OT-ish: FAU Names Football Stadium After Prison Corporation

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February 20th, 2013 at 8:21 PM
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Edward Khil
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OT-ish: FAU Names Football Stadium After Prison Corporation

Per Salon, the Florida Atlantic Owls grant naming rights to the GEO Group, a for-profit prison company, for a $6 million donation. The company has faced numerous lawsuits in relation to the deaths of up to ten prisoners.

“It’s like calling something Blackwater Stadium,” Bob Libal, the executive director of Grassroots Leadership, a social justice group that opposes private prison systems, told the Times. “This is a company whose record is marred by human rights abuses, by lawsuits, by unnecessary deaths of people in their custody and a whole series of incidents that really draw into question their ability to successfully manage a prison facility."

It's being called "Owlcatraz." Makes the Trohl Center look good.

They don't realize that there's this, like, lattice of coincidence that lays on top of everything.
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February 20th, 2013 at 8:27 PM | I saw this yesterday but was (Score:3 Normal)
Butterfield
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Joined: 01/15/2011
MGoPoints: 1942

I saw this yesterday but was extremely let down by the name of the private prison company; I was hoping for something far more prison-y.  

Nobody is going to have any clue about the company when they see "GEO Group Stadium"  Way better if it were Penal Field. 

The swag is back. 

February 20th, 2013 at 9:41 PM | What was the field called in The Longest Yard? (Score:1)
kevin holt
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What was the field called in The Longest Yard?

Mike Martin told me he loves me. My life is quite possibly complete.

Join the bone marrow donor registry today: www.dkmsamericas.org (do it.)

February 20th, 2013 at 8:35 PM | Different (Score:5 Normal)
Club2230
Joined: 01/13/2011
MGoPoints: 174

How is that any different than Spartan Stadium?

February 20th, 2013 at 8:55 PM | Spartan stadium is named (Score:5 Normal)
TheGhostofYost
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Joined: 04/20/2011
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This is named after a prison company.  Spartan Stadium is named after the prisoners themselves.

February 20th, 2013 at 9:21 PM | Watch, State will be afraid to travel to FAU (Score:2)
Muttley
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Book it.

February 20th, 2013 at 9:48 PM | No way, it'd be like playing (Score:4 Normal)
Witz57
Joined: 06/11/2011
MGoPoints: 150

No way, it'd be like playing a home game.

February 20th, 2013 at 10:42 PM | lts safe to say FAU is pretty (Score:1)
BsGriffin1
Joined: 11/29/2010
MGoPoints: 101

lts safe to say FAU is pretty happy with the notion of putting people away

February 20th, 2013 at 8:52 PM | So many jokes (Score:5 Normal)
M-Wolverine
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But coming from a school that calls their stadium "The Big House" I'll pass.

"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk

February 20th, 2013 at 9:43 PM | Haha, I did not even think about this but that's (Score:2 Interesting)
kevin holt
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Haha, I did not even think about this but that's hilarious and true. Anyone else not really mind Owlcatraz?

Mike Martin told me he loves me. My life is quite possibly complete.

Join the bone marrow donor registry today: www.dkmsamericas.org (do it.)

February 20th, 2013 at 9:04 PM | I hope Dave Brandon doesn't (Score:2 Normal)
The FannMan
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I hope Dave Brandon doesn't hear about this.

"Nobody cares what you think!"

February 20th, 2013 at 9:06 PM | Odd Ideas In Marketing... (Score:4 Normal)
LSAClassOf2000
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"In a telephone interview, the university’s president, Mary Jane Saunders, noted that GEO’s chairman, George Zoley, had two degrees from Florida Atlantic and once served as chairman of the Board of Trustees. Four members of the board, Saunders added, have also worked for the GEO Group, including two past student government presidents. The company’s corporate headquarters overlook the stadium." - from the NYT article

So, there was no sense of indebtedness that went into this decision at all, if I understand Ms. Saunders correctly. Is it still too soon to call my bank a "Savings And Loan"? 

The $6 million dollar gift that made this possible will be spread over 12 years, according to the Sun-Sentinel, so I imagine that's how long that FAU will be open to relentless jokes about this move. Strangely, the GEO Group CEO called this "community outreach" in an official statement, so I am not sure how Boca Raton is supposed to take that. 

 

"Funny isn't it, how naughty dentists always make that one fatal mistake."

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February 20th, 2013 at 9:17 PM | Reflecting on that, I'm a (Score:3 Normal)
Yeoman
Joined: 06/08/2011
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Reflecting on that, I'm a little surprised Les Wexner never pressed to have the horseshoe renamed Victoria's Secret Stadium.

It'd be a terrific opportunity for community outreach. The marketing plan writes itself.

February 21st, 2013 at 8:48 AM | That's a really good idea (Score:2)
ChopBlock
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That's a really good idea actually. Spruce up the cheerleading squad with their attire, and the mouthbreathing moron contingent of the fanbase will be too busy Musbergering their Miss Alabamas to hastle the Michigan fans there.

"The straightest line from A to B is straight: From A to B"

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February 20th, 2013 at 9:10 PM | give me a break (Score:2 Normal)
j.o.s.e maizenblue
Joined: 01/04/2012
MGoPoints: 184

in all fairness, what corporation isnt involved in some sort of violation of human rights, abuse, lawsuits... its just too bad that the Canes play in Sun Life... it just seems more fitting to see them play in  stadium named after a prison than anyone

February 20th, 2013 at 9:20 PM | No politics. (Score:4 Normal)
HermosaBlue
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No politics.

February 21st, 2013 at 10:15 AM | Almost impossible to seperate college football & politics (Score:3 Normal)
French West Indian
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Although the intent of the "no politics" policy of Mgoblog is admirable becuase nobody wants these threads to turn into pissing matches between political parties/idealogies (note to Jamaicans, that means no trolling for the PNP or JLP here), it's issues like this stadium name that make it practically impossible to seperate college football from politics.

Frankly, if discussion forums such as these want to host important, worthwhile discussions (and not just he said/she said style twitter rehashings) then we shouldn't be afraid to broach some political issues with questions such as:

-What does it tells us about American democracy that it supports for-profit prisons?

-And why are universities as representatives of tax-paying citizens so willing to accept the largess of such enterprises?

It's probably best if nobody responds to such questions here but they are worth thinking about nonetheless.

February 21st, 2013 at 12:43 PM | No politics.   (Score:1 Normal)
profitgoblue
Joined: 09/01/2009
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No politics.

 

Disgruntled former moderator.  I got a lot of problems with you people!

February 20th, 2013 at 9:52 PM | "in all fairness, what (Score:4 Normal)
mGrowOld
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"in all fairness, what corporation isnt involved in some sort of violation of human rights, abuse, lawsuits.."

Amen brother. This morning we had our weekly "whose human rights can we violate" meeting and decided on the entire country of Indonesia.  Now mind you my company doesnt sell anything into Indonesia but let's face it - that gives a perfect cover!  Now, my Vice President of Abuse suggested a more local target but the rest of us greedy war-mongers insisted on Indonesia cause hey...let's face it.....they kinda look funny now don't they?

Anyways......after a delicious lunch of cavier washed down with Dom P we tried to figure out who to sue and there were SO many choices.  So we settled on our own employees cause as greedy capitalists there's no one we hate more than our own employees right?

Thank you for reminding about The People's Republic of Ann Arbor.  It's been so long since I left I had completely forgotten about the downtrodden proletariat that are so prevelant at my alma mater.

 

 

February 20th, 2013 at 10:07 PM | Never would have thought... (Score:3 Normal)
justingoblue
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that doing some moderating work on MGoBlog would have me arbitrating disputes between The People's Republic of Ann Arbor and Monopoly Guy and Sons, Inc...

Go Blue!

February 21st, 2013 at 12:55 AM | Everyone murders. (Score:2 Funny)
BlueInWisconsin
Joined: 03/27/2009
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Everyone murders.

February 21st, 2013 at 4:22 PM | In all fairness what human being hasn’t violated a human right (Score:0 Overrated)
February 20th, 2013 at 9:13 PM | To the OP (Score:2)
Gobgoblue
Joined: 07/07/2012
MGoPoints: 776

I think you accidentally wrote "FA" in front of U instead of Miami.  You're welcome.  

I love Greg Mattison

February 20th, 2013 at 9:20 PM | Miami U is in Oxford, Ohio. (Score:3 Normal)
HermosaBlue
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Miami U is in Oxford, Ohio.

February 20th, 2013 at 9:25 PM | Oh. So that's what an oxford (Score:4 Normal)
DeuceInTheDeuce
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Oh. So that's what an oxford comma is.

February 20th, 2013 at 9:44 PM | I don't give a fuck about an (Score:4 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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I don't give a fuck about an oxford comma.

February 20th, 2013 at 9:58 PM | Vampire weekend? (Score:2)
SAvoodoo
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Vampire weekend?

February 21st, 2013 at 2:38 PM | Absolutely. (Score:2)
WolvinLA2
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Absolutely.

February 20th, 2013 at 10:02 PM | I only care about the Oxford (Score:2 Normal)
BlueDragon
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I only care about the Oxford comma on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Abort, Retry, Fail?

February 20th, 2013 at 9:33 PM | How dare you (Score:4 Funny)
Gobgoblue
Joined: 07/07/2012
MGoPoints: 776

correct my post.  I'll upvote you, but ONLY because I am a gentleman and I need the karma for tomorrow's midterm.  

I love Greg Mattison

February 20th, 2013 at 10:18 PM | Uh, back to football... (Score:1)
Tater
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I'm sure that having their stadium named after a prison contractor is really going to help FAU recruit against the "big 3" Florida schools.

 

 

 

February 20th, 2013 at 11:16 PM | I think it's more of an issue (Score:2)
snoopblue
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MGoPoints: 1878

I think it's more of an issue with trying to keep up with the other guys. Whatever it takes to get that money to put into the facilities. UF, FSU and Miami on the top and then USF, FIU, UCF and themselves. That's a lot of competition in state, not even mentioning all the schools nationally that come in and pluck out players.

It sucks that they have to name it after a private prison company. It sucks they even HAVE private prison companies, but it's the world we live in. Let's hope none of us ever have to learn more about prison.

February 21st, 2013 at 6:39 AM | Within five years we'll be reading an article in the NYT (Score:4 Normal)
Don
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about a former FAU player who, after running afoul of the law, ends up in a GEO-run prison.


February 21st, 2013 at 11:20 AM | I can't wait for the full page ads (Score:1)
lilpenny1316
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with big bold letters saying: "Don't Drop The Soap!"

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