Wednesday--June 22, 2011

Scan from the 1994 UMass Press Guide

Click on the image and Blogger displays a larger view.

MassLive reports Mike Hodges is retiring. The Blog and Mrs Blog join all UMass fans wishing Mike a great retirement. He has been a great advocate for UMass football and the University.

Mike kept UMass football going when Jimmie Reid resigned because of cutbacks in 1991. He never complained, or even mentioned, that fact when those same lack of resources caused some lean years during his tenure as HC.

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Former UMass assistant coach Malik Hall returns to UMass as defensive line coach. I've blogged a number of times about Hall.

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Matty V. has an article on UMass' efforts to line up some OOC games for Gillette. Right now, Colorado and Indiana are the teams in the mix. UMass AD John McCutcheon is also in talks with SEC, Big Ten and Big Twelve schools.

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The BC Blog "BC Interruption" calls for a little mascot-on-mascot violence.

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Saturday---May 21, 2011

MassLive.com has a story about former UMass star Ben Albert being hired as LB coach at Temple.

Minuteman coach Jimmy Reid gave Albert his start in coaching at UMass. Albert coached in Amherst in 1996 and again in 2002-03.

I've done a number of posts mentioning Albert in the past.

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You may have read this article from Matty V. about UMass hockey playing at Fenway Park.

One aspect about UMass' move to FBS that needs to be remembered is that there are dangers associated with the move. I've published links to several commentators who emphasized those dangers.

On the other hand, there are definite dangers with doing nothing. The world of college spots continues to evolve and standing pat can mean being left behind.

Consider the coming of Big Ten Hockey.

Take a look at the following image. When I first saw it, I thought it was a Photoshop. Be sure to click on the image to get a feeling for the effect when 115,000 people show up for a hockey game. The Maize & Blue Blog has more on the event and Big Ten hockey (scroll down).

Copyright Maize & Blue Blog. Used with permission.

The outdoor hockey game at Michigan drew the largest crowd in stadium history------more than football. The Big Ten Hockey League is going to change the landscape of college sports. If schools like UMass want to be continue to be relevant in college athletics, they need the resources to do so. FBS football drives finances in college sports. Hopefully, it will help UMass in women's sports and in men's sports like hockey.

How about a future biggest game in New England hockey history in Gillette!

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Tuesday-- May 17th, 2011

Jeff Thomas of MassLive has a story about UMass' "Together We are One" tour and has a link to a story about MAC team Kent State, who is pulling in a $1.2 million guarantee for a visit to Alabama this year.

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Northeast powerhouse  Monsignor Farrell HS has a new coach---- Jim Bradley. He coached at UMass as an assistant under Mark Whipple. Bradley coached OLB's and LB's for the Minutemen 1998-2000.

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A Bleacher Report writer would like to see the return of the UMass-UConn rivalry.

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A UMass grad writes a story about Tyler Holmes being named the top LB in FCS football.

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TSN's Craig Haley has a story about the Top Ten offensive linemen in FCS for 2011.

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Monday---May 9, 2011

Former UMass HC Jimmy Reid says the Patriots got a winner by drafting Ras-I Dowling. When Jimmy Reid talks up a player, people should listen.

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UNH had their Spring Game on Saturday. I believe that was the latest in the CAA.

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Two FCS players were chosen in the first round of the CFL draft.

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The PAC 10 signed a TV contract for a mammoth $3 Billion...

If the NFL actually goes through with the lock-out, college football will be the only game in town.

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Monday--May 2, 2011 Spring Game Album

Click on image and Blogger displays a much larger view

Hi everyone. I've uploaded 49 images from the Spring game to a Picasa Web Album.

The Album is here.

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TSN looks at the FCS players in the NFL Draft. Two surprises from the FCS prospective was the Richmond's Martin Paker was not chosen. Neither was Delaware's Pat Devlin.

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The UMass website has link to a interview with former UMass star Jeromy Miles on the NFL lockout.

Miles' Bengals bio here.

Saurday--April 16,2011

The UMass website has a story about Guido Falbo being named offensive coordinator for RPI.

The Engineers' website has the same announcement.

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Matty V. has an article quoting Mark Whipple that "UMass going FBS is the right move". Note that Miami plays its home games at Sun Life stadium now that the Orange Bowl is torn down.

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TSN's Craig Haley has two FCS NFL draft articles on offensive players and defensive players.

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It's been a tough Spring around FCS.

Furman dismisses three players and suspends two more.

And legal trouble for several Richmond players.

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Friday-- April 1, 2001

Well, we're starting today with an April Fool's snow storm.

The Daily Collegian has an April 1st article.

Matty V. has a story about the start of UMass' spring practice. Freshman Brandon Hill and FR walk-on Jesse Hunt were nicked up and did not practice.

JUCO Ian Schultis has switched to #12. Bowling Green transfer Kellen Pagel is wearing #10. Ray Pendergast wears #14.

UPDATE: The UMass website has a video segment on the first day of practice.

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The Salem News has a story on former UMass DL Kyle C. Harrington who is playing for the Arizona Rattlers. Kyle's Rattler's bio.

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The scandal in the Bowls continued to widen yesterday as irregularities in the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl surfaced.

BC Blogger "Eagle in Atlanta" tells how the Fiesta Bowl spent $65,000 on a trip to Boston to listen to a presentation by Boston College's Gene Defilippo.

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Appalachian State switches to the 3-4 defense.
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Former USC WR Bryce Butler is looking into transferring to Delaware or UTC (at end of link).

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Saturday--March 5, 2011

A couple of inspiring stories this morning: Albany DL Eddie Delaney sheds disability like blockers, Yankee players step up to the plate for a Red Sox coach's daughter.

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The Hartford Courant says under the current FBS Bowl system red ink is part of the game.

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New Hampshire opens its 2011 season with Toledo.

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Former Lehigh and Elon HC and now HC for the Ball State Cardinals Pete Lembo looks at the proper OOC schedule for a MAC team.

Note that the Cardinals will get $900,000 for a date with Oklahoma and former UMass assistant coach (1991-1995)  John Strollo is  OL coach there.

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Tuesday---February 22, 2011

WickedLocal.com reports the 33 Touchdown Club awarded former UMass Coach Dick McPherson two awards at its annual dinner.

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The UMass Women's LAX team will play six games at McGuirk this season. Can any lacrosse fans tell us how the turf is for that game? I know the football team didn't like practicing on the "tight" turf at Garber Field.

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The CAA blog has a season wrap up plus video of the league's All-Star teams. Includes video of several UMass players.

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New Hampshire has a late addition to its recruiting class.

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Josh Buchanan's FCS NFL Mock Draft contains at least three UMass players: Kyle Havens, John Griffin and Greg Niland. Did I miss any?

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Texas State is moving to the WAC in 2012. They've already added scholarships up to 76, which makes them ineligible for the FCS playoffs this year.

BTW, Texas State hired former TCU and Texas A&M HC Dennis Franchione for the move up.

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Sunday--Feb 13th, 2011

Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston mentions Mark Whipple's joining the Cleveland Browns and his chance to mentor Colt McCoy.

BTW, Whipple's Browns bio here.

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Roger Brown, the New England recruiting guru, reports Ian Syblis, a 6-0 165 pd WR who was recruited by UMass has decided to take a year of prep school.

I've blogged about Syblis before.

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The New York Times looks at Andrew Luck, who turned down the NFL's millions to finish his degree at Stanford.

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Friday--Jan 14th, 2011

UConn hired Paul Pasqualoni. Stamford Advocate here and here.

Matty V has some info about what may have happened.

Too bad about Whipple, he'll make an excellent FBS coach somewhere. His offense would have sold a lot of seats Rentchler Field.

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NJ.com talks about UMass grad and curent Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum's continuing connection with the Minutemen. Note that the Jets Assistant General Manager Scott Cohen is another UMass Sports Management Alum.

If you are a non-UMass reader of the Blog, you should know that UMass has a nationally known Sports Management program at the Isenberg School of Management.The Isenberg School of Management is the Blog's old school, BTW.

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Jeremy Horne has been signed (again) to the Kansas City Chiefs' reserve squad.

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Sunday---Nov 28th, 2010

Mark Whipple has been fired as OC at the University of Miami as well as HC Randy Shannon.

Weren't the Hurricanes so short of QB's that they were playing a true freshman? It's a tough world in FBS coaching.

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In the first round of the playoffs:

North Dakota State surges past Robert Morris.

Western Illinois is going to meet Appalachian State.

Georgia Souther ran over South Carolina State.

And Lehigh caged the Northern Iowa Panthers.

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Meanwhile, four CAA teams are waiting.

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