Jeff Pearlman calls University of Delaware racist

Amazing...I saw this column yesterday and wondered if it would get posted here. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think it would get this many posts.

A few thoughts...

1) Delaware has had no intention of moving up to I-A. They are completely comfortable where they are. Unless scholarship I-AA football goes away, Delaware's not going anywhere.

2) Delaware has absolutely nothing to gain from this game. It's not going to generate ANY interest outside of the state and Delaware State has zero reputation in football (other than a handful of good players led by John Taylor), so even if you win, no one cares. As Headbutt said earlier, race may play a part in this decision and maybe a few decades ago played a big part, but it's a very small part at this point.

3) Minus the race issue, Delaware is essentially playing Delaware State this weekend. They play Towson (Md.), another nearby school with no tradition. Towson has beaten Delaware two straight years and has helped build up their program based on those wins.

What does Delaware get out of playing Towson (which is a conference game)?
- Television coverage? Nothing more than the regional television they already get somewhat regularly.
- More attendance? Delaware ranks among the top five schools in I-AA attendance almost every year.
- A local rival? They already have a great rivalry with Villanova.

At least Towson brings Delaware a minor amount of exposure in the Baltimore market. Delaware State doesn't even provide that. Unless a Delaware politician makes it a point to try and flex some muscles to make UD-Del State happen, it's not going to happen.

 

I think its hightime that LSU starts playing Southern.

 

How can you even compare Towson and Delaware State? Towson's in a league I'd consider a step up from the MEAC, for starters. And it's also upgraded its facilities, built a new on-campus stadium, etc.

 

Not comparing Towson to Delaware State stand-alone. Comparing them in terms of what they mean to Delaware.

 

Towson is in the brand new CAA football division, so Delaware kind of needs to play them. Delaware should face Delaware State because it would bring some additional revenue to the state, but the game would have to be played at Delaware Stadium in Newark like a lot of people are saying. They could easily sell the game out and it would have a great atmosphere.

 

Mr. Cougar and I were just talking about Delaware and the differences between the northern half and the southern half - it's credit cards in the north (Wilmington) and NASCAR in the south (Dover).

 

Kinda like business in the front, party in the back?

 

Pretty much describes the lower portion of Delaware with all the mullets.

Cougar, in terms of business revenue, you would be correct. Wilmington is the center for many credit card companies while the south does have its bi-annual NASCAR race, which tons and tons of people flock towards. Southern Delaware also has its agriculture and "pumpkin chunkin."

 

If southern Delaware had corn-holing and the NASCAR races, it would be the perfect place to live.

 

Only time I ever really go to southern Delaware while I'm at school is when I want to go to Rehobeth or one of the other beaches...other than that, I have no reason to go there. That was actually one of the biggest things to get used to when I first got here--the difference between the two halves of Delaware was much bigger than I thought.

 

New York City is like that also - there is a big difference when you go from 57th st to 125th st

 

I guess you could consider going into Harlem a culture shock, which is like crossing the Canal Bridge in Delaware. Both have their different twangs and their different agriculture which propel the area's economy.