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Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Welsh doesn't get it
It comes at the very end of this story on Providence's schedule, but this quote, from Friars coach Tim Welsh, is an interesting look at how some coaches view playing mid-majors:
"You can get Holy Cross but you could also wait it out and go to Wichita State. I've seen more high-major schools going on the road now to so-called mid-majors, and adding the extra games is the reason why."
Welsh was referring to Providence's decision to pay the Crusaders for a guarantee game at home. As the story points out, it is hardly a sound economic decision for a school like Providence, which does not have big time football to help fund its athletics department, to pay in the neighborhood of $90,000 to buy this game. But they are so scared to play mid-majors on the road, they will shell out the bucks anyhow.

A sensible decision would have been a home-and-home with the Crusaders, with the Worcester date in the DCI Center. Heck, Ralph Willard might even have been willing to consider a two-for-one like Bucknell has done in recent seasons with schools like Saint Joe's, Villanova and Wake Forest. But like so many big time program coaches, Welsh lacks the courage to play a quality mid-major on the road.

Here's a tip to Tim, though: If you can't beat mid-majors on the road, you are not likely to fare to well in a conference like the Big East, let alone in the post season. We're no RPI experts, but we are pretty certain a road game against a quality mid-major will do as much for the RPI as home games against the likes of Longwood and Fairleigh Dickinson. And while we understand playing Brown. a crosstown rival, is it really helping a Big East team to play three Ivy League opponents, none of whom have names that start with a P?
  • Providence schedule
    • Published at 7:15 AM by Hoop Time.
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