Stony Brook Football on fire

[Michigan_Dane]

According to this Newsday article Stony Brook is on fire. They are lining up 2 FBS games every year. They're looking at Cincinnati and BC. They have Army, Buffalo and UTEP.

 

 

My link

 

 

Albany needs to step up. I'm sick of Albany being left behind. Albany is never a leader. UA sits back and watches Bing and Stony Brook start law schools. UA sits back and watches SBU and Buffalo upgrade their football programs. UA isn't a leader or a follower. We can't even keep up with our peers. Being last must be the UA goal?

[danefan]

Bing will have full scholarship football before UA....

 

In all seriousness though, our Administration is clearly not pro-football. If I didn't know they were actually building some sort of stadium I would honestly believe they were getting ready to drop the program.

 

Stagnant.

 

Try recruiting against SBU. Hey son come to Albany and youl get to play at St Francis! I don't even want to even consider us playing them as an "up" game on our schedule.

 

What Coach Ford has done with nothng is a truly amazing accomplishment. Just imagine what he could have done with some serious institutional support.

[dslyank]

Bing will have full scholarship football before UA....

 

In all seriousness though, our Administration is clearly not pro-football. If I didn't know they were actually building some sort of stadium I would honestly believe they were getting ready to drop the program.

 

Stagnant.

 

Try recruiting against SBU. Hey son come to Albany and youl get to play at St Francis! I don't even want to even consider us playing them as an "up" game on our schedule.

 

What Coach Ford has done with nothng is a truly amazing accomplishment. Just imagine what he could have done with some serious institutional support.

 

I agree Ford is amazing but he is not going to be here forever and even if he stays another 5, 10, or forever, without a stadium this talk of joining a better league (which ever it may be) is laughable and only blog fodder.

[Michigan_Dane]

Living in California and Georgia previously, it really upsets me that SUNY is completely unknown. I can never watch a game on ESPN. The other day I wore an Albany hat to work and a colleague asked if it was Albany Georgia. I was disappointed when SUNY was last but at least all the SUNYs were at the same point. That's not true anymore. Buffalo and Stony Brook are playing FBS teams. Bing and Stony Brook are starting law schools. Buffalo and Stony Brook are AAU colleges. Albany is ranked last of the 4 centers in US News. I'm down right angry now. I'm beyond disappointed. I'm mad. The other centers are dealing with the same financial difficulties. How come they are passing us?

[Classof72/74]

Albany is ranked last of the 4 centers in US News. I'm down right angry now. I'm beyond disappointed. I'm mad. The other centers are dealing with the same financial difficulties. How come they are passing us?

 

 

You might take a look at the endowment levels for each of them. During the Kermit Hall era there was a dashboard chart showing the respective $$ in endowments. I don't have the chart anymore but Albany was the lowest, at under $20M; Buffalo was well over $100M. Buffalo and Bing (aka Harpur) had endowments from before they became part of SUNY. I've heard Stony Brook benefits from having the health center. Albany began as a teachers college. For a longtime SUNY was actively discouraged from seeking funds from alumni. When was the last time you heard of UA getting a donation in the millions?

[UA'08]

Hahahah cincy drops us to play sbu, jeez. You dont want to spend money youre not going anywhere. Simple as that.

 

Its that smalbany mentality

[jpg_91]

We are well on our way to becoming the only SUNY school in FCS.

[Michigan_Dane]

UAlbany is just handing over the flagship title to the other SUNYs. Albany not being FBS like Buffalo (and eventually Stony Brook) will hurt our other sports' competitiveness. Football brings that brand name recognition that other sports do not. There is still a lot of confusion amidst the public about what was 1-AA and is now FBS. A lot of people don't realize that 1-AA only applies to football. I still often hear that X school isn't D1 when referring to basketball.

 

My point is that Albany's failure to stay competitive with Stony Brook will have added costs down the line and not just for football. Recruiting gets harder as the other SUNYs get more of a brand name. It gets harder as there is a perception what is or isn't a flagship. Dropping the ball on not persuing a law school will also add the this perception of not being a flagship and not being competitive.

 

Albany just makes one mistake after another and this assessment assumes they care and are trying. Maybe they don't care and are happy to be the laggard. Somebody has to be last. Why not us?

[Dane4ever]

"Albany just makes one mistake after another and this assessment assumes they care and are trying. Maybe they don't care and are happy to be the laggard. Somebody has to be last. Why not us?"

 

Certainly, this is part of it, but there is a whole quiver full of complications that help to add up to what frustrates and discourages so many of us . . .

 

. . . a campus administrative and academic culture that seems to oriented to discouraguing creativity, risk, thinking-out-of-the-box (a MUST for any institution, group, etc. that wants to make significant changes);

 

. . . an approach that seems to be based in using band-aids in heart surgery; a faculty and community (and maybe even alumni) who are EXTREMELY MISINFORMED about the role and costs of athletics on campus;

 

. . . the UA place in the overall mind of SUNY Central/NYS Legislature/Executive Office, a place that is far removed from thinking about UB/SBU and, to an extent, BU (interesting that BU seems sort of "out of the loop" when compared to BU/SBU, but just keeps moving along with success and support (OK, apart from the embarrassment in Men's BB the last couple of years -- but all that seems to be going away, and BU has survived as an institution);

 

. . . AND FINALLY: I'm not sure how many people really understand the devastating loss UA suffered with the death of Kermit Hall, in ALL aspects of UA. I am absolutely convinced that if Kermit Hall had been here for these past 5 years, we would be in far better shape in all regards. He had a vision, and he had the smarts and the leadership and the political saavy to get it done . . . alot of the vision involved shaking up the culture that I mentioned in the opening -- actually, not shaking it, but completely changing it, with the attitude -- "OK, if you don't like it, then leave." And we know he was a huge supporter of athletics at an institution -- he understood well what they could mean for a university. That loss (at such a young age, too!) then led to 3-4 years without any effective leadership, and finally choosing as president a CEO with absolutely no experience in working in academe and with academics/academic administrators. Devastating all around.

 

I'm sorry to go on and on, but all of this touches a sore spot. You are exactly right -- BU/SBU are clearly separating themselves from everyone else (I think Bing is satisfied with being Bing -- they have their own strengths, their own culture, and never have to worry about getting students). We are in limbo, and staying there . . . neither a flagship U, nor a state college.

 

Thanks for listening.

 

Let's forget it all for two hours tonight, and get to 6-6! Go Great Danes!

[danefan]

"Albany just makes one mistake after another and this assessment assumes they care and are trying. Maybe they don't care and are happy to be the laggard. Somebody has to be last. Why not us?"

 

Certainly, this is part of it, but there is a whole quiver full of complications that help to add up to what frustrates and discourages so many of us . . .

 

. . . a campus administrative and academic culture that seems to oriented to discouraguing creativity, risk, thinking-out-of-the-box (a MUST for any institution, group, etc. that wants to make significant changes);

 

. . . an approach that seems to be based in using band-aids in heart surgery; a faculty and community (and maybe even alumni) who are EXTREMELY MISINFORMED about the role and costs of athletics on campus;

 

. . . the UA place in the overall mind of SUNY Central/NYS Legislature/Executive Office, a place that is far removed from thinking about UB/SBU and, to an extent, BU (interesting that BU seems sort of "out of the loop" when compared to BU/SBU, but just keeps moving along with success and support (OK, apart from the embarrassment in Men's BB the last couple of years -- but all that seems to be going away, and BU has survived as an institution);

 

. . . AND FINALLY: I'm not sure how many people really understand the devastating loss UA suffered with the death of Kermit Hall, in ALL aspects of UA. I am absolutely convinced that if Kermit Hall had been here for these past 5 years, we would be in far better shape in all regards. He had a vision, and he had the smarts and the leadership and the political saavy to get it done . . . alot of the vision involved shaking up the culture that I mentioned in the opening -- actually, not shaking it, but completely changing it, with the attitude -- "OK, if you don't like it, then leave." And we know he was a huge supporter of athletics at an institution -- he understood well what they could mean for a university. That loss (at such a young age, too!) then led to 3-4 years without any effective leadership, and finally choosing as president a CEO with absolutely no experience in working in academe and with academics/academic administrators. Devastating all around.

 

I'm sorry to go on and on, but all of this touches a sore spot. You are exactly right -- BU/SBU are clearly separating themselves from everyone else (I think Bing is satisfied with being Bing -- they have their own strengths, their own culture, and never have to worry about getting students). We are in limbo, and staying there . . . neither a flagship U, nor a state college.

 

Thanks for listening.

 

Let's forget it all for two hours tonight, and get to 6-6! Go Great Danes!

 

+1

 

Especially regarding Pres. Hall.

 

But what can "we" do?

 

I'm seriously at a loss. It doesn't look like anyone on the "inside" even sees the same issues. Or is willing to do anything about them.

[dslyank]

When I said we should speak-out and stand-up against the naysayers who say cut athletic, I am asked not to. When I say lets put our stadium video out there to the community, I am told things are in the works, now is not the time (when is?) When I said put out a call to all former football players and interested alumni to show up on campus with picks and shovels (how about that for thinking outside the box) and start building the thing ourselfs, I am told I am a wacko and would only hurt the cause.

 

I have said I am NOT the right person to speak out. I do not have the expertise, nor scholarly know how, nor leadership skills. But surely some alumni, lawyer, engineer out there has the ability to take this fight public. Danefan, Dane4ever, SoCal your points and arguements are right on. I know we have all been told not to raise feathers, but at sometime someone needs to take these blogs to a larger audience?

[UA'08]

The interest is just not there for FCS football. The average person doesnt know when the playoffs are. (I know i've said this already in teh past) The last update i had was when there was a post for the quarterfinals. Is there a national champion yet? Unless you have aspirations of going to FBS like Stony Brook then you'll be taken seriously. Albany is looking to aspire to be an FCS school already in the FCS! While SBU is hoping to be FBS one day.

 

Either way SBU will never jump to FBS in my opinion. College football is dead on long island and will never survive so I think SBU is wasting there time. Just look at Hofstra. Plus SBU is in the freakin middle of no where. Why would any legitimate recruit go play there. If albany was ever serious and talked about hopes of being FBS I'm sure you'll get more money from somewhere.

 

Yes I dont know much about FCS football, but once again its just my opinion.

[danefan]

The interest is just not there for FCS football. The average person doesnt know when the playoffs are. (I know i've said this already in teh past) The last update i had was when there was a post for the quarterfinals. Is there a national champion yet? Unless you have aspirations of going to FBS like Stony Brook then you'll be taken seriously. Albany is looking to aspire to be an FCS school already in the FCS! While SBU is hoping to be FBS one day.

 

Either way SBU will never jump to FBS in my opinion. College football is dead on long island and will never survive so I think SBU is wasting there time. Just look at Hofstra. Plus SBU is in the freakin middle of no where. Why would any legitimate recruit go play there. If albany was ever serious and talked about hopes of being FBS I'm sure you'll get more money from somewhere.

 

Yes I dont know much about FCS football, but once again its just my opinion.

 

 

How do we even know what UA is aspiring to? Is our Administration really aspiring to anything?

[UA'08]

The interest is just not there for FCS football. The average person doesnt know when the playoffs are. (I know i've said this already in teh past) The last update i had was when there was a post for the quarterfinals. Is there a national champion yet? Unless you have aspirations of going to FBS like Stony Brook then you'll be taken seriously. Albany is looking to aspire to be an FCS school already in the FCS! While SBU is hoping to be FBS one day.

 

Either way SBU will never jump to FBS in my opinion. College football is dead on long island and will never survive so I think SBU is wasting there time. Just look at Hofstra. Plus SBU is in the freakin middle of no where. Why would any legitimate recruit go play there. If albany was ever serious and talked about hopes of being FBS I'm sure you'll get more money from somewhere.

 

Yes I dont know much about FCS football, but once again its just my opinion.

 

 

How do we even know what UA is aspiring to? Is our Administration really aspiring to anything?

 

We dont know. Ive been reading all these articles and posts on UA football and I havent read anything about FBS, but I have read about SBU

wanting to go FBS one day.

 

There are "insiders" here so I'll ask are there talks of ever moving to FBS?

[danefan]

The interest is just not there for FCS football. The average person doesnt know when the playoffs are. (I know i've said this already in teh past) The last update i had was when there was a post for the quarterfinals. Is there a national champion yet? Unless you have aspirations of going to FBS like Stony Brook then you'll be taken seriously. Albany is looking to aspire to be an FCS school already in the FCS! While SBU is hoping to be FBS one day.

 

Either way SBU will never jump to FBS in my opinion. College football is dead on long island and will never survive so I think SBU is wasting there time. Just look at Hofstra. Plus SBU is in the freakin middle of no where. Why would any legitimate recruit go play there. If albany was ever serious and talked about hopes of being FBS I'm sure you'll get more money from somewhere.

 

Yes I dont know much about FCS football, but once again its just my opinion.

 

 

How do we even know what UA is aspiring to? Is our Administration really aspiring to anything?

 

We dont know. Ive been reading all these articles and posts on UA football and I havent read anything about FBS, but I have read about SBU

wanting to go FBS one day.

 

There are "insiders" here so I'll ask are there talks of ever moving to FBS?

 

We haven't even gotten a public commitment that the Administration wants to be a full-scholarship FCS team let alone an FBS team.