Nice to be ignored

UNTStill · August 23, 2006

Sometimes it’s good to be ignored.

In this case: today’s New York Times reports that one of the result of the NCAA’s approval of a 12th game has been weak teams and no-name teams that no one ever pays attention to making themselves available for blowouts – and big money – from the big boys, basically the BCS teams, who need another game but don’t want to risk too much (on the field). The story focuses a lot on U. Buffalo (which is making $1.525 mill for 3 such games), and unfortunately also uses 4 teams from the Sun Belt as examples for taking this sacrificial lamb route: Troy, La-Lafayette, La-Monroe, and Florida Atlantic (which is making $1.825 mill for 4 games). The point is, the story could have included the UT-UNT game as an example (unjustly, I think), which would not have been so good, lumping us with the “nobodies” who don’t mind getting swamped in exchange for the money since we’re so desperate and who cares anyway, etc. The story (and accompanying graphic) also includes 1-AA teams Northwestern State, Portland State, and Eastern Washington. We don’t want to be in the same story with 1-AA teams.

Granted, the money is always a bonus, but I think the UT game is “legitimate” scheduling for both schools (and one day, we WILL beat them, although, frankly, the reports thus far about MG practices aren’t encouraging for that being this year). As I said, I think it’s good to be overlooked in this sort of publicity.