La Salle Drops Football....

[DetroitFlyer]

http://goexplorers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/111907aab.html

Here we go again, yet another FCS, non-scholarship team has decided to drop its football program.

You may recall that "fantasy" I mentioned of PFL Administrators that this "level" of college football is going to grow and prosper.... And that one day the NCAA will see the light and fund an FCS, non-scholarship playoff....

It is hard to believe that La Salle could not make a case for continuing on in the PFL. Frankly, this is not a good sign. A school with an existing football program could not make a case for PFL play.... If I am a school considering a start-up in the PFL, I am going to be looking closely at La Salle to see why they could not make it work....

I have to think that this also throws Iona's and Marist's futures into doubt as well.... One rumor concerning Iona is that they will play as an independent next year.... That is almost the perfect way for the administration to hang the program out to dry.... Scheduling will be next to impossible, less than zero chance of any post season opportunity, extremely difficult to recruit, well you get the picture.... Set up a nice 0-11 season and then kill the program. Marist has been rumored for a while to have turned down an invitation to the PFL.... Maybe they had some insight into La Salle's thought process....

An article in the Des Moines paper earlier this month indicated that an announcement relative to PFL expansion would come "in the middle of the month." Well, it is the 20th, and no news. Maybe the big expansion will be Campbell....

Frankly, this needs to be settled quickly so that 2008 schedules can be confirmed. Hard to complete a schedule if you do not even know what yur conference set-up is going to be next year....

[Chris R]

I think the problem non-scholarship IAA programs are finding is its hard to keep 85 kids motivated when theres nothing to play for. Theres no carrot. No matter how good you are you wont be invited to the FCS playoffs and will not have a national title to play for. League titles are shallow goals that arent the same.

There needs to be an exemption or something to let us get back to DIII football. If the NCAAs goal was to improve our program as a potential IAA scholarship program its not working. If the goal was to get us to drop football entirely, its not working.

[UACFlyer]

I do not agree with DF's or Chris' take on what it takes to motivate NS FCS players. These kids play football because they really enjoy it. They enjoyed in high school and they want to keep playing, even though they are not scholarship program material,...at least people think they are not.

Winning a league chamionship is no small matter to these kids; it's a big deal. And don't you think the Flyers were proud and thrilled to see themselve ranked in the top 25 of FCS?
How do you think we would react if the basketball Flyers cracked the top 25? We'd be going nuts.

Some schools like UD want to play NS FCS football and they want to do so at a certain level,...and they invest accordingly. A school like LaSalle does not. The LaSalle announcement that they considered scholarship football is laughable,....considered in for 1 second, maybe. LaSalle simply does not want to invest to cover the costs of playing in the PFL,..recruiting, coaching, scouting, travel,.....they simply don't want to do it. And they should just say that. This is not a "right" or "wrong" issue. Perhaps it's wise for Lasalle to invest its funds in other sports. But, it would be nice if the administration was honest explaining its priorities and motivation.

[The Chef]

I don't think you can link the demise of LaSalle's football program to anything but their own lack of commitment to it. If you look at how much they spend to support their athletic programs in general, you'll see that athletics are not a priority.

One thing that is certain is that the conditions that must be in place for a non-scholarship program to thrive were not in place for a long time at LaSalle. You have a private school in the middle of one of America's largest cities, the other schools in town have long-established football programs, and you refuse to spend the money it takes to on any level, let alone your own. Add to that the fact that very few people in Philadelphia care about college football other than Penn State, and they local TV stations don't care to even mention that you're playing a game. All of a sudden, you have all of the vices of NS football and none of the virtues.

I think the core members of the PFL are clear examples that the NS model can work if you commit to making it work. LaSalle was simply looking to take the easy road, and they found that it it wasn't so easy. So, they quit. That's all that is to this story.

[UACFlyer]

Chef is right on the mark. Having lived in Philly for many years I agree with his interpretation completely. He might add that when one considers the way LaSalle has handled all aspects of the situtaion, it shows that the success UD football has enjoyed doesn't just happen; you have to be committed and effective.

Speaking of football in Philly once again reminds me of something I've mentioned before on this board. There was a time, long past, when Penn football dominated the Philly scene. The time was the 30s and 40s long before pro football became popular. Penn filled 75,000+ Franklin field for home games, led the nation in attendance in the late 30s/40s,...and Notre Dame came to Philly for its games with Penn,...the Quakers did not travel to the wilderness of Indiana.

Now that LaSalle has decided, a key question is, what will Iona and Marist do? They have got to like the PFL model and sucess; but as Eastern schools they're sort of "out of it". I think geography will be more of a factor than stepping up investment. We shall see. Surely, as a courtesy LaSalle must have informed MC and IC of their decision in advance.

I agree with DF; Iona and Marist can't wait too long before announcing their decisions. If they opt out of football it should not be interpreted as meaning NS football is not viable. To repeat, I think geograpy is a major issue.

[San Diego Flyer]

Now, if LaSalle would just give up basketball........... :rolleyes:.....

[bobber]

Now, if LaSalle would just give up basketball........... :rolleyes:.....

Amen!!!!!!!

[The Chef]

Now that LaSalle has decided, a key question is, what will Iona and Marist do? They have got to like the PFL model and sucess; but as Eastern schools they're sort of "out of it". I think geography will be more of a factor than stepping up investment. We shall see. Surely, as a courtesy LaSalle must have informed MC and IC of their decision in advance.

If Iona and Marist really want to compete in nonscholarship football, they need only look at how San Diego has done it if their concern is geography. San Diego has no peers in its locality, and they have to travel great distances to play road games in conference. Those trips would be much longer than any road games Iona or Marist would have to play in the PFL (save at USD). But, they have had both recruiting success and success on the football field with creative scheduling. They play Division II teams and NAIA teams that are near them, but they make it work by also adding games against Ivy and Patriot League opponents. Getting such opponents should not be a hindrance for Iona and Marist, and the travel will not be significant. They could even put in some of the lower CAA teams on their schedule. But to have it work out, they do have to put in the money and effort, and be willing to take a few lumps on the way and persevere. This road is not an easy one.