Home Coming Weekend Monday, October 19, 2009

Homecoming was phenomenal. Unfortunately, as this is a football blog, I cannot go into too much detail about Friday Nights Hockey game. However, I cannot resist thanking Boston University defense man Eric Gryba who scored the final goal of the night, snapping a 2-2 tie. In spite of Gryba scoring the deciding goal in a 3-2 game, everyone else is giving UMass forward Will Ortiz credit. Some stupid rule about pucks you knock into your own net not counting for your stats. Don't worry Eric, I know you scored the game winning goal and I will do my best to make sure everyone else does.

The football game had a lot to live up to and it did not disappoint. The Wildcats scored real quick on a 50+ yard touchdown bomb to a WR Scott Sicko. Meanwhile, UMass scored on 2 of its last three possessions of the half to make the score 10-7. After Julian Tally caught a touchdown pass to take the lead, he had the most over the top celebration ever. He was mobbing his teammates jumping up and down and hooting and hollering and many of the UMass players joined him in this. You would have thought they had won the Super Bowl, if not accomplished much more with that catch.

If I were a UNH fan, I would have been quite upset by the whole display. Thankfully, I am not a UNH fan and I instead enjoyed it. I must admit I was surprised he wasn't flagged. But as I always say, the ref knows better than I do when to flag people. He's the professional, I'm just a nobody in the stands. If he said Talley wasn't celebrating excessively, who am I to question him?

Reading the game notes, it turns out it was Talley's first TD reception. After he calmed down, Havens went over to shake his hand, and Talley wouldn't shake it. Instead, he grabbed Havens and lifted him up 3 feet in the air.

The teams went in the half with the good guys leading 10-7. This is my first year as a season ticket holder, and I do love my seats. However, sometimes my section is quiet. If the defense needs help on third down and wants crowd noise, they're getting it from me and maybe two other people. Then the UMass Minuteman Marching Band comes out and everyone goes nuts. It's confusing. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the band. But the defense needs noise. The band doesn't. The 20 people who showed up from UNH were making more noise of UMass 3rd downs than the 13,000+ UMass fans were on UNH third downs. My friend and I decided to come up with a game plan to change this.

A man a few rows above me said he recognized us from the hockey game the night before. Once the band left the field, we used the rest of half time to practice a time tested chant at the University of Massachusetts. The man and his two sons would point at us and yell "U!" as loud as they could. My friend and I would point back at them and yell "MASS!" as loud as we could and the process repeats. We continued these shenanigans at the start of the third quarter and also would scream like there was no tomorrow when the Minutemen were on defense, especially on third down. Slowly but surely, people started joining in with us. Instead of 3 people, we had 5, then 10, then 20 people screaming. Other sections were doing similar things.

The University of New Hamsphire tied the game up in the third quarter in spite of all our noise. Then Havens threw interceptions on back to back series and that Sicko guy caught another TD to take the lead in the fourth quarter to make the score 17-10 bad guys. UMass answered with a field goal to cut the lead to 4.

At some point in time, the UMass team realized the crowd needed some encouragement. Senior Safety Jeremy Miles was injured in the first half of the game. I think he had a concussion judging by the fact that when he got up and tried to walk off the field, he looked like he was drunk. You could tell he had no clue what was going on or where he even was and trainers had to guide him off the field. From how long he was on the trainers table, I can only imagine he had no idea for quite a while. Around this time, Miles came over to the crowd and started waving a towel and moving his hands in the air encouraging everyone to make noise. Everyone started screaming. Up until that point, it was the loudest I've heard the place this year. Last year's Delaware game might have been a tad louder. I don't know. The defense forced UNH to punt.

UMass got the ball back and Jon Hernandez, once again playing for an injured Tony Nelson, broke a 42 yard run for a touchdown. I swear I called it. You can ask my friend Rob. I knew he was due. Game 1, no long TD. Game 2 58 yard TD against Albany. Game 3 no long TD. Game 4 36 yard TD against Stony Brook. Game 5 no long TD. It doesn't take a Master of Mathematics to realize pretty much all even games, he has a long TD run. Odd ones, not so much. But who cares? This was an even numbered game, and Hernandez made it 20-17 UMass.

When the defense took the field everyone on the UMass bench was over at the crowd screaming at us to scream at them. Havens looked like a mad man jumping up and down. I usually sit to not block the people's view behind me, but when your starting quarterback does that you have to out jump and out shout him. It's a rule. I can't take the credit for standing either. The father who I was doing the "U" "MASS" thing with started yelling at me to stand, and I admit he was right. Most of the section joined us. McGuirk has metal benches, so people were not only screaming but also pounding on the benches. It was the new loudest I've heard the stadium this year. UMass got the ball back again and drove down the field and added on a field goal to make it 23-17 with under 2 minutes left. Good things happen when you make noise on defense.

Of course, as the number 4 team in the nation, New Hampshire just wouldn't die quietly. They drove down the field, helped a lot by UMass penalties, and got inside the UMass 10 yard line with three seconds left. The UNH QB dropped back to pass, was met by a UMass defender in the backfield and threw the ball to the end zone in desperation. It was picked off by CB Kumar Davis who sealed the deal.

UMass is currently tied for first in the CAA North with UNH at 2-1 in conference play. Overall, they're 1.5 behind Richmond who is 4-0 in the conference and 0.5 behind Villanova who is 3-1 in CAA play.

Next week they're on the road against the Spiders. If UMass wins this game, they have the inside track at winning the conference. Everyone in the CAA would have at least 1 conference loss, and UMass would have beaten Richmond and UNH head to head. I feel like I say this every week about the Minutemen, but next week is the biggest game of the season. Stinks that it's on the road. But it's awesome that after last week's beating I'm downing more of the UMass Kool-aide!

Massachusetts @ Delaware Friday, October 9, 2009

Tomorrow, 6PM, at Tubby Field @ Delaware Stadium the maroon hot Massachusetts Minutemen will take the field against the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens.  

Delaware is a team that I hate, but in an extremely respectful way.  I almost like them, which is weird.  Their fan base is second to none in Division 1 when it comes to traveling to away games.  Note how I said Division 1.  I did not include FCS at the end.  That wasn't an oversight.  They have one of the most active boards of any FCS school, and unlike most other FCS schools, football is king.  I like that.  Every time someone talks about cutting sports at UMass, people (mainly basketball only fans) want to get rid of football.  I'm pretty sure they have the death penalty in Delaware for suggesting the school cuts football.  

Our current Vice President attended Delaware and played Freshman football there.  He ran into the team at an airport on the campaign trail last season, and told them he thought they'd kick Ohio State's ass in football.  Mind you, Delaware was TERRIBLE last season.  They went 4-8 overall and 2-6 in the conference.  And here we had a Vice Presidential Candidate claiming the Blue Hens would kick the Buckeyes' ass.  No one mocked that statement like they would have if Sarah Palin had said it, and there's a reason no on mocked it:  cause it's true (or people don't hate Biden like they do Palin...one of those reasons.  I'm not sure which).

As I was saying, the Hens had a terrible season last year after Joe Flacco (who?) graduated.  They came up to Amherst around the same time last year.  I don't remember the exact records, but both teams needed a win badly to have any shot at the playoffs, and UMass rose to the occasion, beating the Hens 17-7.  I was sitting on the visitors side a section away from the Blue Hen band and all their fans.  The sweetest moment of any UMass game in any sport I've ever been to was Jeremy Miles intercepting a pass and running it back for 50 yards to clinch victory.  The contrast of the ecstasy experienced by myself and other UMass fans and the agony of the Delaware fans was fabulous.  Then UMass played lousy for the rest of the season and also didn't make the playoffs, but at least they beat Delaware!

So now we have the same sort of scenario.  UMass is 3-1 (1-0 in CAA) and traveling to Delaware (3-2 overall, 1-2 in the CAA).  Delaware needs this game badly.  I think 4 losses are the most the committee will allow for playoff teams, and after this Delaware still has James Madison and Navy on their schedule.  As most 4 loss teams don't get in, this is about as must win as it gets for Delaware.  They gotta beat 2 of the 3, and UMass might be the easiest.  

On the UMass side, the schedule gets depressingly tough after this.  4 of the next 5 are against playoff teams, including @ defending national champion Richmond 10/24.  You have to think to go 2-2 against those 4 would be successful.  That means if they lose to Delaware and go 2-2 against the playoff teams, UMass would already be at 4 losses.  As most 4 loss teams don't get in, this is about as must win as it gets for UMass.  They gotta beat 3 of the 5, and Delaware's one of the easier ones.

I've heard so many great things about Delaware's Stadium and their fans.  They always sell out and they're loud.  It's suppose to be a great place to watch a game, but I can't get down there right now.  Hopefully next rotation when the two play down there.  Thankfully, Delaware apparently runs a live webcast of the game, which I will be watching.  I'm going with a close game, but the Minutemen win, 27-24.  

Game Day: Stony Brook @ Massachusetts Saturday, September 26, 2009

I started writing my second post about the quote, but I'll postpone it for a while as I'm going to Amherst today for the game, Stony Brook @ 15 UMass and Foxboro tomorrow to see Matty Heisman (HA!) vs the New England Patriots.

I don't know much about Stony Brook, other than the fact there one of the SUNYs. They just moved to the Big South Conference a few years ago from the Northeast Conference. Without even knowing the teams in either conference, I'd guess Stony Brook just added a lot to their travel expenses. So why? At first I guessed it would have to do with playoff eligibility. Though neither conference currently has an autobid, the Big South will next year. However, looking it up on Wikipedia, it appears both conferences will have one next year. That's why you shouldn't speculate kids.

Reading their press release from when the move was announced, it appears both the school and the conference thought it was the right move as both were up and coming and heading for success. Stony Brook also claims playing down south more will help with recruiting, which I suppose is true.

At any rate, NEC, Big South, SUNY Stony Brook or SUNY Albany. It's all the same, and the same is inferior to the Minutemen. UMass wins this one big. I'm going with 44-7, which was the final score of the Albany game.

Around The CAA
Here are other CAA games this weekend and my predictions:
Rhode Island @ UConn- I'm pulling for the Rams, but the Cons will destroy URI. It has nothing to do with how good UConn is. URI is that bad, I'd always pick who they were playing against to win.

Dartmouth @ UNH- UNH will win and make the Ivies realize the superiority of the CAA.
I'm actually rooting for Dartmouth though, as I dislike UNH and I have a friend who went to Dartmouth.

VMI @ Richmond- The Champs will beat Virginia Military Institution (I had to look it up), making the CAA 2-0 against the Big South this weekend.

Northeastern @ Villanova- Villanova wins this conference game. See Rhode Island-UConn commentary...except I'm not rooting for the Huskies.

Hofstra @ Western Michigan- Come on Hofstra! We need this to stay .500 against FBS after URI gets destroyed.

William & Mary @ Delaware*- Another conference match up. This is the game most likely to be an upset (Delaware winning). If it were any other team coming off a year like Delaware just had, I'd pick W&M without thinking twice. Or, if William and Mary were home, I'd go with them, but Tubby Raymond is a tough place to play... screw it. I'm going with William & Mary just to piss off Delaware fans.

*Edit- This game is actually at William and Mary. For some reason, the CAA webpage lists the home team first. How foolish is that? I'm still going with William & Mary, and still keeping the analysis I gave above, again just to piss off Delaware fans.

UMass Tailgater: "The games aren't that fun, because our team sucks." Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Let me start this post by saying like most UMass fans, my number one source for UMass sports news is the webpage http://www.umasshoops.com/. The entire site is a pretty good source for UMass Basketball.

If your not big into basketball, fear not. There's a message board with threads on all the main UMass teams: Men's hoops, women's hoops, football, men's hockey and men's lacrosse. If those aren't your thing, there's also a thread for other UMass sports, where in my experience softball and men's soccer seem to be the dominate topic of conversation, though there's mention of everything from women's crew (who last I checked had won something like 11 or 12 A-10 championships in a row) to baseball. The moderator is sort of on the strict side, so everything posted has to be backed up with sources, which I like. You know for the most part, you won't be reading rumors. Just the facts.

So, like most days, I'm on the umasshoops football board, and I saw someone posted this artical written by a Harvard student. He went to the football game on Saturday with his friends who go to UMass. Or more accurately, he went to a tailgate that occured outside the football game. In it, he talks about how awesome UMass tailgates are, and how they far exceeded his expectations. I thank him for his praise. However, I take issue with the one thing written about the football team itself:

No one was really talking football, since, just like at Harvard, nobody
goes to the games.

“The games aren’t that fun, because our team sucks,” one tailgater succinctly explained.

But we don’t have that excuse. Despite a tough loss to Holy Cross in Worcester last weekend, the Crimson is primed for another strong football season.

So, before I begin with my assault on this, let me make one thing clear. I don't blame the author. If I was invited to a school and someone at the tailgate told me what he was told, I'd believe them. Why wouldn't you? So, now that we're clear that I don't blame the author, I'm going to defend the Minutemen. As I have a lot I want to say on this topic, I'm going to do it over at least 2 posts...maybe three depending on how long post 2 is. The first post will address the accusation, that the Minutemen suck. The second and third posts will address why those associated with UMass might feel the team sucks and will look at possible solutions. Without further ado, I begin.

UMass plays in the premier FCS conference, the CAA (formerly the Atlantic 10). This conference is responsible for such current NFL stars as Tim Hightower (Richmond), Marques Colston (Hofstra) and Joe Flacco (Delaware). Aside from these three name brand players, many NFL teams have CAA players. I can't say I follow all former CAA stars, but off the top of my head, I do know the Patriots have Brandon McGowan, a saftey from Maine. I also know former UMass players are currently in Miami (WR Brandon London), Jacksonville (Long Snapper Jeremy Cain) and New York (S James Ihedigbo, who from my encounters with him is a great guy inspite of being a Jet). I'd be willing to bet your favorite NFL team has at least one CAA player, despite it being an FCS league. I just checked Joe's Steelers, and it turns out they have Willie Colon, a right tackle from Hofstra. Just for kicks, I also checked the Steelers main historical rival, the Cleveland Browns. They have two: WR Ray Ventrone of Villanova and DB Mike Adams from Delaware. Check your team. If they don't have a CAA player, leave a comment below.

So that's great. The CAA has it's fair share of NFL players. However, in my opinion, NFL players aren't the measure of how good a conference is. I think the best measure of an FCS conference would be playoff appearences. FCS has a 16 team playoff. There are 8 automatic bids, of which the CAA champion receives one. That leaves 8 at large bids. According to Wikipedia, there are 125 FCS teams (which is much more than I thought there were). The Ivy League decided as a whole academics was more important than football, and bans its 8 members from participating in the postseason tournament. That leaves 117. SWAC teams have there own championship game and other traditional rivals and sometimes opt out of the playoffs, but they're eligible to compete if they don't have a conflict. Even if we kick out all 10 teams, that's still 107. If we take out the 8 autobids, we're left with 99 teams fighting for 8 spots.

In 2007, the CAA received 3 at large bids and an autobid, for a grand total of 4 playoff teams. This either set the record for most teams from a conference making the playoffs or it tied it. It doesn't really matter, because the next year, the CAA broke it by receiving 4 at large bids and an autobid, for 5 total playoff teams. That's right. Out of those 99 teams fighting for the 8 spots, the CAA got 4 of them. (For the record, there are 12 CAA teams. 1 gets an outbid, so that leaves 11 CAA teams in the 99).

Ok, so the CAA sends a lot of teams to the playoffs. Big deal. How do they do?

I'm glad you asked. Since I started following 1AA/FCS in 2003, A10/CAA teams have played in 5 of the 6 championship games. The only year the conference missed out was 2005, and I blame UNH for choking that year, losing at home in the second round though ranked number 1 in the nation. Of the 5 times I mentioned, the conference has come home with 3 championships. That's pretty good. Appalacian State won the other three, so if it weren't for them...but I digress.

Who cares about FCS. The only thing that matters is FBS!

The CAA also has success playing FBS opponents. I believe I've already mentioned the FBS victories Richmond (beat Duke), William & Mary (beat Virgina), UNH (beat Ball State) and Villanova (beat Temple) have secured this year. UMass took Kansas State to the brink, and lost the game. JMU lost to Maryland in overtime. True, Northeastern got demolished by BC, but every conference has a bad team. That means the CAA is currenty 4-3 (SEE EDIT BELOW) against FBS teams and 2-2 against BCS opponents. All of the were on the road. I know an FBS team would probably never come play in a CAA stadium, but I'd be interested to see what the record would be if half were at home and half were on the road. I think it's safe to assume that the CAA could hang with the non-BCS FBS conferences.

So, we've established that the CAA is a really good conference. What does this have to do with UMass?


Since 2006, UMass has won 2 A10/CAA conference championships. Since I started following in 2003, UMass has won 3 conference championships. In 2003, they were co-conference champs with Delaware. In 2006, they won it outright. In 2007, they were co-champions with Richmond.

Not only that, but consider this fact I stole from the UMass game notes for Saturday's game against Stony Brook. Since the start of the 2006 season, the Minutemen are 21-2 at home. That's amazing. 21 wins to 2 losses. And remember, they're playing in the premier conference in FCS. Before losing to eventual national champion Richmond last year, UMass had a 16 game winning streak at home, which apparently at the time was second in FCS (San Diego, 28) and third in Division 1 (Oklahoma was second with 21). And I'll stress this: UMass plays in the best conference in FCS. It's not like a bunch of creampuffs are coming out to Amherst every week.

There are two more facts I'll steal from the game notes. First, UMass has had 7 winning seasons in a row. I don't know when that tailgater began his association with UMass Football, but if this team goes about .500, that will be five consecutive classes at UMass who have never known a losing season (or a .500 season for that matter).

Lastly, since 1998 when UMass won the national championship, all while playing in the premier FCS conference, UMass has gone 82-43. According to the game notes, that's the best in the conference. That's right. Going back more than a decade, UMass has been the best team in the best conference.

How can you say the team sucks? How can you justify that, being right outside the stadium on game day? How can you call them "our team" and say such terrible unfounded things? It's baffiling. This isn't Northeastern. This program is respectable. No. Calling them respectable is short changing them. It's a boarderline National Powerhouse. It's right there on the cusp of being one of the all time great FCS programs, and believe me, it's done it with minimal support from the Massachusetts Legislature, the UMass Alumni and the UMass Student Body as a whole.

In my next post, I'll give my theory as to why he or she said it. And by my theory, I of course mean a theory I read on umasshoops by another poster (ShadesOf96and98) that made a lot of sense to me and I am adopting.

EDIT: I just realized Towson lost to Northwestern, so the record is 4-4 against FBS teams, 2-3 against BCS teams.

UMass Post Game Saturday, September 19, 2009

I just got back from Amherst. UMass beat URI 30-10. The UMass defense looked really good again, especially in the redzone where URI was 0-2 with 0 points on the day. When Rhody had the ball on the UMass 3 in the first quarter on their first drive of the game, Kurt Filler picked off the Rutgers transfer in the endzone. The other time, Rhode Island went for it down 24-10 in the fourth quarter 4-2 from the UMass 5. The Defense forced the Transfer to fumble. It was recovered back at the 14 by URI, not that it mattered...either way UMass got the ball back.

The Offense was to blame for the only touchdown the Rams scored. Jon Hernandez, who last week got two touchdowns including the long 58 yarder, "fumbled" and Rhode Island returned it for a touchdown. I put "fumbled" in quotes because Hernandez never dropped the ball. Rather, the Rams defensive player just took it right out of his hands, much like a mother would take a knife from a young child. Hernandez got served.

Aside from the Hernandez fumble, Tony Nelson fumbled a couple of times in the first quarter but recovered them and he ended up having a good game. Havens dropped a snap but dove on the ball. WR Victor Cruz fumbled as a punt returner and Rhode Island recovered. The team as a whole needs to work on holding onto the ball.

I didn't hear the post game press conference, but I'm reading the transcript online, and I've decided to start a new weekly segment, the Kyle's Confident Quote of the Week. I was gonna call it "Kyle Havens' Confident Quote of the Week," but I there's sort of an alliteration thing going on without the last name.

Kyle's Confident Quote of the Week: (On being 7-7 on third downs in the first half) "If we just come out and everyone does their assignment. I read the play right, the wide receivers run the right routes, the O-line is blocking like they did tonight, there is no reason we shouldn't be one hundred percent on third down."

Game Day: Rhode Island vs Massachusetts

So, I have an hour or so to kill before I make the 2 hour drive out the Amherst to see the Massachusetts Minutemen (1-1, 0-0 CAA) open up the conference schedule with the Rhode Island Rams (1-0, 0-0).

URI is terrible. If the CAA was playing Survivor against another conference, it would be a coin toss as to who would be voted off first, URI or Northeastern. My money would personally be on URI, as Northeastern is CAA for all sports so the full CAA members would probably keep them.

Traditionally, URI has run an option offense which can be to their advantage this week. UMass has trouble with the option and more specifically, with quarterbacks who can run the ball. However, as URI has always lacked talent in the past, they're brilliant use of the option against a team weak in defending it has never even come close to working, well...not without the help of a monsoon anyway, but I digress.

It looks like they've picked up a transfer from Rutgers to play qb, Chris Paul-Etienne. He threw for 245 yards and 2 touchdowns in Rhody's win over Fordham to weeks ago. Also, from reading the review of the first game, I've found out they have a new head coach too, Joe Trainer. I don't know if this will switch their offensive strategy at all, but I doubt either of them can turn the program around so quickly. I'm predicting UMass will win this one easily, 35-7.

ESPNboston has recognized BC isn't the only division 1 football program in Massachusetts. Here, they preview both the Eagles game against Clemson and the Minutemen against the Rams. It's pretty balanced, 30 seconds for each team. They predict Kyle Havens will be the difference in the game. Take that Rhode Island! Our junior college guy is better than your FBS guy!

More Kool-Aide! Saturday, September 12, 2009

UMass demolished Albany tonight, 44-7. UMass ended up forcing five turnovers, be it by tipped balls or knocking the snot out of the quarterback who dropped the ball or ripping the ball out of receivers hands sort of like Teddy Bruschi did to the Colts in the Divisional Round in January of 2005. The offense was pretty unstoppable. WR Victor Cruz had two touchdowns, a 3 yard reception and a beautiful finger tip catch which turned into 67 yard touchdown catch (a lot of YAC on that one...probably 40 yards or so). UMass benched all the starters after a while and that gave RB Jon Hernandez (I had never heard of him) an opportunity. He got a 1 yard TD and followed that up with a 58 yard run for a Touchdown UMass's next offensive snap.

Quarterback Kyle Havens was good in his home debut. My initial impression is he's not Liam Coen, but he'll do. Then again, my initial impression of Liam Coen was "Who is number 12 and why isn't Tim Day still starting? This is crap!" so I guess he's ahead of Coen in that regard. Every once in a while he'd made a mistake and it was always overthrowing the ball. And not just barely overthrowing either. I wouldn't even be close. In fact, on the Cruz 67 yard touchdown, I think Havens overthrew another receiver because firstly the other receiver jumped up to try to catch it and secondly Cruz came sprinting across the field and made a spectacular catch. Either it was overthrown or perfectly placed... and based on other plays I'm going with overthrown. Havens needs to work on that.

I do really like Havens' attitude though. He's a junior college transfer and last week after the Kansas State game someone asked him if he could talk about the difference between playing against Kansas State and playing against community colleges. He said "There is no difference. Football is football and it doesn't change." After the media member pushed him he said "I guess there were 50,000 people here, so that's different." This week he had a couple of similarly confident/arrogant answers that make me love/hate players depending on if they're on my team or not.

The one bad thing is wide receiver Jeremy Horne left the game with a slight concussion. It happened in the first half and he didn't return, though Coach Morris said after the game it was precautionary and he should be ok for next week's game against CAA opponent Rhode Island.

BC probably won. They were winning 24-0 at half when I left and when I got to the car and turned on the radio, they scored another touchdown to make it 30-0. Then I decided as that game was almost as boring as the Northeastern one I'd be better off listening to music and I shut it off.

Oh yeah, in CAA news, UNH beat FBS team Ball State tonight. I don't think UNH has lost to an FBS team since I've followed Atlantic 10/CAA football. Looking it up, they beat Army last year, Marshall in 2007, Northwestern in 2006, and Rutgers in 2004. 2005 they didn't play an FBS team, but as that New Hampshire team was pretty much the best ever going 11-1 before losing in the second round of the playoffs, I think they would have beaten whoever that year too.

Last time an FBS team beat UNH was Central Michigan in 2003. Why does anyone in FBS still schedule them? Do they enjoy paying for embarrassing defeats? Is it cause all the cool FBS programs are doing it? The next three victims are Pittsburgh in 2010, Minnesota in 2012 and Boston College in 2013.

Albany @ UMass Friday, September 11, 2009

Tomorrow night is the home opener for the Massachusetts Minutemen. For the second consecutive year and the third time since 2005, the opponent is the Albany Great Danes.

My junior year the Great Danes came and UMass rented lights for to make it a night game. The Minutemen proceeded to give the Great Danes a beating they'll never forget, 40-0. The game was significant because UMass set an FCS record by recording 3 safeties. The UMass game notes say "Ironically UMass tied their own mark with three safeties in Rhode Island in 2007." How is that ironic? Back to the point, the funny part is, at least 2 (maybe all three) safeties were recorded because Albany's long snapper kept snapping the ball 20 yards over the punter's head through the end zone. It was pretty hysterical. He kept coming back to the bench and after getting screamed at by the coaches, he'd practice snapping the ball and he'd do awesome. Then he'd go back onto the field and snap the ball 20 yards over the punter's head and the process would repeat.

Last year, I missed the game but I hear it was a lot more competitive. I mean, Albany scored, so it had to be. UMass still won, 30-15. I don't know much about Albany. They're 0-1 after losing to Georgia Southern 29-26. They have a senior quarterback in Vinny Esposito who was 14-28 with an INT and 110 yards last week. I'm assuming they run some kind of crazy Miami Dolphin-esque Wild Cat Option thing, as another quarterback named Andrew Smith had 8 carries for 99 yards and a touch down. Weird thing is he didn't throw a pass. He's not the featured back either. That's David McCarty who had 24 carries for 66 yards. Maybe they wanna switch that? Smith also apparently returns kicks for them. He returned all 6 Albany received last week for 140 yards. That's not a bad day for the back up quarterback. I'll have to keep my eye on him.

Oh yeah... I'm also going to the first half of BC vs Kent State. I just hope it's no where near as terrible as the Northeastern game was last week. I never want to see anything like that again as long as I live.

Predictions: Before the Kansas State game, I would have went with UMass over Albay 24-21. My logic would have been "UMass has been on the decline since 2006. Albany seems like a team on the rise. I just think that the declining UMass is still better than a rising Albany, but not by a lot." Then by all reports Havens looked awesome and the defense was tremendous. Receivers just need to start catching balls and this teams poised to make a run at the playoffs. (Yeah, we got playoffs in FCS, and we talk about the playoffs). Now I'm drinking the Kool-Aide and expecting UMass to win this game easily, 28-14.

I got nothing for BC-Kent State. Let's go with 24-21. I don't know who will win.

Lastly rooting for Ohio State over USC because I still haven't forgiven Pete Carrol for doing his best to ruin the Patriots.

EDIT: Here's a write up on the Albany back up quarterback. Note the championships won by Esposito referred to in the coach's comments must be conference championships. I don't think Albany's made the playoffs ever, and their conference, the North East Conference, doesn't have an auto bid yet...but I think they will in a year or two.

College Football Saturday, September 5, 2009

The Northeastern Boston College was the worst game I was ever at. I don't think Northeastern even got a first down all game. We left early in the 4th quarter, it was 47-0 BC. Terrible. Below is a "live blog" I did while listening to the UMass game. They lost, 21-17, but if you want to read my thoughts it's below.

7:25-I'm listening to the UMass game now on AM890 ESPN radio in Boston. It started well. UMass received the kick off and got two first downs and on third and 2 in Kansas State territory. Havens threw an incompletion and UMass punted. The defense forced a 3 and out but Jeremy Horne ran into the kicker giving Kansas State the ball back.

KS drove down the field but UMass forced a fumble and returned it to midfield. UMass tried a flea flicker and Havens threw an interception. K-State has the ball inside their own 10. Maybe I'll do a semi live blog from here on out.

7:29-INTERCEPTION!!!! UMASS BALL ON THE KANSAS STATE 25 YARD LINE!!!!!! About 7 minutes left in the first quarter, 0-0. Rough'em Up, Rough'em Up, GO UMASS!

7:39- Caleb Violette kicks a 35 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Minutemen. He's (apparently) a freshman punter. Place Kicker Armando Cuko was suspended by the team for the game for "internal reasons." Oh well.

7:46- End of 1st Quarter, 3-0 Good Guys. Kansas State drove down the field and is currently on the Minuteman 3 yard line. We need a turnover.

7:51- Kansas State QB ran it in on the second play of the second quarter. 7-3 Wildcats. The UMass broadcast team just let me know that former Patriot QB Steve Grogan's number is in the Wildcat's ring of honor.

8:06- SON OF A... Victor Cruz caught a Touchdown pass but Kansas State got a gift call...offensive pass interference on Julian Tally the other receiver. The announcers said the two receivers crossed and the defensive back covering Cruz ran into Tally. Isn't that sort of the goal when you cross receivers? I hate FBS games for this reason. Calls always seem to go in their favor. Violette has his kick blocked. 7-3 Wildcats/Big 12 Referees.

8:14- Predictably, Kansas State throws a 40 yard touch down pass. 14-3 Wildcats. I can't see the game so I have absolutely no idea if UMass was screwed on the Cruz TD, but if so, they gotta let it go and focus. This is a winnable game. So far, UMass has proven they belong on the same field as Kansas State. A bit more than 5 minutes left in the half. Shake it off and drive down the field.

8:29- UMass went 3 and out. The D held KS to a field goal attempt, which they missed. UMass ball on their own 30-ish with less than 2 minutes left. On first down, RB Tony Nelson dropped a pass. He was wide open with blockers. According to the radio it is his 4th drop to 0 receptions.

8:34- UMass picks up 1 first down (as I called him out earlier, I should mention the first down was on a Nelson reception) then is forced to punt. The receivers kept dropping balls. The punt is blocked. Violette is having a bad first game. Kansas State takes over at the UMass 40 and scores two plays later. 21-3 assuming the extra point is good, which it is. HALFTIME!

9:27- I'm still listening, just nothing much going on. A lot of traded punts. In CAA News, William & Mary upset FBS Virginia 26-16. Jeremy Horne apparently dropped a pass when he was wide open, and UMass is forced to punt. MUFFED!!!!!... UMASS RECOVERS...UMASS BALL ON THE KSU 18 YARD LINE!!!!!

9:31- UMass runs the ball down their throats. Minutemen ball on the 3...3rd and goal. PLAY ACTION PASS TOUCHDOWN UMASS!!!!! 21-9. HAVENS WITH HIS FIRST CAREER TOUCHDOWN PASS TO TIGHT END KREVIS!!!!!! EXTRA POINT IS GOOD! 21-10.

9:34- That's the end of the 3rd quarter. This game is far from over. In more CAA news, Richmond is beating FBS Duke, 21-9 in the fourth quarter.

9:39- RIDICULOUS!! UMass forces K-State to punt, and Jeremy Horne blocks it, catches it, and runs it into the endzone. Extra point good. 21-17.

9:44- Freaking Big 12 Refs. UMass stops K-State for a loss on first down, and the quarterback trips over his own two feet for a loss on second down. AFTER the play, the refs throw a flag and call defensive holding. After the play? Seriously? First down Kansas State, who has a new QB as apparently the other dude got pretty hurt falling down.

9:49- UMass holds them. K-State takes the delay of game to give the punter more room. The punter kicks it into the endzone anyway. UMass will take over with 10:17 left in the fourth, down 21-17. In my seven years of following the team, UMass has come close to beating FBS teams, but never actually did. They got screwed against BC two years ago and I'm still upset about it so I won't talk about it. The year before against Navy, they had the ball deep in Navy territory with a minute or two left down by 1 and fumbled to lose.

9:55- UMass goes three and out. LET'S GO D!

9:58- The defense forces a 3 and out. Last year, the UMass defense was the worst I ever saw, and here they are dominating Kansas State this half. I'm surprisingly calm. UMass ball.

9:59- DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE. Thank you BIG 12 Refs. The UMass announcers say Cruz had everyone beat and if he wasn't interfered with he'd be in the endzone, so I guess it was a good penalty to take.

10:03- UMass punts...less than 6 minutes left. Kansas State ball.

10:08- KState picks up a huge first down. About 3 minutes left.

10:10- Holding and a delay of game make it 1st and 25 with 3:09 left. LET'S GO D!

10:13- Kansas State converts on 3rd down...that's pretty much the ball game. UMass has 1 timeout. It's second down. A turnover is necessary. Now it's third down with 59 seconds. UMass burned its last timeout.

10:20 KState took back to back timeouts before third down. 3rd and 2. QB keeper. They're bringing out the chains... announcers don't know if he got it...if so it's by inches...announcers say short...but the chains disagree. First down. Kansas State got a first "by the hair of his chinny chin chin." Kansas State escapes with a victory. If only offensive pass interference wasn't called on Talley on Cruz's TD reception.

One of these days, UMass is gonna beat a FBS team. Maybe next year at Michigan.

Massachusetts Football Report Thursday, September 3, 2009

- UMass opens it's season Saturday @ Kansas State, and that means one thing: It's a bad week to be a Wildcat. Junior College Transfer Kyle Havens was named the starting quarterback. I feel bad for senior Scott Woodward. Whenever he came in for an injured Liam Coen, I always thought he did well. I think a lot of times during games, the coaching staff never trusted him though. I remember one game in particular against Boston College where Coen got hurt early in the third quarter. UMass stopped passing the ball completely unless it was third and long in their own territory. If memory serves correct he made something good happen more often than not, but I still wonder to this day why they didn't open the play book for him. Must be something they saw with him in practice. Most times a FCS team upsets and FBS team, it's with a scrambling quarterback who runs the option. As a result, some UMass fans speculated that Octavious Hawkins would start the season opener. I like the idea in theory, but I think Head Coach Kevin Morris is doing the right thing. You're probably not gonna win anyway, so you might as well treat this like a practice and try to work out all the kinks with the first team offense your gonna go with the rest of the season. By the way, the best thing about Havens being named the starter is he wears #12. That means my Liam Coen jersey (which doesn't say Coen on the back) can now become a Kyle Havens jersey. Sweet!

- I'm going to my first football game tonight to see the New England Patriots take on the New Jersey... I mean New York Giants. As no one is gonna play besides third and fourth stringers, the most exciting thing this blog will observe is what jersey I'll wear tonight. I have at my disposal good looking home blue Adam Vinatieri and Drew Bledsoe Patriot jerseys, a good looking silver Richard Seymour jersey, a fake looking blue Laurence Marony jersey (no numbers on the sleeves, no stripes on the shoulder, no gray on the collar...it's terrible) and a really nice blue Tom Brady I've never worn. The Tom Brady is the best jersey cause the name and number are actually sewn on whereas the others look machine painted. I decided to go with the Drew Bledsoe jersey, as he is undeniably the most important man in New England Patriot history, and I feel like since Brady wont play anyway it's the perfect time to honor Drew. Julian Edelman is also honoring Drew Bledsoe tonight, and if he makes the team he will probably continue to honor Bledsoe the entire season.

-I'm also going to a football game Saturday- Northeastern vs Boston College. It's a bit of a dilemma as UMass fans are suppose to hate Boston College whereas Northeastern is the poster child for schools that think they're better than you only because they're a private school. My hatred for Northeastern runs deep. On the other hand, I taught a few of the BC football players and some of them work their butts off and are good people, plus I got a degree from there, so I'm rooting for BC.