tOSU Night practice Aug. 21

[bkochmc]

Originally Posted by Lou270slant

I've watched this post most of the day. Some of it really bothers me. Below is a copy of an original post I made today on BN. I think (or hope) it represents a majority of what people experienced last night.

I've heard some of the players and coaches frequent this board, so I'd like to pass along a very big thank you to Coach Tressel for inviting us to his practice and all the players. Everyone I encountered last night during the autograph time was very patient and kind. I greatly appreciate the memories provided to my 6 year old son (and me too!) from this event.

My son came away from this event with two extra special memories. He has an autographed Buckeye football that was proudly placed on the head board of his bed last night and a new favorite player. Tyler Whaley, thank you so much for the extra time you took with my son and taking a picture with him. He, nor I will ever forget it.

Thanks guys, and good luck!

Great stuff... thanks for sharing you and your son's experience!

[BayBuck]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

Wrong, again. Just because an event is "free" doesn't mean it shouldn't be well organized.

Like I said, it actually was pretty well organized; I could tell quite clearly where to go for which numbers (if I'd wanted autographs). It was the autograph-hounds who crammed and cut in line and acted like jerks that ruined it for some of the rest of us.

[hawaiianbuckeye]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

Wrong, again. Just because an event is "free" doesn't mean it shouldn't be well organized. Now, I am absolutely in no way criticizing the intent of the event and the generosity of the players in signing autographs...not at all. I think it's great that they're trying to give back to the fans. But when any organization--whether it be Ohio State or any other--throws something like this together, they need to ensure sufficient controls are in place. When someone waits in line for hours only to find out he/she was given the wrong directions by event personnel, or there is no security to keep others from cutting in line, I can understand their frustration. If a fan is whining that he waited only for a little while and didn't get the autograph he/she wanted, then too bad. However, when fans get to the event way ahead of time and yet still don't get any autographs due to no fault of their own (being given wrong directions, having others cut in line ahead of them, etc.), then they definitely have the right to be upset.

Mili the guy got autographs he was bitching b/c he didn't get what he wanted. Tuff [censored]! Take what you can get and shut up!

HAYN

[matcar]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

Wrong, again. Just because an event is "free" doesn't mean it shouldn't be well organized. Now, I am absolutely in no way criticizing the intent of the event and the generosity of the players in signing autographs...not at all. I think it's great that they're trying to give back to the fans. But when any organization--whether it be Ohio State or any other--throws something like this together, they need to ensure sufficient controls are in place. When someone waits in line for hours only to find out he/she was given the wrong directions by event personnel, or there is no security to keep others from cutting in line, I can understand their frustration. If a fan is whining that he waited only for a little while and didn't get the autograph he/she wanted, then too bad. However, when fans get to the event way ahead of time and yet still don't get any autographs due to no fault of their own (being given wrong directions, having others cut in line ahead of them, etc.), then they definitely have the right to be upset.

Wow, everybody has entitlements.

You're correct, you have a right to be upset, because they are, after all, your feelings and no one can take that away from you. But to extend that frustration to any organization that takes time to plan the event to the best of their ability (and apparently failed to make ALL attendees happy), well that's just silly. Perhaps next time people can just go to the event and enjoy the moments of being there rather than feeling "gypped" because they didn't get to carry something away from it other than the experience of being there. Unfortunately, it appears that some people supporting the event made some mistakes and it impacted a relative few. Fortunately, most of the people involved in the event supported it well and most attendees were happy.

[Padraig]

Originally Posted by matcar

But to extend that frustration to any organization that takes time to plan the event to the best of their ability (and apparently failed to make ALL attendees happy), well that's just silly.


Perhaps next time people can just go to the event and enjoy the moments of being there rather than feeling "gypped" because they didn't get to carry something away from it other than the experience of being there.


Unfortunately, it appears that some people supporting the event made some mistakes and it impacted a relative few.

I don't think anyone here who have voiced their frustration (the responses I've read), including the poster from Springfield who came back and admitted that he over-reacted in what he said in his first post, is blaming Ohio State, the players, coaches, or the athletic department (maybe to some extent the organizers of the event, i.e. "the buck has to stop somewhere" so to speak, which would be Event Managment in the AD). But moreso their (or at least mine) frustration lies with appearant lines or sections of the stadium where it sounds like there was sufficient personel to monitor and stop line cutting, misinformation, etc. & there were areas that most definitely did not.

I am an Ohio State Football Usher. And at Usher Orientation this year it was stressed (by the exact same people who put on this event, ironically) that the "Guests" of any tOSU event (Football, Basketball, sporting contests or otherwise) are entitled to have the best experience possible. The team fans support the team and university by spending their time and money in regards to The Ohio State University when we/they could be spending both in regards to other things so when attending an event they/we are owed courtesty, respect, accurate information, well organized facilities, etc. These were all lacking greatly in the area that my son and I were.

I'm not saying that those in charge of organizing an event of this scale didn't attemt to provide the fans with these services. The switch of venues is an obvious indication that the interest level in the autograph/practice session was not anticipated. I also hope very much that events like this continue to be put on in the future as I believe they help maintain/add to a special relationship that Buckeye Fans have with our Teams, something that most other programs lack and don't even understand. And I'm sure the pitfalls and successes of this particular event will be looked at and future events will be better planned and organized because of this one (rule # 1: never underestimate the passion that Buckeye Fans have for their Teams).

But in light of all that said, as much as I "enjoy the moments of just being" at the 'Shoe' and in the presence of our Football Team, standing in line for nearly 6 hours with my 7 year old son does "entitle" me to not have to put up pushy, cheating, disrepectful, line jumpers who wanted something not only for free, but without having to wait under the same conditions or put in the same time as the rest of us. It even "entitles" me, according to Event Managements own guidelines to not being subjected to disinterested, misinformed, lazy event "workers" who refused to police the area they were supposed to be helping control. (based on my own experience at the area we were) And judging by others reports from other areas of the stadium, it can be done and was done well at times.

Finally, I assume that everyone who have voice some displeasure with their experience was not in the same line I was. And I know there were several dozens if not even hundreds of complaints in the combined areas I was both inside and outside the Stadium while I was in line, so compared to the 25,000 or so people there that night "a relative few" might be technically an accurate definition of those with negative experience, but their poor experience should not be minimalized by generalizing their complaints as coming from ingrates or malcontents who are simply non appreciative of the efforts of the University, AD, and Football Team. Some (quite a few from my vantage point) very resonable people came out to support their team (free event or not) spending their time, bringing their kids, helping build 'The Buckeye Nation', and many of their complaints/concerns are quite legit.

edit
P.S.

Let's say you bring your wife and kids over to Campus on a Football Saturday wanting to all experience Skull Session (a completely free event) together as a family (their first time). You see a Red Coat (stadium ticket taker / St. Johns Arena usher) walking by one of the entrance doors inside the Arena and ask when the doors open to get good seats. He tells you when and where you can get in, and so to really be front and center of the action you all get in line a couple hours before the doors open. Unfortuneatly (for you and many others now lining up behind you), the well intending but incorrect Red Coat told you to wait at an incorrect door, and come time for the doors to be opened you see hundreds of people pouring into St. John's as their doors open while yours remains closed, rendering your time and effort worthless.

Or you are in the correct line, close to the front and waiting to get in, but then some asswipe and his buddys walk right up in front of you and cut. You say something to them, but they don't care. An usher and even a cop stand right there, shooting the breese and don't do anything, even after you point out the situation that they obviously witnessed, but they tell you that they can't do anything about it (yes I saw this happen Monday night).

Or you take your family to the Skull Session, get great seats (from waiting in line for hours) but when you go to take a couple of your kids to the bathroom / get a hot dog a few obnoxious high school / college kids move into your seats. Your wife tells them that they are occupied by her husband and kids, but they say tough luck.

Now, should these people be told by the OSU officials, i.e. Ushers, security, police that "hey, it's a free event. you're not entitled to anything because you didn't pay", or "you should be satisfied to just be here...enjoy the atmosphere and quit your complaining."? Or should they be told by other fans, who had a good experience, that they don't even have a right to be upset? I don't think so, and actually, neither does tOhio State University Event Managment.

But like I said before. I know they strive to put on great events, fun for all. And I know they hope to keep those not interested me and my family's or anyone else's but their own enjoyment (i.e. selfish, inconsiderate pricks) from deteriorating the atmosphere of tOSU events, free or otherwise. I was still happy to be there, but if anyone should ask for my opinion of ways to improve similar future events, I won't simply say that "since it's a free event the fans / 'guests' have no reason to expect or even hope for a well organized, fair environment" for me to bring my family to.

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by BayBuck

Like I said, it actually was pretty well organized; I could tell quite clearly where to go for which numbers (if I'd wanted autographs). It was the autograph-hounds who crammed and cut in line and acted like jerks that ruined it for some of the rest of us.

If there were only only a few areas that needed improvement, then that's good to hear and hopefully the next time they do this (hopefully they make this an annual thing), they can assign personnel to areas based on who'll be signing.

Originally Posted by hawaiianbuckeye

Mili the guy got autographs he was bitching b/c he didn't get what he wanted. Tuff [censored]! Take what you can get and shut up!

HAYN

If that's the case then he needs to either say "Thanks" or he should STFU.


I think that with the amount of people that came out, and the fact that we'll most likely be playing more nights games each year, they should make this an annual thing. Hopefully they'll take the "lessons learned" from this and make future such events even better.

[hawaiianbuckeye]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

If there were only only a few areas that needed improvement, then that's good to hear and hopefully the next time they do this (hopefully they make this an annual thing), they can assign personnel to areas based on who'll be signing.



If that's the case then he needs to either say "Thanks" or he should STFU.


I think that with the amount of people that came out, and the fact that we'll most likely be playing more nights games each year, they should make this an annual thing. Hopefully they'll take the "lessons learned" from this and make future such events even better.

Here is the quote:

"Not to be a jerk or anything but 1 i waited for about 4-5 hours, i was told by the people working that i was in the right line and as i found out i wasnt but what made me mad was i had seen my cousin in the right line and i slid in with him....and jerks went pysco on me.....they know how i felt when i waited that whole time to get in and be one of the first people in but people show up 15 minutes before the gate open and just cut eveyone, so when you say be happy i say mind you own business please, i am happy with a few autographs but i came for certain ones and rude Jerks stoped me from that......"

So my point to him was first that the autographs he got should NOT be referred to as NOBODY'S b/c in reality if that someone's real opinion, they're THE NOBODY wishing they were the one signing autographs and wearing the uniform. I laid into him pretty good about this and IMO it was warranted. He came to the realization that he should stop bitching.

It would be nice to have this become an annual event a la the Packer's Family Night etc BUT if they are going to do the autograph deal they need to set standards and perhaps hire people who have actually organized signings before. Chaos at this type of event is not needed. In reality you'll never please everyone but you should do your best to try and make it enjoyable for everyone.

I actually have a great idea on how to possibly curb some of the BS and speed up the POPULAR lines. I'll PM you.

HAYN