EWU POSTSEASON BAN LIFTED!

[EdubAlum]

lets just hope we keep winning to make it count!

FYI, here is the first part of the release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
CONTACT:
Stacey Osburn
Associate Director of Public and Media Relations
317/917-6117
NCAA DIVISION I INFRACTIONS APPEALS COMMITTEE VACATES PENALTY FOR EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA Division I Infractions Appeals Committee has overturned the postseason ban for Eastern Washington University’s football program.
In February 2009, the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions issued a report for NCAA rules violations in the football program. The case involved violations of impermissible participation by ineligible student-athletes in practice activities, the use of too many countable coaches, failure to monitor by the former head coach, and a lack of institutional control and failure to monitor by the university.

[Native]

Congratulations, Eagles!

[Silenoz]

If you guys beat Sac and SUU, and NAU can get past Weber, the playoffs will be coming one week early for the BSC

[EdubAlum]

we have to win out for it to matter....and have MSU and Weber lose another game.

[Big Al]

Congrats, Eagles.

Here's to hoping the Wildcats dash your dreams.

:p:p:D:D:p:p

[Silenoz]

I don't know if that will even matter. How many power conference 8-3 teams are left out of the playoffs? Though I guess we'll have to wait and see how things shake out

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Great news for the Eagles. And great news for the Big Sky and Great West, who will probably have elimination games every week now for playoff spots.

Montana, EWU, NAU, Weber, Cal Poly, UC Davis. One autobid, at most two at-large bids between all of them. It's going to be a fascinating three weeks. xthumbsupx

[griz8791]

Congratulations, Eagles! The whole thing always struck me as intolerably hypocritical. This decision is ALMOST enough to restore my confidence in the NCAA.

[drpnut]

I hope the EWU folks don't get too excited... there is a lot of ball left and I personally feel that EWU is on the outside looking in... I like the program and the school, but I will go ahead and make my predicition... EWU sits at home this year.

[Blazerbird]

I think Eastern makes the playoffs if they run the table. They're good enough to beat every team in the Big Sky but always drop a game or two they shouldn't. I predict Eastern wins four straight to end the season 8-3, then heads out on the road. At least it's good to see the University successfully defend itself.

[Tailbone]

we have to win out for it to matter....and have MSU and Weber lose another game.

I guess that makes you a Montana fan! :D

[eagle1]

No one at EWU is penciling in the playoffs at this point. The Eags need to win out for this to even be a possibility and even at 8-3 it is not a given. The Eags have PSU at Qwest Field this weekend followed by a bye week then at Southern Utah and at Northern Arizona to end the regular season. We are just happy to have the opportunity at this point if we win out. Go Eagles!!!

[WVAPPmountaineer]

Congratulations, Eagles! The whole thing always struck me as intolerably hypocritical. This decision is ALMOST enough to restore my confidence in the NCAA.


Good for EWU but let's not get carried away with the NCAA - they punish EWU for virtually nothing and they just wink at guys like Calipari ----

[GrizFanStuckInUtah]

The penalty was way to harsh for the infraction, glad they rectumfied it. xthumbsupx

[4th and What?]

Congrats EWU. If they win out, and have a convincing win over SUU, they will have a good argument for a bid over the top Great West team. Cal Poly squeaked SUU, and I don't see UC Davis beating them by more than a score this week, if they do at all.

[WestCoastAggie]

If you guys beat Sac and SUU, and NAU can get past Weber, the playoffs will be coming one week early for the BSC

Actually get past Sac St & SUU, their game with NAU will be a "play-in" game of sorts. Either way, Congrats Eastern Wash. and lets remember that the #1 goal for ANY Collegiate football program is to graduate ALL of their players!

[OhioHen]

Real potential for one less CAA at-large.

[TexasTerror]

Here's a link to the NCAA release by the way...

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/ncaa/ncaa/ncaa+news/ncaa+news+online/2009/division+i/appeals+panel+overturns+postseason+ban+for+eastern +washington+football_10_27_09_ncaa_news

[ncbears]

I think Eastern makes the playoffs if they run the table. They're good enough to beat every team in the Big Sky but always drop a game or two they shouldn't. I predict Eastern wins four straight to end the season 8-3, then heads out on the road. At least it's good to see the University successfully defend itself.


Yup, should have dropped the game against UNC.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Actually get past Sac St & SUU, their game with NAU will be a "play-in" game of sorts. Either way, Congrats Eastern Wash. and lets remember that the #1 goal for ANY Collegiate football program is to graduate ALL of their players!

We've already played Sac St. and lit 'em up. 56-30.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Congrats EWU. If they win out, and have a convincing win over SUU, they will have a good argument for a bid over the top Great West team. Cal Poly squeaked SUU, and I don't see UC Davis beating them by more than a score this week, if they do at all.

NAU will be the more convincing win in my opinion.


This is GREAT news! The next three games will be tough, but in light of the news and the mentality the team's had all season, I think they're more than up to the task.

GO EAGLES!!!

[Buzzcut]

Real potential for one less CAA at-large.

Let's not jump to conclusions here, PLEASE...

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Some more on the decision, directly from the NCAA press release:


In determining the penalties, the Infractions Appeals Committee noted that the Committee on Infractions based the postseason ban “substantially on [the Committee on Infractions’] judgment” that the violations provided the university with a significant competitive advantage. However, the Infractions Appeals Committee found that the violations in the case did not justify that conclusion. Rather, it noted that “while the violations provided some competitive advantage, the conclusion that the advantage was ‘significant’ was a clear error of judgment, such that the imposition of the postseason ban was arbitrary.”

[EdubAlum]

thanks for the best wishes everyone!

[unicat87]

Congrats, Eagles! -unicat87 :)

[seattlespider]

Congrats EWU. You're my non Richmond team, so this is great news.

[MacThor]

I feel so out of the loop. What exactly did they (allegedly) do?

[Screamin_Eagle174]

I feel so out of the loop. What exactly did they (allegedly) do?

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/feb/11/ncaa-puts-ewu-football-probation/

[ddmann]

Excellent news! I was appalled at the original ruling against EWU. Why the penalizing does not follow coaches is completely beyond my bounds of logic. Now get some thumping done! I honestly only see NAU as your stumbling block. And frankly, while it will be a difficult game for you considering Boyce is gone, and your D will really have to step it up, you now have a reason to do so. Would love to see both EWU and the Griz in the playoffs again.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Excellent news! I was appalled at the original ruling against EWU. Why the penalizing does not follow coaches is completely beyond my bounds of logic. Now get some thumping done! I honestly only see NAU as your stumbling block. And frankly, while it will be a difficult game for you considering Boyce is gone, and your D will really have to step it up, you now have a reason to do so. Would love to see both EWU and the Griz in the playoffs again.

Even though I slightly misread that last line, has EWU ever played the Griz in the playoffs? If so, when?

[CrunchGriz]

Even though I slightly misread that last line, has EWU ever played the Griz in the playoffs? If so, when?

No. We would have met in the 2004 playoffs, but your guys melted down against Sam Houston State.

It's cool, though...we had your back. ;)

[Screamin_Eagle174]

No. We would have met in the 2004 playoffs, but your guys melted down against Sam Houston State.

It's cool, though...we had your back. ;)

Don't talk about that game. That was back when I was drummer in the MB and I watched our defense front and center give the game away. The tying TD and game-winning PAT was right in my endzone... xnonono2xxnonono2x

[Montana_Mojo]

I was pleased to see the NCAA come to its senses and absolve EWU by lifting the postseason ban.

However, I don't think it will do much good this year. Eastern has almost no chance at making the posteason, even if they win out. They have no wins against top 25 FCS teams, and no FCS wins outside of the Big Sky. Even if they beat Northern Arizona to finish the season, it won't be close to enough.

[kalm]

I was pleased to see the NCAA come to its senses and absolve EWU by lifting the postseason ban.

However, I don't think it will do much good this year. Eastern has almost no chance at making the posteason, even if they win out. They have no wins against top 25 FCS teams, and no FCS wins outside of the Big Sky. Even if they beat Northern Arizona to finish the season, it won't be close to enough.

Recent history and the remaining schedules of the top five BSC teams as well as Poly and Davis are not on your side. If we win out, both the MSU and NAU win would be quality wins against potential year end top 25 opponents, and all of losses would be quality as well.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

I was pleased to see the NCAA come to its senses and absolve EWU by lifting the postseason ban.

However, I don't think it will do much good this year. Eastern has almost no chance at making the posteason, even if they win out. They have no wins against top 25 FCS teams, and no FCS wins outside of the Big Sky. Even if they beat Northern Arizona to finish the season, it won't be close to enough.

In addition to Kalm's statement, if we win out we'll have a quality OOC win over SUU, a team that took down a ranked Texas State team.

[joecooll6]

Thats one more team on the bubble.

[th0m]

This is huge. I don't know EWU's schedule but one has to wonder if they would have played with just that little extra bit of tenacity if they knew it could deliver them a playoff berth at the end.