The Rattler Sports Fund, a new planned giving venture recently launched by embattled and rumored to be lame duck athletic director Nelson Townsend, aims to raise the necessary priviate funds to pay for scholarships, improve facilities and provide a cushion of long-term private support for the FAMU athletic program.Athletic scholarships for in-state students cost the FAMU athletic program about $10,000 each, while scholarships for out-of-state students set the program back about $23,000 each.
According to the literature, Phase II of the planned giving program would help fund upgrades to Bragg Memorial Stadium including potentially providing for improvements to the fieldhouse, coaches offices, weightroom, and the addition of luxury suites.
There are several different levels of giving to fit just about every wallet.
The new Rattler Sports Fund is a first attempt by the FAMU Athletic program to address the critical needs of the athletic program in both the short and long term. The planning and execution of the program appears to be a last ditch attempt by Mr. Townsend to save his job. It is widely known that Mr. Townsend was a vocal supporter of UMES President Thelma Thompson's candidacy for FAMU president. Mrs. Thompson , who lost out to James Ammons, was the favored candidate of former BOT chair Challis Lowe and former interim president Castell Bryant.
Townsend reportedly draws a salary in the $250,000 range.
It is not yet clear how the new Rattler Sports Fund would affect the already established giving program over at the Rattler Boosters.
To learn more about the Rattler Sports Fund see: Rattler Sports Fund
Also see: Hey Nelson Townsend
I thought Nelson and CO had resigned effective June 29, 2007. I also heard that Rufus, June, Ali. Lizzie, Altha, Bailey, and Baldly were throwing a "Going Away Brunch" on June 30 at the Moon.
ReplyDeleteCome on now. Nelson can't just go out there and NOT support his old boss. That's like when Al Gore endorsed Howard Dean over Joe Leibermann.
ReplyDeleteNelson is about the only good thing to come out of the Bryant Admin. He is the only AD I can recall that is willing to travel to NAA chapter meetings around the country, set up local booster chapters, and he got our APR up to snuff in record time. Not to mention the new season ticket packages (which include the FLA/ATL Classics and Section P) and the big increase in payout for the FLA Classic. All of which none of our past 6 ADs could do.
Get off Nelson's back. Unlike the rest of the Bryant administrators, his department is going in the positive direction.
You are joking aren't you? Nelson is the one who told the lie about the Janitors destroying the back-up documentation of the ticket sales. He has stolen thousands of dollars since taking over as the AD. He also contributed to the bad operational audit findings. Nelson needs to go out the door just as the rest of them. Goodbye Thieves!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy question would be Why Now?
ReplyDeleteHe didn't just "develop" drive and initiative.
Did we really need another fund? Or could he just have easily given this plan to the Boosters to do?
ReplyDeleteWe need more than a fund. We need a plan.
ReplyDeleteO.K., so I got my "In Perspective" FAMU 2005-2007 report. Who authorized this? Karl Rove?
ReplyDeleteFull color printing with no pertinent or relevant iinformation? What is the purpose?
If this is intended to encourage me to give more cash to the FAMU FOUNDATION that somehow does not benefit the students IT WILL NOT HAPPEN.
Do they really believe that Alumni are completely stupid?!
I am kind of on the fence about Townsend. He (on the surface) has made great strides in our athletic department since his arrival. First with his idea of initiating the new season ticket campaign, more fans attended home football and basketball games last year which increased the revenue of the athletic department. Importantly, the graduation rates of our student athletes have soured under his administration. Also recreating more "fun" football games with Southern and other notable HBCU in the future will surely reignite the fan base. I think this will generate a nice amount of money without having to be demoralized by major Division One's in the process. The true question is the under the surface issues. Since his arrival one must ask, has Townsend and his staff created an infrastructure that will support the department for years to come. If that is not the case and Dr. Ammons and his administrative team does not think that Townsend's vision fits into the overall vision of the institution, don’t be surprised to see Mr. Townsend replaced. Also, don't be surprised if he replaces Townsend with Coach Billy Joe, as the shared a great relationship when both were on the hill. One thing I am sure of is that Coach Joe Durant may have seen his last season as the baseball coach at FAMU.
ReplyDelete7:46--Since Townsend was, I believe, in a rather precarious situation in terms of supporting his former boss and drawing a check from the place that employs him, he didn't have to vocalize his support for anyone. That would have been the politically savvy thing to do. That, at least, is the way I would have rolled.
ReplyDeleteIf Townsend like working for Thelma Thompson that much, he could have stayed with her!
ReplyDeletePositive direction? Staff moral has never been that low. Our Student-athletes and staff have never been treated worse. Ask the coaches and staff(not the ones he brought in), ask the student- athletes. Close to $3,000,000.00 debt this year in athletics. "Inadvertantly descarded" $1.8 mil in ticket receipts? There is no vision, no plan for the future, no energy or new ideas. There is only ruling by intimidation, terror and dictatorship at FAMU athletics. Sounds Familiar? Huge financial deficit, men's track 8th in MEAC, women's track 7 MEAC, softball LAST, baseball LAST in tourney, etc., etc. Women 6th in MEAC all sports race? We have not sold out Homecoming in the last three years, football and basketball attendance is at all time low. I would not be shocked if the academic achievments "books are coocked". After all Townsend lies very well. The Great Rattler has beeen reduced to a mediocre at best. Over $700,000 in salaries for him and HIS new staff (people that he brought in) to do what exactly? The complaits against Coretta are poring in, compliance director is clueless, academic advisement is incompetent, gender equity? hmmm...If the NCAA comes looking again (and they will) there will be no Rattlers. Dr. Humphries left athletics with $3,000,000+ in the bank, 9 consecutive MEAC women's all sprot tropheys, 10 overall for the men, , Top 25 D IAA football team, Top 25 volleyball team. So, what has Townsend done exactly? Positive direction?
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I'm sure you are just holding back the proof of Townsends' stealing from the athletics budget until the 2008 Election. Perhaps an October surprise?
ReplyDeleteI also guess you don't realize that the deterioration of FAMU athletics came before Townsend and he has produced tangible results going a better way. I guess you say fuck the graduation rates. (The audit findings about the lost tickets, I'll agree with you.)
Many of our programs were well on their way to scraping the bottom of the MEAC barrel b4 Townsend as well.
FAMU sports has been getting surpassed by almost ALL MEAC schools in terms of facilities, websites, marketing, and sponsors for 10 years. I put that squarely on the Hump-Gain-Castell admins. They all let our success in the fucking 70s and 90s serve as an excuse to not support any athletic initiatives for better equipment and endowed scholarships. They just figured if we were winning now, we'll win forever. BCU, Hampton, MSU, DSU, WSSU, NCCU, SCSU, and NCA&T have been raising money and doing things like they actually exist in the 21st century. check their websites.
And let's not forget that Townsend took U Buff from D3 to D1BC in record time. I still think his hands were tied due to the myopic vision of Bryant and NAA.
Townsend needs to join Castell when she is indicted. They were thieves and he needs to pack his personal mess and start to marching as far away from FAMU as possible. GOODBYE!!! The graduation rate for athletes did not change overnight. It took longer than 2 years to see the rates change. So I know they were being worked on before the "FAMU Team of Destroyers" arrived.
ReplyDeleteLet us stop the bad lanuage. I am sure it is not a true RATTLER.
ReplyDeleteI am in agreement that a number of changes need to be made, however we have to be realistic and know that the persons we want to leave may be given an opportunity to stay and prove themselves.
In some instances that may be a good thing, however in the following cases I think NOT: Ali, Little, June, Lassister, Lizzie, Kennedy-Lamar,J.Mackey, Boyd, Yarborough, Townsend to name a few.
they all to get to stepping--as in fetchit: ol' tired-a** cussing Liz, I-was-on-campus-b/c-my mama-is-Castell's-friend JMaxey, and the rest of those hookers, robbers, thieves and looters.
ReplyDeleteIf the boosters are already in place and established, why wouldn't athletics throw it's full support behind making it a stronger organization. In this case we don't need another fund or dso, we just need to build up what we already have.
ReplyDeleteHerb Reinhardt send help...
ReplyDeleteThe only problem with Nelson Townsend was that he was hired by Castell Bryant. Alumni sports supporters have been lobbying for years to get Nelson Townsend back and were ecstatic when he returned.
ReplyDeleteMost of you who are flapping problably know very little about sports at FAMU. As a person who has been an avid supporter of FAMU Athletics and not just the bare minimum, I have seen tremendous improvements in athletics and a desire to market ourt sports.
As for our sports teams losing; most of these coaches are not new coaches and were in place when Nelson Townsend came here. The belt has been tightened to get us through the financial problems that other ADs put us in. As a person who was affiliated with FAMU Athletics over the last 20 years, Nelson Townsend was clearly the best. Bar none.
Ken Riley and JRE Lee were the worse. Ken never engaged alumni nor tried to establish any kind of marketing of our programs. He would not even acknowledge alumni at sporting events. I will keep te dirt of his admnistration to my self. The AD who came after Nelson was good, but not as good as Nelson. There is an expression, you are only a prophet with out honor in your own land. Nelson Townsend is repsected every where but FAMU. So sad. We have good leadership and if we would just stay the course for about 3-5 years, the greatness of our athletic programs will just blind you.
We need to stop throwing the baby out with the bath water. whether you liked Castell or not; she did make some good hires. Unfortunately, these people are beng tainted by people's utter dislike for her. It is a very juvenile way at looking at the world.
Lastly, Billy Joe cannot light a candle to Nelson Townsend. Central State had its share of problems under his administration.
ReplyDeleteIf Billy could not keep his football coaches in check; do e really think he can keep an athletic department together?
True Ken Riley was as bout as boring as watching paint dry but he did leave the athletic dept. with a multi-million dollar surplus, whie JRE promptly spent us into the red racking a up a mult-million deficit.
ReplyDeleteAnd Townsend's old ass just simply can't keep up with receipts.
Nelson Townsend is the best, the best LIAR.
ReplyDelete"Most of you who are flapping problably know very little about sports at FAMU." Some of us work in athletics or have first hand dealings with Townsend. And believe us when we tell you: Nelson is a snake in the true meaning of the word, and I do not mean a rattler. He continues to destroy the department and is making everyone's job and life dificult, frustrating and miserable. All you have to do is go and talk to coaches, athletes and staff. UMES was going to get rid of him and Coretta, that's why they left. Call UMES and see if he is respected there and IF they want them back. I think NOT. And I have called and asked. He is a 65 year old bitter man with shaky health (recent heart attack, diabetes, etc.) and simply does not have the youth, energy, vision, character or time to continue as the AD. There is nothing to gain and a lot to lose by keeping him. We need to move forward now, not in a month, year or two just so we can allow him to have more comfortable retirement. One way or another, Nelson Townsend is done. As to the comment
ReplyDelete"As for our sports teams losing; most of these coaches are not new coaches and were in place when Nelson Townsend came here. The belt has been tightened to get us through the financial problems that other ADs put us in." Yes, most of those coaches were in place when Nelson got here, AND THEY WERE WINNING under the other ADs.
Nelson Townsend and Castell Bryant need to stop blaming their mistake and inability to lead and manage to previous administrations.
blaming their mistakes and inability to lead on previous administrations.
ReplyDelete