Orlando Sentinel's Annual FCS/FBS "Embarassment" Article

[TexasTerror]

Isn't this the guy from the Orlando Sentinel that is always dogging FCS? This guy does admit there are teams in FCS that could probably win the Sun Belt (I hope a few programs read that!).

Two Western Carolina cames in the top 10 'Schedule of Shame' games. A crack against Grambling too, saying atleast their band will be there...
--------------------
Hide your eyes from these dogs
Mike Huguenin
Published June 3, 2007

We're less than three months away from the start of the football season, so it's time to start getting serious.

By getting serious, we're talking about perusing schedules, looking at matchups and figuring out who can get off to fast starts.

Today, we're going to spotlight games that are embarrassments: Bowl Championship Series-league teams meeting Division I-AA teams.

This list isn't meant as an indictment of I-AA football. We know there are 15 or so I-AA programs that easily could hold their own in the non-BCS leagues; heck, there are a few who could contend -- and probably even win -- the Sun Belt title. And we're not averse to I-A/I-AA games, per se. What we don't like is BCS-league teams scheduling games against bad I-AA teams. There's no excuse for that.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/local/orl-colinsider0307jun03,0,1880059.column?coll=orl-sports-headlines

[Ronbo]

And the difference between this and all you guys complaining about us playing Fort Lewis is?xlolx At least Fort Lewis is coming off two straight 7-4 seasons. Most of those FCS teams he mentioned were pretty bad. I might add that of Fort Lewis' 8 losses the last two seasons 3 were from Montana, Cal Poly, and Idaho Sate. Fort lewis steps to the plate which can't be said for Grand Valley State. Have they EVER played a FCS team????

[813Jag]

It's no surprise. FCS football gets no respect in Florida. Really nobody gets respect outside of the "Big 3"

[danefan]

I don't really find much wrong with this article. Its the same thing as us getting on other FCS teams for scheduling DII's and DIII's. He didn't knock FCS, he is really knocking the BCS-conference teams for easy schedules.

The realization that the top of FCS is as good if not better than the low end of BCS is quite realistic.

Am I way off base in my reading of this article?

[blueballs]

This article should surprise absolutely nobody when you consider that this is UCF's home town and the gayturds outnumber everybody around here, even the UCF folks. Heck, the gayturds are obnoxious and condescending even when they suck, let alons after winning the BCS NC.

The only writer at the Sentinel who gives FCS any props is the dean of their sportwriters and recruiting guru, Bill Buchalter.

[Keeper]

This is just the first of many similar articles annually
written about the coming season. Nothing unusual here.

However xtwocentsx I predict Kansas & Pitt will
struggle to win those games, maybe two TD margin or less.

Also, how did Hawaii-UNC or CSU not make his list?

[PantherRob82]

I think I agreed with the whole article. Notice he doesn't mention Michigan-App State.

[89Hen]

I don't really find much wrong with this article. Its the same thing as us getting on other FCS teams for scheduling DII's and DIII's. He didn't knock FCS, he is really knocking the BCS-conference teams for easy schedules.

The realization that the top of FCS is as good if not better than the low end of BCS is quite realistic.

Am I way off base in my reading of this article?
No, you are dead on. xnodx xthumbsupx

[douglasdmb]

Notice he doesn't mention Michigan-App State.

That's because App will put out at least as much talent as a team like Ball St. (who UM played last year) does. Michigan will win, but I doubt they'll be putting in the third-string quarterback in that one.

[ucdtim17]

He's right

[BigApp]

I don't really find much wrong with this article. Its the same thing as us getting on other FCS teams for scheduling DII's and DIII's. He didn't knock FCS, he is really knocking the BCS-conference teams for easy schedules.

The realization that the top of FCS is as good if not better than the low end of BCS is quite realistic.

Am I way off base in my reading of this article?

Nope, you're spot on! xthumbsupx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I don't really find much wrong with this article. Its the same thing as us getting on other FCS teams for scheduling DII's and DIII's. He didn't knock FCS, he is really knocking the BCS-conference teams for easy schedules.

The realization that the top of FCS is as good if not better than the low end of BCS is quite realistic.

Am I way off base in my reading of this article?


Hide your eyes from these dogs
Published June 3, 2007

We're less than three months away from the start of the football season, so it's time to start getting serious.

By getting serious, we're talking about perusing schedules, looking at matchups and figuring out who can get off to fast starts.

Today, we're going to spotlight games that are embarrassments: Bowl Championship Series-league teams meeting Division I-AA teams.

I don't know about you, but:
1) calling us I-AA when we're FCS,
2) calling all his dog matchups FCS vs. FBS

I be insulted.

[TheValleyRaider]

Eh, for the most part I agree with Hen and danefan that he's not actually saying anything that should rile us all that much. However, LFN's point is well-taken that he couldn't seem to be bothered to nail any of those BCS-Sun Belt matchups, some of which FCS sides could win. Long and short is, nothing really to get all worked up about here.

[PMB4Life]

Agreed. His assessment is mostly correct... why IS national powerhouse Louisville playing an FCS coming off a 1-10 season? Why is a Pac-10 title contender playing a Big Sky also-ran?

Notice he said nothing off the Michigan-App State game or the Northern Iowa-Iowa State game, or the NDSU-Minnesota game. Those are ideal matchups, actually, since a good BCS team will usually get more than they bargained for when playing some of the best in FCS.

[Eyes of Old Main]

I agree that some of those games are going to be blowouts, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be played if the teams involved couldn't find alternative opponents. Teams need games and if they can't find them, they'll schedule whoever they have to.

You can't blame the FBS teams for wanting easy wins to tune up and keep their fans happy, and you can't blame FCS teams for wanting the cash.

All that being said, there's no real benefit for this guy to be trashing some of these programs other than to sell papers. If that's the reasoning he's using in writing this, then that just proves that he's a tool.

[danefan]

All that being said, there's no real benefit for this guy to be trashing some of these programs other than to sell papers. If that's the reasoning he's using in writing this, then that just proves that he's a tool.

Of course his motive is to sell papers. That's all any reporter wants. Sports reporting is entertainment. Whether or not that makes him a tool, I'm not sure.

[Tod]

I don't really find much wrong with this article. Its the same thing as us getting on other FCS teams for scheduling DII's and DIII's. He didn't knock FCS, he is really knocking the BCS-conference teams for easy schedules.

The realization that the top of FCS is as good if not better than the low end of BCS is quite realistic.

Am I way off base in my reading of this article?

I feel the same way. While I may have used a few different words had I been editor, the message is the same.

The strongest team in college football will never be the FCS champion.

Then again, the only NCAA champion in D-I college football will never be FBS. xthumbsupx

:)

[HIU 93]

I don't really find much wrong with this article. Its the same thing as us getting on other FCS teams for scheduling DII's and DIII's. He didn't knock FCS, he is really knocking the BCS-conference teams for easy schedules.

The realization that the top of FCS is as good if not better than the low end of BCS is quite realistic.

Am I way off base in my reading of this article?

Pretty much on the money to me.

[DetroitFlyer]

Are playing for the same reason that YSU and tOSU are playing. It is a financial win / win for everyone involved. YSU and Murray State both get huge paydays! The additional money they receive is good for the tax payers in Kentucky and Ohio as that is less funding that the state taxes have to cover. Believe me, in either case the competiveness of the game has ZERO to do with match-ups. It is all about money, period. Like it or not, 99.99% of almost any endeavor in our society that involves a significant amount of money can be "predicted" by simply "following the money". As I have said before, the FCS playoffs are absoultely no different. Follow the money, follow the teams in the playoffs. If you are naive enough to believe that it is all about crowning a champion on the field, I have some swampland in Florida and a bridge in New York that I would like to talk to about....

[DetroitFlyer]

Some of you wonder why I am so happy to see that so called "reporter" leave The Sports Network. The mere hint of a journalist saying anything even remotely negative about FCS relative to FBS riles up this board like no tomorrow. When a so called FCS columnist decides to dump on the PFL, however, no one comes to our defense. In fact you all typically pile on.... It is called hypocrisy people. If a major media outlet is so bold as to say that FCS is "weak competition" compared to FBS, that person can expect a slew of Emails from the angry FCS fans on this board. Let some so called FCS columnist say that Josh Johnson is hard to judge because he faces "weak competition", and most of you will just smile and pile on! Fans of FCS should support EVERY school and EVERY conference in the land IMHO!

[89Hen]

Agreed. His assessment is mostly correct... why IS national powerhouse Louisville playing an FCS coming off a 1-10 season? Why is a Pac-10 title contender playing a Big Sky also-ran.
Unbelievably, I agree with DetroitFlyer on this one. The one exception to a BCS playing a down I-AA is an in-state or at least somewhat regional game. Louisville playing Indiana State would be ridiculous, but Murray makes sense. I know that UVA has decided to keep their I-AA games to JMU, Richmond and W&M for the near future. Maryland too has W&M, Villanova, Delaware... teams that are within a couple hours of College Park. I'd rather see this than bringing in Western Michigan and pretending it to be a I-A match-up. xtwocentsx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Unbelievably, I agree with DetroitFlyer on this one. The one exception to a BCS playing a down I-AA is an in-state or at least somewhat regional game. Louisville playing Indiana State would be ridiculous, but Murray makes sense. I know that UVA has decided to keep their I-AA games to JMU, Richmond and W&M for the near future. Maryland too has W&M, Villanova, Delaware... teams that are within a couple hours of College Park. I'd rather see this than bringing in Western Michigan and pretending it to be a I-A match-up. xtwocentsx

Very true. But then, why doesn't this reporter include these games in the mix?

Penn State at Temple
Western Michigan at Iowa
Western Michigan at West Virginia
Louisiana-Monroe at Clemson
Louisiana-Monroe at Alabama
WKU at Florida
Ball State at Nebraska
Louisiana-Lafayette at Tennessee
Buffalo at Rutgers
Buffalo at Penn State

I'm surprised that everyone seems fine in perpetuating the stigma that Northwestern State at Texas Tech is a "dog" (his words, not mine) whereas any game with UCF (UCF, for God's sakes!) is not.


It can't make UCF folks happy that the Sept. 15 Florida-Tennessee game on CBS (WKMG-Ch. 6) will be shown opposite the UCF-Texas game on ESPN2 at 3:30 p.m.

UCF-Texas will be as bad or worse than any of the games he mentioned or I've mentioned here. UCF lost to Florida last year 42-0 in a "regional" matchup. What will Texas do to them this year?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Some of you wonder why I am so happy to see that so called "reporter" leave The Sports Network. The mere hint of a journalist saying anything even remotely negative about FCS relative to FBS riles up this board like no tomorrow. When a so called FCS columnist decides to dump on the PFL, however, no one comes to our defense. In fact you all typically pile on.... It is called hypocrisy people. If a major media outlet is so bold as to say that FCS is "weak competition" compared to FBS, that person can expect a slew of Emails from the angry FCS fans on this board. Let some so called FCS columnist say that Josh Johnson is hard to judge because he faces "weak competition", and most of you will just smile and pile on! Fans of FCS should support EVERY school and EVERY conference in the land IMHO!

Gee DF, in the past two days you've called Matt a "fan of the PL" and a "hater of the PFL", when you've offered exactly zero evidence to back up your claims. Care to give one example?

Oh, by the way, Matt has done more than you've ever done to write and talk about non-scholarship FCS football than you've ever dreamed of. He's talked about Josh Johnson, put him up for Sports Network awards, compiled mid-major teams specifically designed to highlight athletes like Josh Johnson... what's your resume?

[dbackjon]

And the difference between this and all you guys complaining about us playing Fort Lewis is?xlolx At least Fort Lewis is coming off two straight 7-4 seasons. Most of those FCS teams he mentioned were pretty bad. I might add that of Fort Lewis' 8 losses the last two seasons 3 were from Montana, Cal Poly, and Idaho Sate. Fort lewis steps to the plate which can't be said for Grand Valley State. Have they EVER played a FCS team????


Well, for one, a game against a counter FCS team COUNTS as a win towards bowl eligiblity, while a win against a DII team counts for nothing...

[OL FU]

Furman plays Clemson this year. We play about every four years. Furman has not won since '39. Odds are (in a big way) the streak will continue.

Why do we play. Schools are 25 miles apart. If Clemson is going to play a school they should have no problem beating, why not a local one.


and besides, one of these days the outcome may be differentxnodx

[HensRock]

The only bad thing I see about this article is that he subtitles it as BCS teams against bad I-AA teams. But many of the FCS teams he lists aren't really bad. The guy is just clueless and did almost no homework in putting this article together.

The real crime is that he completely missed Charleston Southern @ Hawai'i in his article. If he really did his homework, this one would top the list.

[TheValleyRaider]

Penn State at Temple

Penn State is visiting Temple? xeyebrowx

[BeauFoster]

Some of you wonder why I am so happy to see that so called "reporter" leave The Sports Network. The mere hint of a journalist saying anything even remotely negative about FCS relative to FBS riles up this board like no tomorrow. When a so called FCS columnist decides to dump on the PFL, however, no one comes to our defense. In fact you all typically pile on.... It is called hypocrisy people. If a major media outlet is so bold as to say that FCS is "weak competition" compared to FBS, that person can expect a slew of Emails from the angry FCS fans on this board. Let some so called FCS columnist say that Josh Johnson is hard to judge because he faces "weak competition", and most of you will just smile and pile on! Fans of FCS should support EVERY school and EVERY conference in the land IMHO!

xbawlingx

[Keeper]

I guess Hawaii-whomever isn't mentioned because UH is
not in a "BCS" conference. Still. it doesn't seem fair to
shame the BCS teams on his list by noting only those that
scheduled FCS teams, but this is how he drives his point home.
Let's face it, an article about mismatches between FBS teams
wouldn't draw much interest.

Let's hope this writer is equally observant when some of the
FCS teams beat the FBSers and as they run off the field
holding up one finger to the sky, proclaiming "Yes, We are
Division One!".

[Fresno St. Alum]

This is just the first of many similar articles annually
written about the coming season. Nothing unusual here.

However xtwocentsx I predict Kansas & Pitt will
struggle to win those games, maybe two TD margin or less.

Also, how did Hawaii-UNC or CSU not make his list?

Everyone loves a Hawaiian vacationxthumbsupx

[Keeper]

[
Everyone loves a Hawaiian vacationxthumbsupx[/QUOTE]

Q: Where do Hawaiians go for vacation?

[GeauxLions94]

[
Everyone loves a Hawaiian vacationxthumbsupx

Q: Where do Hawaiians go for vacation?[/QUOTE]

Guam. xwhistlex

10. Southeastern Louisiana at Kansas, Sept. 8: Yep, we're sure a visit from the Lions will fire up those basketball-loving fans at Kansas

Glad to see we get some pub in the Orlando fishwrap. Looks like KU coach Mark Mangino is on the hot seat and needs to get to another bowl since his early schedule has them playing ... Central Michigan, SLU, Toledo and Florida IHOP.

[PMB4Life]

Off topic... when Chuck Mangino wears that awful KU blue windbreaker, he looks like Violet being rolled off by oompa-loompas in Willa Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

http://a5.vox.com/6a00cdf7e1f09a094f00cd9785146df9cc-120pi
http://www.utvols.com/blog/uploaded_images/mangino-713282.jpg

[already123]

At first, I thought I was going to have a bone to pick with this guy, but after reading the article and the posts I see that he is on point! If anything, he is actually mocking the FBS for their lack of aggression in scheduling. Esp since he didn't mention some of the better match-ups like Appy v Mich, PSU v SDSU (wouldn't be surprised when PSU takes that one...), Furman v Clemson, GSU v Colorado State...

And of course NAU v Arizona....Jacks take this one xthumbsupx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

At first, I thought I was going to have a bone to pick with this guy, but after reading the article and the posts I see that he is on point! If anything, he is actually mocking the FBS for their lack of aggression in scheduling. Esp since he didn't mention some of the better match-ups like Appy v Mich, PSU v SDSU (wouldn't be surprised when PSU takes that one...), Furman v Clemson, GSU v Colorado State...

And of course NAU v Arizona....Jacks take this one xthumbsupx

Again, though, why only FCS versus FBS teams? There are plenty of FBS versus "FBS in theory" teams that are as worthy or better of inclusion. Ironically, one of those is a game which he mentions later in the article: UCF/Texas.

[CCU97]

All this smack from a guy who's hometown team only beat Villanova, Marshall and Memphis? Come on now....