Three more I-A road games will raise profile, boost coffers for NSU

NORFOLK, VA - Rutgers and Kentucky were only the beginning. Norfolk State's future includes more games against Division I-A opponents - three more in the next four years, in fact. The Scarlet Knights are on tap again for Sept. 10, 2010, in Piscataway, N.J. Rutgers beat NSU 59-0 on Sept. 16, 2007, in the first-ever I-A game played by a Spartans football team.

NSU meets West Virginia in Morgantown on Sept. 10, 2011. On Sept. 8, 2012, Norfolk State plays Ohio University in Athens. NSU has never faced either team, though West Virginia is coach Pete Adrian's alma mater. "In four years, to be able to play three Division I-A football teams is something I don't know any other school in the MEAC can match," Adrian said. "It's a good thing to mention when you're recruiting a young man."

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Let's Call It Like We See It

We're not impressed, especially after the Spartans got kicked to sleep 42-12 by a bottom feeder, 1-AA William and Mary, last Saturday. No chance of beating 1-A Rutgers, West Virginia or Ohio on their worst days. So, let's call it like we see it ---an easy paycheck game for the Spartans athletic budget and another over-matched, non-competitive football game that makes the MEAC look like a cupcake Division III league, like most of the SWAC.

Norfolk State, the MEAC does not need your help on deteriorating the conference image further--North Carolina A&T did an exceptional job in that department with 27 straight losses and Howard is working diligently towards replacing the Aggies and Savannah State as the #1 cupcake in 1-AA football. At least attempt to schedule a 1-A team that you can at least stick with for a half, before getting crushed by 50-60 points.

Getting shellacked 97-3 in two "practices" with Rutgers and Kentucky, and losing to W&M by five TDs would be enough for us to seek developing a new marketing plan for filling beautiful 30,000 seat Dick Price Stadium with one of your old CIAA rivalry opponents like Fayetteville State, to boost the coffers $325,000. We would even suggest scheduling Division II Tuskegee University (who will beat the socks off the Spartans) or 1-AA Tennessee State, Southern or Jackson State, teams that travel well that will pack out Price Stadium to see the Spartans get steamrolled by the road team.

With all of the infrastructure in place, why go build the other guys fan base and business community, and give them a guaranteed victory on a platter for a few hundred thousand dollars? Why leave your Stadium empty with only five home games and your local business community and employers losing another $6-$12 million dollars of fan revenues on NSU game day because the 1-A will never sign a home and home contract with you?

Please focus on renewal of your past rivalry games in the CIAA, as games with W&M, Virginia Military and ODU does nothing for your bottom line. Forget playing Virginia and Virginia Tech, as they don't need you and the guaranteed 60-70 point loss for a paycheck that you are pimping. Moreover, it is not worth the national humiliation for the conference and University to have the Spartans flashed on ESPN being cremated by 8-9 touchdowns by a second or third tier 1-A in a so-called "tune-up" game for the opponent.

No doubt, Spartans athletic director Marty Miller is fast becoming the Number One, 1-A scheduler (pimp) in the MEAC. We only wish greater efforts would be placed in the development and execution of sustainable marketing plans by MEAC and SWAC athletic directors to fill the coffers. Scheduling 1-A power conference teams for a pay-check is just a band-aid solution to the greater problems in the MEAC and SWAC. And that's how we see it!

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