I-AA "Gets No Attention" (NC Charlotte AD)

[TexasTerror]

Ralph, breathe a few times before reading this and make sure your seated...

"I frankly don't think I-AA is worth doing," he said. "You can't play on the soccer field, so you still have to build a smaller stadium. But it gets no attention. In a city like Charlotte, would that be attractive to anyone?" (UNC Charlotte's AD 12/22/05)

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/13462338.htm

The good news is someone wrote in to the paper, an Appy State fan! Ralph can breathe a little easier now...



UNCC wrong to kiss off Division I-AA football

In response to "49ers still punting on football" (Dec. 22):UNC Charlotte chancellor Philip Dubois claims that Division I-AA football isn't "worth doing."

Two hours to the north lies Appalachian State, the best football program in the Carolinas. It shares Kidd Brewer Stadium with the soccer team. It has set records for attendance over the past two years. I'd much rather watch a game in Boone than in Chapel Hill.

Appalachian State demonstrates the excitement of I-AA football. No, we aren't on TV every week, but we prefer it that way.

Joe Jennings

[*****]

From that website...
POLL | Should Charlotte 49ers start a football program?

Yes
551 votes (85%)

No
86 votes (13%)

Undecided
12 votes (2%)

[Mr. C]

UNC-Charlotte (I use the REAL name of school, not the stupid Charlotte tag that the athletic department insists on) hates it, but this school is really quite inferior to Appalachian State on almost all fronts. The 49ers, by the way, duck ASU in basketball, because the Mountaineers have been quite competitive with the bigger UNCC program over the years. ASU won in triple overtime the last time they played in Boone. ASU is the third most popular school in North Carolina (behind UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State) in terms of the number of applicants and is the higher rated school academically. Funny to see this chancellor taking pot shots at Appalachian.

[DFW HOYA]

ASU is the third most popular school in North Carolina (behind UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State) in terms of the number of applicants and is the higher rated school academically. Funny to see this chancellor taking pot shots at Appalachian.

You might also want to include Duke and Wake Forest in terms of applicants.

Also, East Carolina has slightly more applicants than ASU.

[SoCon48]

Ralph, breathe a few times before reading this and make sure your seated...

"I frankly don't think I-AA is worth doing," he said. "You can't play on the soccer field, so you still have to build a smaller stadium. But it gets no attention. In a city like Charlotte, would that be attractive to anyone?" (UNC Charlotte's AD 12/22/05)

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/13462338.htm

The good news is someone wrote in to the paper, an Appy State fan! Ralph can breathe a little easier now...
An Appy Fan? You sure it wasn't a TEXXY fan.

[Tod]

The article claims that Coastal Carolina started playing football in 2005. I know it was at least 2004, and believe it was 2003, wasn't it?

[SoCon48]

You might also want to include Duke and Wake Forest in terms of applicants.

Also, East Carolina has slightly more applicants than ASU.
Didn't know anyone actually applied to ECU. Thought they just showed up with their tuition check. :p

[SoCon48]

UNC-Charlotte (I use the REAL name of school, not the stupid Charlotte tag that the athletic department insists on) hates it, but this school is really quite inferior to Appalachian State on almost all fronts. The 49ers, by the way, duck ASU in basketball, because the Mountaineers have been quite competitive with the bigger UNCC program over the years. ASU won in triple overtime the last time they played in Boone. ASU is the third most popular school in North Carolina (behind UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State) in terms of the number of applicants and is the higher rated school academically. Funny to see this chancellor taking pot shots at Appalachian.

Agree 100%!

[JMU Duke Dog]

The article claims that Coastal Carolina started playing football in 2005. I know it was at least 2004, and believe it was 2003, wasn't it?

If that was the case their first home opener would have been their upset victory over JMU. I too believe that CCU started football in 2003 as this was their third season.

[SoCon48]

Ralph, breathe a few times before reading this and make sure your seated...

"I frankly don't think I-AA is worth doing," he said. "You can't play on the soccer field, so you still have to build a smaller stadium. But it gets no attention. In a city like Charlotte, would that be attractive to anyone?" (UNC Charlotte's AD 12/22/05)

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/13462338.htm

The good news is someone wrote in to the paper, an Appy State fan! Ralph can breathe a little easier now...

I think UNC-C should stay as they are--a baseball school. Their glory days in basketball are waaay over. They never had a football program.
They are simply a baseball school. Period.
They don't draw flies to basketball unless they are playing a big name team. Football would suck even worse. :rolleyes:

[SoCon48]

If that was the case their first home opener would have been their upset victory over JMU. I too believe that CCU started football in 2003 as this was their third season.

Where's all those CCU fans who were on here right after they beat James Madison????????????

[Cap'n Cat]

Football would suck even worse. :rolleyes:


Thanks, Madam Zelda................

http://www.nashscene.com/Stories/Cover_Story/2005/11/03/cover_11-3_400.jpg
"Eet iz wreetten in zee starz............."

:) :) :) :) :)


;)

[JMU Duke Dog]

Total Enrollment:
NC State - 29,286
UNC-Chapel Hill - 24,892
East Carolina - 22,370
UNC-Charlotte - 19,443
Appalachian State - 14,653
UNC-Greensboro - 13,343
Duke - 11,926
UNC-Wilmington - 11,004
Western Carolina - 8,261
Wake Forest - 6,271
Elon - 4,796
UNC-Pembroke - 4,461
UNC-Asheville - 3,247
Davidson - 1,673

Total Number of Applicants:
UNC-Chapel Hill - 16,569 applicants
Duke - 13,976 applicants
NC State - 11,835 applicants
UNC-Greensboro - 6,619 applicants
Wake Forest - 5,271 applicants
Davidson - 3,363 applicants
UNC-Asheville - 2,020 applicants
Appalachian State - ?
East Carolina - ?
Elon - ?
UNC-Charlotte - ?
UNC-Pembroke - ?
UNC-Wilmington - ?
Western Carolina - ?

Percent of Applicants Accepted:
Duke - 26%
Davidson - 35%
UNC-Chapel Hill - 37%
Elon - 41%
Wake Forest - 46%
UNC-Asheville - 59%
UNC-Wilmington - 60%
NC State - 66%
Appalachian State - 68%
UNC-Charlotte - 72%
UNC-Greensboro - 75%
Western Carolina - 76%
East Carolina - 78%
UNC-Pembroke - 89%

[TexasTerror]

Since when was UNCC a "baseball school"? Heck, I wouldn't know that if you said something about it. They stink in baseball! Not even in the collegiate baseball top 40 for this year (preseason), but they are "also recieving votes".

[henfan]

Well, if 'getting attention' (whatever that means) is the highest measure of value, I wonder why UNC-Charlotte bothers to sponsor intercollegiate sports at all. I only live 3 states away and, in these parts, UNCC athletics is hardly a household name. Don't imagine it's much different in areas outside of Charlotte, NC.

IMO, it's embarrassing whenever large, state-sponsored schools like UNCC can't find a way to sponsor America's most popular sport. Football brings alumni back to campus like no other venture. The fact that this knuckleheaded chancellor is using a lame excuse to cover up his and his Board's own ineptitude is pretty disgusting. If I were an UNCC grad, I'd put my size 10 up his xazzx.

[Cap'n Cat]

Well, if 'getting attention' (whatever that means) is the highest measure of value, I wonder why UNC-Charlotte bothers to sponsor intercollegiate sports at all. I only live 3 states away and, in these parts, UNCC athletics is hardly a household name. Don't imagine it's much different in areas outside of Charlotte, NC.

IMO, it's embarrassing whenever large, state-sponsored schools like UNCC can't find a way to sponsor America's most popular sport. Football brings alumni back to campus like no other venture. The fact that this knuckleheaded chancellor is using a lame excuse to cover up his and his Board's own ineptitude is pretty disgusting. If I were an UNCC grad, I'd put my size 10 up his xazzx.



Great post, hf. Dead on.

:hurray:

[CoastalFan2005]

The article claims that Coastal Carolina started playing football in 2005. I know it was at least 2004, and believe it was 2003, wasn't it?

Yes, it was 2003. The article was posted on our board for that simple error, something which I know I (and I'm sure other Coastal fans) e-mailed the writers about.

[AppalachianMountaineer]

Just some thoughts:

Do UNC-Charlotte alumni not like football?
Where are the UNC-Charlotte alumni geographically? Working in Charlotte myself, I see tons of them.
Is their mascot not a "49er?" Seems like a great mascot for a football team. (I always think, as I drive past UNCC on Highway 49, what a coincidence!)

[Tod]

Yes, it was 2003. The article was posted on our board for that simple error, something which I know I (and I'm sure other Coastal fans) e-mailed the writers about.

Cool. By the way, I'm a CCU fan. I want you to stay in the Big South and dismante the SoCon. OK?

:D :D :D

[CoastalFan2005]

Cool. By the way, I'm a CCU fan. I want you to stay in the Big South and dismante the SoCon. OK?

:D :D :D

That's awesome! Always glad to meet another CCU fan, :D...

As for "dismantling the SoCon"...I dunno about all that, LoL. Depending on what happens with some other stuff as far as rumors of better teams joining the Big South, I think CCU would be lucky to join the SoCon one day. We've still got quite a ways to go before anything major happens...but I think once our new arena gets built and open, that things will start to happen for us at a lightning-fast rate. :hurray:

[skinny_uncle]

Well, if 'getting attention' (whatever that means) is the highest measure of value, I wonder why UNC-Charlotte bothers to sponsor intercollegiate sports at all. I only live 3 states away and, in these parts, UNCC athletics is hardly a household name. Don't imagine it's much different in areas outside of Charlotte, NC.

IMO, it's embarrassing whenever large, state-sponsored schools like UNCC can't find a way to sponsor America's most popular sport. Football brings alumni back to campus like no other venture. The fact that this knuckleheaded chancellor is using a lame excuse to cover up his and his Board's own ineptitude is pretty disgusting. If I were an UNCC grad, I'd put my size 10 up his xazzx.
I live a few states away and the only UNC-Charlotte team I have heard of is their basketball team. Starting up a football program from scratch is not cheap. A lot of well-known schools choose no to do so. Creighton, St. Louis U., Marquette, Bradley and Marquette come to mind. I'm sure there are many more. It is a choice each school must make for itself. I think the AD needs to get input from students and alumni before making such a decision. Some gains do not show on a balance sheet. What impact does a winning football team have on alumni donations? What is the value of the publicity that can be gained from a top football team? These all need to be considered.

[art vandelay]

wait wait wait wait. there name is the 49er's? dose anyone even know what a 49er is. maybe their first act of business should be changing the school masscot to something more fitting to Carolina. like the panthers :doh:. just kidding but seriously that masscot is way off.

[Tod]

wait wait wait wait. there name is the 49er's? dose anyone even know what a 49er is. maybe their first act of business should be changing the school masscot to something more fitting to Carolina. like the panthers :doh:. just kidding but seriously that masscot is way off.

When referring to the SF 49ers, everybody knows what that is. But I don't know what a UNC-Charlotte 49er is. I tried to find it but came up empty. Does anybody know?

I'd hold off on determining if it's "fitting" or not until you know the story.

[TexasTerror]

When referring to the SF 49ers, everybody knows what that is. But I don't know what a UNC-Charlotte 49er is. I tried to find it but came up empty. Does anybody know? I'd hold off on determining if it's "fitting" or not until you know the story.

Wikipedia is the greatest thing on the 'Net...

Charlotte's team nickname is 49ers; this nickname is derived from the year 1949, when the school was saved from being closed. It is often erroneously believed that the nickname is derived from the campus's location on N.C. Highway 49; however, this is merely a coincidence and the highway is not the reason for the namesake. The school's mascot is "Norm the Niner," an old goldminer. Norm is depicted in statue form near the front entrance of the main campus (a replica of this statue can be seen in the above photograph with Cone). The 49er fanbase is referred to as Niner Nation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_North_Carolina_at_Charlotte

[asufan87]

Football at any level would flounder at UNCC. It's not your typical residential college campus. The school is largely a glorified community college with more bells and whistles...a commuter school. A fair number of their students are working adults who are going to school on the side to enhance their career opportunities and many of the traditional college aged students go there for convenience purposes so they can continue to live at home, hold onto their part-time jobs, etc. The result is a lack of community and belonging on the part of students. Plus, with all the other competition for student interests that the Charlotte area provides, football would be an afterthought even if played at I-A level.

[ASUMountaineer]

What is the gripe all about, wouldn't you all like to go to a homecoming soccer game? UNCC would never have a football program that is competive, if they could manage one at all. ASUFAN is right, it's a commuter school.

As far as applicants, my senior year (03) we received as many applicants as Chapel Hill, but we were also named a Time Magazine College of the Year and Road Rules came to our campus...so that helped. But, ECU will always have more applicants, with the way they throw down who wouldn't apply there?!? Plus, it's very easy to get into.

[dirtbag]

Just some thoughts:

Do UNC-Charlotte alumni not like football?
Where are the UNC-Charlotte alumni geographically? Working in Charlotte myself, I see tons of them.
Is their mascot not a "49er?" Seems like a great mascot for a football team. (I always think, as I drive past UNCC on Highway 49, what a coincidence!)

Isn't UNCC a commuter school? Commuter schools have lots of trouble supporting athletics, especially football.

[dirtbag]

I live a few states away and the only UNC-Charlotte team I have heard of is their basketball team. Starting up a football program from scratch is not cheap. A lot of well-known schools choose no to do so. Creighton, St. Louis U., Marquette, Bradley and Marquette come to mind.

You just named five fairly small private schools.

UNCC doesn't fall into that class.

What is the biggest public school without a football program? One of the SUNY schools? Long Beach? Fullerton?

[DFW HOYA]

Isn't UNCC a commuter school? Commuter schools have lots of trouble supporting athletics, especially football.

I disagree. There are urban schools in I-A and many have produced successful football programs. Point is, if a community supports it, football can succeed at any level.

And when an AD publicly comments against football, you can guess that he's doing it because someone higher up told him to.

Also, to the point above, the largest Division I school without football is George Mason (suburban Washington, DC) at just under 30,000 students.

[dirtbag]

I disagree. There are urban schools in I-A and many have produced successful football programs.

First, there's a big difference between being an urban school and a commuter school. U of Minnesota, U of Washington, Ohio State, etc. are urban but not commuter.

Second, I didn't say commuter schools can't do it, I said they have trouble. See the University of Houston or Rutgers, for example. Texas-Arlington, Long Beach and Fullerton all shut down their programs. Texas-San Antonio, Georgia State, Cal-Irvine and UW-Milwaukee don't even try.

Even the commuter schools that have some long-term success on the I-A field, like Memphis and San Diego State, struggle financially.

[dirtbag]

"I frankly don't think I-AA is worth doing," he said. "You can't play on the soccer field, so you still have to build a smaller stadium. But it gets no attention. In a city like Charlotte, would that be attractive to anyone?" (UNC Charlotte's AD 12/22/05)


It wouldn't be attractive to him, because he knows they'd get their xazzx handed to them every year by ASU, and that would be bad publicity for his school.

[ucdtim17]

Also, to the point above, the largest Division I school without football is George Mason (suburban Washington, DC) at just under 30,000 students.

Cal State Long Beach has a total enrollment near 40,000

[Mr. C]

I covered the PCAA (now called the Big West) when Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State were around with football back in the 1970-80s. Both always floundered. Damon Allen, still a CFL QB (and the league MVP this year) at age 42, led CSUF to its only championship. Almost no one came to their games. Long Beach State got a shot in the arm when George Allen took over the program at the end of his life. But when he died, that was pretty much the death knoll for the program. Teams like Marquette had football in the past, but have dropped programs years ago. Not many Catholic schools still play football. The comparison between UNCC and schools like Long Beach State (or Cal State Northridge) is a good one. UNCC is a rather mediocre school in almost every respect, though they did make the Final Four once in basketball (the year Marquette won it all for Al McGuire).

[ucdtim17]

and I-AA does get no attention. I-A fans think it's D2 and barely a step ahead of good high school teams. Until I-AA does better than 2-56 or whatever against I-A, that's the way it will always be.

[DFW HOYA]

Not many Catholic schools still play football.

There are 46 Catholic schools in NCAA football, 13 at the I-AA level. That's 11% of the I-AA membership.

[AppalachianMountaineer]

The 49er fanbase is referred to as Niner Nation.

Several years ago, I attended a UNCC vs. ASU basketball game in Charlotte. While ASU lost, I found great humor in the night. The UNCC students appropriately had/have a cheering section called Gang Green! They even had a large banner hanging at the game proclaiming this. (School colors for UNCC are green and something else).

In the last few minutes of the game, some of the ASU fans started the chant "We've got FOOTBALL!"

[SoCon48]

and I-AA does get no attention. I-A fans think it's D2 and barely a step ahead of good high school teams. Until I-AA does better than 2-56 or whatever against I-A, that's the way it will always be.
As long as we have 1? less coach allowed and 22 less scholarships, it may stay that way.

[SoCon48]

It wouldn't be attractive to him, because he knows they'd get their xazzx handed to them every year by ASU, and that would be bad publicity for his school. :beerchug:

[SuperJon]

I wouldn't say UNC-C is a huge commuter school. I'm from King, just up from Winston-Salem. I graduated in 04 and a ton of my graduating class went to UNC-C and I know a lot of the class of 05 went to UNC-C. The two years combined, I'd say most people went to UNC-C, then ECU, then UNC-G, then App. That's not a knock on App so don't take it as that, just how it's went from personal experience.

I don't think UNC-C would do good in football just because of the Panthers. How many successful college football teams are in the same city as a professional team? There may be a bunch, I don't know. I'm just asking.

[ucdtim17]

As long as we have 1? less coach allowed and 22 less scholarships, it may stay that way.

yep and I-AA will always get no attention

[asufan87]

Not just the Panthers they would have to compete with for fans, but also the Bobcats (who struggle mightily for fan support), and NASCAR. UNCC students aren't there for the on-campus collegiate experience. They're there to do their time and punch their ticket for a degree while contining to work a part-time job and living at home with mom and dad. I live less than 20 miles from UNCC and have yet to meet a single student or alum that is passionate about having football.

[HiHiYikas]

I live less than 20 miles from UNCC and have yet to meet a single student or alum that is passionate about having football.
Do you know if UNCC has those terrible "STILL UNDEFEATED" football sweatshirts, like so many other schools without football programs.

VCU has those. It's kinda pitiful, isn't it? Not unlike making fun of your own missing limb.

[dirtbag]

I wouldn't say UNC-C is a huge commuter school.

Yessir (http://www.provost.uncc.edu/academic_affairs/division_units/enrollment_mgmt.htm)

[SuperJon]

Well what do you mean by a commuter school. I only know one junior and not a single senior at Coastal that lives on campus. Everyone else lives off campus and commutes to school.

[skinny_uncle]

Heading to school in Charlotte:
http://www.hollywood-diecast.com/beverly%20hillbillies%20truck.jpg

[HiHiYikas]

Well what do you mean by a commuter school. I only know one junior and not a single senior at Coastal that lives on campus. Everyone else lives off campus and commutes to school.
UNCC - 27% of students live on campus. Looks like they're tied for second-to-last among NC public schools with UNC-Pembroke. Only 23% of UNC-Wilmington students live on campus. ASU is at 36%.

And, 35% of Coastal students live on campus.

This is all according to the 2006 US News and World Report Colleges guide.

[SuperJon]

That sounds about right for Coastal. A lot of the people I know at UNCC that aren't freshman live off campus so I can see what you're talking about.

[SoCon48]

I wouldn't say UNC-C is a huge commuter school. I'm from King, just up from Winston-Salem. I graduated in 04 and a ton of my graduating class went to UNC-C and I know a lot of the class of 05 went to UNC-C. The two years combined, I'd say most people went to UNC-C, then ECU, then UNC-G, then App. That's not a knock on App so don't take it as that, just how it's went from personal experience.

I don't think UNC-C would do good in football just because of the Panthers. How many successful college football teams are in the same city as a professional team? There may be a bunch, I don't know. I'm just asking.

People go to ECU to either party or because no one else would accept them. Of course ECU has its share of good solid students but % wise they aren't the majority. G because it is a good school with a good reputation and because it is close. UNC-C because anyone can get in. UNC-C is a definitely a commuter school and a huge part of UNC-C's students come from Charlotte and another huge part are transfers from community colleges especially CPCC.
Winston-Salem is, with Charlotte, the home of the largest alumni bases for ASU.

To get in App, one must have better credentials than the other schools mentioned as well as apply early. UNC-G is a close second in that category.

[SoCon48]

Well what do you mean by a commuter school. I only know one junior and not a single senior at Coastal that lives on campus. Everyone else lives off campus and commutes to school.
35% live on campus. 65% off. So one+ in 3 live on campus.

[HiHiYikas]

35% live on campus. 65% off. So one+ in 3 live on campus.
Looks like an on-campus percentage in the high 20's to high 30's is pretty much the norm for public schools in NC. The slightly lower numbers tend to be around cities like Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, etc. Hardly any public school has an on-campus percentage in the 40's. Only Chapel Hill, Western Carolina, and Elizabeth City State have less than 60% of students living off campus.

Not sure about Chapel Hill, but Cullowhee doesn't seem like the right place to build complex after complex of student-type apartments. And with only 5800 students, it must be a little easier to find them a place to live on campus. Elizabeth City is probably a lot like Cullowhee.

Only the smaller private schools have very high on-campus percentages. Duke is at 85%, and Davidson (where the cleaning staff will do your laundry for you) is at 91%.

[SoCon48]

HiYIkas, i was simply pointing out to the CCU poster that he must not know many of his school's 35% who live on campus.


Rip 'em up, tear 'em up, give em Hell Apps!

JCline

[SoCon48]

HiYIkas, i was simply pointing out to the CCU poster that he must not know many of his school's 1,700-1,800 students who live on campus.


Rip 'em up, tear 'em up, give em Hell Apps!

JCline

[SoCon48]

Thanks, Madam Zelda................

http://www.nashscene.com/Stories/Cover_Story/2005/11/03/cover_11-3_400.jpg
"Eet iz wreetten in zee starz............."

:) :) :) :) :)


;)

Not voodoo, just simply looking at all their other sukky programs, why should football be any different? Eh, Mr Athletics Expert? :rolleyes:

[HiHiYikas]

HiYIkas, i was simply pointing out to the CCU poster that he must not know many of his school's 1,700-1,800 students who live on campus.


Rip 'em up, tear 'em up, give em Hell Apps!

JCline
I get ya...I have a tendency to be overly-fascinated with random trivial statistics about junk like where students live, etc.

[SoCon48]

I get ya...I have a tendency to be overly-fascinated with random trivial statistics about junk like where students live, etc.

I do, too. But that's how I picked my grad school a few years ago. It worked out extremely well. I loved the campus, faculty, and the students. Especially one babe from Altoona PA and one from Philly. :smiley_wi