Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

[SDSUFAN]

From Sunday's Argus, we seem to have angered someone about coverage.


SDSU overkill
Douglas C. Morrison
Sioux Falls

published: 10/24/2004

Do you remember the movie, "Ground Hog Day," in which Bill Murray keeps living the same day over and over? This is the way I feel each Monday when I get the sports page and see yet another Chris Solari column about the South Dakota State University football team. This week he wants us to believe that a rivalry with North Dakota State University will be the next Oklahoma-Texas rivalry. I suppose we are still trying to justify the elimination of SDSU/University of South Dakota game.

Meanwhile, USD, University of Sioux Falls and other stories of interest suffer. The USF football team is top-ranked in the country and continues to get little coverage. USD football is 6-1 and in the Top 25. The USD women's soccer team is 12-2. The South Dakota State high school soccer tournament received dismal coverage by the Argus Leader.

There was a reason that the SDSU-NDSU game was not televised. It's because anybody who cares was already at the game.

Please make my day next Monday; put your SDSU football article on page 3.

[NorCalJack]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

Yeah, I agree that they should put the SDSU football coverage on page 3 of the Argus.

The first 3 pages. ;D ;D ;D

Go State

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

Somebody should answer with a letter of their own. It would probably be most meaningful if it was from a South Dakotan. I'd do it, but I don't think anyone would care what somebody from Oklahoma thinks.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

Agreed, and maybe they would not want to hear from some one living in Nebraska either.  The best chance of making a rebuttal is in the paragraph about USD and USF receiving little coverage. Nothing could be further from the truth.  USD was fortunate to have day games early in the season, and there were a couple weeks these games where given better coverage than SDSU's game. If you are looking for better coverage, what better way than to have afternoon games at home. That seems to fit the Argus deadlines in reporting for athletic events.

I think SDSU's schedule as brutal, as it is, does not work in with the Argus coverage deadlines despite the attempt to give us better coverage. Away and evening games are not Argus friendly in terms of coverage and there are no doubt a number of reasons. Next year with more home games, the coverage will be even better than this year.

The Argus seems to have tried to make up for that with some Monday Chris Solari stories. I give the Argus credit for that part.

I was told by some one on campus last week that one of our more visable alums in Sioux Falls told them that being a loyal SDSU grad in Sioux Falls has become an easier path to hoe since the Southern and NDSU wins in football.

That is not to say we still have a host of unfriendly folks in Sioux Falls and elsewhere. I wish we were playing USD instead of Augustana on Hobo Day.

Maybe letters promoting our move and success to date might be better than just tearing after this Morrison guy who probably has a closet full of Hate STATE apparell. ;D

[DanceswithRabbits]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

Has anyone looked at the Argus On-line forum?  I think the amount of posts says it all.  No one has posted on the USF.  USD has 4 posts and SDSU has 64 post.  Not scientific, but I think we all know that SDSU is best supported University.

UNO is having a better season then Nebraska. I wonder who had the bigger headlines in the Omaha paper today? Something for our letter writer to think about.

[Rabbit_FB_Alum]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

USF plays in the po-dunk league where average high school players can be some of the best in the league. They only get a couple hundred people at their games.

USD playes in a now severly deminished DII league. They have lost only 1 game and still might not make the playoffs because they have only had to play a couple of good teams.

The guy who wrote that letter is obviously just a State hater.

[Dakota]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

I disagree, all of us should write in. It doesn't have to be long, just to the point. Out of State people would be great. This shows that not only is their a interest in South Dakota but also out of state. It also shows the Argus along with radio and TV that people every where read their website and papers.

Also these jealous people frustrated with SDSU's success will see that they are not the over-all opinion of South Dakota.
One last point, numbers don't lie, with SDSU having almost twice as many students then other schools in the state. There is a interest and it maybe more than other schools.

Personally I think the U gets more/better press than state. But that is life, and the people of SD and SDSU (marketing themselves better) can change that.

[JBB]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

I have a tape of the SDSU/NDSU game. It was copied from television broadcast.

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

I still think that letters from South Dakotans will have much more impact with the Argus. They're unlikely, as a matter of fact, to publish letters from people outside of their readership area on a topic like this.

Here's how the letters work: If they get a bunch of letters on the same topic, they'll choose a representative one or two to publish. It's likely to be just one and it's likely to be one from a writer within their circulation area.

They are sensitive to so-called "astroturfing" in which lots of letters arrive suddenly in the appearance of a grassroots campaign. Usually that tactic is an organized effort that only appears to be a grassroots movement (fake grass=astroturf, thus the term). Most editorial pages have policies about this stuff and try to run just one letter (or two) on a topic from however many they receive.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

OK Jackrabbit:

Good points, I think you have put your finger on what the Argus is faced with in terms of letters. I know I wrote one about another subject that was never printed as best I can tell.

No doubt they seem to stick to their word limitations and if you read them daily, they are very short letters and no more than three paragraph's.

I am sure with the Daschle Vs Thune US Senate race, they have been bombarded more than once with the same boiler plate letter.

[Alumguy]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

The guy who wrote the letter is the Chief Financial Officer of Citibank and a USD alum. I don't know if anyone needs to respond. Chris Solari's column in Monday's paper is evidence that the Argus isn't listening.

Funny how all of this plays out. USD's alumni think they aren't getting enough coverage. The same can be said of the USF fans. Of course our alumni and fans say the same thing at times.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

I would agree its pointless to react to Mr. Morrison's letter. We can though individually write letters to the Argus that indicate that we support the movement to D1 and are pleased with the results so far. We could comment on what this movement means to SDSU and South Dakota. One of my former employers had a three word phrase for the sales force that said Think! Win! Sell! Maybe thats what our approach should be when we compose letters if one feels inclined to do so.

[jackmd]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

I think this is a positive for SDSU. Its great that a prominent USD alum is offended by progress in the state of SD, typical. Next he'll be complaining that fans from larger DI schools are taking up the hotel rooms in the Sioux Falls for games against SDSU.

As an aside, Citibank just sent a letter saying they are planning to hike my credit card rate. Can you say cancel my card Mr. Morrison?

[Mike_H]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

Alumguy: Exactly what I have been saying for weeks. And yet, people still think there is some sort of conspiracy on behalf of the media.

[Jacks99]

Re: Interesting Letter to Editor Argus Leader

As an aside, Citibank just sent a letter saying they are planning to hike my credit card rate.  Can you say cancel my card Mr. Morrison?

I cancelled mine when they pulled that on me a few years ago.