Time for a Positivity Reboot from the great one..

[stevemaz]

^How dare they place an agricultural school in the fertile Connecticut river valley and not in the industrial east of the state! We saw last week how Pennsylvania failed by putting Penn State in the rural State College and not closer to Harrisburg. Alabama screwed up also by putting Auburn in the middle of nowhere and not near Montgomery! If UMass was closer to Boston both those games would have been wins!!!

Dennis, we all know Western Mass is the 51st state and is/has been routinely snubbed by the elite's inside 128. I am from and live in Ludlow so I am a resident of this 51st state, but lived inside 128 for 20 years. It is just the way it is so comparing this situation to Pennsylvania or Alabama and yes if UMass was in Natick i venture we would have a chance vs Penn St and Auburn like BC does (if they get their heads out of their asses)

[Rolling Ridge]

We can lament about the location but the bigger issue is the vast majority of alumni have ZERO pride in the school.

I don't think it's that alums have zero pride, but rather that historically, the school hasn't given them many ways to express that pride. Until about 2009 or so, development and outreach were almost nonexistent, and other than the blip we got from basketball in the early 90s, the sports teams weren't much of a rallying point. However, I do think that period of basketball success pointed to a lot of latent potential, and since 2009 I know that outreach efforts started getting better, and having been involved in advancement activities for the past 10 years, I've seen quite a bit of improvement.

I think it's really a case of, "if you build it, they will come." Donorship has increased massively due to ramped up advancement efforts, and interest in basketball when they were successful shows what's possible. I don't think it's unthinkable that a successful UMass basketball, football, and hockey program couldn't garner a larger share of the Boston TV market, but it would depend on the success of the programs. Nobody is going to be wooed by losing teams, and I don't think you can really evaluate what potential UMass might have until they can achieve success on the field/court/rink.

FWIW, I lived in Quincy from 1993 until this year when my wife and I relocated to South Hadley. Over the past five or six years, I've seen a noticeable increase in people wearing UMass gear. I think UMass' overall reputation and increased outreach efforts are having an effect, and I'd argue that until the teams can establish a winning tradition, we can't really evaluate what might be possible in terms of attracting a sports audience or unlocking the pride of alums in that area.

[dennisdent]

^How dare they place an agricultural school in the fertile Connecticut river valley and not in the industrial east of the state! We saw last week how Pennsylvania failed by putting Penn State in the rural State College and not closer to Harrisburg. Alabama screwed up also by putting Auburn in the middle of nowhere and not near Montgomery! If UMass was closer to Boston both those games would have been wins!!!

Dennis, we all know Western Mass is the 51st state and is/has been routinely snubbed by the elite's inside 128. I am from and live in Ludlow so I am a resident of this 51st state, but lived inside 128 for 20 years. It is just the way it is so comparing this situation to Pennsylvania or Alabama and yes if UMass was in Natick i venture we would have a chance vs Penn St and Auburn like BC does (if they get their heads out of their asses)

You're from Ludlow! That explains everything (just f'ing with you). BC can barley compete with Holy Cross these days and with the NIL, I doubt that they will ever be able to compete to with the Penn State's or Auburn's again...

[InnervisionsUMASS]

We can lament about the location but the bigger issue is the vast majority of alumni have ZERO pride in the school.

There is certainly a level of truth to this and it's something I've posted about numerous times over the years. You can argue over what term to use (pride, caring, etc.), but there it is a fact that the engagement level of Alumni at the Flagship has always been poor. Hell, it's one of the main reasons the Alumni Association moved from a paid membership base to just saying everyone is a member of the AA.

[eldonabe]

All of these posts point back to the same thing, Umass and the greater geographic of UMass are not truly serious about FBS sports.

Umass got a taste of it with Cal and saw the money to be made - the geographic saw it too and supported it because they were winning. That should have been the beginning of Umass being on the same or bigger stage as UConn (yes UConn)....

Instead - the administration was lazy. They never took the ball and ran with it - this success fell in their lap by a stroke of luck rather than an actual investment and strategic plan to get there. They literally skipped the "trying part". The administration continues to half-ass it with poor hires - coaches on the back nine, and burning through money on meaningless stuff instead of biting the bullet and getting what they really need to show a true commitment in order to court conferences. Making demands for conference affiliation is pretty ballsy (and dumb) when you have ZERO leverage, but that is exactly what Umass is doing.

UMass exists in a geographic fan base that cares far more about the Diversity of the roster than the on field success of the roster (obviously not ALL but the majority). Schools like Miami and Alabama and Georgia (to name only a few) only care about on field success; the benefits that come to the student athletes as a result are merely icing on the cake. Those schools have a football budget that is bigger than the entire Umass Athletic budget for all their sports. Steve, your income statement argument is accurate, but the reality is the University doesn't really care, they are not truly willing to spend the money it takes in order to make money they way the serious schools are.


When you have a College Quarterback fielding an $8M offer to stay in college for one more year, you have a College who really gives a shit about sports ("The College" includes the school itself, the state government, the students and the alums).

[eldonabe]

To follow up - I do not know if Bamford is part of the problem or part of the solution.

Personally I am not a big fan of what I have seen of how he operates - but again, nobody but he himself knows what actual chains are attached to him.

[eldonabe]

ALSO - I know I am an asshole and a downer, but following this School going back to Dr J. has been so frustrating. An exercise in insanity if you will, watching the place doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.


I still want them to figure this out but all I see (all I ever see) is arms flailing and sky screaming and no progress...

[Quann]

I still feel like there is a lot of school pride among alumni. My wife, who’s a bu grad always mentions, “how proud you guys are of your school” whenever I meet a random UMie when we’re out and about. She said it’s never been like that for her graduating from BU.

[stevemaz]

All of these posts point back to the same thing, Umass and the greater geographic of UMass are not truly serious about FBS sports.

Umass got a taste of it with Cal and saw the money to be made - the geographic saw it too and supported it because they were winning. That should have been the beginning of Umass being on the same or bigger stage as UConn (yes UConn)....

Instead - the administration was lazy. They never took the ball and ran with it - this success fell in their lap by a stroke of luck rather than an actual investment and strategic plan to get there. They literally skipped the "trying part". The administration continues to half-ass it with poor hires - coaches on the back nine, and burning through money on meaningless stuff instead of biting the bullet and getting what they really need to show a true commitment in order to court conferences. Making demands for conference affiliation is pretty ballsy (and dumb) when you have ZERO leverage, but that is exactly what Umass is doing.

UMass exists in a geographic fan base that cares far more about the Diversity of the roster than the on field success of the roster (obviously not ALL but the majority). Schools like Miami and Alabama and Georgia (to name only a few) only care about on field success; the benefits that come to the student athletes as a result are merely icing on the cake. Those schools have a football budget that is bigger than the entire Umass Athletic budget for all their sports. Steve, your income statement argument is accurate, but the reality is the University doesn't really care, they are not truly willing to spend the money it takes in order to make money they way the serious schools are.


When you have a College Quarterback fielding an $8M offer to stay in college for one more year, you have a College who really gives a shit about sports ("The College" includes the school itself, the state government, the students and the alums).

We agree here! The administration blew it bigtime with basketball being a power and then football winning suprise title in 1998. They should have made the move to FBS in 1999 and built a new football stadium or at least revamped the current one. Make UMass the thing to do for sports in WMASS and western CMASS. oh well..

[eldonabe]

We agree here! The administration blew it bigtime with basketball being a power and then football winning suprise title in 1998. They should have made the move to FBS in 1999 and built a new football stadium or at least revamped the current one. Make UMass the thing to do for sports in WMASS and western CMASS. oh well..

"Oh Well" is the problem now. Things have evolved so much since the ill not-made decision, and today things are changing at warp speed.

UMass is falling further and further behind every single day - and their continued poor decisions only accelerate that widening gap.



On this Steve we definitely agree - UMass needs to suck it up and spend the money OR shut the fuck up about wanting to be an FBS presence.

Right now their actions DO NOT follow their words.



My negative comments on your rosy predictions are based on a Administration making stupid decisions not doing what is necessary to get there. Until proven otherwise - I am more than comfortable assuming they will continue to do the wrong thing.

[ZooMass84]

Now that hoops and hockey have started we can let yet another failed football season wash over us.........just the way it is and I'm afraid that's the way it will always be. And, no, we are not dropping down to 1AA. Super excited after the NMSU win on ESPN but that was back in August maybe we beat Merrimack 2-10.........

[ZooMass84]

All of these posts point back to the same thing, Umass and the greater geographic of UMass are not truly serious about FBS sports.

Umass got a taste of it with Cal and saw the money to be made - the geographic saw it too and supported it because they were winning. That should have been the beginning of Umass being on the same or bigger stage as UConn (yes UConn)....

Instead - the administration was lazy. They never took the ball and ran with it - this success fell in their lap by a stroke of luck rather than an actual investment and strategic plan to get there. They literally skipped the "trying part". The administration continues to half-ass it with poor hires - coaches on the back nine, and burning through money on meaningless stuff instead of biting the bullet and getting what they really need to show a true commitment in order to court conferences. Making demands for conference affiliation is pretty ballsy (and dumb) when you have ZERO leverage, but that is exactly what Umass is doing.

UMass exists in a geographic fan base that cares far more about the Diversity of the roster than the on field success of the roster (obviously not ALL but the majority). Schools like Miami and Alabama and Georgia (to name only a few) only care about on field success; the benefits that come to the student athletes as a result are merely icing on the cake. Those schools have a football budget that is bigger than the entire Umass Athletic budget for all their sports. Steve, your income statement argument is accurate, but the reality is the University doesn't really care, they are not truly willing to spend the money it takes in order to make money they way the serious schools are.


When you have a College Quarterback fielding an $8M offer to stay in college for one more year, you have a College who really gives a shit about sports ("The College" includes the school itself, the state government, the students and the alums).

We agree here! The administration blew it bigtime with basketball being a power and then football winning suprise title in 1998. They should have made the move to FBS in 1999 and built a new football stadium or at least revamped the current one. Make UMass the thing to do for sports in WMASS and western CMASS. oh well..

stevemaz, that was a million years ago.

[ZooMass84]

ALSO - I know I am an asshole and a downer, but following this School going back to Dr J. has been so frustrating. An exercise in insanity if you will, watching the place doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.


I still want them to figure this out but all I see (all I ever see) is arms flailing and sky screaming and no progress...

you hit the nail on the head: frustrating. Final 4 coach cal was vacated. 12 years of FBS total misery except for 2017. BYU win on the road was awesome. We won the Hockey national championship in 2021 which we'll have forever. Just remember FBS football is an after thought prolly never get a new stadium.

[eldonabe]

All of these posts point back to the same thing, Umass and the greater geographic of UMass are not truly serious about FBS sports.

Umass got a taste of it with Cal and saw the money to be made - the geographic saw it too and supported it because they were winning. That should have been the beginning of Umass being on the same or bigger stage as UConn (yes UConn)....

Instead - the administration was lazy. They never took the ball and ran with it - this success fell in their lap by a stroke of luck rather than an actual investment and strategic plan to get there. They literally skipped the "trying part". The administration continues to half-ass it with poor hires - coaches on the back nine, and burning through money on meaningless stuff instead of biting the bullet and getting what they really need to show a true commitment in order to court conferences. Making demands for conference affiliation is pretty ballsy (and dumb) when you have ZERO leverage, but that is exactly what Umass is doing.

UMass exists in a geographic fan base that cares far more about the Diversity of the roster than the on field success of the roster (obviously not ALL but the majority). Schools like Miami and Alabama and Georgia (to name only a few) only care about on field success; the benefits that come to the student athletes as a result are merely icing on the cake. Those schools have a football budget that is bigger than the entire Umass Athletic budget for all their sports. Steve, your income statement argument is accurate, but the reality is the University doesn't really care, they are not truly willing to spend the money it takes in order to make money they way the serious schools are.


When you have a College Quarterback fielding an $8M offer to stay in college for one more year, you have a College who really gives a shit about sports ("The College" includes the school itself, the state government, the students and the alums).

We agree here! The administration blew it bigtime with basketball being a power and then football winning suprise title in 1998. They should have made the move to FBS in 1999 and built a new football stadium or at least revamped the current one. Make UMass the thing to do for sports in WMASS and western CMASS. oh well..

stevemaz, that was a million years ago.

Yes it was a million years ago and this administration continue to make the SAME dumb decisions today they were making WAAAY back then.

[ZooMass84]

We agree here! The administration blew it bigtime with basketball being a power and then football winning suprise title in 1998. They should have made the move to FBS in 1999 and built a new football stadium or at least revamped the current one. Make UMass the thing to do for sports in WMASS and western CMASS. oh well..

stevemaz, that was a million years ago.

Yes it was a million years ago and this administration continue to make the SAME dumb decisions today they were making WAAAY back then.

except for hiring Carvel and winning the hockey national championship in 2021. What killed us this year is what kills us EVERY year: scheduling body bag games in the first half of the season. Remember @Pitt and our QB got hurt and then that season was toast????