Marist is coming off a tough 16-17 loss at Bucknell....the Red Foxes' third straight after dropping PFL games vs Drake and at San Diego. I'd imagine Marist will be ready to play Campbell and get a win.

Will the open date this past Saturday help the Camels? Can CU keep it close? Can we win?!!

Poughkeepsie forecast for Saturday.....60s and 40% chance of rain.

CU

I expect Marist to win this one. They play good defense and we have a very predictable offense. I am hoping I will be surprised and the extra week does help us but I am far less confident than I was before the Davidson game. I am also hoping they are a little beat up having play four straight weeks already or will take us lightly.

Off the subject, but what do you think of this and team unity.. PFL rules only allow 56(approx) to travel. Fair rule I guess. On away games, those 56 (Campbell's team) are isolated from the remainder of the 40+ other team members... others can't go in locker room, don't eat together, basically just not part of the so called team..... Is that normal? Seems to me to build team unity, other than the travel part, ALL team members should be part of the so called 'team' experience. Sounds completely ignorant to me.. Thoughts?

Are you saying it is like this at home after practice or for meals before they leave or just once they leave to go on the road? I am assuming that your son is one of the ones that has been left behind or will be left behind on an upcoming trip. I don't think it helps build team unity but it is the way it is at non-scholarship football. Others teams in this league I imagine would have a similar problem with limited number travel squads. I guess all you can hope for is that your son keeps improving and impressing and gets on the travel squad before the end of the year. I definitely can see how unity problems can crop up though and sort of divide the team between the travelers and non-travelers. I think these things are also only magnified since the team hasn't been winning much. Winning seems to cure all problems.

Assuming this is the "travel squad" maybe this is an NCAA/FCS rule limiting the number that can travel.

CU

If Steele separates at home games like you explained then I can't agree with this practice at all. I was not aware of this. I was unaware this was going on and think this needs to change. It is one thing to do it on the road when you are limited to 55 but to do it at home and divide the team like you explained is inexcusable.

I don't know Camel76, our opinions seems to be coming together on issues more and more these days it is getting to be sort of scary. If we keep agree on everything our message board will become pretty boring.

(10-01-2009 07:59 AM)Camel76 Wrote:  newcampbellfan , I hear what you saying and I agree. It sucks. I observed this practice last year and its just another example of Steel's inability at coaching a TEAM. Maybe they do this at Alabama, or ECU or Baylor, or Northern Nash High School or wherever else he's been but CU is a small school environment where everyone knows each other. As you say it promotes no team unity at all. That's just one of the things that's wrong with this team and last years team. The really numb skull practice is he has this done at home games as well as away games. The "travelling squad" is separated from the rest of the guys. It's not the number that can travel that's the problem, I mean that's a given. But throwing the rest of the team under the bus at home games, just because they're not on the travel squad is not right. Believe me newcampbellfan, I know what I'm talking about on this. You're just beginning to see some of the things that are counter-productive to "team"
I can understand away games, but home games? The travel team meets on Friday nights at the field house to watch movies (entertainment) among other things, they dine separately form the rest of the players. Sure 56 players for road games, no problem with that, but isolating the "travel squad" form the rest of the team at home games is just plain wrong.
Winning cures all problems? There is some truth to this but playing, participating cures major problems as well. What do you think that travel squad is still playing for. It sure isn't about winning.Everyone can't play, that's a given as well, but I suppose it's how you get treated when not playing that's very important. Treating them like 2nd class citizens is not the route to go. Remember these players are paying their own way to participate.camels7778, our illustrious governor and many others nowadays use the expression, "it is what it is" and everytime I hear it it makes me sick on my stomach. A cop out expression, I counter , "is it ever the way it's not?"

I think we are starting to agree on some things. You hit it directly on the head about what I was discussing. Isolating 'traveling squad' UNTIL they actually get on the bus to leave is downright stupid. It's not whether my son goes or not (he has), it's just what I hear him telling me about how the ones that don't go are treated. It does absolutely NOTHING but destroy any concept of TEAM. Isolating them at HOME games? That has to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. While I am on this subject, two other things: 1) weight lifting occurs very early in the am. Some have no chance to eat breakfast before the workout because it is not open yet, and no chance after due to class. If they want to eat, they have to buy their own food, which is an additional cost above the money being paid for a meal plan. 2). on one road trip, I was told a professor would NOT provide any additional help prior to the missed Friday class with an upcoming big test on a Monday. Sounded like some conflict between the department and the athletic squad. That made me real mad.

(10-01-2009 07:32 AM)andone Wrote:  Assuming this is the "travel squad" maybe this is an NCAA/FCS rule limiting the number that can travel.

It's not about the number that can travel. That is known. It's about the treatment of non travel members during the week leading up to the game, regardless if it is an away or home game.

(10-01-2009 08:28 AM)camels7778 Wrote:  If Steele separates at home games like you explain then I can't agree with this practice at all. I was not aware of this. I was unaware this was going on and think this needs to change. It is one thing to do it on the road when you are limited to 55 but to do it at home and divide the team like you explained is inexcusable.

I don't know Camel76, our opinions seems to be coming together on issues more and more these days it is getting to be sort of scary. If we keep agree on everything our message board will become pretty boring.

He does. Believe it.

(10-01-2009 08:35 AM)newcampbellfan Wrote:  

(10-01-2009 07:59 AM)Camel76 Wrote:  newcampbellfan , I hear what you saying and I agree. It sucks. I observed this practice last year and its just another example of Steel's inability at coaching a TEAM. Maybe they do this at Alabama, or ECU or Baylor, or Northern Nash High School or wherever else he's been but CU is a small school environment where everyone knows each other. As you say it promotes no team unity at all. That's just one of the things that's wrong with this team and last years team. The really numb skull practice is he has this done at home games as well as away games. The "travelling squad" is separated from the rest of the guys. It's not the number that can travel that's the problem, I mean that's a given. But throwing the rest of the team under the bus at home games, just because they're not on the travel squad is not right. Believe me newcampbellfan, I know what I'm talking about on this. You're just beginning to see some of the things that are counter-productive to "team"
I can understand away games, but home games? The travel team meets on Friday nights at the field house to watch movies (entertainment) among other things, they dine separately form the rest of the players. Sure 56 players for road games, no problem with that, but isolating the "travel squad" form the rest of the team at home games is just plain wrong.
Winning cures all problems? There is some truth to this but playing, participating cures major problems as well. What do you think that travel squad is still playing for. It sure isn't about winning.Everyone can't play, that's a given as well, but I suppose it's how you get treated when not playing that's very important. Treating them like 2nd class citizens is not the route to go. Remember these players are paying their own way to participate.camels7778, our illustrious governor and many others nowadays use the expression, "it is what it is" and everytime I hear it it makes me sick on my stomach. A cop out expression, I counter , "is it ever the way it's not?"

I think we are starting to agree on some things. You hit it directly on the head about what I was discussing. Isolating 'traveling squad' UNTIL they actually get on the bus to leave is downright stupid. It's not whether my son goes or not (he has), it's just what I hear him telling me about how the ones that don't go are treated. It does absolutely NOTHING but destroy any concept of TEAM. Isolating them at HOME games? That has to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. While I am on this subject, two other things: 1) weight lifting occurs very early in the am. Some have no chance to eat breakfast before the workout because it is not open yet, and no chance after due to class. If they want to eat, they have to buy their own food, which is an additional cost above the money being paid for a meal plan. 2). on one road trip, I was told a professor would NOT provide any additional help prior to the missed Friday class with an upcoming big test on a Monday. Sounded like some conflict between the department and the athletic squad. That made me real mad.

I heard the professors at Campbell are like this with many of the traveling sports too. I also think this is not right. The professors should be willing to treat the student athletes a little bit better when requests are made early enough advance for tests and other necessary projects from traveling athletes. I think the dining center should open earlier so the kids can eat before working out or at the very least have a place where a card can be swiped to get out pop tarts or another non-spoil type food. I understand the need to work out early since the school only has one strength coach and one weight room and he needs to structure his day to fit all the teams on campus in. The rest of campus should be a little more understanding. Another possible solution would be to build a second weight room (football only) and hiring additional staffing, which was not done with the addition of football.

CU

Looks like I've hit the nail on the head about some things going on there that are questionable. I was hearing this stuff after only the 2nd game, but just sat on it. I read a pre-season article from last year about how Campbell treats a non-scholarship athlete vs a scholarship school. Coach Steele stated they were treated just like a scholarship team. Since I didn't play football at a scholarship school, I don't know if it is normal to treat team members differently in certain situations. I can say I played another sport on scholarship during my college days, and I never, ever experienced isolation from the team. There would be no better way to destory a team than to continue isolation tactics. That may be the way it works at a more established, large and successful scholarship team, but Campbell? No way right now in the state they are in. All I can say is there are a bunch of Freshman over there right now that are ticked off about how they are being treated, and 'rumors' are there are a bunch that are leaving after this semester, and a bunch more at the end of the year. Players should bond together, pull for the same goals, and coaches should promote team unity 1st and foremost. No wonder Campbell has a large turnover of players from year to year. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS TYPE OF GARBAGE AND RUMORS AND TREATMENT. NONE WHATSOEVER! COME ON, THEY WON 1 GAME LAST YEAR, AND HATE TO SAY IT, BUT THEY WILL ONLY WIN 1 GAME AGAIN THIS YEAR!!!

CU

(10-01-2009 05:06 PM)Camel76 Wrote:  newcampbellfan, I hate to say it but it gets worse. Believe me, I've already experienced it. I'll go ahead and tell you, my son was on the team 07-08 and 08-09 team. He played. He was on the travel squad for every game except the Wisconsin game. he loved football. I can tell you from little league all the way through his high school state championship years, he was not only a good player but a very coachable young man. You know you've always heard the expression "a player's coach", well I think he might could be described "a coach's player" I'm not bragging on him just because he's my son, but honestly he was one of the best all round high school athletes I have ever seen. I can also say with certainty that he got all those traits from his Mother. I can also say though he was recruited by some other D-II & D-III schools including Methodist where his Mother graduated , but he chose Campbell University. The 07-08 season, no real games was really exciting for everyone. I remember at Homecoming 07, though they didn't have a game, but they had a Saturday morning practice where about 2,500 folks showed up! One of the hot items the bookstore had on sale at the practice field that day was a t-shirt that had a CU football helmet on the front of it and written on the back. "still undefeated" There was allot of excitement and pride. It didn't take long once the real season began last fall for that excitement to get squelched. It wasn't just about losing, but it was more about the way some folks were treated. We have described just some of this on yesterday and today's posts. When he told me the way his roommate/teammate was treated, a friendship that he had just obtained since being a student at CU for the past year and 1/2, I knew right then what it meant to him. See he's a team guy. His hometown guys and teammates though very successful were a strong bonded group. He wasn't use to being/seeing players treated that way. It took it's toll. The week of the Drake game when they flew to Des Moines Iowa, his Mother and I were very excited about his going. he was not excited about going but he did. A couple weeks before the season's end he announced to his Mother and I that he was not coming back to CU, for the spring semester of his sophomore year. That he had decided to go another direction that no longer involved college football. He's at another school now. I am pleased to say that he appears to be very happy and content and driven toward a different occupational future from which he was originally headed. I as a dad have had to get use to the first football season since he was 5 years old his not being on a team. I think back what it might could have been. I think could things have been different if he had gone to a school with a established team? That I don't know, and though I have been very critical of things on here I can tell you, it's not sour grapes. You see I and I think he would say he wants to be able at some point and time and be proud to say he was a part of CU's football beginning. I as a CU alum I want to be excited about going to a football game at the school I attended where my son once played. Though that still can occur, it's not what I would have liked. Realistically, unless you're going to the next level, the NFL it's going to end sometime, but I wish it could have been different not just for him but for dozens of young men we grew to know. There were just allot of practices that I saw and witnessed that didn't seem nor appear to be for the good of the team, and irregardless of ones abilities, wheather her one starts, or just plays, or doesn't get to play at all, being part of the team should mean something which should be the same for everyone.
newcampbellfan, I honestly do wish the best for your son. I wish the best for CU. I just don't think the current leadership as evidence by their practices is going to lead them to team nor personal success.
With all this being said, I'll try to tone it down a little, and not be to negative, but please understand where some of this negativity was founded. Go Camels!

Gosh, I hope I'm not on here next year saying the same stuff you are saying, but I could be. My son fits exactly what you are saying, and I would not be surprised to see him leave. It would be difficult not seeing him play and participate, but you have stated exactly what I have seen in the short, short time I have been around. Are there good parts of the situation? I am hard pressed to see them so far. My son has meet some fine young men in his short time, and has made many friends. It is difficult for all of them to see and be involved in situations that I will say shows nothing but lack of class. My son was also recruited by many DII schools, and several DI-aa schools. He chose Campbell because he like the recruiting coach and wanted to go away from home. I'm sure he is struggling with his decision now. It's just not a normal situation. Period. I hate it your son had to put up with what my son is experiencing right now. Time will only tell what will happen. Sour grapes? Guess you would be justified to have a few. What makes me mad is that I did experience a college athletic career and know what it can be like. It's just a shame they way things appear to be handled. I'm not local and can only observe by what I am told and read on here. However, I did experience the Birmingham Southern loss 1st hand, and knew then that something was amiss.

CU

You know, it's not all about playing time, number of plays a player gets in a game, whether they travel or not, etc... it's all about working together as a team, a WHOLE team. That's all I am concerned about. If a player, any player, has a number, went through Fall camp, dresses out (at least for home games), then they should be treated just like everyone else except when it's time to get on the bus to roll out for an away game (assuming they did not make the travel squad). It's pretty simple. Any other treatment is down right stupid. I continue to read articles about the new Coach in my home town and their success (Iaa), and there is not a comment made somewhere, somehow that does not promote team togetherness and working together. I happen to know a couple of red-shirt freshman that walked on, and guess what? They do everything except travel. Makes you wonder. Other rumors I heard (and then I am through with this, guaranteed). Some of the new players had the playbook taken away from them early on.... I'm done, no more 'rumors', change subject.....

CU

I had no idea that things were that bad being an outsider. I feel sorry that both of your sons didn't and aren't having a good experience with Campbell football. I guess a change is needed whether it be in the coaching staff or the way things are handled. These things naturally work there way out. I know this will probably not do either you or your sons any good but change will eventually come if the program doesn't start winning and based on your statements about the team and the chaotic manner in which things are handled I can't see this team winning consistently in the near future.