Over The Pylon

For the longest time, there has been some serious strain on the town-gown relationships between the greater Muncie community and the Ball State football team. This could of course be attributed to a whole host of reasons, ranging from a lack of consistent success to the depressed economic situation in East Central Indiana. Give new head coach Pete Lembo credit, though, as he’s come charging out of the gate to try and drum up some local interest and perhaps some financial benefit from forming a closer relationship with the city of Muncie and its business leaders. What will help the most in that endeavor will happen next fall should the Cardinals post impressive wins. For now, we’ll settle for the Muncie Chamber of Commerce and the gladhanding that happened this morning with Lembo and his staff. Photo evidence!

Best way to get a coaching staff up early? Free breakfast.

Granted, hitting up the Delaware County-Muncie Chamber of Commerce might not translate to anything tangible in terms of support, dollars, or interest. But what can it hurt? Honestly, that’s always been the thing that sort of grinded my gears about some of our previous head coaches. It just seemed, for lack of a better term, that they didn’t “get it”. Go to any successful football program around the country and these sorts of breakfasts are common. It makes the staff seem dedicated and a part of the community. It may ingratiate some people. It may ingratiate some people that own businesses. It may make some of those people with businesses step forward with donations or sponsorships. Funny how sometimes little things like breakfasts and speaking to a gathered body of power brokers (even in little old Muncie, IN) can reap tremendous dividends at a later date.

There’s an old saying… “Act As If…”. Vying for a promotion against someone that may be a tad bit better than you? Act as if that company couldn’t exist without you. (Make sure you say nothing about the office supplies and long distance that you help yourself to.) Hitting on a potential bedmate way out of your league? Act as if you turned down Katy Perry because she’s really let herself go. Coaching a budget-strapped MidAmerican Conference school coming off two straight years of mediocrity? Never coached a FBS team before? Act as if you’re the head coach that is ready to stomp ass, take names, break necks, and cash checks. And Lembo seems to be doing just that.

Filed under: Ball State, Coaches |