UMass FB experiment

[Vowelguy]

Continues to go down the crapper.

Lost 24-14 to Maine today.
Attendance: 15,600

 

[junglehusky]

Butch thinks they're neat.

 

[formerlurker]

Butch thinks they're neat.

 

[whaler11]

It's like having Tulane right down the street without voodoo and hurricanes.

 

[Dooley]

I wonder if this will lead to another political vote to dissolve FBS football.

 

[TRest]

I wonder if this will lead to another political vote to dissolve FBS football.

Now that I feel qualified to judge disasters after the Towson game, that is a disaster for UMass. They have to create separation from where they used to be, something we managed to do fairly quickly.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

News articles suggest the favored Black Bears easily could have beaten the Minutemen by a larger score, Maine took their paws off the pedal, and about 3-4K Black Bears' fans were at Gillette. It doesn't speak we'll for the anticipated Mess, but most UCONN students, alumni, and other fans should rightfully be looking forward more to next Saturday's (better?) performance and hopefully the Huskies defeating Maryland. Priorities!

 

[RioDog]

I watched some of the game. UMass was hapless. Maine looked good- they might have beaten us last Thursday as well. Commentators mentioned the UConn loss to Towson and how the CAA is the best FCS conference by far (CAA- is that right?).

 

[noeynox]

Back when we were in bcs league I wanted to see umass do well. Now, not so much. Would rather not have them competing for recruits input area.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Back when we were in bcs league I wanted to see umass do well. Now, not so much. Would rather not have them competing for recruits input area.

Yeah, being one of only three northern schools in a southern mid-major conference is going to work out great for us.

UMass being good helps overall interest in football in the northeast. Worrying about competing for recruits is a ridiculous.

 

[noeynox]

Whatever. It doesn't seem to working for them. Its not the results, its just that they are having trouble drumming up interest. Look in an ideal world I'd like to see both them and Delaware upgrade, be competitive and possibly be in a conference with UConn. Doesn't look to be in the cards so ... Whatever. Should have upgraded when we did, and we should have upgraded sooner.

 

[Adios]

Butch thinks they're neat.

Pass the pipe. That would be neat.

They should have stayed in Amherst.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Back when we were in bcs league I wanted to see umass do well. Now, not so much. Would rather not have them competing for recruits input area.

Said that back a few years ago when fans were calling for this new rivalry. UConn has its hands full recruiting in this area with only BC as the other New England D-1 school. Don't need the pie cut up any further.

 

[IMind]

It's like having Tulane right down the street without voodoo and hurricanes.

Yup... that's all New Orleans has over Amherst... voodoo and hurricanes...

This is a road trip I'm looking forward too...

 

[IMind]

UMass going FBS makes sense... with an on campus football stadium... heck even one 20 minutes off campus would make sense.

One two hours away... not so much. It's like the got together in a room and said: "How can we absolutely create a situation where we are completely guaranteed to fail? Let's do it!"

The FBS version of UMass is worse than the FCS version.

 

[freescooter]

I've said before that UMass 's mistake is trying to play in Foxboro. It is 2 1/2 housrs or more form campus. What they need to be doing is marketing the program to current students, and Worcester to Springfield. Yes there are many alums in the Boston area but they have no history with big time football. UMass football means bupkus to people who gaduated in 1993. They need to building a base with their current students so that in 5 years they will be supporters. Playing 125 mile from campus doesn't do that. they want to play a game or 2 in Foxborough, have at it, but most should be on campus.

The other thing that actually hurts them is that unlike UConn that played 2 seasons as "transitional" 1A, and then another 2 season as an independent they jumped right in. go back and look at our 2000 and 2001 seasons. We got absolutely shelled by Middle Tennessee. Lost to URI and Northeastern. Lot to Eastern Washington. A horrible Temple team beat us 56-7. It really took us 2 1/2 seasons for things to start to click.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

In the early 2000’s, I caught a UConn v. Maine football game in Orono at Alfond Stadium, which is a good stadium for a FCS team. Heck, I’ve also been to a U Maine hockey game at Alford Arena, a Colby College hockey game at Alford Area, worked out at the Alfond YMCA in Waterville, and saw that U New England is getting a new area from Alford. I wish that UConn has an in-state supporter like that.

On a side note, while trying to remember all of the Alford athletic facilities out there, I saw that the Huskies of U Southern Maine got a new Husky logo, too. What does everyone thinks?

http://www.southernmainehuskies.com/

 

[ZooCougar]

How is our experiment going? I can't even begin to care about how UMass is doing right now.

 

[UConnJim]

UMass can succeed on a MAC scale when they start playing on campus. Get 15k to 20k in attendance, which is typical of MAC teams. It is hard to project a much greater fan base for UMass, which does limit their upside. Also, the MAC doesn't seem excited to have them for the long term as a football only, so they have some choices to make. They are going to either go all-in to the MAC or downgrade football. Their only hope to upgrade is to the AAC and I just don't see it.

 

[Waquoit]

What's happening there is a preview of what is going to happen here in the future. Just substitute UConn for UMass and hockey for football.

 

[huskymedic]

What's happening there is a preview of what is going to happen here in the future. Just substitute UConn for UMass and hockey for football.

What's your beef w/ UConn Hockey?

 

[uconnbill]

What's your beef w/ UConn Hockey?

My guess he knows nothing about hockey or very little. Some of the best hockey players come from the state and is a natural step up for the university

 

[DarthGrumpy]

If UConn administration/AD is serious about moving UConn hockey to an on-campus facility (hockey only 5K or a new basketball/hockey arena in the 12K rang, 5K for hockey), UConn hokey will be all right. If they are stuck for the long-term at the XL< then I agree that the move is doomed.

 

[freescooter]

Hockey is going to have a bit of a struggle if it gets relegated to the XL for a long period. But supposedly there will be a new or greatly upgraded Freitas on campus by 2016-17 in which case they will be fine. the level of competition is going way up next season, when it will be solid teams game in game out as opposed to the current conference which is catch as catch can with some pretty good teams, some pretty weak ones. As far as local kids playing, I'm not so sure about that. had occasion to speak with a Hockey East coach who was talking about the UConn upgrade a bit. He mentioned that he does lots of recruiting in Canada (UConn currently does little or none) because New England kids grew up wanting to go to BC, BU, UNH and Maine, not PC, UMass, etc. that will largely be the case with UConn too. We'll struggle to get the local kids who grew up following BC and BU while we were playing Sacred Heart and AIC and before that Division 3 opponents.

 

[Waquoit]

What's your beef w/ UConn Hockey?

Beef? I was drawing a comparision with UMass football. Both programs stepping up without acceptable on-campus facilities. UMass isn't getting expected fan support in their off-campus home and I doubt UConn will either.