I got an idea, how about stepping up and offering to help the folks who are contacting the Alumni, trying to get them all together? (A.K.A, instead of "suggesting" ideas, how about helping), instead of posting these kinds of coments in a forum such as this.
Perhaps you didn't/don't know, but besides the very limited staff at the UA, whose primary purpose really is supposed to be fund raising, there is a small group of VOLUNTEERS who are doing a lot of the communcations with alumni.
I think you have some good ideas, but there also have been a lot of ideas that have already been tried, repeated, and failed. However, your letter in response to what was done has come across as very hurtful to all of their efforts and what the group of volunteers have been trying to put together.
As far as some of your suggestions:
Visiting the locker rooms before the Spring Game? It must have been a few year since you've been around the inner workings of the locker room before ANY game, spring game included. It's a working locker room! Players are getting dressed, coaches are working on getting their various players ready for the scrimmage itself, stretching, discussing various plays, etc! I'm sure you wouldn't want to take a young child into a locker room full of half naked men as they are getting ready for their game. And that's being generous. I know I wouldn't take my young daugher anywhere near the locker room when the players are getting dressed, scrimmage, practice or otherwise.
For a lot of these players, they are fighting for a starting position, or perhaps a 2nd string spot. How about we give them the opportunity to fight for that spot instead of being distracted by talking with them when they need to be concentrating on what they need to make a good impression with their coaches. How would you feel if you knew you had to make a good impression now but were constantly being baddgered to talk. There are other times for that. Not before an outting such as this. Where the impressions the players make on the day of the Scrimmage are the last images the coaches are going to remember going into the summer break?
Ms. Gossens has been doing a great job with what she's had to work with. As the word spreads, and like anything at the University, the money is available, and with people such as yourself ACTIVELY assisting these folks, then I'm sure the Spring Game/Events will continue to grow and be something we would all be proud to come back and visit. It's come a long way since the game where we had 20 whole alumni come back for the Spring Game to many times more then that now.
Welcome home Alumni! Be sure to stop in and say hello!
Best Regards,
A 26 year Zips Fan.