FBS Fail: UMass Football's Misstep

[PlayerRep]

If UM had done what some of the FBS windmill chasers had wanted, UM would have given notice that it was moving to the WAC (and been disqualified from the conf championship and playoffs), and then not had a conference. People would be laughing at and criticizing UM like they are UMass.

I see the UMass article said their annual expenses are up $7 million.

 

[Rockmeister]

Big Fish-Small Pond! I got no problem with this! I love the FCS!

:thumb:

 

[NorthwestFresh]

Playing in Boston rather than Amherst is what is killing their attendance, and program.

Agree 100%. UMass football and UMont football mean different things. UMass alums move to Boston and forget about the team. UMont alums and fans are a captive audience, for the most part.

 

[WyomingGrizFan]

What a major league and disastrous blunder by UMass. Huge financial problems too. They may have ruined UMass football. Maybe something will occur to improve their prospects. What were they thinking?

It's unfortunate, but could the Univ. of Massachusetts been thinking that they could have been at least somewhat successful since the Northeastern Huskies had given up on their football program on 20 November 2009?...this a dozen years after Boston University, not to be confused with Boston College, had done the same thing with their football program about a dozen years ago. http://boston.about.com/b/2009/11/23/northeastern-sacks-football-program.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

With less competition in the State of Massachusetts for recruits, Hofstra curtailing their football program about the same time period as well, they may have thought they could have pooled resources enough to being competitive. Hence, balancing revenues with the cost factor. I mean, doesn't an FBS team have to go at least 6 - 6 to being eligible for a Bowl Game? Of course, with what happened to Connecticut with their finances it seems the only Bowl Games worth anything these days is a BCS Game. That way, a school might just make a profit in being FBS. Otherwise?

 

[GrizLA]

I seriously doubt the opening home game at UM playing a New Mexico or NE Louisiana after "moving up" would draw the anticipation and eagerness and the enthusiastic spirit of opening against App State in their last year of FCS football.

 

[ordigger]

What a major league and disastrous blunder by UMass. Huge financial problems too. They may have ruined UMass football. Maybe something will occur to improve their prospects. What were they thinking?

It's unfortunate, but could the Univ. of Massachusetts been thinking that they could have been at least somewhat successful since the Northeastern Huskies had given up on their football program on 20 November 2009?...this a dozen years after Boston University, not to be confused with Boston College, had done the same thing with their football program about a dozen years ago. http://boston.about.com/b/2009/11/23/northeastern-sacks-football-program.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

With less competition in the State of Massachusetts for recruits, Hofstra curtailing their football program about the same time period as well, they may have thought they could have pooled resources enough to being competitive. Hence, balancing revenues with the cost factor. I mean, doesn't an FBS team have to go at least 6 - 6 to being eligible for a Bowl Game? Of course, with what happened to Connecticut with their finances it seems the only Bowl Games worth anything these days is a BCS Game. That way, a school might just make a profit in being FBS. Otherwise?

Internally the thought has been that it would take 3-5 years to be competitive. Some of their other programs (ie men's basketball) already perform at an upper level. As I mentioned before, the excitement of moving up, has been greatly diminished by the downfall of the Big East, and the chance to develop those "rivalries" with BC, and UConn.

From my experiences hockey seems to as big if not bigger than football among many in Massachusetts. No numbers to support, just among family and friends.

 

[NorthwestFresh]

I seriously doubt the opening home game at UM playing a New Mexico or NE Louisiana after "moving up" would draw the anticipation and eagerness and the enthusiastic spirit of opening against App State in their last year of FCS football.

UMont most likely won't be playing the opening weekend at home if the Griz move up to the FBS level. More likely is a game at a Washington, and then another road game against a Boise State. The 'home' game would be against a FCS team.

 

[DuCharme]

...where it is usually played versus where it is usually played.

Huh? oke:

 

[BigPawzSharpClawz]

I have said it before & will continue to beat the "DONT DO IT" drum! Once more time for the slow learners. We are in the position to run the FCS kingdom for decades to come. Went through this before as a player myself. Bad move then...still bad move now!

Fools Gold Folks...straight pyrite.

+1, a thousand times over!

Papa is right, Moving up is foolish.

 

[kemajic]

I have said it before & will continue to beat the "DONT DO IT" drum! Once more time for the slow learners. We are in the position to run the FCS kingdom for decades to come. Went through this before as a player myself. Bad move then...still bad move now!

Fools Gold Folks...straight pyrite.

The FCS kingdom? What are you on?

 

[kemajic]

I seriously doubt the opening home game at UM playing a New Mexico or NE Louisiana after "moving up" would draw the anticipation and eagerness and the enthusiastic spirit of opening against App State in their last year of FCS football.

Probably true, but compare instead to the opening days with Ft. Lewis, Western St. and Eastern New Mexico.

 

[kemajic]

I was just in Amherst (visiting my daughter's family in adjacent Hadley). I talked to several UMass fans both on campus and in the saloons/restaurants. Easy to do when your maroon UM cap is mistaken for UMass. Consistently they said the classification move had nothing to do with their dip in support. It was totally the insane scenario of having their home games at the opposite end of the state. Had they stayed in FCS and kept their old rivals, but played their games in Foxboro, there would have been the same dip. I did not hear anyone express interest in returning to FCS, only impatience in getting the on-campus stadium up and running.

 

[AZGrizFan]

I seriously doubt the opening home game at UM playing a New Mexico or NE Louisiana after "moving up" would draw the anticipation and eagerness and the enthusiastic spirit of opening against App State in their last year of FCS football.

:lol: :lol: :lol:
You act as if our non-conference home games ALWAYS start with a game the level of App State. :roll:

 

[grizpsych]

...where it is usually played versus where it is usually played.

Huh? oke:

You missed a few words from the first clause (two hours from...). Put them on the beginning of the quote and it will make sense. :thumb:

 

[GrizPony]

I seriously doubt the opening home game at UM playing a New Mexico or NE Louisiana after "moving up" would draw the anticipation and eagerness and the enthusiastic spirit of opening against App State in their last year of FCS football.

Probably true, but compare instead to the opening days with Ft. Lewis, Western St. and Eastern New Mexico.

No one likes those games, but the stadium is filled at prices higher than most FBS teams charge. No one we schedule is going to make us more money so the extra money for FBS has to come from boosters. Who here thinks Engstrom has the support of our boosters right now? Shit we are down 800 students, and going to lose more this semester. Are you move-up guys Keynesian thinkers?

 

[NewPapaBear]

I have said it before & will continue to beat the "DONT DO IT" drum! Once more time for the slow learners. We are in the position to run the FCS kingdom for decades to come. Went through this before as a player myself. Bad move then...still bad move now!

Fools Gold Folks...straight pyrite.

The FCS kingdom? What are you on?

Respectfully, none of this is about being correct for me (personally)...It's about having a deep comprehension of the current & every evolving culture in college football. But I do have a 25+ year I.V. drip of experience in my right arm & a refillable lifetime Rx for sports fiscal common sense, sir.

I do not have the lineage that many of you have to Montana Football. However, I can guarantee you this, you wont be nearly as geeked out about future seasons of football if "we" move up & regularly average 7/8 wins per year with regular trips to the Fish Fry Bowl as a member of the MWC or WAC!

Playing for legit conference championships & a true shot at the 'ship every year will be a thing of days past. Strong & capable recruits will all but disappear. Plus, we could kiss these stellar drop down guys bye-bye for good my friend!

 

[Kokanee]

I have said it before & will continue to beat the "DONT DO IT" drum! Once more time for the slow learners. We are in the position to run the FCS kingdom for decades to come. Went through this before as a player myself. Bad move then...still bad move now!

Fools Gold Folks...straight pyrite.

The FCS kingdom? What are you on?

Respectfully, none of this is about being correct for me (personally)...It's about having a deep comprehension of the current & every evolving culture in college football. But I do have a 25+ year I.V. drip of experience in my right arm & a refillable lifetime Rx for sports fiscal common sense, sir.

I do not have the lineage that many of you have to Montana Football. However, I can guarantee you this, you wont be nearly as geeked out about future seasons of football if "we" move up & regularly average 7/8 wins per year with regular trips to the Fish Fry Bowl as a member of the MWC or WAC!

Playing for legit conference championships & a true shot at the 'ship every year will be a thing of days past. Strong & capable recruits will all but disappear. Plus, we could kiss these stellar drop down guys bye-bye for good my friend!

Playing for a legit conference championship is already gone. We dont even play everyone in the conference. Some teams have easy conference scheds some are hard. The Big Sky is a joke, I for one would be way more jacked to see MWC teams coming to town.

 

[Silvertip]

NOBODY SHOULD EVER MOVE UP...and if you're already up then you need to move down...

That statement is about as nonsensical as the arguments already seen here. UMass is nothing more than a straw man to bolster the Flat Earth crowd's lame argument ...nothing more...(BTW, how has the thread progressed this far without a mention of Idaho...oh oh I just did)

 

[GrizPony]

NOBODY SHOULD EVER MOVE UP...and if you're already up then you need to move down...

That statement is about as nonsensical as the arguments already seen here. UMass is nothing more than a straw man to bolster the Flat Earth crowd's lame argument ...nothing more...(BTW, how has the thread progressed this far without a mention of Idaho...oh oh I just did)

I would be curious if you think that Engstrom, even if he did pursue it now, has the support of enough boosters to generate the revenue needed to move up. Even if it was a good idea, which I don't think it is, I don't think the timing is right given where we are after the last three years, do you?

 

[AllWeatherFan]

"Move up versus stay put" isn't even the question. The question is, move up to what conference?