Hey I Never Noticed this Forum Before!

[PatsDeb]

I went to UMASS (class of 1986 - yikes) and was a member of the UMASS Marching Band (color guard) for 4 years. It was a great place to go to school and the football games were great, even if the team wasn't very good while I was there. For some perspective, the band was considered better than the team when I was there! LOL. I always watch their football program from afar and have been cheered to see them moving up in the national scene, slowly but surely.

Haven't followed them much lately, and it must have been a huge blow to the school when George Parks, the band leader since I was there, dropped dead of a heart attack right in front of everybody on the eve of the Michigan game last year. He was a tireless leader and fundraiser for that program. I cried when I read he had died and how it happened.

So, how are they doing this year? I'm going to go look them up right now!

 

[PatsDeb]

Update - we're 2-1 and scheduled to play Old Dominion tomorrow. Still can't beat the big boys at Boston College though.

 

[PatsDeb]

Update - we're 2-1 and scheduled to play Old Dominion tomorrow. Still can't beat the big boys at Boston College though.

What's happened, though? Did we drop down a conference? After playing some pretty big games the last few years, it seems we are back to a regional scheduled against teams that we played back when I was around, with the exception of UConn, which seems to have continued to be upwardly mobile.

 

[jmt57]

What's happened, though? Did we drop down a conference? After playing some pretty big games the last few years, it seems we are back to a regional scheduled against teams that we played back when I was around, with the exception of UConn, which seems to have continued to be upwardly mobile.

UMass is moving up from the Colonial League and 1-AA/FCS to the MAC and 1-A/FBS next year. Maybe because of the change and contract commitments they weren't able to schedule as many big name schools this year.

Whether or not this is too little, too late with all these football super conferences being formed will remain to be seen. It seems like moving up to the MAC is really just maintaining the status quo, as opposed to falling off the map.

 

[Wolfpack]

UMass is moving up from the Colonial League and 1-AA/FCS to the MAC and 1-A/FBS next year. Maybe because of the change and contract commitments they weren't able to schedule as many big name schools this year.

Whether or not this is too little, too late with all these football super conferences being formed will remain to be seen. It seems like moving up to the MAC is really just maintaining the status quo, as opposed to falling off the map.

I don't know what kind of commitment they have to the MAC, but if they are able to have a respectable showing, I wouldn't be surprised to see them get a (football) invite to the Big East. I think the Big East has something like only 6 football teams left after Syracuse and Pitt leave (give or take TCU staying).

Of course, that's assuming the football part of the Big East still exists a couple years from now which I honestly wouldn't bank on.

 

[PatsDeb]

Thanks for the updates! Loved UMass when I was there. Would love to see them keeping up with the Joneses.