Football Game #3: vs Albany (Home Opener)

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 9 years ago

Preview from Bill Koch of the Independent:

http://www.independentri.com/sports/art ... dc008.html

Hal Kopp · Unread post by **Hal Kopp** » 9 years ago

That is a lot (3500) in pre sold?
The university is doing a good job marketing.
Again,it is not the lack of support hurting football.
Think about some of the excuses given on this board,students,alums,locals don't go to FB games!!
Only people over the age of 70 are interested is the latest manifestation .

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 9 years ago

This is Military Appreciation and Youth Football Day. For comparison to last year we had our home opener on 9/7 against Stony Brook with similar weather to what we're supposed to have tomorrow. They drew 4302 for that one. Then on 9/28 we hosted Central Connecticut for Military Appreciation Day with similar weather and had 5223 in attendance.

RoadyJay · Unread post by **RoadyJay** » 9 years ago

I've spotted 96

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 9 years ago

6351 on hand for the game. Was a great atmosphere especially in the first quarter and tailgating before the game.

neil · Unread post by **neil** » 9 years ago

The view from Section 9
1. Nice crowd, would you take that total for Nebraska?
2. When we scored the first two touchdowns, I think about 30% of the crowd stood and applauded. Are we so confident that we don't even have to stand. Get off your feet!
3. Defense did play hard, stopping Albany on a first and goal which lead to only a field goal.
4. Defense was on the field forever in the second half, too many three and outs for our offense.
5. One would assume there will be a drill this week on how to cover fumbles or at least not run with them unless you are 100% sure you have it.
6. QB made mistakes, but he is a freshman.
7. Turnovers
8. Had a chance to sneak into the Ryan center. Scoreboard is fantastic! Can't wait!
9. Will try to get to Central next Saturday, hoping for a W
10. Go Rhody!

Rhodymob05 · Unread post by **Rhodymob05** » 9 years ago

Typical typical typical, just when you think uri will catch a break, everything completely falls apart, literally happens every single season. Cursed

Hal Kopp · Unread post by **Hal Kopp** » 9 years ago

Great crowd and day yesterday.
That game was winnable.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 9 years ago

neil wrote:The view from Section 9
1. Nice crowd, would you take that total for Nebraska?
10. Go Rhody!

#1: No, and nor would the head coach.
#10: As always!

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 9 years ago

ATPTourFan wrote:
neil wrote:The view from Section 9
1. Nice crowd, would you take that total for Nebraska?
#1: No, and nor would the head coach.

Do you really think URI will draw better than 6,351 for a November (11/22/2014) basketball game? I don't think URI has ever had a crowd near that size for a game so early in the season in the 10+ years of the Ryan Center. The RC opening night game vs USC only drew 5,785 on 11/26/2002.

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 9 years ago

For the first two offensive and defensive drives they looked like a great team. The defense shut down Albany, giving the offense good field position which they capitalized on. On Albany's third drive they got deep into URI territory when URI forced a fumble around the 17 yard line. URI should have been able to recover two, maybe three times, but the ball eventually went out of bounds. They did a good job of forcing Albany to go for the field goal there. Then on Rhody's next drive the center bombed it past the QB on a shotgun snap, but we recovered. Determined to give the ball back to Albany, the very next play the shotgun snap was botched again, but this time Albany recovered after Rhody again missed two or three opportunities to recover. From that point the rout was on.

For two weeks in a row now this team has folded when things have started to go south on them. Being talent deficient is one thing, but the inability to turn things around when things start to go bad or even stop the bleeding appears like a potential coaching issue.

The attendance was very good, but Albany seemed to bring a larger than normal contingent and it seemed like a very good student turnout. Will the students come back after that embarrassment?

This game pretty much shoots to hell the whole NEC excuse people want to throw out there. This is only the second season out of the NEC for Albany and they flat out whooped us in all phases of the game.

Ramblinrose · Unread post by **Ramblinrose** » 9 years ago

Why does this cash-eating sad program still exist?

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

Don't worry Rosie, another couple of years it's gone.....

I don't think there will be enough improvement to save it, I really don't.....

OBRAM · Unread post by **OBRAM** » 9 years ago

It was a great atmosphere at the game, but yes, Rhody fans at 1st when they we up 14-0 were on their hands, sitting. I think it is because of the way the Admin decimated the depth of this team with the NEC decision. I think when we built the team back up and get ranked like were were in the 1990's and maybe 2001 season and play a UNH , I believe the attendance would approach 12,000. Don't know where we would put them all. Albany had a rs-Senior QB and rs-Senior RB and the RB beat us. That's how we beat them last year, on our senior RB Justin Semmes.

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 9 years ago

What does the NEC decision have to do with it? We never fully reduced our scholarships to NEC levels, two years ago Albany was at the NEC max and they still whooped us. If we don't have any depth because we had more scholarships than an NEC school but less than the CAA, than shouldn't Albany have worse depth than us because they had fewer scholarships than us? It's excuse making. If there was any problem with talking about moving to the NEC, it's that we didn't follow through. We have no business being in the CAA.

We suck because we have crap facilities and our coaching has been bad, not because we almost changed conferences. There's no improvement coming to Meade Stadium and there's no reason to think Coach Fleming is the miracle worker we need in that position, so there's no reason to think we'll be ranked any time in the near future. We haven't been ranked since Jayson Davis was here, we haven't had a winning season since 2001, and we have no reason to believe things are going to get better.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 9 years ago

RhodyRam02,
I don't think Obram or myself or others think of the NEC as an excuse, to me it is a reason that we have a bigger hole to dig ourselves out of. It is not the only reason, but one of many.
Coaching and facilities are reasons too as you stated - you could call these excuses as well, or reasons.
I read many times that there must be something wrong in the administration, the entire program, as to why the women's basketball team was horrible with zero progress the past 5 years. Very few people wanted to attribute the poor performance and zero improvement to the Coach because she had had success elsewhere - therefore it couldn't be here.
Well, Thor finally makes a change of Head Coaches and the women's program is recruiting remarkably well.I thought Thor waited too long to pull the trigger, but most I don't think would agree.
At any rate it's a variety of things that I can think of:
- Poor Coaching Staff
- Horrible Stands on the Visitor Side of the Field
- No investments in the Football Field in many years - nothing to look forward to seeing "new this year"
- No Lights for Night Games
- Poor High School Football in Rhode Island - not a recruiting hotbed by a long shot
- University of Connecticut going FBS (used to be Yankee Conference)
- University of Massachusettes going FBS (used to be Yankee Conference)
- NEC Decision and then reversal
- No Alcohol at Tailgating for many years - starting to reverse itself but this did big time damage to Alumni attendance at games
- Other??
I don't see any of these as excuses, just reality.

We like to criticize UCONN and UMASS especially for going FBS but I would trade places with both of them for their position on College Football.
As this article says after the 30,000 showed up at Tailgating at Gillette - at least we can dream. At URI I don't feel the dream - we would rather sit pack and criticize UCONN and UMASS for trying to go big time.
http://dailycollegian.com/2014/09/04/um ... w-england/

This article describes the improvements UMASS is making to their Football facilities. They will play many games at their campus stadiums and leverage Gillette for teams like Colorado, UCONN, Temple, Boston College, etc......and try to use it to gain more home and home series.

What really scares me is that the FBS Teams form their own Division for all Sports, UCONN, UMASS and Boston College all are in the FBS Conferences, while URI suffers in FCS oblivion - will be interesting to look back in 10 years to see who made the right strategic moves.
http://www.umass.edu/fp/projectmanageme ... mupgrades/

2014
08/30 - Boston College
09/06 - Colorado
09/13 - at Vanderbilt
09/20 - at Penn State

2015
09/12 - at Colorado
09/19 - Temple
09/26 - at Notre Dame
10/03 - Florida International

2016
09/03 - at Florida
09/10 - UConn
09/17 - at Boston College
09/24 - Rhode Island
10/01 - at Old Dominion

2017
09/02 - at UConn
09/09 - Old Dominion
09/16 - at Temple
09/23 - at Indiana
TBA - at Tennessee

OBRAM · Unread post by **OBRAM** » 9 years ago

If you have 65 scholarships and have to get down to 45, then you have to recruit fewer players than an NEC team can. You just can't lay off the players you had on scholarships. That process started in 2011. Players that would be seniors today, had we recruited them for the CAA in 2011, don't exist today on the team. Rizzi's recruits went 5-6 in 2010, by 2011 we were already down scholarships and were not recruiting CAA players, and not even recruiting NEC players at that time.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 9 years ago

OBRAM wrote:If you have 65 scholarships and have to get down to 45, then you have to recruit fewer players than an NEC team can. You just can't lay off the players you had on scholarships. That process started in 2011. Players that would be seniors today, had we recruited them for the CAA in 2011, don't exist today on the team. Rizzi's recruits went 5-6 in 2010, by 2011 we were already down scholarships and were not recruiting CAA players, and not even recruiting NEC players at that time.

Agree, NEC was definitely a factor. Some of us called Thor and URI out on this poor decision at the time it was made. Damage was done and it's not like the URI program was strong to begin with - it could not withstand this impact on recruiting.
The good news is that Thor and URI saw that this was the wrong decision and reversed it - would have been terrible if they had not.

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 9 years ago

And at that time, Albany had a limited number of players they could recruit as well, because they had a total limit of 45 players they could have on scholarship and they couldn't lay off the players they already had. For your theory to be correct that we couldn't recruit players at that time in numbers as well as even Albany could, they should have a numbers edge on their roster of seniors and redshirt juniors. They have one more senior than we have and they have one fewer redshirt junior. Again, the NEC thing is a nonsensical excuse.

We got flat out whooped by a team still transitioning from the NEC, so what are real CAA teams going to do? We don't belong in the CAA, and it's up for debate if we're good enough for the NEC.

OBRAM · Unread post by **OBRAM** » 9 years ago

Great post ramster, I don't know why I missed it until now. MA is the largest state where their flagship U is not in the FBS. But as Ramster says, at least UConn, UMass are moving forward, even UNH has plans to improve their stadium, they have Field turf for a few years now. You can't stand still, and URI football facilities are almost the same since 1978, only thing new is the West Ryan Center Stands, but that was just a replacement for Stands that already existed when they built the Ryan Center. Looking Back on the site for the Ryan Center. Who in their right mind would tear down the only solid football stands and field house locker rooms you have to build the Ryan center in that location. 1. You had no west stands for 5-6 years 2. you hem in Meade Stadium for the future, 3. the players dressing room were in Trailers for 4 years. I think the Ryan Center build hurt football.
And let me add about the outside track. We have the State University and it does not have an outside track, you got to be kidding, and we have a great indoor track team. RhodeIslandCollege has a nice new outside track with stands for about 2,000. The state paid for their tennis courts 16 years ago, stands for baseball, but more amazing, RIC has a $10 Million Performance Fittness Center that is 2 years old that was a bond issue, and is almost always empty. How can RIC have that and URI does not have an outside track?

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 9 years ago

ramster wrote:Agree, NEC was definitely a factor. Some of us called Thor and URI out on this poor decision at the time it was made. Damage was done and it's not like the URI program was strong to begin with - it could not withstand this impact on recruiting.
The good news is that Thor and URI saw that this was the wrong decision and reversed it - would have been terrible if they had not.

How was the NEC a factor? We had losing seasons in 14 of the 15 years before the announcement was made. How was it a bad decision to move down? We don't belong in the CAA and are only there because we were in the New England Conference in 1923. We haven't had a winning season in 13 years. We aren't competitive, and we haven't been in a long time. The only part of that decision that was wrong was not following through. Perhaps if we were in a conference more in line with our resources and commitment we would have more wins and buzz surrounding our program. Instead we're going to get our teeth kicked in all season, but hey, at least we'll have those cool CAA patches on our jersey while we take our beatings.

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 9 years ago

So now it's The Ryan Center's fault the football team sucks? Ground was broken on the Ryan Center on 10/14/2000. In 1999 we went 1-10. In 1998 we went 3-8. In 1997 we went 2-9. In 1996 we went 4-6. Any other grand excuses?

OBRAM · Unread post by **OBRAM** » 9 years ago

As ramster says, reasons, not excuses.
Stowers used to say he could not bring in a recruit into the football offices, they were so bad, he had to drive to West Kingston to see the weight room (now fixed) in the rental storage building off campus. Then back on campus the recruits would look around and say, 'Nice basketball gym you got here'. Meaning the football facilities sucked.

You can't expect to recruit a Chemistry Student with out nice labs, you can't expect to recruit a football recruit with high school facilities. Facilities were bad before the Ryan Center and worse after.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 9 years ago

RhowdyRam02 wrote:
ramster wrote:Agree, NEC was definitely a factor. Some of us called Thor and URI out on this poor decision at the time it was made. Damage was done and it's not like the URI program was strong to begin with - it could not withstand this impact on recruiting.
The good news is that Thor and URI saw that this was the wrong decision and reversed it - would have been terrible if they had not.
How was the NEC a factor? We had losing seasons in 14 of the 15 years before the announcement was made. How was it a bad decision to move down? We don't belong in the CAA and are only there because we were in the New England Conference in 1923. We haven't had a winning season in 13 years. We aren't competitive, and we haven't been in a long time. The only part of that decision that was wrong was not following through. Perhaps if we were in a conference more in line with our resources and commitment we would have more wins and buzz surrounding our program. Instead we're going to get our teeth kicked in all season, but hey, at least we'll have those cool CAA patches on our jersey while we take our beatings.

So you are saying that the decision to go to the NEC had no impact? None?

I went to the rosters of Bryant and URI our of curiosity. Bryant is now in the Top 25 of FCS Schools. Of course I would prefer to be FBS but let's just look at Bryant:
Bryant / URI
Massachusetts 28/15
Maryland 19/3
New York 19/14
Florida 12/2
Rhode Island 10/19
Connecticut 8/3
New Jersey 4/18
Pennsylvania 3/2
Virginia 2/3
Illinois 2/0
California 2/1
Texas 1/3
Indiana 1/0
South Carolina 1/0
Missouri 0/1
New Hampshire 0/3
Total Roster 112/90

Some observations on the Team Rosters:
- Bryant has a roster of 112 players, URI has a roster of only 90 - why does Bryant have 22 more players than URI?
- URI has double the players from Rhode Island that Bryant has 19-10 - HS Football is weak in RI and always has been
- Bryant has 12 players from Florida - URI 2
- Bryant has 19 players from Maryland - URI 3
- Bryant has double the players from Massachusetts - 28-15
- Bryant has only 4 players from New Jersey - URI has a whopping 18 of their 90 from NJ

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 9 years ago

Why does Bryant have 22 more players? Because their head coach wants to have 67 walk on players while the URI head coach only wants 27. URI has more scholarship players than Bryant, which should be more important than roster size.

Also, I'm not sure what your point is. You're claiming that the decision to move down to the NEC hurt URI, but you're claiming a NEC team has superior roster construction to URI? That sounds like the problem is coaching and not conference affiliation.

And you'd prefer to be in the FBS? Well I'd prefer to be dating Elisha Cuthbert. We can't build an average FCS facility and we get our teeth kicked in regularly. So what is your plan for moving up? Keeping in mind we don't have money for a stadium, we have no big time conference affiliation ready to go like UConn had when they moved up, nor the history of success that UMass had when they moved up. So we have no conference, no stadium, no potential stadium, no money, and a fan base not nearly large enough to support such a move. Other than that, we're right on the cusp...

rhodyfan3 · Unread post by **rhodyfan3** » 9 years ago

I have said before that we need to recruit more players from Massachusetts. We look to New England for a lot of our players and the level of football in Massachusetts is much better than Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, etc. With the exception of CT, CT has good high school football.

OBRAM · Unread post by **OBRAM** » 9 years ago

recruiting budget has been poor, hopefully it will get better now.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 9 years ago

RhowdyRam02 wrote:Why does Bryant have 22 more players? Because their head coach wants to have 67 walk on players while the URI head coach only wants 27. URI has more scholarship players than Bryant, which should be more important than roster size.

Also, I'm not sure what your point is. You're claiming that the decision to move down to the NEC hurt URI, but you're claiming a NEC team has superior roster construction to URI? That sounds like the problem is coaching and not conference affiliation.

And you'd prefer to be in the FBS? Well I'd prefer to be dating Elisha Cuthbert. We can't build an average FCS facility and we get our teeth kicked in regularly. So what is your plan for moving up? Keeping in mind we don't have money for a stadium, we have no big time conference affiliation ready to go like UConn had when they moved up, nor the history of success that UMass had when they moved up. So we have no conference, no stadium, no potential stadium, no money, and a fan base not nearly large enough to support such a move. Other than that, we're right on the cusp...

At one time UCONN and UMASS were in the same Yankee Conference as URI, Maine, New Hamshire.
URI could be UMASS in Football, but they are not. Decisions like the NEC are not Thinking Big as URI likes to say. That is backtracking and thinking small. UMASS and UCONN are making the decision to go FBS.
We will see who ends up on the right long term planning side.

Jay McKay · Unread post by **Jay McKay** » 9 years ago

The facilities are not the issue. Just look north to UNH to see what lousy facilities look like and gee, they have been to the playoffs for 9 consecutive years! They are updating their facilities but they are not why they will be successful. Football is important to UNH and they do not accept losing for long. I think the same can be said for Maine, better facilities there but you can't tell me that they make it a destination location for good players - winning does - again football is important to Maine. Fleming's job is to change how important football is to RI, that is the only way it can be successful. By the way, we have great basketball facilities and I guess they have helped us be totally mediocre since they were built.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

I expected a few wins this year. What a fool.

It's not just the losing. It's how they are losing. They are getting trampled by the Albanys of the world.

I know it's only 3 games into Fleming's tenure, but from what little I heard from people who have seen them play, that nothing has changed.

Little talent and little coaching. I expected more, even by now.

Haven't heard anything positive. The clock is ticking. Dooley has said that there must be improvement for the program to survive.

Maybe they are waiting to see improvement before spending money on facilities, like the lights that were promised soon. Makes sense to me right now. Why waste money if the program goes away?

Spend it on other programs. Like an outdoor track, seating for baseball, etc.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 9 years ago

I agree coaching plays a huge part as does the administration of those coaches
. Jim baron got a lot of blame and rightfully so but jim baron was jim baron for 12 years. He did not get better, he did not get worse. Women's coach stayed 5 long years. Both stayed way too long. Administration needs to be tougher, set lofty goals, don't settle.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

Ramster, agree totally. Thorr has to hire more quality coaches for other programs. Of course you get what you pay for.

If you go cheap, you get cheap results. Too many programs here are still in the dumpster. Even if only SOME of the money saved from dropping football were put back into athletics, that would improve the quality of the remaining programs.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 9 years ago

rambone 78 wrote:Ramster, agree totally. Thorr has to hire more quality coaches for other programs. Of course you get what you pay for.

If you go cheap, you get cheap results. Too many programs here are still in the dumpster. Even if only SOME of the money saved from dropping football were put back into athletics, that would improve the quality of the remaining programs.

True, but jim Baron didn't come cheap and when you look at the total package the lost opportunity cost for uri with JB is sickening. New Ryan center, solid conference and the guy just under achieved. All you have to do now is look at the uri basketball program and spare me the we need to now see the record. Even an ignoramus would have to know this team this year is going to be special - just what we anticipated with the ouster of JB and the incoming off DH and staff. And it is only going to get better. Where did all the "why would anybody pick uri when there are so many better places they could play" people go? Best HC since jim Harrick at URI!

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

I'm guessing a little here, but doesn't the BB top ASSISTANT make about as much as the FB head coach?

Fleming is making about $175k a year?

Tells you where the football program is right now. That money must easily be the lowest in the CAA.

Wouldn't be surprised if some NEC head coaches make more.

Looks like we are going to get what we're paying for!

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 9 years ago

ramster wrote:At one time UCONN and UMASS were in the same Yankee Conference as URI, Maine, New Hamshire.
URI could be UMASS in Football, but they are not. Decisions like the NEC are not Thinking Big as URI likes to say. That is backtracking and thinking small. UMASS and UCONN are making the decision to go FBS.
We will see who ends up on the right long term planning side.

URI could be UMass in football? What stadium will we use? What money will we use to fund this endeavor? UMass had a bigger fanbase going into their move than we've ever had, where are our fans going to come from?

There's thinking big and then there's not thinking. Wanting to go FBS in this climate is not thinking. Thinking it's a good idea to get your teeth kicked in decade after decade and paying good money for the privilege isn't thinking when you can play at the same level in a different conference where you'd be more competitive and spend less money. One day soon this program is going to get the axe and the people to blame are the boosters who won't accept anything less than the CAA but can't donate the cash necessary to succeed at the CAA level.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 9 years ago

RhowdyRam02 wrote:
ramster wrote:At one time UCONN and UMASS were in the same Yankee Conference as URI, Maine, New Hamshire.
URI could be UMASS in Football, but they are not. Decisions like the NEC are not Thinking Big as URI likes to say. That is backtracking and thinking small. UMASS and UCONN are making the decision to go FBS.
We will see who ends up on the right long term planning side.
URI could be UMass in football? What stadium will we use? What money will we use to fund this endeavor? UMass had a bigger fanbase going into their move than we've ever had, where are our fans going to come from?

There's thinking big and then there's not thinking. Wanting to go FBS in this climate is not thinking. Thinking it's a good idea to get your teeth kicked in decade after decade and paying good money for the privilege isn't thinking when you can play at the same level in a different conference where you'd be more competitive and spend less money. One day soon this program is going to get the axe and the people to blame are the boosters who won't accept anything less than the CAA but can't donate the cash necessary to succeed at the CAA level.

URI could have been the UCONN in Basketball and the UCONN in Football as well as the UMASS in Basketball and Football
- All 3 were in the Yankee Conference in all Sports
- All 3 were in FCS Football
- All 3 are in small college towns - Kingston, Stoors and Amherst

I love URI Basketball and I am thrilled that Dan Hurley is moving this team back to the levels of the Jim Harrick days but I have a deep fear that URI without Football at all would be worse overall for the Basketball Team. Most think that money makes the Basketball Team great. You can't pay the players so the scholarships are set. You can only pay the Coaches. I think life at URI without Saturday afternoon Football Games would be very dull. I was at the last home game and had a wonderful time. Win or lose does not make or break my Saturday afternoon experience with friends and family at the football games. Those who want football gone dont go to the games would be my guess - probably never did.

I would not go FBS at this point. That ship has sailed - UCONN and UMASS got the last two ships in the harbour. It's too late for URI now for FBS - but URI could have beaten UCONN and UMASS to the idea - but URI didn't.
I would still keep in FCS versus going NEC or no Football at all.

Rhodysk · Unread post by **Rhodysk** » 9 years ago

It will be a sad day if the football program gets cut. It's time To either piss or get off the pot. So many little things could be done to Meade stadium. But you have to wonder if they want too?
1. Why can't they put on the ryan center side a sign the section numbers put " Welecome to Meade Stadium". Be nice for people to know there is a name for the stadium.
2. Why can't they drop big banners on the ryan center bricks where the corner stairs are facing the field?
Something in the lines of a Rhody Helmet, maybe past greats, and yes past championships ( enter joke here).
3. Why can't they put signs with home games all over SK/Narragansett and behind.? Kinda like the lawnscapper signs at traffics lights.
This is just 3 small things that I think the sports department could handle. Saturday was a great day with a great crowd. 6,500+ is great for a team like this.
The east stands and lights should be the next 2 big things they should be looking into too.
I would think a video board would be better to have then field turf.
Just my first post and my 2cents.

BFC · Unread post by **BFC** » 9 years ago

Threads about URI football are like reading something out of a time capsule. A URI football thread from 10 years ago would look exactly like this one. A URI football thread in 10 years will look exactly like this one.
Definition of insanity.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 9 years ago

BFC wrote:Threads about URI football are like reading something out of a time capsule. A URI football thread from 10 years ago would look exactly like this one. A URI football thread in 10 years will look exactly like this one.
Definition of insanity.

And after every loss the same, drop the program, for past 10 years and the next 10 years.

Ramblinrose · Unread post by **Ramblinrose** » 9 years ago

Had one good season under Stowers. Nothing since then. I went to every home game in the Griffin-Ehrhardt years. There were two amazing seasons. But obviously flukes. We are being shown up by Bryant. Bryant?

BFC · Unread post by **BFC** » 9 years ago

ramster wrote:
BFC wrote:Threads about URI football are like reading something out of a time capsule. A URI football thread from 10 years ago would look exactly like this one. A URI football thread in 10 years will look exactly like this one.
Definition of insanity.
And after every loss the same, drop the program, for past 10 years and the next 10 years.

Lets be honest, most losses at this point don't even get their own thread nevermind attention from the drop it crowd.

GansettRam74 · Unread post by **GansettRam74** » 9 years ago

I too was at the Albany game and it was a great atmosphere and always is, whether they pull one out of their rear ends or lose. My kids took part in the football clinic in the morning that was put on by the coaching staff & players and loved it. They love when the players come to the schools whether it be football or basketball. My boys play football and not basketball so they are drawn to the football players more obviously. My 12yr old has befriended a few players who worked at the beach club this summer and loves talking football with them. Same goes for basketball as well and these little things are why BOTH programs are IMO very important and need to remain. Plenty of families go to the games, shoot the sh*t, talk about the old days, maybe get to cheer a few times during the game, while the kids play pickup football behind the scoreboard or near the gate, etc. That's what it's all about. Sure we would all like more wins than losses but without URI football, there would be a big void at the school all around. Nothing as exciting than hearing/seeing the band march in, the players come from under the Ryan Center stands, and run out onto the field, Enter Sandman blasting on the speakers, etc. I really like how they've started to carry an anchor and hold it up at midfield before kickoff. At the end of the day, most of us go for the atmosphere and camaraderie that football games bring. I'd hate to see that go away.

Rhodysk · Unread post by **Rhodysk** » 9 years ago

http://www.masslive.com/umassfootball/i ... ry_package

Don't think UMASS regrets anything. Looks pretty nice.

Rhodysk · Unread post by **Rhodysk** » 9 years ago

http://www.wggb.com/2014/08/14/behind-t ... k-stadium/

Umass looks like there are doing it right?
Don't understand why there is so much hate for the football program.
We need donors to BUY into it. Make Meade better! So let's make something we can be proud of.
They said the Ryan Center would never be built either.
Positive thinking people. Flood the office emails with ideas if we have to.
If I want negative people I can just watch the news!

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 9 years ago

I don't think there is hate for the football team. I think there is decades worth of frustration with the school for not investing in the program and allowing it to languish as a neglected program. UMass's stadium is pretty impressive, but they are definitely not doing it right. That program is a dumpster fire and a ludicrous waste of money. I don't advocate trying to follow in UMass's footsteps, just make an investment that is appropriate for the level the program can reasonably compete at. There is a happy medium between having a program on the cheap like URI and setting stacks of money on fire like UMass.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 9 years ago

Rhodysk wrote:http://www.wggb.com/2014/08/14/behind-t ... k-stadium/

Umass looks like there are doing it right?
Don't understand why there is so much hate for the football program.
We need donors to BUY into it. Make Meade better! So let's make something we can be proud of.
They said the Ryan Center would never be built either.
Positive thinking people. Flood the office emails with ideas if we have to.
If I want negative people I can just watch the news!

Totally agree.

BFC · Unread post by **BFC** » 9 years ago

Both UConn and UMass weighed the value of a successful 1-AA football program in the Northeast and came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth the investment. It was go big or go home and they went big. UMass was way too late to the party. I'm sure it makes for some nice Saturday afternoons for their students and alumni but the costs of those Saturdays will be staggering. As far as UConn, they've had some success (4 straight bowls at one point including a Fiesta Bowl), so they'll live for a while on the hope that a BCS conference invite comes. But still no invite at this point, they haven't had a significant win in years and attendance is dropping.

I think the conclusions UConn and UMass came to about 1-AA football are a valid discussion but understandably its not likely to happen here, facts don't always mix well with fantasy.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

The lack of a quality football program must be a major source of frustration for Thorr, being a football guy who came from UMass. Financial restraints will just make it impossible to get there.

Remember we almost lost him to Xavier a while ago, and in spite of the fact that we are on the verge of BB success, I don't see him staying here too much longer.

I would guess he'll end up at a school that has a solid FB track record.

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 9 years ago

I think hubris clouded the decision making processes at UMass and UConn. Just because they concluded that FCS football wasn't a worthwhile investment for them doesn't mean they were right (at least in UMass's case; for UConn at least we can say the jury is still out). It is the appropriate level for us to play at considering the size of our school, the talent pool in our recruiting region and the level of interest in college football in our area. If we made a modest investment to get a quality team on the field then there would be a level of interest sufficient enough to sustain a competitive program.

Rhodysk · Unread post by **Rhodysk** » 9 years ago

URI moving up to Div. 1 (fcs) I don't think is realistic but there should be no excuesses for trying to make the program/stadium/offices good enough for Div1-aa/CAA standards. 6,500+ attendence for a home game after coming after 2 blowout loses is really good. Could you even imagine if they were good? Would 10,000 achievable? Not to out date myself but the very few years they were good not only were both stands full but the "hill" was packed. Yes I know times have changed and people have more options now to not go to games, but winning makes things exciting. Like I said before they said we would never get the Ryan Center built or fill it up. Winning and support cures all! I think the fans have done more than enough of the support part. Where is the administration part?

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