Everyone knows that I am a UMASS alum and that my bond with the school is based in large part because of my love of the basketball program. When I was a student hockey became the popular team to follow on campus and the lacrosse program was the biggest national championship contender. The football program never made a major connection with students, the stadium was a dump and it was the team on campus that didn't compete on the Division 1A level. Due to the tremendous scholarship costs and obvious need for a major stadium just over 100 teams play major Division 1 football compared to over 300 in basketball. UMASS competed in division 1AA for schools that competed in Division 1 in all other sports but couldn't handle major college football. They were highly competitive at that level even winning a national championship in the late 1990's but it wasn't the same. To be an elite athletic program you had to play football at the highest level and tonight UMASS finally is. They travel to UCONN at 7:30 tonight for their first ever game as a full Division 1A (FBS) football member.
The road to get there was a long and winding one that did not yield the greatest of conclusions. After years of unsuccessfully lobbying the Big East Conference for inclusion, they will compete in the Mid American Conference (MAC) a Midwestern regional conference of teams largely from Michigan and Ohio. This will lead to increased travel and the lack of any clear rival for several seasons. They will play their home games at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro after reaching a deal with the Patriots. This is over 2 hours from campus and will limit student support and that of the local Pioneer Valley community that makes up the majority of the fan base. My fellow students and I spent many hours in our sport management classes writing reports and doing projects about how to take Football Division I and there was a never a good way. There was no way to upgrade McGuirk Stadium to a level where it could reach the mandatory attendance for Division I was not feasible. After 20 years of trying and failing they just decided to go for it which is commendable. There will be many bumps along the road but tonight is a night for celebration.
I attended my first UMASS football fundraiser when I was ten years old. They were selling us way back than on the idea of Division I and a night like tonight. It was at a restaurant in here in Worcester and the coach was shaking hands and taking photos. It was in my shy days and when he came to me he heard "Fritz" instead of Chris when I said my name. They ran our photo in the paper with Fritz O'Donnell under the caption. My Uncle Harry laughed his ass off like only he could that night and proceeded to call me "Fritzy" for the next five years always with the dumbest smile on his face. He was a UMASS alum and UMASS athletics was our special thing. As the program takes a big step forward tonight I can't help but think of him. I wish we could be there together in Hartford tonight on the 50 yard line under the name Fritzy but I'll be thinking of him every second of the game. I miss Harry Quick more every day he was my best friend long before I knew what the words meant. UMASS maybe giant underdogs tonight but I know they'll play well and I know someone from above will be watching.
