Delaware St Fiasco

[ISUMatt]

Heard something interesting this weekend...Not only did DSU lose to Michigan, but they had to forfeit a game they were supposed to play, but dumped last second to play Michigan...Is this true? Wonder how their Conference feels about that kind of shenannigans

[UNHWildCats]

ya the drama played out for weeks. There was actually a very simple soloution to the scheduling issue that I emailed to the Delaware State athletic director... but oh well. Not like they were going anywhere this year.

[ISUMatt]

welcome back, I thought you had left for good

[WestCoastAggie]

Heard something interesting this weekend...Not only did DSU lose to Michigan, but they had to forfeit a game they were supposed to play, but dumped last second to play Michigan...Is this true? Wonder how their Conference feels about that kind of shenannigans

Well A&T gets a decent % of that $750,000 The Hornets received for that beat down in Ann Arbor and I believe have to pay the conference a fine as well.

And A&T had a well needed Bye week heading into their two "crucial" games in the season; Howard and Bethune Cookman (HOMECOMING!). We win these two games and we would be technically 6-3 and A&T would be VERY HAPPY! xwhistlex

[WestCoastAggie]

ya the drama played out for weeks. There was actually a very simple soloution to the scheduling issue that I emailed to the Delaware State athletic director... but oh well. Not like they were going anywhere this year.

What was the solution?

[DSUrocks07]

ya the drama played out for weeks. There was actually a very simple soloution to the scheduling issue that I emailed to the Delaware State athletic director... but oh well. Not like they were going anywhere this year.

Yeah we could of definitely worked something out where we wouldn't of HAD to forfeit, but NSU's president shot that idea down.

FTR I have the Norfolk State game circled on my calender for that very reason. They cost us over $200,000. xnonono2x

[DSUrocks07]

What was the solution?

If I remember correctly, he posted this in my thread from months ago.
DSU-NSU: Adventures in "Furmaning" (http://www.anygivensaturday.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58262&highlight=furmaning)


Little complicated but here goes...

Howard and Morgan State move their game from Oct 17 to Sep 5 and their byes from the 5th to the 17th.

A&T moves their game with NC Central from Oct 3 to Oct 24 and their game with Howard from the 24th to the recently vacated Oct 17.

Now A&T and Delaware State have the 3rd open, Central makes some friends in its future conference and Howard and Morgan State get away from the unfriendly opening week bye and get breaks mid season...

This is a win across the board.

I liked the idea and it would have been money well spent on our part. (Maybe $100,000 total)
The fact that the entire MEAC conference schedule is "set in stone" year in and year out is a bad idea. You have to be flexible in situations like this. We tried to make it work but the rest of the conference left us holding the bag...this won't be soon forgotten...

[WestCoastAggie]

If I remember correctly, he posted this in my thread from months ago.

As long as Dennis is the MEAC Commissioner, something like this will never happen.

BTW: When was the last time the MEAC switched around the schedule? We always play the same teams at the same time year after year.

[DSUrocks07]

As long as Dennis is the MEAC Commissioner, something like this will never happen.

BTW: When was the last time the MEAC switched around the schedule? We always play the same teams at the same time year after year.

http://www.mulberrygarden.co.uk/images//potted%20plant%202.jpg

xnonono2x



Not sure when it was when the schedule has change but its starting to become necessary. Especially if/when we do a divisional split.

[Eight Legger]

I don't know a lot about the DSU situation other than what I've read on this board the past few months, and while I agree that it's a shame for all involved -- and the conference -- that they decided to forfeit this game, money is money. If the DSU athletic department was in really bad shape, then I can't blame them for taking a payday.

It's nice in theory to say that you should never let money get in the way or certain things, but when you are running a business (or in this case an athletic department), you still have to meet the bottom line. If this payout helped them reach it and solidified their sports programs for another year, then I can't blast them too much for the decision.

I'm certainly not advocating spitting in the face of your conference, compromising your integrity or morals or selling out to the highest bidder no matter what, but I see the other side. I own a small business. Things aren't always black and white. Often the decisions you want to make would kill your business and the ones you'd rather not make can help you survive. There are a lot of shades of gray.

[DSUrocks07]

I don't know a lot about the DSU situation other than what I've read on this board the past few months, and while I agree that it's a shame for all involved -- and the conference -- that they decided to forfeit this game, money is money. If the DSU athletic department was in really bad shape, then I can't blame them for taking a payday.

It's nice in theory to say that you should never let money get in the way or certain things, but when you are running a business (or in this case an athletic department), you still have to meet the bottom line. If this payout helped them reach it and solidified their sports programs for another year, then I can't blast them too much for the decision.

I'm certainly not advocating spitting in the face of your conference, compromising your integrity or morals or selling out to the highest bidder no matter what, but I see the other side. I own a small business. Things aren't always black and white. Often the decisions you want to make would kill your business and the ones you'd rather not make can help you survive. There are a lot of shades of gray.

Exactly, you would think that the other members of our conference would understand that. xnonono2x
But we're all about the "integrity of the conference" in the MEAC.
The MEAC is great
The MEAC is infallible
All Hail the mighty MEAC!

http://tarmojuristo.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/1984-movie-bb.jpg

[caribbeanhen]

DSU, where are you pics from the game?

[SU Jag]

Exactly, you would think that the other members of our conference would understand that. xnonono2x
But we're all about the "integrity of the conference" in the MEAC.
The MEAC is great
The MEAC is infallible
All Hail the mighty MEAC!

http://www.newspeakdictionary.com/1984-movie-bb_a1.jpg

Then leave the MEACxwhistlex

[DSUrocks07]

Then leave the MEACxwhistlex

not too much of a stretch...since we don't have a major fanbase to begin with. And we get no respect even from our conference mates. The DSU Athletic Department should consider the independent route. who knows it could be for the best.

[DSUrocks07]

DSU, where are you pics from the game?

I posted a couple on the main game thread.

[WestCoastAggie]

not too much of a stretch...since we don't have a major fanbase to begin with. And we get no respect even from our conference mates. The DSU Athletic Department should consider the independent route. who knows it could be for the best.

You know, you all could and should look to join the NEC in the not too distance future. A conference realignment situation is coming up the pipeline real soon and I know many schools are looking to save funds by staying a playing games in a more localized region and traveling down to the Carolinas & Florida does affect the budget heavily.

[SU Jag]

I've always known very little about dsu, which is odd because I follow hbcu football very closely.I learned a lot from one of my frat brothers who played at norfolk, and he never said anything positive about dsu. From what I've read dsu was a damn good football program back in the day. I've always wondered why they don't have the fan base like the other meac schools. I thought it would have caught on back in 07 but it never did.

[93henfan]

I've always known very little about dsu, which is odd because I follow hbcu football very closely.I learned a lot from one of my frat brothers who played at norfolk, and he never said anything positive about dsu. From what I've read dsu was a damn good football program back in the day. I've always wondered why they don't have the fan base like the other meac schools. I thought it would have caught on back in 07 but it never did.

Yes, DSU was a pretty respectable team from about '80 to the very early '90s, IIRC. The problem is that Dover is on a peninsula, a fair hike off of I-95, and is in a sparsely populated portion of a very small state that has another FCS program, in UD, that has been successful for many decades. Add to that the fact that DSU has a very small enrollment (3,000ish I believe), most from east coast cities outside the state, and you have a recipe for very little alumni support.

[UNHWildCats]

What was the solution?
hmmm well it was a while ago and just looking back at the schedule real quick it was basically this

Howard and Morgan State move their game from Oct 15 to September 5 (or 3rd), this benefits these schools eliminating a dreaded week 1 bye.

North Carolina A&T moves their game with Howard from October 24 to the now open October 17 date.

North Carolina A&T then moves its game with North Carolina Central from October 3 to October 24.

North Carolina A&T and Delaware State play on October 3.

No one faced any disadvantage in this scenario.

[henfan]

93henfan pretty much nailed it. One other important factor to mention is that the DeLauder administration took an almost adversarial approach to athletics, cutting programs and not making timely upgrades to facilities that were clearly aging. This turned off several DSU boosters, some of whom abandoned support.

Things are slowly starting to turn around, but real change seems to happen at a glacial pace at Delaware's institutions of higher learning.

[DSUrocks07]

93henfan pretty much nailed it. One other important factor to mention is that the DeLauder administration took an almost adversarial approach to athletics, cutting programs and not making timely upgrades to facilities that were clearly aging. This turned off several DSU boosters, some of whom abandoned support.

Things are slowly starting to turn around, but real change seems to happen at a glacial pace at Delaware's institutions of higher learning.

I agree with this assessment. Both Delaware schools are facing the same problems in regards to upgrading facilities. The difference is that UD has the Alumni support and name-recognition to minimize that disadvantage. DSU does not. The have the ability to get to that point one day. But outside of a financial recommitment from our Alumni and a large donation. I would say that DSU is ten years away at least. So now would be the time to consider a strategic move, albeit to playing more money games, or taking a serious look at our conference affliation.

[DSUrocks07]

Right now my major hope is that the new President that we're getting is as committed to athletics as I hope he is. Or else I fear that we'll miss another generation of potential Hornets fans.

[henfan]

Right now my major hope is that the new President that we're getting is as committed to athletics as I hope he is. Or else I fear that we'll miss another generation of potential Hornets fans.

Yup, that's very important. It seems like the BOT is finally and squarely in support of Hornet athletics, so maybe one of the two finalists has been selected in part because they are on board with that agenda. Now, if the old school, politically-connected Wilmington alum group will only keep out of the BOT's business and allow them to transform DSU...