Editorial: Campbell Football Makes Little Sense

[TexasTerror]

Campbell football makes little sense, atleast according to this columnist...

Very interesting read. Though he only brings up the "aged basketball facility", perhaps there is more behind the athletic struggles at Campbell. Are they really to bring back football or what? Yes, it may be non-scholarship and they could be saving money, but does Michael A Lough have a point? Or is it not even worth thinking about?
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Michael A. Lough: Campbell football makes little sense
This may be heresy, but perhaps it's a little safer to say now, in April, rather than in September.

Football does not big-time or major money make.

Apparently, the fresh mountain air took some time off around Buies Creek, N.C., in the past several months, because Campbell announced recently that it's ready to try football again after a half-century.

Campbell, a member of the Atlantic Sun and home to about 7,000 students on the main campus and an aged basketball facility that holds less than 1,000.

OK, so a school that has been unable to get the money going for a long time to build a quality basketball or multi-purpose facility suddenly has the scratch and organization

http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/14338816.htm

[gophoenix]

Ok,

The article is a big misleading.

#1 is the Campbell doesn't have near 7000 students on the main campus. Undergrads and grad students account for about 3500 students.

#2 Sure he brings up the Campbell has a 1000 seat basketball arena. Actually it is 750 and it is the smallest in DI. Last time I checked, arena size doesn't matter if students take little interest. Besides, the new arena is being built

#3 Money has never had anything to do with Campbell and athletics. Campbell is a suitcase college for the most part. It is situation away from any metro areas (1 hour from Raleigh, 1.5 from Fayetteville, 2 from Greensboro). Campbell recruits kids in much the way Liberty does. There is a very strict moral code (think Liberty without the profile of Jerry Falwell and without the huge donations) that must be followed and this turns lots of potential athletes away.

This editorial sounds like someone that is mad because Campbell will have football while Mercer doesn't.

[DFW HOYA]

Exactly. He's writing for a Mercer audience that occasionally asks "Why not us?" on football, and with Kennesaw State stepping it up, those questions will likely pop up again.

[EagleCrusade]

Exactly. He's writing for a Mercer audience that occasionally asks "Why not us?" on football, and with Kennesaw State stepping it up, those questions will likely pop up again.

Yeah but the Macon telegraph brings up some good points. They give a good amount of coverage to I-AA as well, its not like others you read. (Hint: They particularly cover a I-AA school 130 miles to the south and east of Macon)

If Campbell is going to participate in non-schollie football, I think its a terrible move. Nobody will care and it will be a huge financial drain on the athletic department. The populations and location of the school does matter, as well as the overall sports interest. I KNOW reviving football will be a good thing for the school.

I knew of a Campbell alum who was the marketing director for Georgia Southern.

[darussian12]

only reason i comment is cause seeing macon so many times mentioned...i know where macon is cause the brothers wife wanted me to wear damn GSU sweater to be an ASS when we played them last fall cause she is from GA...and whos campbell..mercer...where can i find out more info on who the hell this is if they are D-I-AA programs..and no im not talking official site...do they have a message board/fan site...im just interested cause Macon was so often mentioned so i figure thats cose enough to Sandersvilleher actual hometown) where the brothers wifey is from so i can make fun of her for her GSU love :-)

[Tealblood]

The court at Campbell is a joke. I believe the floor is a little short of regulation and just beyond the boards you have the stage with pads on one end and a door jam on the other. The worst part is the light, a huge old time halogen hangs directly over the basket on each end. A visiting big man will get the feed on the low post look straight up into this damn light, it takes a while to adjust.

[rokamortis]

I wish they would add scholarships, but they have to do what they think is best for their institution. I would rather they add football with scholarships instead of not adding it at all saying they are too small to support football like Birmingham Southern.

Here is a pic of the new arena as mentioned above:
http://www.gocamels.com/images/Convocation_Center/images/Campbell%20Bowl.jpg

http://www.gocamels.com/images/Convocation_Center/

[gophoenix]

If Campbell is going to participate in non-schollie football, I think its a terrible move. Nobody will care and it will be a huge financial drain on the athletic department. The populations and location of the school does matter, as well as the overall sports interest. I KNOW reviving football will be a good thing for the school.

Why is it a terrible move? The idea is to make a better atmosphere so that it doesn't keep that suitcase college image. If it helps them get students or bring alumni back to campus, which typically increases the average alum to give (or give more), then typically, it is a win-win for the school in general. Remember, schools are there for the students/alumni not for providing some artificial image to make an athletic division look better.

[Thumper250]

One more incorrect issue in that column. What the heck does fresh mountain air have to do with Buies Creek? That place is five hours from a mountain.

[BigApp]

what this guy is conveniently forgetting is Campbell is a big producer of Pharmacists. Any one checked their starting salaries lately?? lots of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$