First reaction: UMass to the MAC

[Old Cage]

Matty V: "A Brutal Blow"

https://www.masslive.com/umassfootball/ ... utour.html

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Talk about a plot twist that would surprise even M Night Shimalayan: this whole time, Stevemaz has actually the one on earth while the rest of us have apparently been living on some other planet.

Reading some of these posts... he's not far off about a few folks here...

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Matty V: "A Brutal Blow"

https://www.masslive.com/umassfootball/ ... utour.html

Tough read, I would have thought his opinion on this would have been different understanding the landscape. Oh well.

[runner_bric]

Matty V: "A Brutal Blow"

https://www.masslive.com/umassfootball/ ... utour.html

This gets worse and worse the more I read. He mentions "sacrificing... a lot of money" in the first paragraph, which is my biggest fear. If the next MAC TV deal isn't a lot better, Olympic sports probably getting cut, ugh.

[inthescoop]

If Ryan Bamford's father wasn't who he was, Ryan would be working at Wendy's right now. Dude is a bonehead and has never improved at his job.

[Bags]

What if… the MAC added 3 more schools with more acceptable basketball pedigrees?
What if…the MAC schools committed to increasing funding and overall level of excellence in their basketball programs?
I took a look at the size of arenas that each school competes in and there are some big league facilities in place.

[Merlin Samuels]

The WCC is clearly a superior conference, and in the years Gonzaga found success (mid to late 90s), you had BYU and St Mary’s there to pick up at-large bids. In other words, the competition improved. The MAC hasn’t had an at-large bid since 1999, and I doubt any other team in that conference was close to snagging an at large bid over that time. Sure you can win the MAC, but your reward is a 13 seed and a likely first round exit. I agree the only way out of that pigeon hole is if the non conference is strong.

Just a few seasons ago, Buffalo was ranked throughout the entire season and would have earned an at-large, but they won the MAC tourney. The Bulls were a 6 seed and won their 1st round game vs Arizona State. They only played three power programs outside the MAC: WVU, Syracuse, and Marquette and went 2-1

but they won the conference. thats all that matters. meaning no other team was close to an at-large bid.

That's actually not all that matters. You said they'd get a 13 seed and a first round exit, which clearly isn't true. Buffalo has proven a program can be nationally successful in the MAC.

The A10 is a 1-bid league this year unless Dayton loses in the tourney and somebody (hopefully us) slides in.

[doubledribble]

Matty V: "A Brutal Blow"

https://www.masslive.com/umassfootball/ ... utour.html

I think Matt V hit the nail on the head. VERY disappointed as a LONGTIME STH!

All driven by the ridiculous football program which I could care less about. I have not attended a game since football was in the Yankee Conference and I was a student in the late 60’s. Way to much money has been blown on this program chasing a foolish dream..that money could be put to much better use !

[e_parade]

Matty V: "A Brutal Blow"

https://www.masslive.com/umassfootball/ ... utour.html

This gets worse and worse the more I read. He mentions "sacrificing... a lot of money" in the first paragraph, which is my biggest fear. If the next MAC TV deal isn't a lot better, Olympic sports probably getting cut, ugh.

Maybe you should read that again. He didn't say the move is "sacrificing a lot of money" - he said UMass has already sacrificed a lot of money for FBS football.

We're going to be making over a million dollars more per year just by being in the MAC all sports than we would have for staying in the A10. The media money itself isn't much more (but it is more) in the MAC, but the CFP payouts will be much higher.


Why would we cut olympic sports as a result of making more money?

[Roadtrip]

This poll is flawed; there is no choice called, "I'm so hopping, fricken mad, I don't know where to begin"

[Steve81]

My first reaction is this makes NIL more important than conference. Put your money in. NIL will get players but needs to be real money support Pat
and all of UMass!!

[DanaDingle3]

No "cut football" option in the poll !!

FLAWED and SAD

[ZooMass84]

Matty V: "A Brutal Blow"

https://www.masslive.com/umassfootball/ ... utour.html

I think Matt V hit the nail on the head. VERY disappointed as a LONGTIME STH!

All driven by the ridiculous football program which I could care less about. I have not attended a game since football was in the Yankee Conference and I was a student in the late 60’s. Way to much money has been blown on this program chasing a foolish dream..that money could be put to much better use !

What "rivalries"??? the dude is delusional. The A-10 is a one bid league now. It's not 1996. It's a just a step above the MAAC or something. The schools were good generations ago.

[debache]

This poll is flawed; there is no choice called, "I'm so hopping, fricken mad, I don't know where to begin"

I agree

[skizz]

Matty V: "A Brutal Blow"

https://www.masslive.com/umassfootball/ ... utour.html

I read that this morning and it is spot on.