Well, whatever the reason, and whatever is going on between Don and the ultras, and the FO, Don leaves an incredible legacy at SSV. All the things listed by Ned above - I doubt that any of them would have happened w/o Don's passion, tireless energy, vision, and Goonie-esque never-say-die attitude. A huge thanks to Don for all that you've done as president of SSV / SSVCF. I would say that SSV is in good hands though with Colin stepping in, if only in an "interim" capacity. (The Mark Watson of SSV?) :--)
I meant it when I said we would welcome new folks on the board. If any of you are interested please contact me. Go Quakes.
Wrote a response to this that vanished when the forums crashed. And atm I am in Portland of all places typing with one finger. This is sad news, I hope he is not leaving the boards too. I appreciate everything he has contributed -- he has been in the trenches from the beginning, and has been among the most passionate fans.
I am bummed. Don is a great guy, and the driving force behind SSV. (Or one of, in any case.) He was going to step down eventually, so we shouldn't be too surprised. Big shoes to fill, that's for certain. And whatever the hell is going on between the Ultras, the FO, and I guess Don, we need to fix this shit. We need to all get back on the same page. go quakes!! - Mark
...sigh... the ultras need to take responsibility for their actions. you're on probation and the only way to get off probation is to do what they tell you and eat the shite sandwich for a while. it sucks, and we all get that but stop playing the freaking victim here, FFS!
I'm very surprised and disappointed to hear this. If there is a fan that truly "bleeds blue," it is Don G. He's been instrumental in shaping SSV, spearheading the new stadium, tying the Quakes to the community, and molding the SJ fan experience since the reboot. Whatever the politics are between the FO and the Ultras, I hope they are not the reason for his resignation. For the work he's done for all of us, he should never have to buy his own beer at a game ever again. Thanks Don and best wishes to Colin, Ned, and the board!
I've said it before, Don's contributions to our beloved San Jose Earthquakes can't be overstated. Thanks Don!
Thanks Mike, you are absolutely right. And people here should also remember your immense contributions on the SSV Board as a founder before you fled the state. ;^)
Wow, Don must be taking the issues with the Quakes FO harder than his forum postings have led us to believe. I hope this is not a result of those issues and due to some other circumstances. I know Don has been deeply involved with soccer in the south bay and in the rebirth of the Quakes so we all owe him a debt of gratitude. I sincerely hope he remains involved in SSV and the Quakes in some fashion. People like him are rare to come by. I respect his decisions, but I hope he doesn't become soured on everything soccer in the bay area over the Ultras saga.
Having opposing viewpoints on certain issues does not mean you dislike a person. Many people don't understand the value of that concept.
Haven't seen any notice on the annual SSVC dinner. Is there one planned for this year? http://www.ssvcf.org/annualdinner.html
Yes we are planning to have one and working on details with front office. Will announce more when we know more.
the concept is not hard. the ultras got on probation. regardless of weather they, you or i like it or not, that is the situation they're in now. they need to abide by the terms of the probation, or else i fear they will get shut out entirely, and that is not good for anyone