been "Abilene's Team". Why is that? I have some pretty strongly held opinions as to at least some of the reasons that has been and still is true. I don't know if others would agree with them or not, especially long time ACU people and/or Abilene residents. My hat is off to anyone who can change that. I have been to dozens of college and university towns and observed where this (being the town team) is true and not true. To me it is not really very hard to figure this o Maybe I'm wrong. Would love to be shown the fallacies in my thinking. I would also like see capacity crowds at Moody and Wildcat Stadium. I would love to sit down and talk with anyone who is interested in this subject. Would also love to read the thoughts of others. However, I will not be writing any long epistles on this subject. Just not interested in doing that.
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Post by jaminthebody on Jun 30, 2023 14:30:52 GMT -6
IMHO this is a huge mountain to climb. Would love to meet the reincarnation of Sir Edmund Hillary. How many people in the Abilene MSA who have no affiliation to ACU are willing to pay $160 per couple to attend an ACU football game? Going back decades Abilene has had "ACU" city councilmen, mayors, state representatives, civic club members and officers, etc. Yet it has never been "Abilene's Team". Why is that? I have some pretty strongly held opinions as to at least some of the reasons that has been and still is true. I don't know if others would agree with them or not, especially long time ACU people and/or Abilene residents. My hat is off to anyone who can change that. I have been to dozens of college and university towns and observed where this (being the town team) is true and not true. To me it is not really very hard to figure this o Maybe I'm wrong. Would love to be shown the fallacies in my thinking. I would also like see capacity crowds at Moody and Wildcat Stadium. I would love to sit down and talk with anyone who is interested in this subject. Would also love to read the thoughts of others. However, I will not be writing any long epistles on this subject. Just not interested in doing that. What seats are $80?
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Post by rc on Jun 30, 2023 16:41:33 GMT -6
Things are changing, slowly but they are. I interact with three leadership groups that one might label as the core leadership of Abilene. So much has changed over the last even five years. These key people are generally not associated with ACU but surprise of surprises, they are starting to talk about ACU as Abilene's main university and as a critical component of making Abilene a more important and valuable city. There are several reasons that creap into discussions I hear. ACU is D-1, ACU is hosting the NEXT Project, ACU is building infrastructure and a major reason for rapid development of the Northeast area of the city, ACU is recognized as a rather special university with unmatched ratings in Texas, and ACU is a critical financial component to the city. The engineering program is starting to be really appreciated. People I would never have thought are now proud of when ACU wins and inch by inch the Wildcats are actually becoming Abilene's Team. This kind of thing never used to happen but it is starting to happen more and more. ACU brings recognition and value to Abilene. Who would have thought the Abilene Economic Development group would support research at ACU with the latest grant of about 2.9 million dollars, the second grant in the last few years. I have waited a long time to see this, but it is happening.
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