JaxSinfonian
May 24th, 2005, 09:27 PM
Hey AGS'ers ...
AL.com, the combined website for three of the biggest newspapers in Alabama, has on online poll in its sports section asking if Auburn and Bama should play other state teams, specifically UAB, Troy, Jax State and Samford.
"Yes" votes will benefit a couple of upstart I-As here too, but I'm just glad the states main media outlets saw fit to mention the two OVC outposts. If I was an Alabama A&M or Alabama State fan, I'd sure be a little ticked, though.
"No" votes are leading about 60-40 right now.
Anyway, it sure would be nice if we could get a little help stuffing the ballot box there to show the BCS bigots what's what.
Vote, if you feel like it, at http://www.al.com/sports
This is likely born from a column in the Birmingham News last week by that paper's "state colleges" (i.e., everybody but UA, AU & UAB) writer. It's no longer in the AL.com archive, so I'll go ahead and post it here, if ya don't mind.
Georgia Tech to play Samford, Jacksonville State
Thursday, May 12, 2005
MIKE PERRIN
News staff writer
The athletics directors at Samford University and Jacksonville State still can't get a foot in the door at Bryant-Denny Stadium or Jordan-Hare, but their football teams are welcome in downtown Atlanta.
Georgia Tech has agreed to play Samford at Grant Field in 2006 and 2007 and Jax State in 2008 and 2009.
Neither Alabama nor Auburn has responded favorably to playing those Division I-AA teams, even after the NCAA agreed to a 12th college football game beginning in 2006. The NCAA will also allow victories over I-AA teams to count every year toward bowl eligibility. Previously, a I-AA victory only counted once every four years.
"I've tried - and I'm not through yet - to talk to Alabama and Auburn," said Jacksonville State AD Jim Fuller. "The more I say, the more they probably dislike it, but I don't really care. I've got to stand up for my program, and they have to for theirs.
"There are a lot of us out there who are less fortunate than some of the so-called big-time teams. Those so-called big-time teams were not always big-time. You have to work your way up, and that's what we're trying to do.
"They are going to fill their stadiums whether it's Jacksonville, Western Carolina or whoever."
Alabama AD Mal Moore said I-AA games are more likely now because of the bowl eligibility change, although he has not considered playing an in-state I-AA team.
"We haven't, mainly because it's just been within the past few weeks that it was ruled a I-AA game doesn't count against bowl eligibility," Moore said. "I think you will see that more and more with Division I schools selecting such games.
"Our schedule right now is set for the next two or three years. We are not in contact with any I-AA schools at this point. We are looking at other schools in anticipation of the 12th game."
Auburn Senior Associate Athletics Director Mark Richard said: "In this era, we really haven't looked at in-state teams."
Alabama and Auburn have paid guarantees of upwards of $400,000 to non-conference opponents in the past. Both teams played I-AA foes last season. Alabama demolished Western Carolina, and Auburn whipped The Citadel.
All the particulars are not yet finalized for the Georgia Tech games, but both Samford and JSU will receive more than $200,000 for each game and will keep all monies from their ticket sales.
Asked if Alabama's reluctance to play I-A UAB could be the reason Tide administrators aren't open to face in-state schools on the football field, former UA player and assistant coach Fuller said he believed that might be the case.
"Unless things have changed, it is (because of ) UAB, unless something has happened since I was there. Now, their ADs are no different than I am. They've got to make the decision on who they will play."
Samford Athletics Director Bob Roller, whose Bulldogs will play at Baylor this season, said last season's 28-7 loss at Georgia Tech was lucrative for his department's budget.
"Georgia Tech was a good experience for us," he said. "As I was leaving the field last fall, we were already talking about playing again.
"We will net well over 90 percent (of the pay out) on this trip. It's a bus ride and one night in a hotel. Imagine what we could net from $400,000-plus from Auburn or Alabama?
"An Auburn or Alabama game builds something," Roller said. "It's a brick-and-mortar game. Everything else (against a I-A team) is a budget game.
"There really isn't enough money for us in playing UAB or Troy. They are building their programs, and obviously their gate isn't there yet. I think it would be good to play them, but if you can only get one game, you've got to go for as many zeroes as you can."
Fuller praised Georgia Tech's Larry New, a senior associate director of athletics, for scheduling the games.
"This is really significant, particularly from where Georgia Tech is concerned. Not only for us, but for Samford, too, when we can't even get in a conversation with some of the D-1 schools in the state of Alabama," he said. "Tech is willing to jump out there and do it."
AL.com, the combined website for three of the biggest newspapers in Alabama, has on online poll in its sports section asking if Auburn and Bama should play other state teams, specifically UAB, Troy, Jax State and Samford.
"Yes" votes will benefit a couple of upstart I-As here too, but I'm just glad the states main media outlets saw fit to mention the two OVC outposts. If I was an Alabama A&M or Alabama State fan, I'd sure be a little ticked, though.
"No" votes are leading about 60-40 right now.
Anyway, it sure would be nice if we could get a little help stuffing the ballot box there to show the BCS bigots what's what.
Vote, if you feel like it, at http://www.al.com/sports
This is likely born from a column in the Birmingham News last week by that paper's "state colleges" (i.e., everybody but UA, AU & UAB) writer. It's no longer in the AL.com archive, so I'll go ahead and post it here, if ya don't mind.
Georgia Tech to play Samford, Jacksonville State
Thursday, May 12, 2005
MIKE PERRIN
News staff writer
The athletics directors at Samford University and Jacksonville State still can't get a foot in the door at Bryant-Denny Stadium or Jordan-Hare, but their football teams are welcome in downtown Atlanta.
Georgia Tech has agreed to play Samford at Grant Field in 2006 and 2007 and Jax State in 2008 and 2009.
Neither Alabama nor Auburn has responded favorably to playing those Division I-AA teams, even after the NCAA agreed to a 12th college football game beginning in 2006. The NCAA will also allow victories over I-AA teams to count every year toward bowl eligibility. Previously, a I-AA victory only counted once every four years.
"I've tried - and I'm not through yet - to talk to Alabama and Auburn," said Jacksonville State AD Jim Fuller. "The more I say, the more they probably dislike it, but I don't really care. I've got to stand up for my program, and they have to for theirs.
"There are a lot of us out there who are less fortunate than some of the so-called big-time teams. Those so-called big-time teams were not always big-time. You have to work your way up, and that's what we're trying to do.
"They are going to fill their stadiums whether it's Jacksonville, Western Carolina or whoever."
Alabama AD Mal Moore said I-AA games are more likely now because of the bowl eligibility change, although he has not considered playing an in-state I-AA team.
"We haven't, mainly because it's just been within the past few weeks that it was ruled a I-AA game doesn't count against bowl eligibility," Moore said. "I think you will see that more and more with Division I schools selecting such games.
"Our schedule right now is set for the next two or three years. We are not in contact with any I-AA schools at this point. We are looking at other schools in anticipation of the 12th game."
Auburn Senior Associate Athletics Director Mark Richard said: "In this era, we really haven't looked at in-state teams."
Alabama and Auburn have paid guarantees of upwards of $400,000 to non-conference opponents in the past. Both teams played I-AA foes last season. Alabama demolished Western Carolina, and Auburn whipped The Citadel.
All the particulars are not yet finalized for the Georgia Tech games, but both Samford and JSU will receive more than $200,000 for each game and will keep all monies from their ticket sales.
Asked if Alabama's reluctance to play I-A UAB could be the reason Tide administrators aren't open to face in-state schools on the football field, former UA player and assistant coach Fuller said he believed that might be the case.
"Unless things have changed, it is (because of ) UAB, unless something has happened since I was there. Now, their ADs are no different than I am. They've got to make the decision on who they will play."
Samford Athletics Director Bob Roller, whose Bulldogs will play at Baylor this season, said last season's 28-7 loss at Georgia Tech was lucrative for his department's budget.
"Georgia Tech was a good experience for us," he said. "As I was leaving the field last fall, we were already talking about playing again.
"We will net well over 90 percent (of the pay out) on this trip. It's a bus ride and one night in a hotel. Imagine what we could net from $400,000-plus from Auburn or Alabama?
"An Auburn or Alabama game builds something," Roller said. "It's a brick-and-mortar game. Everything else (against a I-A team) is a budget game.
"There really isn't enough money for us in playing UAB or Troy. They are building their programs, and obviously their gate isn't there yet. I think it would be good to play them, but if you can only get one game, you've got to go for as many zeroes as you can."
Fuller praised Georgia Tech's Larry New, a senior associate director of athletics, for scheduling the games.
"This is really significant, particularly from where Georgia Tech is concerned. Not only for us, but for Samford, too, when we can't even get in a conversation with some of the D-1 schools in the state of Alabama," he said. "Tech is willing to jump out there and do it."