scstatealum
Member
Article published Jul 31, 2010
Proposed Legacy Bowl game has an uncertain future
By St. Clair Murraine
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
NORFOLK, Va. — Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference commissioner Dennis Thomas said Friday he reserved his opinion whether the Legacy Bowl will happen, while coaches in the league were mum on whether the proposed game is worth pursuing.
Thomas confirmed little about the game, saying that his office and all of the other parties involved are still doing fact-finding on the feasibility of the game. The postseason game would match the MEAC champion against the Southwestern Athletic Conference champion in the bowl game, which essentially would be a revival of the defunct Heritage Bowl.
Proponents and opponents of the game have been vocal on the idea since word leaked that the leagues are considering an arrangement that would involve ESPN televising the game in December. Thomas confirmed that it could take place the week before Christmas and it would be played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
All other details are still being worked out, he said. He refused to give any more details on the progress, although he said that a decision should be made by this fall. The proposal calls for the first Legacy Bowl to be played in 2011.
"We don't know what the future holds in terms of whether we participate or not," Thomas told reports gathered at the Waterside Marriott for the MEAC football media day. "I just don't want people to rush to judgment."
But there have been plenty of concerns from boosters and alumni of schools in the league. The biggest of those is that the game would conflict with the NCAA playoffs and the potential that it could force the MEAC champion to forfeit its automatic bid in order to play in the bowl game.
Florida A&M president James Ammons has already stated that he opposes the idea if it means giving up the automatic berth. Coach Joe Taylor also said he would prefer to see the game in January, but a majority of the 11 other coaches who attended Friday's press conference didn't immediately offer an opinion.
Rest of story
http://rattlernews.tallahassee.com/article/20100731/FAMU03/7310332
Proposed Legacy Bowl game has an uncertain future
By St. Clair Murraine
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
NORFOLK, Va. — Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference commissioner Dennis Thomas said Friday he reserved his opinion whether the Legacy Bowl will happen, while coaches in the league were mum on whether the proposed game is worth pursuing.
Thomas confirmed little about the game, saying that his office and all of the other parties involved are still doing fact-finding on the feasibility of the game. The postseason game would match the MEAC champion against the Southwestern Athletic Conference champion in the bowl game, which essentially would be a revival of the defunct Heritage Bowl.
Proponents and opponents of the game have been vocal on the idea since word leaked that the leagues are considering an arrangement that would involve ESPN televising the game in December. Thomas confirmed that it could take place the week before Christmas and it would be played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
All other details are still being worked out, he said. He refused to give any more details on the progress, although he said that a decision should be made by this fall. The proposal calls for the first Legacy Bowl to be played in 2011.
"We don't know what the future holds in terms of whether we participate or not," Thomas told reports gathered at the Waterside Marriott for the MEAC football media day. "I just don't want people to rush to judgment."
But there have been plenty of concerns from boosters and alumni of schools in the league. The biggest of those is that the game would conflict with the NCAA playoffs and the potential that it could force the MEAC champion to forfeit its automatic bid in order to play in the bowl game.
Florida A&M president James Ammons has already stated that he opposes the idea if it means giving up the automatic berth. Coach Joe Taylor also said he would prefer to see the game in January, but a majority of the 11 other coaches who attended Friday's press conference didn't immediately offer an opinion.
Rest of story
http://rattlernews.tallahassee.com/article/20100731/FAMU03/7310332
