App State has won 13 straight postseason games. Three of those were played in Nooga for a title.
The other 10 were all at .. /Sean Connery voice … The Rock.
And Richmond AD Jim Miller ain’t too happy with that. No siree. And .. you know .. he may have a point.
“That should be an embarrassment” is what UR Athletic Director Jim Miller said about the FCS playoff system that has allowed Appalachian State to stay at home for the fourth consecutive postseason.
ASU did so last season despite being unseeded. Only the four seeded teams are guaranteed home playoff games. Miller emphasized that his beef is not with ASU, but the playoffs’ structure. Mountaineers coach Jerry Moore believes his team has deserved home playoff games because of regular-season achievement and strength of schedule.
“How else are you going to determine who plays at home?” he said. “What other criteria would you use?”
Let’s review Histor3, shall we?
In 2005, App State earned a No. 2 seed thanks to a SoCon title and just one I-AA FCS loss (three points at Furman). That same Furman team upset the No. 3 seed Hampton to again meet App State, this time in Boone. The Paladins owned a win over them, but App State had a league title. HOME FIELD: EARNED.
In 2006, App State, Montana and UMass all carried one-loss records, all losses coming to a FBS. All three were also Nos. 1, 2, 3 in the polls, so it made sense they were Nos. 1, 2, 3 in the seeds. HOME FIELD: EARNED.
In 2007, App State carried two losses (both FCS) and an at-large bid to the postseason. That was good enough for a home date with three-loss JMU, which App State beat. Next up was three-loss Eastern Washington, which upset No. 2 seed NcNeese State. That was followed by two-loss Richmond, which beat Wofford, who earlier upset No. 3 seed Montana. HOME FIELD: ARGUABLE.
This season, App State repeats the 2005 formula. One FCS loss. One SoCon title. No. 2 seed again. HOME FIELD. EARNED.
Here’s the argument for 2007. All postseason ticket sales go to the NCAA. The more tickets sold, the more money the NCAA makes. The more money the NCAA can make, the more that money dictates who gets home field. EWash and Richmond COMBINED averaged half the home crowd App State attracted to The Rock last year.
Is that fair? Does Miller have a point? Should App State have traveled to Richmond for last year’s semifinal? Should profit dictate location?
/shrug
Next thing you know, people will be complaining it’s unfair Tim Hightower was injured for that game in Boone last year. Cause if he’d been at full strength … /Mickey Matthews voice … mwa mwa mwa.
So how does AD Miller reckon we should solve this problem? Best I can remember Richmond was #1 earlier in the year and wet the bed (win your conference and quit your b*tching). Fair? I think it’s more than fair that we have a playoff system. Regionalization is done by the NCAA to reduce traveling expenses. I guess AD Miller wants the NCAA to subsidize traveling so we can seed all the teams!?! Guess who ultimately covers that cost??? Here’s a novel idea AD Miller, garner more fan support and make the NCAA some money. Is Capitalism not taught at Richmond? I for one will not apologize for the fan turnout and money ASU produces for the NCAA.
One correction…”That was followed by two-loss Richmond, which upset No. 3 seed Montana.” Richmond actually beat Wofford, who upset Montana. SoCon power baby! haha
And this guy is nuts…and a little dumb. This is the best way to do this that their is possible! We earn every home playoff game we’ve had, even though in 2007 we got lucky.
Its better than the BS…excuse me BCS…
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AppFan comments – Thanks for the catch.
Was browsing on Richmond’s athletic website the other day. They are preparing to build their own stadium so they won’t have to rent from the city.
It’s only going to hold 12600 fans! Can’t they attract more fans in a city the size of Richmond?
Coorect me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t we have traveled last year for the second round it EWU hadn’t upset McNeese St.???
I live in Richmond and an interesting note that is being left out of this story is that Richmond had a home game last week. The interesting part is that for the non-seeded teams the home game goes to the team who bids more for the game. So ASU had a first round home game last year b/c ASU put up the most money. UR did the EXACT SAME THING this year to host a home game… and would have had a home game this weekend if SCSU had upset ASU. /sigh…
I guess its great when it works for you but not when it works against you.
p.s. Can we please win this game in dominance so I don’t have to listen to all 8 of the UR fans talk trash?!
No doubt the home field in ’07 was arguable, but if we’re talking about the accomplishments of ASU and Richmond in ’07 in determining home field, I believe I heard about some game played in Ann Arbor that year that might have added a bit to ASU’s resumé.
We were set up to play many games on the road last post season. We were’nt even seeded. We got lucky when Macneese lost and sent Eastern Washington to the ROCK. Also, Wofford beat the Griz so we ended up with home field throughout. Miller was obviously talking out of his ass with that statement!
exactly – we didn’t have home field in 2007…all the higher seeds lost – unfortunately miller is not the first fcs ad that doesn’t know his a$$ from a hole in the ground…