Moving fm I-AA to I-A.. another perspective

[GrizzlyEdd]

Posted by "grizathreat" on egriz.com

Take us back to the glory days of I-AA football
JOE SANTORO RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
Posted: 9/3/2005 10:33 pm

The Wolf Pack football team cannot win a national championship.
Ever. Not now. Not next year. Not in 2010. Not ever.
The Pack can win all 11 of its games this season, finish first in the Western Athletic Conference, win its bowl game, earn the title “Biggest Little Team in the West,” send a half-dozen seniors to those goofy all-star games and even get a handful of Top 25 sympathy votes.
And it still can’t win a national title.
Such is the life of an unknown school from an insignificant football conference that plays many of its games on Saturday night when the bulk of the country is asleep. This is not Nevada’s fault. Most of the country suffers the same fate in the wonderful world that is big-time, ESPN college football.
Ah, but it wasn’t always this way. The Wolf Pack used to play meaningful football games at Mackay Stadium. It used to fill our Saturday afternoons with incredible memories and legends.
Frank Hawkins scoring in the final minute to force overtime against Eastern Kentucky. Tony Zendejas kicking an overtime field goal to beat North Texas. Blocking an extra point to beat Arkansas State by one. Chris Vargas finding Ross Ortega for a touchdown and Joe King for the 2-point conversion with 16 seconds to play to force overtime against Furman. Outlasting Boise State in triple overtime in what just might be the greatest game in Mackay Stadium history.
All of those games happened in the playoffs. Yes, the playoffs. You remember the playoffs, don’t you, Pack fans? If not, go ask your older brother or your dad. They will entertain you with stories of amazement, of incredible tales of human struggle and accomplishment.
It was called Division I-AA football. Every week was filled with endless possibilities. To be the best in the land was the goal. If you won one triple-overtime thriller you had to do it again the next week. And, if you were lucky, it all ended in a national championship game.
Can we go back? Please? This I-A experiment just isn’t working for football. Oh, sure, the basketball team can go to the NCAA Tournament, win a game or two, and give us a thrill every March. But that can’t happen in I-A football.
One reason is that it is easier to build a winner in basketball. You just need two or three guys with legitimate talent surrounded by a bunch of hard-working role players that listen to the coach. And, faster than you can say Mark Fox, you have a winner.
The second reason is that I-A football has no tournament. No Cinderella stories. No teams that come out of nowhere to capture our imaginations. Division I-A football is just a bunch of rich guys throwing season-ending parties. In I-A football, Cinderella has to drive up to the dance in a $50,000 Hummer before they let her in. When you drive up in the WAC Toyota, they send you to the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise.
Is playing another game in Boise at the end of the year enough of a reward? There is only one college football bowl game that means anything. And the last time we checked ESPN’s schedule, they don’t play that game in Boise.
Football, WAC style, is nothing more than a way to pay for swimming, volleyball, golf, skiing, rifle, tennis and track. That is all well and good. We all have to pay bills. And the Pack will be paying its bills in a few years by going to Nebraska, Arizona State and Florida State.
You can still play those teams if you are I-AA. You can still take on UNLV. You can still play the role of little Nevada knocking off a big, bad Pac-10 team. And after that little fun is over in mid-September, you can get back to the business of winning a I-AA national championship.
Tone down the football program a notch. Pump that extra money into the men’s basketball and baseball programs. Turn yourself into a I-AA football superpower.
Again.
We need more magical Saturday afternoons to amaze our grandchildren.

[citdog]

Excellent article, will never happen but at least ONE writer doesn't have his head where his hindquarters ought to be.

[polsongrizz]

I love that article... :nod:

[bobcatfan06]

Exactly. Now if we could only get the rest of the country to read this.

[OL FU]

The writer understands what I-AA is about. No criticism to schools moving or contemplating the move, but if you don't have a plan to get to a BCS conference in 15-20 years, you should reconsider the decision to go I-A. IMHO.

[colgate13]

Division I-A football is just a bunch of rich guys throwing season-ending parties.

Quote of the day! :hurray:

[Proud Griz Man]

Given that article, Today could be the happiest day in Ralph's life. :D

[citdog]

Or make his sticker peck up!

[blukeys]

A reporter for an I-A school who actually know what the I-AA experience is about. I must be dreaming. ;) ;) ;)

[mlbowl]

Outstanding article :nod:

[youwouldno]

Obviously a great article.

Think of how many more, particularly as a %, I-AA teams can start the season and say "we can win a National Championship." Maybe it's wishful thinking, maybe it will take a lot of good fortune, but they could. How many I-A teams can say the same?

I mean, your players sacrifice, your coaches sacrifice, all kinds of money is spent, and for many teams that's a chance at the Continental Tire Bowl or something (if they're lucky). Sure, there are a couple rivalry games most teams have... but the rest of the season is a waste for many programs.

[bison95]

:bow: :bow: :bow:

I never understood how going 6-5 needed a reward. Definately a reason for the rich alum to get together, have a party and sit and talk about the stock market while their team plays. Push more and more money into a program, take seats away from the students, so a bunch of retired folks can bitch all game long because they play that jungle music, and the guy in front is always standing up, cheering, and saying these crazy things, like touch.... down?

[grizatheart]

Thanks for sharing!!!

[Keydet90]

Great article. Perhaps if it circulates some school administrators from the lower 1/4 of I-A will start looking at returning to their I-AA roots. When the BCS breaks away from the NCAA and takes a handful of top schools from the non-BCS I-A conferences with them I think we may see a scenario where the bottom half of today's I-A merges with the 140 odd I-AA teams to form a new NCAA D-I league. The handwriting is on the wall and you can bet the Nevada's, North Texas', Temple's, Buffalo's and Boise State's of the world will not be among those invited to the party.

DP '90

[Black and Gold Express]

Keep dreaming that this will affect even one current I-A program. Until I-AA gets gains in exposure in both national print and television media, and successfully removes it's "second class, second rate" appearance to fans of I-A, this will never happen.

Only a school that wants a mutiny of it's wealthiest alumni would think of it. Which would be committing political suicide.

Keydet90 brings a well-needed dose of reality to this by offering the only plausible scenario to make this happen - the breaking away of the BCS schools. Which, as long as the NCAA has the chips on the table of taking away their participation in the NCAA basketball tourney, ain't going to happen anytime soon.

[youwouldno]

The conference realignments make it more likely. Only 6 of 11 I-A conferences have any hope of producing a national champion and that number isn't going up (though it's hard for it to drop, unless the Big East blows up). The I-AA ratio is not worlds better, but because of the playoff system at least teams from more conferences have a legitimate, on-the-field shot.

In theory, the "have nots" have the numbers, in terms of Division I schools, which opens the door to some kind of positive reform. Given the money involved, there really should be greater revenue-sharing on a Division-wide basis, rather than using the money to further enrich already rich conferences. It's done in the pro leagues, and the difference for college athletics is that the athletes get no money or say... which means there is no impediment to reform except the NCAA itself.

[OL FU]

Keep dreaming that this will affect even one current I-A program. Until I-AA gets gains in exposure in both national print and television media, and successfully removes it's "second class, second rate" appearance to fans of I-A, this will never happen.

Only a school that wants a mutiny of it's wealthiest alumni would think of it. Which would be committing political suicide.

Keydet90 brings a well-needed dose of reality to this by offering the only plausible scenario to make this happen - the breaking away of the BCS schools. Which, as long as the NCAA has the chips on the table of taking away their participation in the NCAA basketball tourney, ain't going to happen anytime soon.

I agree it will not have an impact on current I-A teams. My perspective is skewed since I support a team that would not make the move up. I do remember pre I-AA for Furman when the SoCon was I-A and earlier when there was not a I-AA. We were looked at for a bowl (I don't even remember which one) in the early 80's or maybe it was the late 70's. But from this fan's perspective, it is much more exciting when you know there is something to play for after the 11th game. If a I-AA school thinks at some point they can draw 35,000 plus fans and create some real excitement in the fan base, I say go for it. But without that, it is hard to understand why a school would make the move unless it is for other sports in particular basketball. However, I will say again that my perspective is based upon the school I support and as a fan, not an athletic or fundraising director.

[arkstfan]

Once upon a time there could be Cinderellas in I-A or before that just plain ol Division I.

Back in the days of the dinosaurs there were about 24 bowl slots to play for and only about a third of them tied to any conference. There was no such thing as a second place team being assured a bowl spot, much less an 8th place team.

Now there are 56 slots and if everyone wins enough to honor their contracts only the BCS "title" game isn't locked into which two leagues will play.

[Black and Gold Express]

The conference realignments make it more likely. Only 6 of 11 I-A conferences have any hope of producing a national champion and that number isn't going up (though it's hard for it to drop, unless the Big East blows up). The I-AA ratio is not worlds better, but because of the playoff system at least teams from more conferences have a legitimate, on-the-field shot.

In theory, the "have nots" have the numbers, in terms of Division I schools, which opens the door to some kind of positive reform. Given the money involved, there really should be greater revenue-sharing on a Division-wide basis, rather than using the money to further enrich already rich conferences. It's done in the pro leagues, and the difference for college athletics is that the athletes get no money or say... which means there is no impediment to reform except the NCAA itself.

The "have nots" may have the numbers, but the "haves" have the money. In this game, the "haves" win going away.

And if you want to ensure that the scenario of the BCS schools going their own way happens, just try and force them to share that Money Pie more than they reluctantly are right now.

It's not that I don't agree with you that revenue sharing would be a good thing. I just think it's more likely we'll have a colony on Mars first before we'll see the BCS conferences agree to any revenue sharing. That will never happen.

[Mr. C]

The whole point of this excellent article is that there is little tangible to be gained for I-AA teams moving to I-A. In a lot of ways, you will receive less attention as a lower rung I-A than you would as a I-AA. When was the last time you heard diddly-squat about Nevada? When was the last time the Wolfpack had a television game, or an All-American? Marshall and Boise State have made minor in-roads and can get ranked in the top-25, or go to a bowl game. That's about it. Troy State played in a very poor excuse of a bowl game last year. UConn has had about the same success. Idaho had one good I-A season before falling off the planet. All other teams that have made the I-AA to I-A jump are basically dregs as this point. The chances of getting a truly big-time program to play in your home stadium might happen once every 10 years. And you want to spend how much more money to do all of this? I'll take the excitement of I-AA and its playoffs any day over that.

[IaaScribe]

Connecticut and South Florida are the only I-AA to I-As that have much chance of success, and that's only because they landed in a conference with a BCS bid. Those big six conference are probably closed for the forseeable future. That's the only reason to move, IMHO.

[blukeys]

Connecticut and South Florida are the only I-AA to I-As that have much chance of success, and that's only because they landed in a conference with a BCS bid. Those big six conference are probably closed for the forseeable future. That's the only reason to move, IMHO.

That and UConn and South Florida have huge population bases in which to develop fans. In the case of UConn it is about 10 million. :) :)

[youwouldno]

Well UConn was already in the Big East, so they don't even really count IMO... no current I-AA team is in that situation.

Boise is the closest to a success... but at the end of the day, what good is a national ranking if you can't win the championship? The reality is also that going I-A hasn't made every program a lot better, it's just given them more scholarship spots and some more money. Boise got spanked much worse by Georgia than GSU did, and GSU played a better Georgia team in 2004.

[Tribefan]

As far as attendance goes, as of last thursday, UCONN had sold 32,000 season tickets. That's pretty good considering their stadium currently only holds 40,000. The game against Buffalo was a sellout. Crap, the game against Liberty will sell out.

I agree though, there is little value for a team to move to I-A if it's not going to a BCS conference.

[JALMOND]

Great article and something I will keep in mind whenever talk comes around of PSU going to the WAC.

Last year, Utah put together the perfect season, but being that they did not play in a BCS conference, they were automatically eliminated from any consideration for playing USC in the national title game. They, instead, were sent to one of the BCS supporting games and were told to enjoy the fact that they "crashed" the BCS party. Is this all that non-BCS schools can expect? I'll give the 1-A's the fact that, most years the BCS conferences will win the national championship, but those years that a non-BCS team has a year like Utah, I say give them a chance.

If that is all the non-BCS teams can expect, why not stay in 1-AA?

[putter]

If you are pushing so hard for I-A, look at your basketball team. What makes a successful year? Look at the Big Sky, we play for our conference championship and make it to the dance (bowl game) We get paired with a #1, #2, or #3 seed and go home. The football equivalent? Try to go 6-5 and make it to the Tampax, pull the string, Bowl Game where it costs you $200,000 to go to. Whoopeee!!

[WUTNDITWAA]

If you are pushing so hard for I-A, look at your basketball team. What makes a successful year? Look at the Big Sky, we play for our conference championship and make it to the dance (bowl game) We get paired with a #1, #2, or #3 seed and go home. The football equivalent? Try to go 6-5 and make it to the Tampax, pull the string, Bowl Game where it costs you $200,000 to go to. Whoopeee!!

But how many wined and dined drunk alumni opened their checkbooks at that bowl game? And for how much? It's not like 1-AA teams are making money when they go to the playoffs. Yeah, they get to play for a national title, but in the end, only one team gets the prize.

In the 1-AA system every team (worthy of going to the playoffs) but one ends the season with a loss. As rabid as some schools are, there would be twice, maybe three times the number of "former 1-A head coaches" each season than there are now. Then how much money is the school out?

I'm sure the folks at Boise State are really missing that $200,000. That's a mighty cheap ad campaign.

We're beating a dead horse again. It's just, this time, it was the other side that decided to pull out the whip. :deadhorse

Besides, think of the savings a school could reap with all those free tampons. Then they could put them in the machines in the dorms and make a dollar off each one. :D

[ccd494]

Well UConn was already in the Big East, so they don't even really count IMO... no current I-AA team is in that situation.


Well, technically this would include Villanova.

[Lumberjacks76]

I just received an email from the Mayor of Flagstaff,
Joe Donaldson. He said he would be very supportive of
a move to Division I-A (through an endowment) if the
NAU President and Director James Fallis were also
behind it as well. It seems that he really believes in
NAU and wants this university to succeed.

Paul

[IaaScribe]

Joe Donaldson is an idiot. That's all I have to say on him.