Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section)

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InnervisionsUMASS
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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by InnervisionsUMASS » Fri Feb 24, 2023 8:36 am

eldonabe wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 7:51 am I guess I need to clarify my Poor Geographic comment. I was speaking more in terms of fan support.

I'm trying to figure out how ZooMass somehow did not know what you were talking about with that comment... that's been discussed ad nauseam FOR YEARS.
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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by minutefanjsf » Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:10 am

InnervisionsUMASS wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 8:36 am
eldonabe wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 7:51 am I guess I need to clarify my Poor Geographic comment. I was speaking more in terms of fan support.

I'm trying to figure out how ZooMass somehow did not know what you were talking about with that comment... that's been discussed ad nauseam FOR YEARS.
I think the one thing western mass has over the east is that people don’t like driving to Boston or Foxboro from out here. The local population that used to attend UMass athletic events has dropped in a major way. No idea how to get them back. No real plan either from what I can see. There are enough people from Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and. The rest of the valley to fill the small arenas at UMass.

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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by 69MG » Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:19 am

minutefanjsf wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:10 am

I think the one thing western mass has over the east is that people don’t like driving to Boston or Foxboro from out here. The local population that used to attend UMass athletic events has dropped in a major way. No idea how to get them back. No real plan either from what I can see. There are enough people from Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and. The rest of the valley to fill the small arenas at UMass.
I think we're overcomplicating it. For men's sports, put a winning team on the court, the field and the ice and people will come. Not just a team that is barely over .500, but a team that contends for league championships (for football, a bowl every couple of years). For WBB, it's a national problem in most areas, not just here.

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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by eldonabe » Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:57 am

69MG wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:19 am
minutefanjsf wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:10 am

I think the one thing western mass has over the east is that people don’t like driving to Boston or Foxboro from out here. The local population that used to attend UMass athletic events has dropped in a major way. No idea how to get them back. No real plan either from what I can see. There are enough people from Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and. The rest of the valley to fill the small arenas at UMass.
I think we're overcomplicating it. For men's sports, put a winning team on the court, the field and the ice and people will come. Not just a team that is barely over .500, but a team that contends for league championships (for football, a bowl every couple of years). For WBB, it's a national problem in most areas, not just here.

The ultimate deodorant.....

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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by 69MG » Fri Feb 24, 2023 11:08 am

^ You are right, but unfortunately, that's what it will take. How to get there, however, is a topic that has been beaten to death and that's a much larger problem that doesn't appear to have an attainable solution. At least, not at this time.

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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by minutefanjsf » Fri Feb 24, 2023 11:40 am

eldonabe wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:57 am
69MG wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:19 am
minutefanjsf wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:10 am

I think the one thing western mass has over the east is that people don’t like driving to Boston or Foxboro from out here. The local population that used to attend UMass athletic events has dropped in a major way. No idea how to get them back. No real plan either from what I can see. There are enough people from Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and. The rest of the valley to fill the small arenas at UMass.
I think we're overcomplicating it. For men's sports, put a winning team on the court, the field and the ice and people will come. Not just a team that is barely over .500, but a team that contends for league championships (for football, a bowl every couple of years). For WBB, it's a national problem in most areas, not just here.

The ultimate deodorant.....
Local people used to come when they were not winning or challenging for league championships. They do not attend at all. The students are also the key. For football to attract the crowds they have for the last ten years is impressive with he product on the field. Winning of course will cure it all. In the mid 90s people from Boston were trying to get to Amherst for hoops. My point point is that the professional sports culture doesn’t permeate western mass as much as eastern mass. I grew up out there and have lived here now for about 25 years 50/50 split. The other thing is to have attractive opponents to play. Ideally a roadtrip for the opposing fans. The Army football game had a much larger crowd than I expected. No students, Saturday after Thanksgiving about 10k.

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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by eldonabe » Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:30 pm

minutefanjsf wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 11:40 am
eldonabe wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:57 am
69MG wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:19 am

I think we're overcomplicating it. For men's sports, put a winning team on the court, the field and the ice and people will come. Not just a team that is barely over .500, but a team that contends for league championships (for football, a bowl every couple of years). For WBB, it's a national problem in most areas, not just here.

The ultimate deodorant.....
Local people used to come when they were not winning or challenging for league championships. They do not attend at all. The students are also the key. For football to attract the crowds they have for the last ten years is impressive with he product on the field. Winning of course will cure it all. In the mid 90s people from Boston were trying to get to Amherst for hoops. My point point is that the professional sports culture doesn’t permeate western mass as much as eastern mass. I grew up out there and have lived here now for about 25 years 50/50 split. The other thing is to have attractive opponents to play. Ideally a roadtrip for the opposing fans. The Army football game had a much larger crowd than I expected. No students, Saturday after Thanksgiving about 10k.
10K is not a good number. It "appears" to be halfway decent in a tiny barn like McGuirk, but if we had a real stadium with 35K-40K of seats it would look like the Mullins does right now for a hoops game.


We can go back and forth all day long about the plusses and minuses ..... It is no different than my temper tantrums with Jack about marked improvements.... win some fucking games and everything else takes care of itself.

I would love nothing more than have to complain/argue/worry about Umass having to win their final game of the season to become Bowl eligible. I ain't holding my breath for that one though.

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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by minutefanjsf » Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:45 pm

eldonabe wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:30 pm
minutefanjsf wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 11:40 am
eldonabe wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:57 am


The ultimate deodorant.....
Local people used to come when they were not winning or challenging for league championships. They do not attend at all. The students are also the key. For football to attract the crowds they have for the last ten years is impressive with he product on the field. Winning of course will cure it all. In the mid 90s people from Boston were trying to get to Amherst for hoops. My point point is that the professional sports culture doesn’t permeate western mass as much as eastern mass. I grew up out there and have lived here now for about 25 years 50/50 split. The other thing is to have attractive opponents to play. Ideally a roadtrip for the opposing fans. The Army football game had a much larger crowd than I expected. No students, Saturday after Thanksgiving about 10k.
10K is not a good number. It "appears" to be halfway decent in a tiny barn like McGuirk, but if we had a real stadium with 35K-40K of seats it would look like the Mullins does right now for a hoops game.


We can go back and forth all day long about the plusses and minuses ..... It is no different than my temper tantrums with Jack about marked improvements.... win some fucking games and everything else takes care of itself.

I would love nothing more than have to complain/argue/worry about Umass having to win their final game of the season to become Bowl eligible. I ain't holding my breath for that one though.
I think we agree. I don’t expect 10k at any game to watch what the football team has looked like the last 5 years anywhere in the G5 college football landscape. My point was that the regional aspect of Army being the opponent is what drew the fans to that game. UMass should be selling out McGuirk with its small capacity, and about a third of the stadium allotted to students. The only way to do that is to not be the worst team in college football.

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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by ZooMass84 » Fri Feb 24, 2023 2:53 pm

minutefanjsf wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:45 pm
eldonabe wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:30 pm
minutefanjsf wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 11:40 am

Local people used to come when they were not winning or challenging for league championships. They do not attend at all. The students are also the key. For football to attract the crowds they have for the last ten years is impressive with he product on the field. Winning of course will cure it all. In the mid 90s people from Boston were trying to get to Amherst for hoops. My point point is that the professional sports culture doesn’t permeate western mass as much as eastern mass. I grew up out there and have lived here now for about 25 years 50/50 split. The other thing is to have attractive opponents to play. Ideally a roadtrip for the opposing fans. The Army football game had a much larger crowd than I expected. No students, Saturday after Thanksgiving about 10k.
10K is not a good number. It "appears" to be halfway decent in a tiny barn like McGuirk, but if we had a real stadium with 35K-40K of seats it would look like the Mullins does right now for a hoops game.


We can go back and forth all day long about the plusses and minuses ..... It is no different than my temper tantrums with Jack about marked improvements.... win some fucking games and everything else takes care of itself.

I would love nothing more than have to complain/argue/worry about Umass having to win their final game of the season to become Bowl eligible. I ain't holding my breath for that one though.
I think we agree. I don’t expect 10k at any game to watch what the football team has looked like the last 5 years anywhere in the G5 college football landscape. My point was that the regional aspect of Army being the opponent is what drew the fans to that game. UMass should be selling out McGuirk with its small capacity, and about a third of the stadium allotted to students. The only way to do that is to not be the worst team in college football.
Pino's pizza or Sweet Tomatoes Pizza in Newton had a college kid working there wearing a UMass shirt so naturally I asked if he went there. He said yes and I asked about football attendance: he said a ton of students show up for the tailgate and free food but leave at kick off. "We don't want to see us get spanked" he said. Can't say I blame him but don't forget: New Mexico and Merrimack are two baked in WINS.

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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by ZooMass84 » Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:06 pm

minutefanjsf wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:10 am
InnervisionsUMASS wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 8:36 am
eldonabe wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 7:51 am I guess I need to clarify my Poor Geographic comment. I was speaking more in terms of fan support.

I'm trying to figure out how ZooMass somehow did not know what you were talking about with that comment... that's been discussed ad nauseam FOR YEARS.
I think the one thing western mass has over the east is that people don’t like driving to Boston or Foxboro from out here. The local population that used to attend UMass athletic events has dropped in a major way. No idea how to get them back. No real plan either from what I can see. There are enough people from Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and. The rest of the valley to fill the small arenas at UMass.
Just had a brainstorm: we just bought the old Mt. Ida Jr. College campus in Newton; why don't we build a new 30,000 seat stadium and play our games there?

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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by minutefanjsf » Fri Feb 24, 2023 6:00 pm

ZooMass84 wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 2:53 pm
minutefanjsf wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:45 pm
eldonabe wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:30 pm

10K is not a good number. It "appears" to be halfway decent in a tiny barn like McGuirk, but if we had a real stadium with 35K-40K of seats it would look like the Mullins does right now for a hoops game.


We can go back and forth all day long about the plusses and minuses ..... It is no different than my temper tantrums with Jack about marked improvements.... win some fucking games and everything else takes care of itself.

I would love nothing more than have to complain/argue/worry about Umass having to win their final game of the season to become Bowl eligible. I ain't holding my breath for that one though.
I think we agree. I don’t expect 10k at any game to watch what the football team has looked like the last 5 years anywhere in the G5 college football landscape. My point was that the regional aspect of Army being the opponent is what drew the fans to that game. UMass should be selling out McGuirk with its small capacity, and about a third of the stadium allotted to students. The only way to do that is to not be the worst team in college football.
Pino's pizza or Sweet Tomatoes Pizza in Newton had a college kid working there wearing a UMass shirt so naturally I asked if he went there. He said yes and I asked about football attendance: he said a ton of students show up for the tailgate and free food but leave at kick off. "We don't want to see us get spanked" he said. Can't say I blame him but don't forget: New Mexico and Merrimack are two baked in WINS.
I don’t blame him either. They need to see them competitive. More students came in this last year. I don't expect them to come in until the team is consistently competitive at home. The BC game two years ago was the example of how bad they are. If I were still a student and saw us as home dogs every game I would do just what he is doing. At least the school has stopped trying to coordinate the student tailgate. That was a horrific waste of time and money.

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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by PreecherJenkins » Mon Feb 27, 2023 11:56 am

eldonabe wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2023 9:21 am
PreecherJenkins wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 5:10 pm
eldonabe wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 7:55 am

You are correct, the problems with football are much more deeply rooted than most will acknowledge. Umass football has been in purgatory since the day after they announced Molnar. Besides simply sucking (really sucking) for the last 10 years, Umass has so many logistical walls in their way.

1. The geographic is horrible for football. Not just Western Mass, that is the North East in general
2. Our stadium is the worst in FBS and a higher percentage of FCS
3. We do not have any real sugar daddy(s) to compete with NIL (at least not the kinds of players who can help this program turn the corner)

AND - the people who are calling the shots are incompetent (Bamford mostly). In simplest terms, he has not figured out how to manage around the first 3 points. I am not saying I have the answers either, but obstacles today are no different than they were 10 years ago.



The administration has been fucking up time and time again for the last 30+ years. They hit the lottery with Calapari then pissed it all away with bad decision after bad decision - by being flat our wrong or way too late. You can get away with a bad decision or two, but that is it. They fucked up with Bruiser and they fucked up not taking advantage of jumping up in football in the 90's, and they piled on from there. Instead of taking advantage of and investing in the opportunity, they got greedy instead.
Eldon- we completely agree on the football should have moved up in the 90's to conference usa. would have been a good fit for basketball and football at the time.

here is my question for you: who should have umass hired after Cal?
It is a fair question but I cannot give you a specific name. It has more to do with what kind of coach should they have hired. Bruiser was not ready (mature enough) to take that position at that time. The analogy I used to describe it was it is like giving a 16 year old kid the keys to your Porsche. As the assistant coach he was the good guy and the buddy to the players to offset Cal. He was not going to be taken seriously as the bad guy - which a head coach absolutely must be - never mind for a program that was as high profile as Umass was at that time. He was fucked out of the gate. He was lucky to have enough talent left over to overcome some of those shortcomings in 97 and 98.

Umass needed to hire another seasoned/experienced HC at that moment who had street-cred and commanded immediate respect. Aj Basit took full control of that situation and when Bru did not handle that properly it was game over. Cal would have benched that kid in a minute and sent a message to the rest of the team, instead Bru allowed him to act like an asshole and celebrate a putback layup like he just dropped a Dr J windmill dunk at a critical point in a game.

That is nothing personal against Bruiser. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met; he was just the wrong guy at the wrong time and that is it. Umass needed the Angry/Intense Bruiser that he was at Drexel. I have also always said, if Bru was the second hire after Cal instead of the first, he may very well still be coaching at Umass today.
all good points, what Bru probably needed was an experienced head coach on his bench to help the first time coach!
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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by Jack » Mon Feb 27, 2023 2:31 pm

ZooMass84 wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:06 pm Just had a brainstorm: we just bought the old Mt. Ida Jr. College campus in Newton; why don't we build a new 30,000 seat stadium and play our games there?

I can think of a different term besides "brainstorm". :lol: :lol: :lol:

Why would we want to spend $60-$70M for a stadium that isn't on campus? Having an on campus stadium w/an adjacent Football Training facility and the practice bubble is literally one of the best things that UMass Football Program. The last thing we would want to do is to not play on campus.

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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by ZooMass84 » Mon Feb 27, 2023 11:49 pm

Jack wrote: Mon Feb 27, 2023 2:31 pm
ZooMass84 wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:06 pm Just had a brainstorm: we just bought the old Mt. Ida Jr. College campus in Newton; why don't we build a new 30,000 seat stadium and play our games there?

I can think of a different term besides "brainstorm". :lol: :lol: :lol:

Why would we want to spend $60-$70M for a stadium that isn't on campus? Having an on campus stadium w/an adjacent Football Training facility and the practice bubble is literally one of the best things that UMass Football Program. The last thing we would want to do is to not play on campus.
But Jack, we would be playing on campus; just our campus at the old Mt. Ida Jr. College in Newton right next to where 90% of the alums live in a 25 mile radius.

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Re: Two Questions Every Candidate for the Chancellor’s Job Should Answer (yes, this post belongs in the football section

Post by eldonabe » Tue Feb 28, 2023 7:44 am

ZooMass84 wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:06 pm
minutefanjsf wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:10 am
InnervisionsUMASS wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 8:36 am


I'm trying to figure out how ZooMass somehow did not know what you were talking about with that comment... that's been discussed ad nauseam FOR YEARS.
I think the one thing western mass has over the east is that people don’t like driving to Boston or Foxboro from out here. The local population that used to attend UMass athletic events has dropped in a major way. No idea how to get them back. No real plan either from what I can see. There are enough people from Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and. The rest of the valley to fill the small arenas at UMass.
Just had a brainstorm: we just bought the old Mt. Ida Jr. College campus in Newton; why don't we build a new 30,000 seat stadium and play our games there?

Zoo I am starting to think you ingest the same drugs and at the same pace as Maz......

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