On Jun 17, 2010, at 8:39 AM, Shane Ford wrote:
The e-mail was apparently sent to state senators and is getting
some attention online. It accuses UF Athletic Director Jeremy Foley
of preventing Florida State from getting into the SEC.
Dear Senator:
It has come to my attention that there have been recent activities by
the University of Florida, particularly their Athletic Director,
Jeremy Foley, to block the Florida State University from receiving an
invitation to the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Recently there was an opportunity regarding expansion where the SEC
was considering adding more members. Potentially, it would have added
a school from Texas and was likely to add one more team, very likely
FSU. Upon learning this, members of the University of Florida made
moves within the conference to ensure that if the conference
expanded, FSU would not receive an invitation. If FSU were allowed to
join the SEC it would garner an addition 7 million dollars per year
for Florida State University.
If the SEC had added teams this time, they would have instead invited
Virginia Tech. Luckily this expansion of teams was postponed due to
the team from Texas backing out of the offer. As things currently
stand, the conference is continuing to consider expansion and may do
so within the next year.
I am absolutely outraged that Jeremy Foley and other employees of the
University of Florida made moves to block FSU. These people are
employees of a public university and thus the state of Florida. This
move would have potentially lost FSU, another public institution, 7
million additional dollars of revenue per year. I humbly demand that
action be taken to reverse the University of Florida’s stance of
blocking FSU from joining the same conference. There is a chance that
a state of Florida school could earn vastly more money per year, how
dare another state of Florida school block that chance.
I say “reverse”, because instead of moving along with other teams to
block FSU’s invitation, the school could have garnered support within
its conference to invite FSU. Much better for that 7 million to go to
the state of Florida, than to another state, in this case Virginia.
The window of consideration is very short and action must be swiftly
taken to ensure that one of our state schools is not barred the
chance for a vast increase in revenue per year. It may be mere months
before the SEC decides to add additional members, and the University
of Florida must be forced to change its harmful actions. I would be
very disappointed if the people that represent my state did not do
all they could to ensure that an additional increase of revenue was
protected. As things stand now, I plan to write many other members of
legislature. However, if no action is taken I plan on pursuing
several means at my disposal to ensure that the current situation is
brought to light in state publications. If my legislatures will not
fight for my school against another school that I remind you, is a
public institution, I most certainly will. There are many other
constituents that feel the same, and many more that even though they
may not care about FSU, will care that millions of dollars coming
into the state of Florida were lost because legislators did not act,
or did not act in a timely manner.
I am including an excerpt below of a publication that brought some of
these events to light, and I can produce the article in full by
request. There are also documents implicating Foley and other members
of the University that can be obtained via public records request
should it come to that. Here is the most pertinent excerpt:
“Had Texas A&M signed on with the SEC, the new 13-team SEC would have
expanded by at least by one more to make it a 14-team conference (and
16 eventually). Florida State would have been a serious candidate to
become No. 14 and as I mentioned in a blog weeks ago, it's likely
that the 'Noles would have jumped on the offer. However as soon as it
looked like a 14-team SEC might become a possibility, Florida began
working hard behind the scenes within the conference to make sure
that FSU wouldn't receive an invite. Along those same lines, South
Carolina was doing the same to keep Clemson out and Georgia didn't
want rival Georgia Tech in the conference either.
As a result, all signs were pointing to the SEC targeting Virginia
Tech to become the 14th member in its new Mega Conference. Whether or
not the Virginia legislature, the same one the put pressure on UVA to
bring the Hokies into the ACC not too long ago, would have allowed
Virginia Tech to jump ship remains to be seen.
But had this scenario played out with Va. Tech leaving for the SEC,
it would have further weakened the ACC's football presence and been a
blow to FSU who would be stuck in a weakened conference for the
foreseeable future.” – Gene Williams of Warchant.com
Lest you think this article is the lone testament to this occurrence,
it is corroborated with several other articles online and in Florida
newspapers. There Foley has been especially implicated. These
articles too can be reproduced if necessary. I will endeavor to
provide any of these additional materials you need by request. Also,
any questions you may have regarding these outraging events I am more
than willing to answer or connect you to people with hands on
experience with this situation.
Please do not let me, and more importantly one of our state’s great
institutions, down. Endeavor to change the harmful stance by our
state’s employees in the University of Florida. I do not look forward
to having to go to the media if our state government does not act in
the best interests swiftly. Our public institutions have to do
whatever they can to get whatever funding they may. Seven million
dollars a year would make all the difference to FSU.
I look forward to hearing from you and wish you to know currently I
have the greatest faith in my elected officials.
--
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