Fizzy is among the many Owl fans who hope the team, like Anthony Russo here, is the last man standing when and if the AAC race concludes this fall. (Photo courtesy of Zamani Feelings)

Editor’s Note: A couple of weeks ago, Fizz sent one of the last letters to come across “interim” President Dick Englert’s desk prior to his retirement. It was his thoughts on the new season-ticket policy. He was largely pleased with the response from Temple administrators and the story follows.

By Dave “Fizzy” Weinraub

My recent letter to Dr. Englert regarding new seating for football season ticket holders did not fall on deaf ears.

The afternoon I sent the letter, I got a call from Adam Miller, Senior Associate AD for Development. Even though he had a copy, I reiterated much of what I wrote. His response was the criteria for awarding seats was a fair one, based upon service to the school. We went back and forth and ended the amicable conversation without a solution.

When I sent the original letter, I copied our new AD, Fran Dunphy. Coach got right back to me, and we corresponded with two emails. He promised to look into the issue. Fran Dunphy will be a super AD.

Fizzy here at the Boca Raton Bowl, where 6,000-plus Temple fans attended  

I then sent another email to Dr. Englert, bringing him up to date on what transpired.

With the horrible virus affecting everything, the issue I raised is probably trivial. And perhaps, there won’t even be a football season. If it were my decision, there wouldn’t be. It’s not worth one life or the contamination of one family. If I was a player, however, I’d freak out if the season was canceled.

Let’s hope a vaccine will come along quickly, and everything will be back to normal next year. If so, here are my thoughts.

1. If the home side of the stadium is to be switched, then flip the seats. There are only a few people with season tickets on the other side now, and they knew they’d be on the opposite side when they bought their tickets. It’s not a problem.
2. Temple is not Notre Dame, Alabama, or Auburn. We went through hell to sell as many season tickets as we have now. Why would you piss-off people when you don’t have too? Don’t make them go through this ridiculous formula to repurchase the seats they’ve had for years and separate them from friends. It will only hurt the bottom line and shrink the fan base.
3. Recently, we were knocking on the door of the Power Five Conferences with wins over Penn State, and a shoulda, woulda, coulda, at home with Notre Dame. We slid back down because we lost five winnable games in the second half last year. If we want to fill the seats, then we need to win our share of the big games.

One last thrust. Taking season ticket holders out of their seats is only Temple’s second dumbest idea. Just think where we’d be right now if plans for a campus stadium had congealed. We’d have a $160,000,000 empty hole in the ground.

Thomas Paine’s pamphlet, “Common-Sense,” should be required reading for all administrators.

Friday: The Math and Temple football