Money and Pride
Alabama was the big fish that got away for Florida International University. Going into halftime the Golden Panthers hanged on against the Crimson Tide having some in South Florida fantasizing the potential headlines on ESPN. “Biggest upset of the season” would have been the likely choice. Even when the Crimson Tide began to pull away in the third quarter, one touchdown would have got the Golden Panthers back into the game. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter when Alabama scored two touchdowns, burying Florida International University in the process, that our hopes were deflated like a balloon.
Despite being a young program a question arises, why are FIU Golden Panthers in the Football Bowl Subdivision, formally known as Division 1-A? The program began in 2001 with their inaugural game in 2002 and despite winning their first game the team has an all-time record of 21-58 with 2006 and 2007 being their worst seasons. When the program began the team was placed in Division 1-AA. Initially an independent team, they became part of the Sun Belt Conference. The Sun Belt Conference is a 31 division conference and one of 11 that are part of the FBS. The conference is also part of the Bowl Championship Series, also known as the BCS. It wasn’t until 2005 that the team moved up into the FBS.
The decision to move into the FBS was made by the university. Former President Modesto Madique wanted to promote the football team to benefit the program. The program had to go through a two-year process to become “bowl ready”. The process required the school to offer over 200 scholarships across the board in athletics and the school had to field at least 12 teams in order to complete the process, according to Richard Kelch, assistant in media relations of the FIU Athletics Department.
Courtesy: FIU Athletic Department
Prior to the season, former Athletic Director Rick Mellow went out to set up the eventual showdown between FIU and Alabama. Alabama paid the school $450,000 to travel up there and play them on their home field. This is common in the NCAA according to Kelch. Two years ago Texas paid Florida Atlantic University $2 million to come over and play them. FIU’s football budget for 2008-09 is roughly $5.5 million, down from $5.9 million in 2007-08. Kelch said the reason teams do this is economical, it’s to do what’s best for their programs. In Alabama’s case they wouldn’t come down here to play FIU no matter what the offer was. Their football program sought to have seven home games this year. As for FIU, they would go on to have five home games every season and have teams pay to play for the road games.
“The benefit of being in Division 1-A is national exposure, TV time and for campus life,” Kelch said. “If you’re not on the map, you’re nowhere.”
Prior to joining the Sun Belt Conference in 1999, FIU was a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. The advantage in being a part of the Sun Belt Conference is prestige because of the group’s affiliation in the college FBS and the BCS. Two of the top schools in the conference are the University of North Texas Mean Green and the Troy University Trojans, this year’s defending champion.
“We invited Florida International University in part because of its success, geography and size of the school,” Associate Commissioner John McElwain said.
FIU’s 10 year membership and student population are some of the main reasons its football program was invited to the conference.
“We are very proud to have them in our conference considering their youth,” McElwain said.
Courtesy: FIU Athletic Department
The conference was founded on August 4, 1976 by six schools: New Orleans, South Alabama, Georgia State, Jacksonville, North Carolina-Charlotte and South Florida. Initially the conference participated in four men’s sports playing basketball, soccer, golf and tennis. Currently the conference consists of 13 schools and 19 sports for both men and women. The Sun Belt Conference also has a permanent seat on the NCAA’s 17 member board of directors. As a result the conference has influence in all issues concerning college sports.
When anger gets the best of you
As many of you know, the college football season has begun! But unfortunately for one player, his season ended as soon as it began. Oregon running back LeGarrete Blount sucker punched Boise State defensive end Byron Hout following Oregon’s opening game loss. As a result Blount has been suspended for the season. What happened was that after the game, Hout yelled at Blount and tapped him on the shoulder sparking the incident. Because he is a senior, his playing days as an Oregon Duck are over. He is, however, still able to attend and take part in practice.
Fortunately for him, he still gets to keep his scholarship. A recent poll by Foxsports.com asked whether or not the suspension was too harsh, too lenient or just right. The majority of voters believed the punishment was just right. This was a sad case of a college football player letting his anger get the best of him…costing him the entire season. It seems sort of pointless to allow him to attend practice when everyone knows he will never play college ball again… at least as an Oregon Duck. Blount’s night was already less than stellar with his performance on the field having eight carries for a loss of five yards. He was already upset to begin with. Some say he should of been kicked out of school as well but that’s a little bit too harsh in my opinion. Oregon coach Chip Kelly thinks so as well. Anger is when the tongue acts quicker than the brain, in Blount’s case it was his fist.
http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/10027580/Oregon-suspends-Blount-for-season-
http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/10013612/Punch-spoils-No.-14-Boise’s-win-vs.-No.-16-Oregon
Here comes another sports nut!
Ever since I was 5 I had a passion for baseball. I would always sit down with my dad and watch the games on television mesmerized by how the game was played. I started to mimic the announcers by grabbing a toy voice recorder and recording the play-by-play of the games, it was my childhood dream to become either a sports broadcaster or baseball player. As I grew older I started to admire football and basketball as well, eventually accepting soccer after much persuasion from my cousins. I love all the home teams no matter how frustrating they can be, partly because they are the home team after all and partly for the love of the game.
With my love of sports I ‘ve decided to do a blog on almost everything sports for the school of Florida International University and give my two cents on whatever is going on in the sports world. From final outcomes to trades to even the controversies if possible. Heres hoping to a successful experiment. Long live sports and may the best teams win!
