UMass Football Wins Lambert Trophy As Top Team In East

[saint0917]

AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass football team has captured the 2006 Lambert Trophy, symbolic of the team top team in the East, presented by the ECAC. The Minutemen were the winners in the I-AA/FCS Division. Head coach Don Brown and the team will be recognized on Thursday, Feb. 15 at the Meadowlands.

Umass Football (http://umassathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/010407aaa.html)

[Col Hogan]

Outstanding!!!!

[VT Wildcat Fan53]

AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass football team has captured the 2006 Lambert Trophy, symbolic of the team top team in the East, presented by the ECAC. The Minutemen were the winners in the I-AA/FCS Division. Head coach Don Brown and the team will be recognized on Thursday, Feb. 15 at the Meadowlands.

Umass Football (http://umassathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/010407aaa.html)

Congratulations to Don Brown and the Minutemen. Obviously, the perfect (& only) choice. Thanks for waving the A-10 (& New England) flag proudly right to the finish! :thumbsup:

[Cobblestone]

Way to go guys, you did the A-10 proud.

[Old Cat Fan]

Hats off to a terrific season :thumbsup:

[lizrdgizrd]

Congrats!

I have to wonder why they call it the East and not the Northeast. :confused:

[GannonFan]

Congrats!

I have to wonder why they call it the East and not the Northeast. :confused:

Well, MD, DE, and VA are hardly the Northeast, maybe that's why. :thumbsup:

[bison95]

East? Does that make ASU the best team in the WEST?:confused:

[mistersykes]

Congrats! You guys had a great season.

[lizrdgizrd]

Well, MD, DE, and VA are hardly the Northeast, maybe that's why. :thumbsup:
Well, North Carolina is hardly the West.

[Umass74]

Well, North Carolina is hardly the West.

I would think most people would describe Appalachian State as being in the South.

However, the Mountaineers have a different title as National Champions :)

[MplsBison]

I won't be surprised to see UMass in the Big East within 5-10 years.

[lizrdgizrd]

I would think most people would describe Appalachian State as being in the South.

However, the Mountaineers have a different title as National Champions :)
I guess it's just a strange definition of East to me. No sour grapes here, just confusion. :confused:

[ChickenMan]

I won't be surprised to see UMass in the Big East within 5-10 years.

I would

[GannonFan]

I would

I agree - who's gonna cough up the money for UMass to go FBS? :twocents:

[mountain man]

I won't be surprised to see UMass in the Big East within 5-10 years.

That's just what the Big East wants - a team losing money that can't even bring 2,000 people to a championship game.

[dennisdent]

Thanks for the congrats!

Still have a ways to go to catch UD with six.:thumbsup:

[MplsBison]

If UConn can...

[jmuroller]

If UConn can...

You obviously know nothing about both situations.

[BrevardMountaineer03]

Congrats, your team deserves the accolades it gets, not many teams can go to Montana and stay with them, much less beat them. It's a heck of an award for a heck of a team.

[ngineer]

East? Does that make ASU the best team in the WEST?:confused:

No, South.;)

[ngineer]

Thanks for the congrats!

Still have a ways to go to catch UD with six.:thumbsup:

Actually, since I-AA started, the Hens have won 7 Lambert Cups (17 if you count back to D-II to 1957).* However, Congrats to the Minutemen. You guys had an outstanding season and never really were 'down'. Even the loss to Navy was a great effort.:thumbsup:

* From my count, Lehigh has the second most Lambert Cups going back to 1957, with 7.

[Ivytalk]

Well deserved award!:nod: :nod:

[dennisdent]

Actually, since I-AA started, the Hens have won 7 Lambert Cups (17 if you count back to D-II to 1957).* However, Congrats to the Minutemen. You guys had an outstanding season and never really were 'down'. Even the loss to Navy was a great effort.:thumbsup:

* From my count, Lehigh has the second most Lambert Cups going back to 1957, with 7.

Just used the info listed in the press release...:bang: It also says that UMass has won two Lambert Cups in I-AA (98/06) but doesn't count the one from 1978. xidiotx

University of Delaware won or shared the cup, 12 times as a member of Division II and six times at the Division I-AA level

http://www.ecac.org/uploadedFiles/Press_Releases/Lambert_Poll_and_Releases/All-Time%20Lambert%20Awardwinners.pdf

[Henny]

Just a little history

Before playoffs of any kind, for the non major schools, the Lambert Cup was the goal for all "Small College" teams in the Northeast and Mid Atlantic. It was awarded to the best team that was a member of the East
Coast Athletic Conference (basically schools in those geographical areas, not really an official football conference). Prior to 1996 it was an award for the team that sportswriters voted as the "best team". In 1996 Nova coach Andy Talley lobbied to just give the award to the I-AA team that made it furthest in the playoffs and got his way. Ironically, his team went undefeated in 1997 but lost in the quarter finals. That year, the Hens were 10-1 with its only regular season loss to Nova. Unfortunately for Andy, The Hens made it to the Semis and won the award.

BTW Congrats to UMASS for an oustanding season

[DFW HOYA]

Just a little history

Before playoffs of any kind, for the non major schools, the Lambert Cup was the goal for all "Small College" teams in the Northeast and Mid Atlantic. It was awarded to the best team that was a member of the East
Coast Athletic Conference (basically schools in those geographical areas, not really an official football conference).

Georgetown finished 7th in the 1974 Lambert Cup. It's still listed in many GU press materials; of course, not having any real post-game experience since 1950 will do that.

[JoltinJoe]

Congrats to UMass on a great season. Just a minor correction: UMass did not win the Lambert Tropy; it won the Lambert Cup.

The Lambert Trophy is awarded to a Division I/FBS team.

The Lambert Cup is awarded to a Division I/FCS team, as well as in Division II and Division III also.

[andy7171]

Well, North Carolina is hardly the West.
Carolina is South.
The classic US geographical areas. East, South, Mid-West and West. Just think of the NCAA tournament.

Check it out, I found the Lambert results... (http://www.ecac.org/uploadedFiles/Press_Releases/Lambert_Poll_and_Releases/All-Time%20Lambert%20Awardwinners.pdf)
Delaware's a lock with the most.
My TowsonState had a couple of nice seasons!

[RabidRabbit]

East? Does that make ASU the best team in the WEST?:confused:

Nah! : smh : : smh : South!!!! SoCon! xlolx xlolx

Great West was the best this year in west (I'm sure Griz Fans will protest :nod: :nod: ) but come out of Wash/Griz stadium or other BSC sites and PROVE that your success isn't due to HOME FIELD advantage!!!

SDSU/NDSU both waiting for Griz/Bobcat trips to east Dakotas! :thumbsup:

[RabidRabbit]

CONGRATS to a very deserving UMASS team! :hurray: :hurray:

[lizrdgizrd]

No, South.;)
Does that make it South Coast Bias now? xlolx xlolx xlolx

[MplsBison]

You obviously know nothing about both situations.

UConn is the public flagship of the state of Connecticut.

UMass is the public flagship of the state of Massachusetts.

[andy7171]

UConn is the public flagship of the state of Connecticut.

UMass is the public flagship of the state of Massachusetts.
Connecticutt has no professional or colliegate sports to compete with.
Massachusetts has the Patriots, RedSox, Celtics, Bruins, BC, ect.

[ChickenMan]

UConn is the public flagship of the state of Connecticut.

UMass is the public flagship of the state of Massachusetts.

UConn was ALREADY a member of the Big East for sports other than football... when they upgraded... football membership was automatic.

UMass is a member of the A10... not the Big East... for sports other than football.

[GannonFan]

Connecticutt has no professional or colliegate sports to compete with.
Massachusetts has the Patriots, RedSox, Celtics, Bruins, BC, ect.

Not to mention that UMass isn't thought of too fondly at the state government level and just as important, in the Boston area specifically. I'm pretty sure BC doesn't want another FBS team right in their backyard, and NU actually went the legal route when UMass swiped their coach. UMass has about a zero chance of following the path UConn took to the FBS level and the Big East; the biggest two reasons being UConn was guaranteed a spot in the Big East due to being a founding member (they couldn't be turned down - UMass can) and because everything UConn is beloved in the state of CT whereas UMass isn't terribly well liked by many in the state.

[YaleFootballFan]

Connecticutt has no professional or colliegate sports to compete with.
Massachusetts has the Patriots, RedSox, Celtics, Bruins, BC, ect.

Agreed. In Connecticut, UConn athetics is front and center in the state. Even when the NHL was in Hartford, UConn still received a vast majority of the state's attention. That's why when UConn announced its plans to upgrade to I-A, the state had no problem in building them a state-of-the-art 40,000 seat stadium.

Unless UMass can play at Gillette Stadium, will Massachusetts tax payers build them a new football stadium like CT did for UConn? Or expand the current stadium to meet I-A requirements? There's a lot to be done for a program to upgrade to the next level.....its easier said than done.

[Cobblestone]

In Connecticut, UConn athetics is front and center in the state. Even when the NHL was in Hartford, UConn still received a vast majority of the state's attention. That's why when UConn announced its plans to upgrade to I-A, the state had no problem in building them a state-of-the-art 40,000 seat stadium.

Unless UMass can play at Gillette Stadium, will Massachusetts tax payers build them a new football stadium like CT did for UConn? Or expand the current stadium to meet I-A requirements? There's a lot to be done for a program to upgrade to the next level.....its easier said than done.

Very true. A public university which does not ALREADY have a I-A program AND legislative support can pretty much forget about going into the Big East or any BCS conference for that matter. UCONN had tremendous support from their legislatures and the citizens of CT. URI enjoys neither.


Once again congrats to UMASS.

[MplsBison]

The state of Connecticut did not build that stadium for UConn.

They built it on a gentleman's agreement that the NE Patriots would be moving to Hartford.

Of course, the owner backed out and built Gilette stadium himself in Boston, leaving the state of CT with a new stadium and no team.

Then, as an afterthought, the state offered the use of the stadium to UConn.


Then the UConn decided it would upgrade football to FBS and asked the Big East to allow them to join.


Originally the Big East said no, which is why UConn was an independant the first couple of years. Then the Big East allowed them to join as part of a larger expansion including USF, Louisville, and Cincinnati after Miami and Boston College left.


UConn may be the top instate team, but there is utterly no way in hell you can think that CT residents (esp. in the southwest part of the state IE Bridgeport, etc.) don't cheer for the NYC pro teams.



UMass certainly wouldn't be going all the way to the other side of the state to play in Boston.

However, if they could get the state government to build a multi use stadium of around 40k in the Springfield MA area (which is where 2 interstates connect, one from the NYC area and one going north from Hartford), they could have almost the exact situation that UConn is in now. IE, a large, new, off campus stadium in the regional population center.

Then they'd simply need to upgrade oncampus practice facilities (ala UConn, again) and they'd be ready to go.


When the Big East football and basketball schools split, there will be more consideration given to expansion schools (UCF, Memphis, etc.).

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

The State of CT most certainly did build that stadium for UConn. The New England Patriots were going to play at a stadium in downtown Hartford. After that fell through, United Technologies (Pratt & Whitney, Hamilton Standard, Otis Elevator, etc.) donated IIRC 75 acres in East Hartford for a stadium. There was then $93,000,000 of funding from the State of Connecticut to build a football stadium, the enhancements to the local infrastructure and a new on campus training facility in Storrs. That funding was approved long after Mr. Kraft decided to stay in Massachusetts.

As a tax payer, I remember being pissed because I never thought UConn would support football based on their support during the I-AA days. I thought it was a boondoggle of the highest proportions. But the AD at the time (Lew Perkins) sold the CT residents and legislators on the theory that I-A football was required to protect the basketball programs going forward in time. The concept was that a few all sports, power leagues would control the NCAA. And anybody who lives in this state knows that the basketball programs are sacred!

While UConn did play initially as an independent, it is my understanding that the Big East slot was there from day one. Knowing that the football schedule was going to include games with Boston College, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Miami, etc. was a HUGE selling point to justify football and the $93,000,000 in addition to the protecting basketball aspect. (Remember, that was the Big East membership at the time.)

FWIW, I agree that UMass has neither the fan or legislative support of UConn. It never ceases to amaze me how many people move into this state and become part of UConn Nation. I've never sensed the same thing in Massachusetts.

[Go...gate]

Congratulations, UMass. Your SID, however, needs to make it clear - you won the Cup (for eastern FCS teams), not the Trophy, which is for eastern BCS teams. All in all, a great season and much to be proud of!! :hurray:

[Col Hogan]

Before UMass built the Mullins Center on campus, major basketball games were played in Springfield. Student atendance was low, even though UMass has long been a basketball school. When we played a game at the Curry Hicks Cage on campus, we packed them in...but opposing teams did not like playing there.

So, IMHO, the idea of building a stadium 22 miles away in Springfield would not help football...

[MplsBison]

How do they manage great student attendance from Storrs to Hartford?

Must be bus shuttles or whatever.


No reason Amhearst to Springfield couldn't be acomplished via the same.