Dirtbags are victims of their own success

Your name

Sun May 31 2009 16:32

If everybody is allowed into a university, who will mow our lawns, bus our tables and pick our fruit?

Fuller Town

Sat May 30 2009 17:25

The biggest problem the Dirtbags has is the Dirtbags. Must suck to be you Be-aches.

Your name

Sat May 30 2009 12:06

Hmmmm Irvine and Fullerton invested in new stadiums when the economy was good, but LBSU wants to suck its students dry for athletics during a recession. It seems easy to figure out which universities are responsible and visionary, doesn't it?

Titans rock

Sat May 30 2009 12:02

LBSU is a bunch of whiners. Because they lose their butts at everything, they turn on the crybaby tears. "Waah, we don't have enough money to be good!" What a load. All CSUs are hurting and not whimpering that their athletes don't get enough pampering. Sacramento and Fullerton also turned down athletics referenda and they're not whining like Tucker and Cegles. Suck it in and make do with what you have. There are many people surviving on much less, you wimps. The real message you're sending your student body is "We can't compete without pumping money into prima dona athletes. If we can't buy victory, it's out of reach." Real winners find a way. Stop blaming your inadequacies on the rest of your student body, you wussies.

csuf

Sat May 30 2009 11:52

Let's all do a stiff-armed salute and shout "Go Beach!" Hey Tucker, explain to us how CSU Fullerton kicks dirt in the bags face AND refused to pass an athletics fee increase referendum too. It ain't about the money, it's about the quality of the programs and players, where we continuously kick your asses. You could triple or quadruple your student fees and we'd still kick your asses around the diamond.

Your name

Sat May 30 2009 11:48

What is very hilarious is that 'Rick McCallum' asks 'spirit of Ruben Salazar' " Can't you ever make a statement without using emotionally charged words" at the end of a completely emotionally charged tirade, LOL!!! Must have some mental problems to work out there, 'Rick' good luck with those shrapnel heebie jeebies. Wow, what a nutjob!!!

Agree with Salazar's spirit

Sat May 30 2009 11:42

Rick, ever heard of the 1970 Chicano Moratorium, when Ruben Salazar was assassinated by an L.A. cop who was later shown to be part of a white supremacist group? Those weren't cooked numbers that indicated Hispanics were disproportionately returning from Nam in body bags, were they? In fact, those numbers were never contested by the military industrial machine. The majority of whites (not a ubiquitous term) who served were also from poor urban and rural centers. Vietnam was largely a class war, and we all know which middle class (not 'ubiquitously' minority and/or poor white) were not drafted out of college and into the military. Not many people of color had political access to congressmen to help them get deferments during the 'selective' service lotteries because THEY DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION--where the white middle class hid from duty. I truly don't believe you served in any branch of the service during the war. You are either making it up to serve your guilt. I've met so many from that period who falsely claim to be Vietnam vets, for whatever reason--pity seekers, latching onto others' glory, etc.

What I find most troubling is that you are arguing on a college newspaper for increased fees for athletics, fees that don't involve you. It only shows that you are either socially irresponsible or ignorant. You clearly don't read or watch the news to see what the trend in cutting education funding is across the U.S. I do believe you were a college student on draft deferment. The youth who will be hurt as they are increasingly priced out of college opportunity are living in the barrios and ghettos, not those in middle class neighborhoods. The ones being excluded by economics are NOT the ones whose parents teach them that sports, partying and sex are critical to getting the most out of their university experience.

If you really are of the age to have attended LBSU during the 1970s, why don't you act your age and stop fueling the fires to push for increased student fees. Let the students figure it out themselves. Act like a grown up.

Rick McCallum

Sat May 30 2009 02:38

A personal note. The rest I'll address later. I served as an 11-B, E-5 infantryman. And I have news for you, there were a lot of everybody in the front lines. And a lot of everybody died and survived. More news, there mostly whites and blacks, very few Hispanics. One of my best friends, last name Fernandez, was killed in 1966. He joined the Marines because that is what he wanted to do. He is in my mind an AMERICAN hero. The guy who from the 101st during the Tet Offensive who became a CPA is Japanese American. Try eating in the South with a black man at the wrong restaurant in 1965. Try watching as a little kid your father and grandfather are treated differently. My father is very dark. Probably darker than any of you. My mother was that ubiquitous over-used term ‘white’. I also suspect the ‘Spirit of Rueben Salazar’ never served or if the he did he was an REMF. I wasn’t. My friends were the ones that died or were wounded. I resent being called a racist and a KKKer. I'lll make sure my neighbors, who are minorities, black, Hispanic and Asian, know your feelings. Can't you ever make a statement without using emotionally charged words. Like isn't as complicated as you make it out to be.

Tucker

Fri May 29 2009 17:39

The accusation was made at 13:36, six comments before mine, look again

If someone is censoring comments it is being done without my knowledge

Your name

Fri May 29 2009 17:08

I find it hard to believe the Daily 49er sports desk isn't "handling" the comments and here's why. Tucker posted "Oh and I'm not aware that anything has been censored by my staff" at "14:32" before the accusation of censorship was posted at "15:46" on the same day. Those are military time frames. For civilians "14:32" was at 2:32 p.m. EST, and "15:46" was an hour later. Hmmmm, why would the defensive post appear before the accusation if it wasn't being monitored and censored by staff? The time couldn't be a result of the server because it's a log time. Pitiful argument that wouldn't hold water in a court of law, Tucker. And I agree with the other comment that there were at one time more than 30 comments and an hour later less than 10. Pretty good newspaper to wrap fish in, since it already smells fishy.

Your name

Fri May 29 2009 17:00

"Derogatory" is subjective isn't it, Tucker. What might be seen as derogatory by some shouldn't be weighed by protectors of the First Amendment. I find much of these comments to be derogatory, but wouldn't block them because I merely don't agree or because they offend my senses. Even in passing you're the one who re-opened the BLR can of worms in this newspaper. This follows on the public relations piece Bob Keisser just published in the Press-Telegram, so it's easy to link a connection between sports writers in promoting something that Alexander and Cegles are still aiming at, namely to raise student fees for athletics. It's a situation you placed yourself in, so stop whining about the reactionary comments. That's what this platform is for. By continuously jumping in to defend yourself, it gives an aura of complicity with the PR faction of the athletics department. The article is slanted and biased, and it shows incredibly when you jump defensively!!! It also makes it look more like the comments are being 'controlled' and censored by your staff and you.

Your name

Fri May 29 2009 15:46

Once again the DFN is choosing which comments are welcome and which are not. Shameful practice. I came on earlier and there were around 30 comments, now they've erased many of them. Anybody that really believes it's "Technical issues" hasn't paid attention to the type of comments they exclude; mostly because you never get to see them.

Your name

Fri May 29 2009 15:39

This column is supposed to be about the Dirtbags' struggles this year--NOT the BLR. If you want to talk about the BLR, post your comments in one of the many stories that have been published about it. If not, your comments may be reported for being off-topic or for containing name-calling and profanity. Keep that in mind if you want to continue posting.

Tucker Savoye

Fri May 29 2009 14:32

How did devolve into this? Here are my two comments about finances.

"Increasingly, a lack of money hurts the Dirtbags’ chances."

and

"The Beach Legacy Referendum would have brought much needed support to the baseball team but it's failure to pass only cements the financial shortcomings as California's budget crisis continues to plague the CSU system."

These are FACTS. I cover the baseball team and they are starting to struggle because of a lack of resources. The economy is in a downturn, so they are being squeezed like everyone else.

Not once do I say the students should pay more money, that athletics are more important than education or ever turn this into a class issue or present a platform to make this an issue of racism.

Times are tough and like every other facet of campus life, money is hard to come by and you can see that manifest itself on the field for the Dirtbags. That is all.

The issue of the BLR was only raised to show where some of the money needed could have come from - not to say whether it should or should not pass - and since the students voted "NO" on it, it's back to the drawing board for athletic officials still seeking money for new facilities.

Oh and I'm not aware that anything has been censored by my staff but if so refrain from profanity and derogatory terms and I'm sure there won't be any problems.

Your name

Fri May 29 2009 14:21

Students voted in historic numbers to reject the referendum, but the 'athletic supporters' refuse to take no for an answer. They prefer to take the will of the minority over the will of the majority. Sports is such a small part of the bigger picture, but 'athletic supporters' try to paint it as being all important to getting a higher education and a good job. I think most of the comments pushing to tax students more for less are involved in athletic programs. President Alexander would make a huge mistake by bastardizing the student vote on BLR to interpret the student body wants to pay more for sports during a recession. This is something that should only be revisited when Arnold fixes the economy. Hitting fall freshmen with tuition increases and stripping away Cal Grants isn't going to be an easy sell that we need to spend more on women's soccer and a women's rowing team. When those freshmen learn responsible students said 'no' to athletics fees, they aren't going to be extremely happy with the university experience. Transfer students will be easy to recruit for a student revolt as well. This is just really a bad time for a sports public relations campaign. Pushing the agenda will only create a bad taste for sports, especially when students feel their voices and votes mean nothing to administration because the athletic director has his ear. King better open his other ear and read the headlines.

Your name

Fri May 29 2009 14:03

It's only the alumni and graduating students who want us to pay more for athletics. Why not? It won't cost them anything. Make the state and city pay for the soccer stadium and physical field improvements. It's state property isn't it? Why should we have to dig into our pockets now when they will tax us for it later anyway? STOP SPENDING MY MONEY FOR ME. I voted no with 4,000 other students. Respect our will.

Your name

Fri May 29 2009 13:54

Here's a lesson about the BLR; Students said "NO" by two to one. Respect that instead of figuring out how to worm around their responsible decision. Show some CIVIC and SOCIAL pride. If you want more athletics, pay for it yourself (or in reality have mommy and daddy pay for it) and leave our wallets ALONE. That's a simple cure. If I want to go to a movie, I pay my way. Charge more for tickets to sporting events. That way, those who want to watch sports can pay their own way. Those attempting to tax everybody else are the ones who are university dead weight because they want others to foot the bill for their entertainment.

razadvocate

Fri May 29 2009 13:48

The only way you can understand the impacts of institutional racism is to be its victim. I spelled out much in argument but the Daily 49er censored them. You can learn more by taking some classes about the ethnic experience right here at CSULB, but most of you are too blind and ignorant to take such courses. Try taking some Africana Studies, Chicano Studies, Asian Studies, or even Women Studies classes. Attempt some sociology, psychology or economics classes and learn about the pain in communities of color via exclusion. Nah, that would take too much time. People like "Race card" would rather revert to name callling and simple-minded rhetoric than to actually become educated at the university. It's easy to see these people will never effect positive social change because they're too wrapped up in sports.

jason aula

Fri May 29 2009 13:41

I don't want a good education, I want to watch sports. It excites me to see jocks chasing each others balls. Spend more money on sports and quit wasting it on academics. Bring back 49er football.

Race card player

Fri May 29 2009 13:38

I think we learned a lesson from the all-knowing razaadvocate today, folks. If you support the BLR, you are a hateful, bigoted racist. No questions asked. No argument needed. Plain and simple.