A Guiding Plan with Ambition for Portland State

[BroadwayVik]

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San Jose State, Fresno State, Boise State, San Diego State, Portland State, Hawaii

Our goal (for the sake of fit & identity) would be to improve to be invited to play football in the MW and Olympic Sports in the Big West, the same as Hawaii'i has done. I believe Portland would be turned on by conference affiliation similar to the Pac-12 model (primarily coastal) for all sports other than football, and the second-best conference in the West for football.

 

[Pounder]

What I'm about to say, I believe I've said dozens of times before in many different ways. Thing is, it's the REASON it needs to be said that's key.

I believe Portland would be turned on by conference affiliation similar to the Pac-12 model (primarily coastal) for all sports other than football, and the second-best conference in the West for football.

The Mountain West Conference will only take Portland State if Portland is already "turned on."

Maybe I'm approaching this in a bit of a "toughlove" manner, and I'm not that fond of the method. However, I think there's a downside to even that display of ambition: people who are already committed elsewhere will wait until the goal is achieved before they act, therefore the goal never gets achieved.

Clearly, I think most of Portland is committed elsewhere. Not all to UO and OSU... the influx of young adults from around the country are mostly college-educated and therefore have their own loyalties. Heck, the Cheerful Bullpen is a Nebraska bar on Saturdays. I know of a Kansas State bar downtown.

I know more PSU students who are sports fans complaining about athletics in the school budget than about the relative lack of a budget.

How to crack this? Tough question.

 

[BroadwayVik]

An ambitious guide for Reinventing Yourself, PSU.

Look at what Utah State, Troy, Boise State and now Baylor have done. They have ambitiously reinvented themselves. This is what Portland, in essence, demands of Portland State: To do likewise.

 

[VikingCard]

It was not that long ago that Louisville was considering either dropping football altogether or downgrading to a lower sub-level. Instead they hired Howard Schnellenberger who created enthusiasm in the program. Now, the school is about to enter the ACC.

My point is that moving up a level would create a better ability to market the program. The average sports fan will simply not go to a random FCS game but they might go to an FBS one. It is much more likely at least. Partner with other independents for filling out a schedule when other schools are in the midst of their conference schedule. For instance, Idaho, NMSU, ODU, and BYU could all be scheduled. Heck maybe a new conference could be formed with NMSU and Idaho and some other teams. FCS football is really viewed as second rate and is a tough sell.

 

[BroadwayVik]

It really is. Portland is the 23rd largest media market in the U.S.

 

[Pounder]

It was not that long ago that Louisville was considering either dropping football altogether or downgrading to a lower sub-level. Instead they hired Howard Schnellenberger who created enthusiasm in the program. Now, the school is about to enter the ACC.

My point is that moving up a level would create a better ability to market the program. The average sports fan will simply not go to a random FCS game but they might go to an FBS one. It is much more likely at least. Partner with other independents for filling out a schedule when other schools are in the midst of their conference schedule. For instance, Idaho, NMSU, ODU, and BYU could all be scheduled. Heck maybe a new conference could be formed with NMSU and Idaho and some other teams. FCS football is really viewed as second rate and is a tough sell.

Show me the money.

Louisville was already FBS. In some ways, they're a good comparison (the old stadium was achingly close to Civic in function and appearance, if not location). They got money. Peter Stott has chump change by comparison...

...and, in reality, 50 years of sports history in Portland have been about chasing MLB and other major leagues in town. College, eh? It took Phil Knight getting shoes made everywhere but in America to change anything, and most of that change happened with his alma mater.

EDIT: Must add to this. The Commonwealth of Kentucky provided NO funds for the new Louisville stadium. Nor did any other public entities (from what I can tell). The simple truth there is that the business community wanted that stadium. Alumni wanted that stadium. It got donated into life. That was a $200 million commitment... while getting the Pavilion to anywhere near fruition required pulling teeth for a few years and a $20 million + commitment from the state. When I say "show me the money," the business community here is the real issue. I think local priorities have been demonstrated.

 

[BroadwayVik]

You're right. Few businesses wish to invest in Portland State University. That is why I believe PSU needs to shake things up to make themselves more appealing by a quantum leap or two.

Mitch Greenlick, past OHSU professor and state representative, called for the merging of OHSU and PSU. If this were to happen, then this is the kind of shake-up needed. The combined university would have to be renamed. I recommend the hybrid school absolutely have 'Oregon' in its name. That way, the state, as a whole, has its reputation on the line insofar as the quality of the school is concerned.



If the combined school were called, say, the "Oregon Institute of Science, Technology and the Arts" (OISTA) -- and its mission beautifully reflected this -- I believe businesses would then clamor to invest: Intel, HP and the rest.

Investing in PSU may be a loser's bet, but investing in "the Oregon Institute," I strongly believe, would be a winner's bet for Portland area businesses. OIT and the Oregon Graduate Institute could be attached and affiliated. Development would also compete directly with the Art Institute of Portland. Pride would rise to dizzying heights. The name 'Vikings' would remain. School colors would be opened up to renegotiation.

 

[Pounder]

You're right. Few businesses wish to invest in Portland State University. That is why I believe PSU needs to shake things up to make themselves more appealing by a quantum leap or two.

Mitch Greenlick, past OHSU professor and state representative, called for the merging of OHSU and PSU. If this were to happen, then this is the kind of shake-up needed. The combined university would have to be renamed. I recommend the hybrid school absolutely have 'Oregon' in its name. That way, the state, as a whole, has its reputation on the line insofar as the quality of the school is concerned.



If the combined school were called, say, the "Oregon Institute of Science, Technology and the Arts" (OISTA) -- and its mission beautifully reflected this -- I believe businesses would then clamor to invest: Intel, HP and the rest.

Investing in PSU may be a loser's bet, but investing in "the Oregon Institute," I strongly believe, would be a winner's bet for Portland area businesses. OIT and the Oregon Graduate Institute could be attached and affiliated. Development would also compete directly with the Art Institute of Portland. Pride would rise to dizzying heights. The name 'Vikings' would remain. School colors would be opened up to renegotiation.

Cool. Portland State can have that (or, more likely, study it to death in the Portland way, been there, seeing that now) and get rid of the football anchor.

 

[BroadwayVik]

Remember, this idea is not the obliteration of Portland State, but rather the next step in its evolution: A university of indisputible prominence.