WEEK 1: New Hampshire at Maine

by **dunbar** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 9:00 am

One month out. Where has the summer gone?

The unfortunate reality for Maine Football: the Week 1 must-win. Discuss.

by **mainejeff** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 9:49 am

Enjoy this one because the next home game will be in mid-October!

UNH 45 Maine 28

Anyone would be stupid to bet against McDonnell...he owns the Black Bears.

And for Maine it will obviously be an emotional night.

I wonder if Maine will ever have a “normal” off-season?....

by **fafan** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 11:59 am

See no reason why this game won't be a close one like the last two that were decided by a missed point after and a missed FG.
Have to believe this defense can give the Wildcats problems and don't see them putting 45 on the board. Big questions is can the Ol protect Fergie and open up some holes for the running game.
This is should be a good one and certainly an emotional one.
But to play this game without students is a shame, we must be the only D1 school who will play their opener before students arrive on campus.
This program gets it hands tied with playing only 4 home games, two FBS teams and some how manages to overcome this adversity. This a credit to the coaching staff and players.
GO BLUE!!! BEAT UNH!!!

by **thebam** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 12:03 pm

mainejeff wrote:Enjoy this one because the next home game will be in mid-October!

UNH 45 Maine 28

Anyone would be stupid to bet against McDonnell...he owns the Black Bears.

And for Maine it will obviously be an emotional night. I wonder if Maine will ever have a “normal” off-season?....

If this defense gives up 45 to ANYONE this year, it will be a total and unmitigated disaster. Especially the first game out of the gate . Just not plausible to me that it's even possible.

by **MEsports13** » Wed Aug 01, 2018 12:36 pm

The schedule this year, like mentioned before, is absolutely awful.

I emailed Will Biberstein, the man formerly in charge of athletic scheduling, and asked why the UNH game is scheduled before students are even available to attend.

He basically deflected my questions going: “I no longer work in athletics, ask someone else”

This is absurd.

4 total home games (as an athletic employee, this is ridiculous already):

1 before kids can even attend (including me) (also the biggest game of the year)

The next one coming OVER A MONTH LATER at the START OF UMAINE FALL BREAK...

Leaving a grand total of 2 GAMES with the entire undergrad population.

That is wildly unfair and anyone who disagrees with that assertion, I would love to hear your argument.

by **thebam** » Wed Aug 01, 2018 6:53 pm

MEsports13 wrote:The schedule this year, like mentioned before, is absolutely awful.

I emailed Will Biberstein, the man formerly in charge of athletic scheduling, and asked why the UNH game is scheduled before students are even available to attend.

He basically deflected my questions going: “I no longer work in athletics, ask someone else”

This is absurd.

4 total home games (as an athletic employee, this is ridiculous already):

1 before kids can even attend (including me) (also the biggest game of the year)

The next one coming OVER A MONTH LATER at the START OF UMAINE FALL BREAK...

Leaving a grand total of 2 GAMES with the entire undergrad population.

That is wildly unfair and anyone who disagrees with that assertion, I would love to hear your argument.

Do you live at the North Pole? What is stopping you from attending the unh game? I do understand all your points though. It's outrageous on every level, but if there are students in the area, they should absolutely be attending this game and bringing as many family and friends with them as they can.

by **dunbar** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 7:07 am

Keep in mind, on-campus housing and some off-campus leases aren’t accessible until Saturday 9/1.

The University screwed this up. I don’t mind the Thursday night game, per se, but when you have so few home games in the first place, and students aren’t yet on campus, that’s what makes it stupid.

Playing New Hampshire Week 1 is also stupid. If we are so dependent on FBS paydays, keep that week open, unless we attempt to pickup an opportunity as an SEC cupcake in Week 12. We’re scheduling ourselves into this mess and it’s not sustainable. It hurts Maine Football and makes scheduling difficult for the league as well.

by **thebam** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 8:34 am

dunbar wrote:Keep in mind, on-campus housing and some off-campus leases aren’t accessible until Saturday 9/1.

The University screwed this up. I don’t mind the Thursday night game, per se, but when you have so few home games in the first place, and students aren’t yet on campus, that’s what makes it stupid.

Playing New Hampshire Week 1 is also stupid. If we are so dependent on FBS paydays, keep that week open, unless we attempt to pickup an opportunity as an SEC cupcake in Week 12. We’re scheduling ourselves into this mess and it’s not sustainable. It hurts Maine Football and makes scheduling difficult for the league as well.

Agreed. This was totally hosed up from the jump. No forward thinking whatsoever. If you are going to play on Thursday with no students on campus, save that garbage for a weak non conference game like Bryant or someone.
I also agree that the first couple of weeks should be reserved for those FBS payday games.

by **fafan** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 1:08 pm

dunbar wrote:Keep in mind, on-campus housing and some off-campus leases aren’t accessible until Saturday 9/1.

The University screwed this up. I don’t mind the Thursday night game, per se, but when you have so few home games in the first place, and students aren’t yet on campus, that’s what makes it stupid.

Playing New Hampshire Week 1 is also stupid. If we are so dependent on FBS paydays, keep that week open, unless we attempt to pickup an opportunity as an SEC cupcake in Week 12. We’re scheduling ourselves into this mess and it’s not sustainable. It hurts Maine Football and makes scheduling difficult for the league as well.

Just when we thought UMaine football scheduling could not get any worse, it does.
Correct me if I am wrong on these scheduling issues-
1)Only FCS team to have 4 home games-Maine
2)Only FCS team to have to play 2 FBS schools each year-Maine
3)Only FCS team to play their home opener before students on campus-Maine
Hmm, I used to love it when John Diamond would comment on issues like this and give us some insight as to why these things occur. Think we all know why #2 occurs, MONEY but #one and #three just plain suck.
I will disagree with Dunbar about playing UNH at end of season as our home attendance nosedives in November regardless of the team, opponent and situation. 2016 end of year win and make the playoffs against UNH and we were half full if that. I mean fannies in the seats not tickets sold.

by **MEsports13** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 1:25 pm

John was a great boss to have as well.

He helped offer some insight as to why the UNH decision was made and I wish him the best at Brown!

And to the point of why i can’t go to the game... like Dunbar said, I have to move in over the weekend... unless i wanted to make 3 separate drives from Portland area to Orono...

Nevertheless, Go Bears!!