GregoryByrneSpeaks.com on Thursdays...

dawgstudent · Nov 6, 2008

ATHLETIC STAFF BEGINS TRAINING PROCESS We have mentioned previously in this column that staff development will be a priority for us as we move forward as an athletic department. We have alluded to institution-building articles and professional-development books that we have made available for our staff. We have also mentioned here that, on occasion, we will bring professionals to our campus to visit with our folks to continue that work-place growth. All of that has been done, and is being done, to provide a staff of professionals intent on serving you, the Bulldog Club member and season ticket buyer, better. One such expert, who we discussed here previously, is Joe Silberschlag. He will be on our campus next week for a series of meetings with departmental staff over a two-day period. Joe is a former training consultant for staff development of the Ritz-Carlton hotel chain. The Ritz-Carlton is internationally known for its customer service and its comprehensive training program. During his time here on campus, he will work with our entire department, but particularly those areas that work more closely with our outside entities. Joe will address the entire staff as a group, but will work specifically with our Bulldog Club and Marketing staffs, our Game Operations personnel, the administrative assistant force, and our senior staff. We're asking Joe to assist us in two areas, customer service and mission development. We believe this training will be beyond valuable in providing for you the best possible experience from the Mississippi State Athletic Department. * * * CONGRATULATIONS ON A JOB WELL-DONE This past Monday, our department had the opportunity to host the 2008 Southeastern Conference Cross Country championships on the South Farm at the Mississippi Horse Park. We hope that some of you may have had the opportunity to join us. It was a beautiful day, and the course was in magnificent shape. Congratulations are to be extended to coach Al Schmidt and his staff, administrators Dr. David Boles and Ann Carr, as well as many others, for putting on a first-class championship on our campus. In fact, I think virtually every member of our staff was in attendance at some point during the day. The championship was well-organized and well-run. * * * UPPER LEVEL SINGLES ARE ALL THAT REMAIN FOR HOOPS Approximately 30 upper level single tickets are all that remain for the 2008-09 men's basketball season and we expect those to be purchased before we start the season. According to our ticket office, it is the third-straight year we have sold out Humphrey Coliseum. With that in mind, we're asking you to understand a few operational changes as we move toward this coming basketball season. In the past, our athletic ticket office would hold season tickets for individuals at the will call window at Humphrey Coliseum. In order for us to improve efficiency in our ticket operations, we will no longer distribute season tickets for the purchaser at the will call window. As a reminder, we have an electronic ticket advance system available through your Dog Tag account on our web site that would facilitate the distribution of your season tickets, should you not be able to join us for a game. We will offer for the first time a hospitality room for Bulldog Club members who donate $12,000 or more annually. This hospitality area will be located in the President's Reception Room on the second floor of the Coliseum. Light snacks and sodas will be offered. This area is separate from the Tip-Off Club, which will again meet pre-game in the Griffis Board Room at the Palmeiro Center. Expect the southwest entrance to the Coliseum to be busier than normal due to this new hospitality area. As a reminder, seven pairs of courtside seats in the Hump remain available for purchase. Hopefully, you attended the exhibition game this past Saturday and saw the padded courtside seats along the floor. These seats are available for $12,000 per pair. * * * NOVEMBER EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH Our athletic staff has selected Jane Ballard as our Employee of the Month. Jane has been an employee of MSU for the past 18 years, and is the first face you see as you walk into the football office in the Bryan Building. She is there on a Saturday helping prospects into the recruiting center; she is there helping with camps during the summer months and any other assignments required in that office. And when an administrative assistant has moved on, Jane has stepped in to make sure that those coaches do not suffer because of the change as well as helps the new person when they come on board. Jane has shown us through it all, change is inevitable and how you react and respond to those changes is what truly makes you a bulldog. If you don't know Jane, you should get to know her. She is a gentle person with a big heart and smile to go with it. I think this quote says it all about Jane: "While trying to think about how you can make a big difference, try not to ignore the small differences you make every day." - Marian Wright Edelman Jane makes a big difference in the lives of all the students, coaches, and people that she comes in contact with on a daily basis. * * * NOVEMBER 15 GAME TIMES STILL TO BE DETERMINED Our football game at Alabama on Saturday, Nov. 15, will be televised by one of the three Southeastern Conference television partners. The game will be played at either 11:30 a.m. on Raycom Sports, 2:30 p.m. on CBS Sports or 6:45 p.m. on ESPN. If the game is selected by Raycom or CBS, the MSU men's basketball team's season-opener that day against Centenary will tip off at 7 p.m. If the game is chosen by ESPN, the game will start at 2 p.m. The SEC will announce the television selections no later than Sunday afternoon, Nov. 9. * * * VIDEO BOARD WORK CONTINUES We hope that you were able to join us last week at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field and enjoy the game experience with our new high definition video board. Work continues during this open week and finishing touches on the actual performance of the board are scheduled for next week. By the time we play Arkansas on Nov. 22, all video programming should be squared away and the new sound system will be in place. * * * We appreciate what you do for Mississippi State Athletics and want to encourage you to get others involved. There are three things you can do to help Mississippi State reach its desired goals - 1. Buy Season Tickets
2. Financially Support the Bulldog Club
3. Get Others To Do The Same Thanks for taking the time to read this update. Go Dawgs! Greg Byrne
[email protected]

DawgatAuburn · Nov 6, 2008

I'll take Melvin Smith, for staying on staff with the new head coach.

Todd4State · Nov 6, 2008

This is why Byrne is a good AD- he brings in consultants to show people how to cater to the fans and alumni. I imagine the days of UT fans parking in BC parking are about to be over.

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