I know, I know, ASU can't hold a candle to the department formerly known as athletics at etsu, but:

NOTEBOOK: ASU TABBED AS ONE OF NATION’S TOP ATHLETICS DEPARTMENTS
by ASU Sports Information

April 21, 2008 - BOONE, N.C. – Hall of Fame Magazine has tabbed Appalachian State University athletics department as the 15th-best in the nation in its annual ranking of the nation’s top 15 collegiate athletic programs.

HOF Magazine writer Jim Weber cites Appalachian football’s 34-32 win over fifth-ranked Michigan and third-straight NCAA Division I national championship as reasons for the Mountaineers’ inclusion on the list. ASU is the only NCAA Division I FCS institution included in the rankings. The entire list is as follows:

15) Appalachian State
14) West Virginia
13) North Carolina
12) Arizona State
11) Azusa Pacific (NAIA)
10) California
9) Tennessee
8) Kansas
7) Washington University (NCAA Div. III)
6) Ohio State
5) USC
4) Grand Valley State (NCAA Div. II)
3) LSU
2) Texas
1) Stanford

http://www.goasu.com

All that you need to know...is that Stanford is #1.

What's wrong with Stanford No. 1? Sports Illustrated had them in the Top Five a few years ago when they ranked the nation's athletic programs.

Obviously they are taking academics into the equasion.

I was a little surprised Florida wasn't on the list, however.

But, then again, the Gators are SO 2006 . . . .

Here's what the mag says-

Highlights:
W Cross Country (1st)
W Basketball (2nd)
W Volleyball (2nd)
M Swimming (3rd)
W Swimming (3rd)
The Cardinal dynasty continues. The winner of 13 straight Director's Cups (best overall athletic program), Stanford is cruising to another title. Both the men (Sweet 16) and women (national runner-up) dominated the hardwood. The women's cross country team won its third straight national title, while both swimming squads and the women's volleyball team nearly won titles as well. Even the football team chipped in, pulling off one of the greatest upsets of all time over USC, a 41-point favorite.


We can discuss how important the Director's Cup is because frankly I don't think Stanford got as much attention for winning Director's Cup No. 12 as they did for going 1-11 in football in 2007.

However, at a school like ETSU that seems to bend over backwards making sure you remember the cross country team is as important as the men's basketball team and "THEY ALL TRY HARD!" you have to wonder if they shouldn't be criticized more for not even coming close to sniffing that list.

Best I can tell EVERY program in the top 15 has a somewhat successful football program (Kansas?) on one level or another. One reason why etsu isn't in the top 100.

Swimming and cross country! HUUURRRRRRRAAAAAYY! Thats about like bragging on golf and tennis.

ETSUfan1 Wrote:Swimming and cross country! HUUURRRRRRRAAAAAYY! Thats about like bragging on golf and tennis.

I was thinking the same thing.



R

stategradsmoke Wrote:Best I can tell EVERY program in the top 15 has a somewhat successful football program (Kansas?) on one level or another. One reason why etsu isn't in the top 100.

Not sure wht the ? is about they went 12-1 last year. Stanford on the hand went 4-8.

And, as the article stated, upset Southern California last year.

The rankings heavily weight such things- as is painfully obvious due to the fact that they put Appalachian State on the list.

PittsburghBucs Wrote:And, as the article stated, upset Southern California last year.

We beat the SEC Champs Georgia last year in basketball. Does that make our season successful?

You'd have to ask Hall of Fame Magazine.

But Georgia basketball clearly isn't on the same level as Southern California football.

So. Did the men's golf team win the ASun?

No, but it's okay, because 14 years ago with two current members among the membership the A-Sun got two NCAA bids.