|
Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Nov 12, 2019 17:41:12 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by hchoops on Nov 12, 2019 22:20:49 GMT -5
Paywall
|
|
|
Post by timholycross on Nov 12, 2019 22:24:37 GMT -5
The same stuff he wrote about HC playing BC last year was mentioned again, briefly; although I must say that what he wrote about Umass falls in the "the truth hurts" category.
Save yourself some indigestion and promise not to read any column he writes next September when HC plays them again.
"UMass’s football program is an embarrassment. This is not the fault of the student-athletes. It is the fault of the UMass administration and the athletic department. The players are not being put in a position to succeed, and that’s on the grownups and the citizens of Massachusetts who are letting this happen.
Simply put, the Minutemen should not be playing big-time college football. They lose by whopping scores. UMass is 1-9. Here are the scores of the Minutemen’s last five games:
Florida International 44, UMass 0.
Louisiana Tech 69, UMass 21.
UConn 56, UMass 35.
ADVERTISING
inRead invented by Teads
Liberty 63, UMass 21.
Army 63, UMass 7.
The Minutemen are playing at Northwestern this weekend. They have been established as 39-point underdogs.
This is not as simple as saying they are having a bad year. This is systemic. It is a pattern. It is the residue of a bad decision to go “big time” starting in 2012 and the Minutemen have been paying almost every autumn Saturday since. UMass is 19-75 since moving up to the top division. The Minutemen are giving up more than 53 points per game this season.
Get Sports Headlines in your inbox
The Globe's most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
What are we doing, people?
UMass athletic director Ryan Bamford told the Herald Sunday that there was “no discussion” of abandoning the Football Bowl Subdivision, stating, “We’re 100 percent committed to staying in the Football Bowl Subdivision. We’ve proven we can win games at this level. We’ve just had to take a step back in order to take a step forward.’’
Swell. I called UMass president Marty Meehan to get his take on this disaster. Meehan was not president of the school when the ill-fated decision was made to move up starting in 2012. Meehan is a local guy, a football fan, and a reasonable person.
He knew it was me calling. Probably that’s why he didn’t pick up until the fifth ring.
Advertisement
When Meehan finally answered, he blurted, “This has to be a call about the Army football game,’’ before offering a hello or any small talk.
More than that, I told him. This is about the whole stinking program. What are you guys doing out there?
“These decisions are made on the campus,’’ he started, a nifty deflection. “The campus made a decision to upgrade in terms of football. Obviously there’s a concern about what it means in terms of the brand. You don’t want to go into a game and not only lose the way we are losing, but . . .
“I was at the Army game and physically it takes a toll on the kids that are on our football team. The program made a decision to hire a new coach [Walt Bell]. Obviously recruiting is a big factor. In colleges and universities in New England, recruiting is always a big challenge.’’
I explained that I went to Holy Cross. A couple of years ago, someone decided it would be a good idea for the Crusaders to renew their 20th-century football rivalry with Boston College. So HC met BC in 2018, and the carnage was significant.
The tailgating was fun. The social stuff was fun. But the game was abysmal.
Holy Cross players had to be helped off the field after the first two plays of the game. It was 21-0 after eight minutes and 34-0 at halftime. The final was 62-14, but it could have been 100-0 if BC didn’t take its foot off the gas.
Advertisement
Holy Cross should not be playing Boston College in football. Just as UMass should not be playing Northwestern, Auburn, Georgia, and Notre Dame.
UMass does this for bags of cash that help but don’t come close to offsetting the enormous cost of the money-pit program.
The Minutemen will take home $1.2 million from Northwestern this weekend. In 2020, it’ll be $1.9 million to play at Auburn. In 2021, it’s Pitt ($1.3 million) and Florida State ($1.5 million). In 2024, the Minutemen will bring home $1.9 million to get crushed at Georgia.
Is this a good idea? Taking millions to be somebody’s Tomato Can?
“Well, the campus made a commitment to it,’’ Meehan answered half-heartedly.
Then he pivoted, sounding like a reasonable man with some doubts about the wisdom of this path.
“Obviously, long term, there are a lot of decisions that are going to have to be made,” he said. “I watched the Army game from the sideline, specifically to get a feel for what was happening on the field. And we were just totally outmatched, physically.
“Financially, the program does better because you go to Georgia and you get that money. You go to Notre Dame and you get $1.2 million. But I don’t think you decide to play in a football conference because of what you get for away games.’’
When the Globe did a Page 1 story on this issue four years ago, Meehan issued a statement in which he concluded, “I know many people are working hard to build the football program in Amherst, and I am sure this team effort will bear fruit in the years ahead.’’
Advertisement
Now he seems more concerned about the damage being done to the school’s reputation.
“I don’t like to be 40-point underdogs and obviously it’s not good for the brand,’’ Meehan said. “The question is, can this program be turned around? We were 38½-point underdogs at West Point.
“It was great to be at West Point and it’s obviously a great environment. Especially on Veterans Day weekend. It was a very moving experience before the game. And then the game started . . . ”
Are you guys exploring the idea of killing the program altogether, I wondered?
“I think the athletic director and the chancellor evaluate all of their programs every year,” said Meehan. “Ultimately the decision will be made on the campus.’’
So eliminating football is on the table?
“We have a football team at Amherst and they’re playing at some very prestigious places around the country and I want to be as supportive as I can,’’ said Meehan. “We have a very good athletic director at UMass-Amherst. I think the athletic director does a good job and I think all colleges and universities are evaluating their programs and I think there will continue to be an evaluation.
“It’s never a good situation to lose by the margins that we are losing by. It’s never a good situation to be 40-point underdogs.
“The University of Massachusetts-Amherst is now the 24th-ranked public university in America. Branding is obviously important. Reputation for excellence is important in everything we do.’’
So stop the madness. Stop pretending to play big-time football. You are not competing. It is not good for UMass."
|
|
|
Post by longsuffering on Nov 12, 2019 23:47:11 GMT -5
Wow. Dan gave UMass the Full Shank. The President of UMass and the UMass Amherst Chancellor and AD must make 1.5 million between them. Why can't they see what everyone else can see as plain as day: UMass is an historically successful FCS program misplaced in FBS.
In comparison HC FB is appropriately placed and on the way up. The only thing UMass football has on Holy Cross is the Minuteman still has his musket in some of their logos and flags.
|
|
|
Post by hc87 on Nov 13, 2019 0:50:33 GMT -5
UMass fell ptey to having UConn FBS football envy methinks...that along with trying to emulate flagship state universities like those in the B1G, ACC etc.
It's just not a model that works for Big State U in the Northeast outside of Penn St. it seems.
Be interesting what both UMass and UConn do with football moving forward. The only school that has gone FBS and returned to FCS is U Idaho. They could go that route but both have invested fairly heavily in going FBS.
|
|
|
Post by hchoops on Nov 13, 2019 8:00:54 GMT -5
UMass fell ptey to having UConn FBS football envy methinks...that along with trying to emulate flagship state universities like those in the B1G, ACC etc. It's just not a model that works for Big State U in the Northeast outside of Penn St. it seems. Because of its location Penn State is more of a Midwest than northeast school
|
|
|
Post by sader1970 on Nov 13, 2019 8:23:15 GMT -5
Not sure people in the Midwest would agree with you.
While living in Ohio, the “3 C” cities seemed to have different identities and they are all west of PA.
Columbus had a Midwest flavor. Cincinnati had a Southern flavor being so close to Kentucky. And Cleveland felt like a Northeast city.
|
|
|
Post by gks on Nov 13, 2019 8:23:23 GMT -5
UMass fell ptey to having UConn FBS football envy methinks...that along with trying to emulate flagship state universities like those in the B1G, ACC etc. It's just not a model that works for Big State U in the Northeast outside of Penn St. it seems. Because of its location Penn State is more of a Midwest than northeast school Joining the Big 10 definitely shifted Penn State's 'sphere' of influence. IMO there is no excuse why UMass and UConn can't survive and possibly thrive in FBS. They are too big of institutions for FCS. The excuses I hear for why they've struggled is nauseating.
|
|
|
Post by KY Crusader 75 on Nov 13, 2019 9:29:43 GMT -5
Not sure people in the Midwest would agree with you. While living in Ohio, the “3 C” cities seemed to have different identities and they are all west of PA. Columbus had a Midwest flavor. Cincinnati had a Southern flavor being so close to Kentucky. And Cleveland felt like a Northeast city. In Kentucky, Louisville is absolutely a Midwestern city while much of the rest of the state is Southern. I'd have to guess that the Cincy suburbs in Northern Kentucky are Midwestern as well.
|
|
|
Post by sader1970 on Nov 13, 2019 9:57:51 GMT -5
Respectfully disagree but that might be from a Columbus perspective. Your view is skewed living in Kentucky. In any case, Penn State is not a midwestern university.
|
|
|
Post by hchoops on Nov 13, 2019 10:03:15 GMT -5
Respectfully disagree but that might be from a Columbus perspective. Your view is skewed living in Kentucky. In any case, Penn State is not a midwestern university. Respectfully disagree
|
|
|
Post by hc87 on Nov 13, 2019 17:23:55 GMT -5
PSU is the Northeast outlier with State U football.....and it is very much a "Northeast school"....lot of kids from the tri-state area, New England attend there....as well as many from Eastern PA which is much more "Eastern/Coastal" than "Midwest " culturally.
Has its football roots in the old Eastern Indies playing BC, Army, Syracuse etc. as well as ourselves...actually would have been part of a football Big East but a lot of squabbling over the years led to Paterno and Co.taking their ball to the B1G ultimately.
|
|
|
Post by Chu Chu on Nov 13, 2019 20:13:48 GMT -5
insert code herehttps://www.google.com/maps/place/Pennsylvania/@40.7086254,-78.8475631,8.07z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x882d80261e32e589:0xc24621475022b43d!8m2!3d41.2033216!4d-77.1945247?hl=en State College is in rural, central Pennsylvania. It is miles from Philadelphia and Pittsburg. It has a decidedly rural feel that is very reminiscent of rural mid-western locals. I hate to admit it, because I loved the old rivalries, but they fit right into the Big 10 as a very large, state university.
|
|
|
Post by timholycross on Nov 13, 2019 21:45:47 GMT -5
I think UConn has a better chance of making it because they have a stadium. McGuirk is rinky dink even with the money they spent on it the last 10 years or so. No one good or in a big conference (or both) will ever play there.
I always thought that was Umass' big blunder in all of this. And being a tenant in Gillette only cuts it for special events, the school is 100 miles (and not an easy 100 miles when you get off the Pike) away. If we were talking about UMass Boston or UMass Dartmouth playing there it might have worked.
|
|
|
Post by gerry on Nov 13, 2019 23:06:54 GMT -5
Syracuse actually voted for Penn State joining the Big East. The Big East was an eight team league at the time. The league needed a 3/4 vote in order to extend an invitation to a new member. BC and Syracuse as football playing schools voted to invite Penn State. Dave Gavitt knew how important football was, so Providence sided with Cuse and BC. Seton Hall and UConn, who were the two bottom feeders in the conference, also voted to invite the poor Penn State hoop team. The Big Dogs of the conference, Villanova, Georgetown, and St. John's voted against PSU because their basketball team was awful and they weren't located in a major market like the other conference members. As a result Pitt was invited as a compromise.
|
|
|
Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Nov 13, 2019 23:37:35 GMT -5
The implosion of the Big East as a football conference is what killed UMess. They were aligning their ducks to get a nod with the support of Bob Kraft who had the clout to get them in. Now there isn't a single conference in the country that would take them.
They are also near certain to set the all-time record for average point differential per game in a season (well north of 50), claiming this from UConnvict last year.
They are also 40.5 underdogs at horrendous 1 win Northwestern this week.
|
|
|
Post by moose1970 on Nov 14, 2019 0:58:58 GMT -5
"...and drags HC in."
No, the Holy Cross A.D. and administration pushed the football program into this mess by scheduling opponents like B.C, Syracuse where we do not have a prayer that we can play any type of a football game.
again, post game interview with the syracuse head coach this year where he complimented holy cross on playing a "smart game" by running down the game clock before each offensive snap. (we did the same in the 2018 BC game) yes, it was "smart" and the right thing to do. get the team the hell off the football field ASAP.
the Crusader football team, players and coaches, deserve an apology for being put out there where they did not belong. anyone could see what was coming when these games were scheduled. now Umass faces the same fate x 10.
|
|
|
Post by lou on Nov 14, 2019 8:29:10 GMT -5
Same Syracuse coach who complained that the new rules prevented his guys from "just playing real football" after a couple of intentional helmet hits leveled our guys.
|
|
|
Post by HC92 on Nov 14, 2019 8:44:37 GMT -5
Only way FBS football makes sense for either UConn or UMass is getting into the B1G or ACC. That will almost certainly not ever happen so it’s time for both to cut the cord and join the CAA for football. Both would finish in the bottom half of that conference this year but they could be strong teams there if they do it right.
|
|
|
Post by sader1970 on Nov 14, 2019 9:44:34 GMT -5
The "real" reason Penn State wasn't accepted into the Big East was because it is perceived by many to be a "Midwest school." In the good old days, Big East meant "EAST"
|
|
|
Post by KY Crusader 75 on Nov 14, 2019 9:57:45 GMT -5
Now it means East of Honolulu
|
|
|
Post by CHC8485 on Nov 14, 2019 10:14:07 GMT -5
... form an all sports league with f-ball and b-ball the marquis sports. Hopefully it was not planned to be anything like the Marquis de Sade! And perhaps with marquis sports, Lafayette College, named for a marquis, would have been an ideal candidate for inclusion!
|
|
|
Post by KY Crusader 75 on Nov 14, 2019 10:36:09 GMT -5
Marquee
|
|
|
Post by beaven302 on Nov 14, 2019 13:15:01 GMT -5
UMass being a 39-point underdog to Northwestern is truly remarkable since the largely toothless Wildcats who have been forced to play their third-string quarterback for most of the season haven't scored more than 30 points. And in some games they have been shut out or managed only a field goal.
As for the history or UMass and UConn football, they formerly played I-AA football. Back in the day, UMass could be quite good especially during the mid-1960s when they had future NFLer Tom Landry at quarterback. In contrast, UConn was one assured win for HC. In 1977, when the team shocked BC 35-20, its only other win was the previous week at UConn.
|
|
|
Post by moose1970 on Nov 14, 2019 13:16:16 GMT -5
Same Syracuse coach who complained that the new rules prevented his guys from "just playing real football" after a couple of intentional helmet hits leveled our guys. yes, the syracuse coach also said that but you obviously miss the point here. this is about as relevant as saying that the syracuse coach has bad breath. put simply, when your team is behind you run a hurry up style offense to try to score and get back in the game. that is called "playing a football game" when your team is ahead is when you slow down your offense to use up the clock and keep the other team's offense off the field. so answer this, why would our offense run down the game clock when we are behind (other than for the reason i already stated, i.e. let's get the hell out of here)
|
|