<a href='http://www.buffalo.com/link.asp?section=11&url=http://www.buffalonews.com%2Feditorial%2F20030511%2F1007799%2Easp' target='_blank'>http://www.buffalo.com/link.asp?section=11...2F1007799%2Easp</a>
<a href='http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20030511/1042191.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20030...511/1042191.asp</a>
Not a lot of new ground covered, but a pretty extensive story about the problems of UB since joining the MAC. Some interesting info about how it came about and the records of UB teams in the "minor" sports.
The NFL draft is over, the Sabres are out (actually never in) the NHL playoffs, Sabres ownership is resolved, NFL training camp has not started..... the Bulls finally made it to page 1 of the Sunday sports section. :D
On on unrelated note, I caught the North Carolina at Syracuse FB game last fall. I didn't know that it may be a sign of things to come. Ironically, I caught the SU-BC game the previous year. Hard to think of a Syracuse-Boston College as an ACC game.
Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting it. And keep it coming :).
I hope we see some improvement in Buffalo. If the Bulls get going... look out.
Thanks for posting those; I'm sure I wouldn't have seen them otherwise.
I was a big fan of bringing UB into the MAC because of the academic upgrade it gave our conference. I really did not know it was so pronounced. I also thought men's basketball would be the athletic meal ticket eventually and it just has not worked out, plus the optimism for it next year by this reporter seems a little unfounded. It was not a good team this year with Turner Battle and while I like him, they need impact players now to even be competitive. I like Reggie, too, but 2003-04 needs to be a breakout year.
Football looks disastrous--1A just may not be possible for UB. Again, they need a good year SOON and is this the year? Who in the East are they going to beat?
Sadly, time may be running out for UB in the MAC and that would be unfortunate for not only the university, but the MAC as well which would benefit from a strong athletics program there.
I'm rooting for the Bulls to pull this out, but there doesn't seem to be much reason for the optimism the UB officials (are forced by their jobs to) have.
<!--EDIT|axeme|May 12 2003, 07:06 AM-->
Definitely a great set of articles. Just good press for UB and the MAC. Hope this translates into support for the team, by the W. New Yorkers.
RochesterFalcon Wrote:Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting it. And keep it coming :).
Be careful what you ask for..... :D
Parts 2 and 3 of the UB/MAC series in the Buffalo News.
<a href='http://www.buffalo.com/link.asp?section=11&url=http://www.buffalonews.com%2Feditorial%2F20030513%2F1047421%2Easp' target='_blank'>http://www.buffalo.com/link.asp?section=11...2F1047421%2Easp</a>
<a href='http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20030512/2035303.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20030...512/2035303.asp</a>
This is a
BIG year for UB athletics and especially Coaches Hofher and Witherspoon. Both teams regressed in 2002/2003 after being almost competative the year before. They'll be a new athletic director in place soon, whom I assume will be examining the "major" sports with a microscope.
As Chryst states, I do believe that everything is in place for a successful sports program at the MAC level. I just hope it starts showing up on the field soon.
I have always been a supporter of UB in the MAC. They are to the MAC what Northwestern is to the Big 10, an academic barometer. If I lived in NY, I definitely would have attended UB for my undergrad degree. The chair of the econ department here at UT, and one of the best teachers I've had, holds all 3 of his degrees from UB. Definitely a much better deal than an overpriced school like Syracuse.
good reading there...UB sounds like a top notch school. I'll never forget that horrible feeling watching BG lose to the Bulls in 2000...ouch! When the UB students yelled at us that "BG sucks!!" and "Go back to Ohio Losers", I knew we had hit rock bottom. Gary Blackney announced his resignation the next couple of days and....and....wow that seems so long ago! I did think UB's stadium was pretty nice.
Now? Man is it ever better!
GO BG!
Here is part IV:
<a href='http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20030514/1011055.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20030...514/1011055.asp</a>
According to Andy Hurley, UB's director of athletic development, the BE is a good fit geographically and the B10 is a good fit academically, but not geographically.
<!--EDIT|hashmander|May 15 2003, 01:50 PM-->
DrTorch Wrote:Definitely a great set of articles. Just good press for UB and the MAC. Hope this translates into support for the team, by the W. New Yorkers.
I agree with Torch. Hopefully, having the 4th best recruiting class in the MAC will translate into some wins, thus putting "butts in the seats."
I wasn't aware that Buffalo hasn't had a winning season in football since 1982. Anyway, hope you have a winning season and the program gets turned around. Thanks for the articles.
It cracks me up that even though UB can't compete in the MAC, they are already looking for greener pastures.