How could we have missed it? This news is a month old!

http://www.blackathlete.com/College_footba...foot040703.html

This is very interesting.

Jim

[ July 20, 2003, 09:16 PM: Message edited by: BikeJocks ]

As a member of the "Marching 100" I don't think this is a good idea. FAMU will get their asses handed to them on a weekly basis.

Da Kid

I don't think that it's a good idea either - but from a perspective of the dangers that smaller schools face when they prematurely attain DI-A status.

Specifically, the additional budget requirements attendant to DI-A have to come from somewhere, and that's usually from the backs of undergraduate students, who face a well-documented decline in the quality of education when funds are shuttled to athletic departments. I read an incredible book called "Beer and Circus" by an Indiana U. professor named Murray Farber (who happens to be a huge sports fan, so he's not nurturing an anti-jock grudge) that discusses a cautionary tale at the U. of Buffalo, as well as developing problems at USF. When the undergrad budget can't be cut further, additional needless graduaet programs are aded to fill the bill (example: the new FSU med school).

In any event, FAMU offers a unique experience as an HBUC (Historically Black University or College), which I'd hate to see diluted in the name of increased football exposure.

gj

p.s. Celtics, if this does happen, you could take comfort in knowing that the Marching 100 would continue to hand the a$$es of competing bands back to them. Why UF picked the FAMU game this year as Alumni Band weekend is beyond me... :confused:

[ July 21, 2003, 09:23 AM: Message edited by: GatorJamie ]

they'd fit in nicely with the Sunbelt Conference schools.

The article says they are looking at the Sun Belt or Conference USA as a possible D1-A home. I agree that SunBelt would be a good fit.

And Jamie, once the FAMU-UF game was announced, the big question was, "Is the band coming?" I know one couple who was forced to change their wedding date because the ceremony and reception could not be guaranteed to be over in time for several Gator season ticket holders to make it to the stadium for halftime. (The mother of the bride was the most vocal for changing the date.)

Jim

That would be the first time that Gator fans ever looked forward to halftime... frown

I've jus talked to a couple friends who are still in the band, and YES, the band will be there. They are actually looking forward to the game. Believe it or not, many of the current members of the band haven't heard the UF band and think that there will be some REAL competition, simply because it's a big school.

Da Kid.

Just like the game, there will be NO competition, but tilted in the other direction.

Hey Celtics, when were you in the 100? I was in the Chiefs in the early 80's when we did a couple joint concerts with the 100.

Jim

I was in the Marching '100' from '97-'01. I graduated from FSU in the spring of 2001. Yes, I went to FSU, but marched in FAMU's marching band.

Da Kid.

Oh, so you're just a puppy....