OT: Washington Freedom Cricket Stadium

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Pablo

Pablo

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"All-time cricketing great Ricky Ponting has today been unveiled as the new head coach of, Washington Freedom, ahead of the second season of Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States.

Ponting is considered by many to be one of world’s greatest ever players and is now one of the most sought-after off-field properties on the global T20 circuit.

He currently coaches the Indian Premier League’s Delhi Capitals and has previously filled roles in cricket’s short form with the Mumbai Indians and the Australian Men’s team.

In a full-circle moment, Ponting will replace his longtime mentor and former coach, Greg Shipperd, at the Washington D.C based MLC franchise, on a two-year deal. Shipperd has stepped down from the role with the Freedom to focus his attentions on Cricket NSW’s Blues and the Sydney Sixers in the Australian domestic competitions."

"Washington Freedom owner Sanjay Govil said Ponting’s appointment would continue the positive evolution of Major League Cricket and complement the fledgling league’s ‘mission’."
 

Falco

Hall of Famer
GIVING DAY 2023
Everyone giving me grief cause Mason can’t afford football. Yet “Washington Freedom would fully fund the new stadium’s construction.”

Why not partner with this guy to get football when the money isn’t a problem any more.

 

GMUgemini

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Everyone giving me grief cause Mason can’t afford football. Yet “Washington Freedom would fully fund the new stadium’s construction.”

Why not partner with this guy to get football when the money isn’t a problem any more.


You’ve still got to pay a coaching staff and figure out how to add 70+ scholarships and be title ix compliant at the same time. Also 12k is rinky dink for a football stadium. You’d want at least 25k…35-40k if you have any aspirations of joining the G5 in division 1a (what do they call this now anyway?)
 

Falco

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GIVING DAY 2023
You’ve still got to pay a coaching staff and figure out how to add 70+ scholarships and be title ix compliant at the same time. Also 12k is rinky dink for a football stadium. You’d want at least 25k…35-40k if you have any aspirations of joining the G5 in division 1a (what do they call this now anyway?)
A stadium is the biggest upfront cost. You can always add seats later, as seen with JMU. But I understand; Mason simply doesn't want football or care about improving school spirit.
 

GMUgemini

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A stadium is the biggest upfront cost. You can always add seats later, as seen with JMU. But I understand; Mason simply doesn't want football or care about improving school spirit.

I don’t think the university cares about “up front costs” as much as it cares about sustainability.

As for school spirit, what you are proposing is adding football at the level of Georgetown or a Patriot League, which would do exactly zero.

Anyway, yes, the university doesn’t want to add football so it’s time to drop it.
 

GMU79

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I don’t think the university cares about “up front costs” as much as it cares about sustainability.

As for school spirit, what you are proposing is adding football at the level of Georgetown or a Patriot League, which would do exactly zero.

Anyway, yes, the university doesn’t want to add football so it’s time to drop it.
Yes. Please. Enough already.
 

MasonSAE4

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A stadium is the biggest upfront cost. You can always add seats later, as seen with JMU. But I understand; Mason simply doesn't want football or care about improving school spirit.
You would literally see a greater spike in school spirit by banning cars/parking for freshmen than adding a football team that would lose games by scores previously unseen.
 

mkaufman1

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You would literally see a greater spike in school spirit by banning cars/parking for freshmen than adding a football team that would lose games by scores previously unseen.
There was also an increase in pride (or complaining) when the Patriot Center changed its name to Eaglebank Arena. I never saw so many people passionate about a name of a building where they probably never visited.
 

GMUgemini

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There was also an increase in pride (or complaining) when the Patriot Center changed its name to Eaglebank Arena. I never saw so many people passionate about a name of a building where they probably never visited.

There are a couple of ways school spirit is generated at the university level:

1. (And biggest) a sense of exclusivity. You are part of something many people want and few get to take part in.
2. Multi-generational alumni webs (we are just now beginning to develop multi-generational Mason families).
3. Social factors (of which sports can be a part, but Greek Life, clubs, club sports, intramural sports, events like Mason Day, and just dorm parties with suitemates and floors, etc are also a part).
4. Classes—particularly connections one can make with their upper level professors, particularly as it relates to research and interest in the subject.

Mason really doesn’t have 1 right now, 2 is beginning to form, 3 needs work, and 4 I’d say is pretty solid.

But intercollegiate sports doesn’t have to be the sole focus of social events at a school and you really don’t “need” football to increase school spirit, especially if your football team will be playing in futility and sucking up a lot of resources that could go elsewhere.
 

MasonSAE4

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There are a couple of ways school spirit is generated at the university level:

1. (And biggest) a sense of exclusivity. You are part of something many people want and few get to take part in.
2. Multi-generational alumni webs (we are just now beginning to develop multi-generational Mason families).
3. Social factors (of which sports can be a part, but Greek Life, clubs, club sports, intramural sports, events like Mason Day, and just dorm parties with suitemates and floors, etc are also a part).
4. Classes—particularly connections one can make with their upper level professors, particularly as it relates to research and interest in the subject.

Mason really doesn’t have 1 right now, 2 is beginning to form, 3 needs work, and 4 I’d say is pretty solid.

But intercollegiate sports doesn’t have to be the sole focus of social events at a school and you really don’t “need” football to increase school spirit, especially if your football team will be playing in futility and sucking up a lot of resources that could go elsewhere.
3 literally is prevented by the Mason brown shirts. Try to have a lick of alcohol in a dorm party and you'll find yourself in The Hague.
 

mkaufman1

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3 literally is prevented by the Mason brown shirts. Try to have a lick of alcohol in a dorm party and you'll find yourself in The Hague.
Thats how it was in my era (03-08). Maybe its loosened up a little bit with all the new housing and the apartment style complexes. No idea though.

There are a couple of ways school spirit is generated at the university level:

1. (And biggest) a sense of exclusivity. You are part of something many people want and few get to take part in.
2. Multi-generational alumni webs (we are just now beginning to develop multi-generational Mason families).
3. Social factors (of which sports can be a part, but Greek Life, clubs, club sports, intramural sports, events like Mason Day, and just dorm parties with suitemates and floors, etc are also a part).
4. Classes—particularly connections one can make with their upper level professors, particularly as it relates to research and interest in the subject.

Mason really doesn’t have 1 right now, 2 is beginning to form, 3 needs work, and 4 I’d say is pretty solid.

But intercollegiate sports doesn’t have to be the sole focus of social events at a school and you really don’t “need” football to increase school spirit, especially if your football team will be playing in futility and sucking up a lot of resources that could go elsewhere.
Hard to do number 3 and 4 with non-traditional students, students who dont' want to do anything on campus and make it high school part 2, and students who can't do anything on campus because they have to work full time.

The good news is that anyone who wants to have fun makes their own fun. Anyone who wants to complain will always complain. Won't ever change at Mason.
 

GMU79

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GIVING DAY 2023
There was also an increase in pride (or complaining) when the Patriot Center changed its name to Eaglebank Arena. I never saw so many people passionate about a name of a building where they probably never visited.

Yeah, we used to just call the place we played The Gym. Back in MY day! ;)
 
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Old Man

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There was also an increase in pride (or complaining) when the Patriot Center changed its name to Eaglebank Arena. I never saw so many people passionate about a name of a building where they probably never visited.

The PatDome changed its name? When did this happen? ... Wait ... let me try this again ...

The PatDome changed its name? When did this happen?

Is this right?
 

Falco

Hall of Famer
GIVING DAY 2023
You would literally see a greater spike in school spirit by banning cars/parking for freshmen than adding a football team that would lose games by scores previously unseen.
I would actually love this.


I’d also like to see Mason police to take a chill pill the first week of every semester. At least durning my time at Mason it felt like Mason police went hard on the first week of every semester to set the tone, scared all the students into submission.

Thats how it was in my era (03-08). Maybe its loosened up a little bit with all the new housing and the apartment style complexes. No idea though.


Hard to do number 3 and 4 with non-traditional students, students who dont' want to do anything on campus and make it high school part 2, and students who can't do anything on campus because they have to work full time.

The good news is that anyone who wants to have fun makes their own fun. Anyone who wants to complain will always complain. Won't ever change at Mason.
I think a happy medium would be to ban cars for freshman who live on campus.

My freshman and his dumb friends at Mason lived in Tysons and went home every weekend.
 

mkaufman1

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I think a happy medium would be to ban cars for freshman who live on campus.

My freshman and his dumb friends at Mason lived in Tysons and went home every weekend.
Going home every weekend as you probably know isn’t a unique to Mason thing though.

But otherwise yeah, it’s lame and I agree that maybe banning cars would help.

I have no clue what it’s like now but I suspect weekends are at least a little different with some folks around and hanging out. Even in my era that would occur, and I was afraid of being the only one left and being the only one not from 5 minutes away. I wasn’t which was cool.
 
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