Ivy League Question

[Model Citizen]

I was watching the LSU game Saturday night on CBS. The score ticker showed the usual I-A stuff, plus Ivy League scores.

My question is not why they didn't show other I-AA scores, but rather why they showed the Ivy scores at all. Did the network think the audience watching LSU and Florida would be interested? Does CBS think the Ivy is the top league in I-AA?

My theory is there are a lot of Ivy Leaguers at CBS. Also, perhaps the Ivy is still considered quasi I-A to some people, since the Ivy never, ever bought into the I-AA concept. Any thoughts?

[Franks Tanks]

I was watching the LSU game Saturday night on CBS. The score ticker showed the usual I-A stuff, plus Ivy League scores.

My question is not why they didn't show other I-AA scores, but rather why they showed the Ivy scores at all. Did the network think the audience watching LSU and Florida would be interested? Does CBS think the Ivy is the top league in I-AA?

My theory is there are a lot of Ivy Leaguers at CBS. Also, perhaps the Ivy is still considered quasi I-A to some people, since the Ivy never, ever bought into the I-AA concept. Any thoughts?

Its part tradition, and like you said I believe that many CBS execs are probably Ivy alums and think that since they care other people must care as well.

[OL FU]

I was watching the LSU game Saturday night on CBS. The score ticker showed the usual I-A stuff, plus Ivy League scores.

My question is not why they didn't show other I-AA scores, but rather why they showed the Ivy scores at all. Did the network think the audience watching LSU and Florida would be interested? Does CBS think the Ivy is the top league in I-AA?

My theory is there are a lot of Ivy Leaguers at CBS. Also, perhaps the Ivy is still considered quasi I-A to some people, since the Ivy never, ever bought into the I-AA concept. Any thoughts?

I would be interestedxnodx

[DFW HOYA]

Ivy football has always enjoyed a special place in media coverage--the local Dallas newspaper still lists the Ivies in the "major college" schedule tables every week, but no other I-AA teams. No Ivy school has played football within 1000 miles of Texas.

Since this is an ongoing thing, I've got to think it's not just some gray-haired copy editor who remembered the weekly ABC college scoreboard show where Dave Diles would start with: "We begin with scores from the Ivy League..."

People simply know who Ivy schools are--less so who's in the Colonial or Big Sky or Southland. The LA Times needled Penn by placing the Quakers in their national "Bottom 10" last week, but probably doesn't even know the team who Penn beat last week.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I think one this to remember here is that the Ivies recruit nationally, and therefore are different than most FCS schools that are somewhat regional in nature. For example, Princeton got a kid from Hawai'i last year or this year, and historically H-Y-P recruit in all 50 states.

You are right that the "powers that be" at CBS probably involve a certain number of proud Ivy alums, but I think that there is more interest nationally about Ivy League schools since there is a good chance that there are alums in all 50 states that would care.

Don't forget too the cachet of the "old guard" who remember when Yale, Princeton and Harvard were Top 25 teams on the national level.

[Model Citizen]

I doubt many people notice where the Ivies recruit. They certainly don't play a national schedule.

It's great that a few of them have played in California. When was the last time an Ivy scheduled a game in Florida? Missouri? Texas? Colorado?

[carney2]

As others have said or hinted at, most of the network bigwigs and their wealthy New York friends are Ivy League grads. It comes down to giving the people with the big checkbooks what they want, or, more likely, what they think they deserve. Frankly, it's a tradition whose time has passed.

[letsgopards04]

This is interesting because the ESPNs all show a good majority, if not all, of 1-AA scores.

[ch0306]

My guess is that Ivy scores are shown for a variety of reasons: first, there's a tradition of showing their scores, and many traditions continue unexamined; second, as several have mentioned, there are Ivy grads all across the country; third, football began in the Ivy League, so there's a historical angle; fourth, the Ivy schools are the best known of all FCS schools -- indeed, they're better known nationally than many of the FBS schools -- who hasn't heard of Harvard?; but quality of football has nothing to do with it.

[Cleets]

As others have said or hinted at, most of the network bigwigs and their wealthy New York friends are Ivy League grads. It comes down to giving the people with the big checkbooks what they want, or, more likely, what they think they deserve. Frankly, it's a tradition whose time has passed.

Bingo..!!! xnodx

[Franks Tanks]

I doubt many people notice where the Ivies recruit. They certainly don't play a national schedule.

It's great that a few of them have played in California. When was the last time an Ivy scheduled a game in Florida? Missouri? Texas? Colorado?

What schools in these states are the Ivies supposed to schedule? Northern Colorado, Florida A&M, SE MO St? I can see them scheduling other private or academically selective Southern schools like Richmond, William & Mary, Furman, and Wofford, and am actually surprised they dont do it.

[Cleets]

What schools in these states are the Ivies supposed to schedule? Northern Colorado, Florida A&M, SE MO St? I can see them scheduling other private or academically selective Southern schools like Richmond, William & Mary, Furman, and Wofford, and am actually surprised they dont do it.

Furman Wofford and the like are a little too much for Ivy football (in my opinion)

There are years when an Ivy team could compete but it's so random it's dangerous...

[Franks Tanks]

Furman Wofford and the like are a little too much for Ivy football (in my opinion)

There are years when an Ivy team could compete but it's so random it's dangerous...


I hear ya Cleets, but I think in most years the best of the Ivy could at least compete against the schools mentioned above. Maybe the Ivy wins 1/4 but it will be pretty close. For example Lafayette beat Richmond in both 2004 and 2005-- and lost to both Harvard and Princeton each year. Also I know this was a while ago but Lehigh beat up on Wofford the last two times they played-in 1998 it was Lehigh 26-0 and in 2000 it was Lehigh 34-14. I am not aware of any other recent Patriot League matchups of the above schools except for Richmond and Bucknell this year, but Bucknell isnt a very good team lately.

[terrierbob]

My guess is that Ivy scores are shown for a variety of reasons: first, there's a tradition of showing their scores, and many traditions continue unexamined; second, as several have mentioned, there are Ivy grads all across the country; third, football began in the Ivy League, so there's a historical angle; fourth, the Ivy schools are the best known of all FCS schools -- indeed, they're better known nationally than many of the FBS schools -- who hasn't heard of Harvard?; but quality of football has nothing to do with it.

Masterly use of the semicolon. You must be an Ivy. xpeacex

[Cleets]

The TANK is a well spoken man.... xnodx

[Model Citizen]

What schools in these states are the Ivies supposed to schedule? Northern Colorado, Florida A&M, SE MO St? I can see them scheduling other private or academically selective Southern schools like Richmond, William & Mary, Furman, and Wofford, and am actually surprised they dont do it.

If we're restricting their choices to private schools, Jacksonville would be the one in Florida. In the past, when the Dolphins have needed a bigger stadium, they've gone to Disney.

For the midwest, why not take a cue from the black college "classics" and hit the road with another Ivy? Miss. Valley St. played Southern in Chicago this year...so how about Princeton v. Yale? Or maybe an Ivy against Drake and their 40 Chicago area players....

I'm sure DFW HOYA has an idea on a Texas game. xrotatehx

What gets me is hearing Ivy Leaguers claim a national schedule because they took a bus ride to Virginia. xrolleyesx

[DFW HOYA]

When was the last time an Ivy scheduled a game in Florida? Missouri? Texas? Colorado?

Florida? None. There is only one I-AA/FCS school there (Jax).

Missouri? None. There are only two I-AA schools there (Missouri State, SEMO)

Texas? None. There are only five I-AA schools here (SFA, Texas State, Sam Houston, Texas Southern, PV A&M)

Colorado? None. There is one I-AA school there. (Northern Colorado)

As opposed to, say...

Pennsylvania? There are nine I-AA schools, all of which are a lot closer to these campuses.

[Franks Tanks]

If we're restricting their choices to private schools, Jacksonville would be the one in Florida. In the past, when the Dolphins have needed a bigger stadium, they've gone to Disney.

For the other states, why not take a cue from the black college "classics" and hit the road with another Ivy? Miss. Valley St. played Southern in Chicago this year...so how about Princeton v. Yale? Or maybe an Ivy against Drake and their 40 Chicago area players....

I'm sure DFW HOYA has an idea on a Texas game. xrotatehx

What gets me is hearing Ivy Leaguers claim a national schedule because they took a bus ride to Virginia. xrolleyesx

You make some good points, I just think there isnt a natural partner to play outside of some of the schools I mentioned above. An Ivy HBCU classic type game is interesting, but I dont think it will fly. The Ivy teams only play 10 games a year the way it is, and I doubt teams will want to give up a home game. Also the HBCU's need those nuetral site classic games for money, the Ivies not so much. While im still a little iffy on who exactly the Ivies and even patriot league teams shoudl schedule. I would like to see both leagues keep traditional rivals, but at least have one non-traditional team once per year. Just look of course at how much attention and excitement Princeton/Hampton brought.

[Franks Tanks]

The TANK is a well spoken man.... xnodx

Thank you Sir, I guess it comes from 8-10 hours of spin, sugar coating, and damage control every day.

[flyenhigh]

It is the Ivies man-

- history
- tradition
- power
- respect
- academic excellence
- solid football

The I V Y League enough saidxrotatehx

[flyenhigh]

"As others have said or hinted at, most of the network bigwigs and their wealthy New York friends are Ivy League grads. It comes down to giving the people with the big checkbooks what they want, or, more likely, what they think they deserve. Frankly, it's a tradition whose time has passed."

Frankly, it has NOthing to do with the bigwigs wanting to post those scores...ya hear me....n o t h i n g.

[TexasTerror]

Last I checked...

Harvard was 2-0 against Florida, 2-0 against Indiana, 2-0 against North Carolina, 3-0-2 against Penn St, 1-0 against Texas and 8-1 against Virginia... :)

Granted, none of those games took place before 1950, but hey... ;)

[Pard4Life]

Penn' schedule in 1950 or so was: North Carolina, Navy, Army, California, Notre Dame, Michigan, Lafayette (the 'gimme game'), West Virginia..

..talk about murder..

[YaleFootballFan]

I doubt many people notice where the Ivies recruit. They certainly don't play a national schedule.

It's great that a few of them have played in California. When was the last time an Ivy scheduled a game in Florida? Missouri? Texas? Colorado?

Yale was the last Ivy team to play in Florida:

1993 at the University of Central Florida (UCF 42, Yale 28)

[JoltinJoe]

Thank you Sir, I guess it comes from 8-10 hours of spin, sugar coating, and damage control every day.

Oh, so you're married? xnodx

[VT Wildcat Fan53]

Ivy grads in executive positions at the networks, 'nough said, ....