"Honey...It's Ronnie Price on the phone for you!"

We found an amazing little nugget while checking out UVSC student Sam Garfield's blog. Apparently the school has former basketball star and current Jazz pine-rider Ronnie Price recording phone messages that get sent to a database of UVSC telephone numbers.

UVSC: Utah Valley Spam College
(October 11 2007)

According to Sam he got a call from Robot Ronnie on his cell phone. After the message, there was a recording that let Sam unsubscribe from the service. Funny thing is Sam...and everybody else...probably never signed up to be called in the first place.

Weird.

UVSC Athletics latest attempt at manufacturing tradition

No doubt students returning to classes tomorrow will be assailed by the numerous hawkers, haranguers, and pitchmen that roam the halls. And once again UVSC Athletics will cry out a desperate plea for attention. And this time there total lack of relevance on the commuter campus will be called "The Unknown Zone".

Now we are not too sure why fans would want to be part of "The Unknown Zone", but what really causes us to scratch our heads is the fact that they will now have to pay for the privilege to root, root, root for the home team.

Fishing for fans (College Times, August 20 2007)

That's right, instead of students not showing up to a free game they will now pay 20 bucks for an all sports pass, and then not show up.

This is hardly the first time that Athletic Director Mike Jacobsen and his crew of flunkies have tried desperately to stay relevant at a school that just doesn't seem to care at all about athletics. It seems every year since the big move to Division I provisional status, the department comes up with some new scheme to pack the McKay. But despite pizza give-aways, free admission with student ID, and the exciting play of Ronnie Price, attendance was better when playing at the junior college level.

But this latest example of ill-conceived public relations may not be completely Athletics fault. For the past 5 years Student Government has shoveled tons student fee dollars onto the sinking ship that is UVSC Athletics. They have invested millions in Athletics, and with time running out on the provisional clock, they now are doing all they can to bail them out.

Will it work? Will students pay for something they never took advantage of when it was free? When will student government and the administration realize that the school might be best served when Athletics goes the way of the Dodo?

Former UVSC point guard to sign with Utah Jazz

Former UVSC point guard Ronnie Price, who for the past two seasons has been playing for the Sacramento Kings, has agreed to terms on a multi-year deal with the Utah Jazz according to an update on the Des News's website:

Utah Jazz agree to terms with former UVSC guard Price (Deseret Morning News, July 26 2007)



Congrats to Price, who has always been a stand up guy, and a great ambassador of UVSC. And we are sure Carlos Boozer will be looking to settle the score during team practices this year.

UPDATE: The Pipeline just spoke with former UV SportsZone producer Johnny Boyd who said he had been in contact with Ronnie and that the man was very happy to be heading back to Utah.

UPDATE 2: The Tribune did a nice little article about Price coming back to Utah, including plenty of quotes from UVSC head coach Dick Hunsaker. Check it out:

Jazz sign former UVSC, Kings guard Price (Salt Lake Tribune, July 26 2007)