Does anyone here live in New Jersey?
by ReadingRambler on Mar 3, 2010 2:10 PM EST
Email
PrintI know we've already covered this stuff a thousand times, but why not do it again? It's really boring in March.
Here's an article by Teddy Greenstein: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi-big-ten-expansion-side-mar02,0,4339535.story
The consensus among Big Ten sources, officials from other conferences and TV executives is that Rutgers offers the best package. Missouri is second and Pittsburgh third.
Obviously these sources are unnamed!
Fans wonder: Does New York care about Rutgers? The simplest answer: When Rutgers wins, yes.
I agree with Kyle McCann't on this one. "The ’06 game against Louisville was representative of the NYC market and overall interest in Rutgers. However, it was representative for all the reasons the Big Ten should stay away from RU like the poison turd it is; Rutgers was a story that year because they had always been awful. It was new. It was novel. It was short-lived."
Greenstein also lists some helpful items in favor of Rutgers:
Newark Liberty International Airport is 23 miles from New Brunswick, making Rutgers more accessible than many Big Ten campuses.
Really? Minneapolis, Columbus, Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Evanston, and Madison are all within distance of regional airports. And the other schools all have runways capable of handling private jets. Is Michigan flying around in a B-52 now?
Rutgers calls itself "The Birthplace of College Football." It beat Princeton in what must have been a thrilling contest in 1869. Final score: 6-4.
Toht. Face. Melt. Picture.
This article was linked by StoopsMyAss @ BHGP, and there was a short discussion between he, Kyle McCann't, and myself.
Here was SMA's main post on the subject:
the reason Rutgers has never been where it needs to be is their faculty. For years they thought Rutgers was going to become an Ivy League school, they they thought they were going to become NYU. Now they are getting the religion as the money is starting to come in on the sports.
Boise…was a JC. 20 years ago. Look forward gentlemen. Florida, was the Indiana of the SEC 30 years ago. Look forward gentlemen.
Oh, and I thought for the longest time Syracuse was the answer too. I am off them. Not because of Boeheim, he is going to be gone in five years anyway. But because they just are not nestled in close enough to the emerging sports landscape in NYC. You guys need to read about what is happening in NJ … they have a dedicated train station from NYC to the Meadowlands now. The Jets/Giants want big college games at that stadium. Rutgers would play half their games there and half in Piscattaway. The basketball team will change overnight after they complete their new basketball arena from a lowly dumpy 8,000 seater to a CHA [Carver-Hawkeye Arena] type arena. What Vivian Stringer did will be what Rutgers mens b-ball will do. They will get a major stud to come in and just snag every NJ star and then overnight they will be a final four team.
So, refer back to the title of this post. Is there anyone here who has any kind of perspective on the Rutgers program (or should I say "situation"?)?
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In my personal experience with NJ-ites at PSU
They don’t typically look too favorably on Rutgers.
Black Shoes. Basic Blues. No Name. All Game.
by Roland86 on Mar 3, 2010 2:38 PM EST via mobile reply actions
How can you not look favorably on a school nicknamed Slutgers?
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face
I'm sorry- did you really need an answer to that?
"I thought the kid we were using had the potential to be a good quarterback, and I blew that one." - Joseph V. Paterno
Are we surprised?
Should anyone be surprised the NJ-ites who left home and in-state tuition to come to Penn State have an un-favorable opinion of Rutgers?
For anyone that answers "yes" to this Fanpost subject line
…you have my condolences.
Luring recruits with my new "Posting HD" scheme since '08.
Easy with the Jersey Bashing
It is a great place to live…but to answer the question, no, many people just do not care about Rutgers, however, the paper I get “The Star Ledger” does a nice job in the sports section with Rutgers football news and game coverage. They are trying to make Rutgers into something, renovating the stadium, a 4 million dollar recruiting lounge, keeping Schiano. College football is the one sports related thing the metropolitan area is missing. A fervor for college football would be great, RU joining the Big Ten could help create that.
Do you walk down to the edge of your driveway in your robe and slippers with a cigar dangling from your mouth to pick up The Star Ledger?
/obscure Sopranos reference
I don't know
about you other guys, but I have.
that's not obscure, it is almost iconic in terms of the Sopronos!
I miss that show
"There are only three certainties in college football: all players will eventually leave, the ACC will be bad, and Joe Paterno ", Clay Travis, CNNsi Fanhouse
yes that is a very funny reference
The Sopranos was filmed in my town, and surrounding towns.
by JerseyPSUfan on Mar 4, 2010 10:48 AM EST up reply actions
Well....Thanks, but
having lived on and off in Jersey for 45 years, until my bout with The Federal Witness Protection Program, Jerseyites care for Rutgers about as much as they care for Kean U, NJIT and Rider, despite what Shiano has done in the last few years…Rutgers really has an identity problem, much like me.
It's not just Rutgers, it's all of 'Jersey
I’ve been to most of the Lower 48, and I can tell you that I’ve never seen another place as downright odd and without an identity as New Jersey. Half the residents are trying desperately to become West Connecticut, and the rest are more closely associated with NYC or Philly than with anything else on their side of the border.
"I thought the kid we were using had the potential to be a good quarterback, and I blew that one." - Joseph V. Paterno
At this point, I'm the only one who voted UConn
Why? WHY THE HELL NOT?! this is a list of bad teams with football programs all in varying degrees of disaster. At least Uconn gives us some premier basketball, and a nice trip up north every now and then.
So yeah, Uconn.
"We hugged as grown men do. It was a great moment. Then, it was business as usual." -- LJ Sr.
Definitely Agree
I would not want any of these teams in the Big Ten. I don’t see what the draw is and I really do not want the conference settling for lesser tier teams like those in the above poll. I say Nebraska, Notre Dame or nothing at all.
Ditto that thought...
Having lived up, central, and south in Jersey—-from Fort Lee, Newark, Kinnelon, Belleville, Green Brook, Somerville, the Vince Lombardi exit on the Turnpike, and lastly in Fort Lee before I flipped—-I am old enough to know/remember (hell, I’m old enough to be most of yours father and I’d be willing to bet, grandfather too) when PSU owned Jersey…now PSU has moved its interests to MD and Va….Rutgers as a NY link just does not work for me.
On this list, UConn is tied for my number two.
I say, take Maryland.
Then, Pitt and UConn are tied.
"Every player we have, someone-maybe a parent, a grandparent, someone-poured their soul into that young man. They are handing that young man off to us. They are giving us their treasure, and it's our job to make sure we give them back that young man intact and ready to face the world."
-J.V.Pa.
But ditto BS above - Nebraska and/or Texas and/or ND need to be in to make any of these viable.
"Every player we have, someone-maybe a parent, a grandparent, someone-poured their soul into that young man. They are handing that young man off to us. They are giving us their treasure, and it's our job to make sure we give them back that young man intact and ready to face the world."
-J.V.Pa.
For the majority of my time growing up in NJ
PSU was bigger than Rutgers where I was at. This slowly started to change, and it might still be that way, but Rutgers has definitely gotten more support. Especially in my freshman year here, the interest jumped up a lot, and they happened to be having an 11 win (or something like that) season.
So as far as NJ goes, I agree with the “When they’re good, they’re cared about” sentiment. I also think if they were in the Big Ten, the interest would be greater. And to me, they seem to have a bit more potential than most, if not all of the other eastern schools. Not saying Pitt and Syracuse don’t bring more to the table now (they probably do, at least athletically), but Rutgers might be the best choice in the long run for the Big Ten.
From a PSU perspective.. I can’t say I know how Rutgers in the Big Ten will effect our recruiting in that area, but I’d say it’d probably be negative. Screw it though, I voted for Rutgers.
Penn State is eying up a beast of an OL for the '11 class.
He’s from NJ. So let’s all be supportive of New Jersey. For now at least.
"Have I ever told the story of when I met Miley Cyrus?"
What's his name?
Also, New Jersey is the Ireland to our Great Britain.
"It’s just that, reading through this thread, it appears you’re getting your ass kicked." -jtothep
by ReadingRambler on Mar 3, 2010 8:12 PM EST up reply actions
How so?
We’ve infiltrated and stolen their best players leaving them with occasional victories, but in the end they know who’s the boss.
Obviously, the Anglo-Irish treaty hasn’t been signed yet in this comparison.
"It’s just that, reading through this thread, it appears you’re getting your ass kicked." -jtothep
by ReadingRambler on Mar 3, 2010 9:53 PM EST up reply actions
what the hell are you saying about the Irish?????
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face
Just the facts, sir.
"It’s just that, reading through this thread, it appears you’re getting your ass kicked." -jtothep
by ReadingRambler on Mar 3, 2010 9:53 PM EST up reply actions
His name = Angelo Mangiro.
With a name like that, Paterno must be salivating.
"Have I ever told the story of when I met Miley Cyrus?"
by Jeff Junstrom on Mar 3, 2010 10:01 PM EST up reply actions
MAN GYRO
Tasty? Ew? I’m unsure.
"It’s just that, reading through this thread, it appears you’re getting your ass kicked." -jtothep
by ReadingRambler on Mar 3, 2010 10:03 PM EST up reply actions
I would pronounce it Man-Jeero.
But I’m not Italian, so i don’t know the phonetics.
"Have I ever told the story of when I met Miley Cyrus?"
by Jeff Junstrom on Mar 3, 2010 10:26 PM EST up reply actions
also, Gyro is pronounced Yeer-Oh
/Greeked
"There are only three certainties in college football: all players will eventually leave, the ACC will be bad, and Joe Paterno ", Clay Travis, CNNsi Fanhouse
The Jerz
…It’s just an odd, odd place. Have you ever been to the Pine Barrens?
I have moved back and forth between Eastern PA and south/central Jersey 5 times in my life, and I’m glad as hell to be moving back to Philly soon. I would probably take Jersey over western PA, though.
About Rutgers – New Brunswick is not a nice place and probably wouldn’t stack up to any other college towns in the Big 10. Based on the conversations around my office (very near the Rutgers main campus, incidentally), more people care about the Jets and the Giants. Or Penn State.
Can’t deny that there is plenty of money around here to support a growing program, though, the east coast economy doesn’t seem hit nearly as hard as the mid-west.
by borisborisboris on Mar 3, 2010 10:17 PM EST reply actions
I would probably take Jersey over western PA, though.
Woah. Eaaaasy, big fella.
"Have I ever told the story of when I met Miley Cyrus?"
by Jeff Junstrom on Mar 3, 2010 10:23 PM EST up reply actions
Which do you prefer...
Gas plants or slate dumps?
"It’s just that, reading through this thread, it appears you’re getting your ass kicked." -jtothep
by ReadingRambler on Mar 3, 2010 10:29 PM EST up reply actions
Stanley Cups and Lombardi Trophies.
"Have I ever told the story of when I met Miley Cyrus?"
by Jeff Junstrom on Mar 3, 2010 10:33 PM EST up reply actions
BOOM BADA BING
"It’s just that, reading through this thread, it appears you’re getting your ass kicked." -jtothep
by ReadingRambler on Mar 4, 2010 12:01 AM EST up reply actions
haha, no offense intended
I love the people out there but had some depressing times in the burgh. Also I’m jealous of the Steelers and Pens fans.
by borisborisboris on Mar 3, 2010 11:08 PM EST up reply actions
If the Big 10 added Pitt
it gives them complete coverage of a rabid football market, vs. Rutgers which would be an outpost in a weak football market. I don’t know if NYC will ever be a good college football market, from what I can tell from the outside the culture of NYC metro area is not nearly as dominated by automobiles and football as many other parts of the country. NYC doesn’t even have a Boston College or Northwestern type of team.
The BTN is already in Pittsburgh, correct?
"It’s just that, reading through this thread, it appears you’re getting your ass kicked." -jtothep
by ReadingRambler on Mar 4, 2010 12:02 AM EST up reply actions
Ok, thank you.
Joe 96alum, I think I disagree with you then.
"It’s just that, reading through this thread, it appears you’re getting your ass kicked." -jtothep
by ReadingRambler on Mar 4, 2010 10:49 AM EST up reply actions
The BTN
is not on my expanded basic cable (Comcast) right now. It started being off, then it was on, and now it’s off again.
In a larger sense I’d say that Western PA can’t truly be called Big Ten country right now. I think Cincy will fade back into obscurity now and Pitt-WVU becomes the axis of Big East football, leaving an inroads for the Big East network.
Where do you live?
I have family in South Park and Baldwin that have it on their expanded basic comcast. Same with college-folks in Oakland.
South Hills has it FO SHO.
Three years ago I would have to go to some dumpy Strip District bar to see the game. Now I watch it in my dumpy house.
"Have I ever told the story of when I met Miley Cyrus?"
by Jeff Junstrom on Mar 4, 2010 1:40 PM EST up reply actions
In Hopewell out by the airport.
I think I can get BTN with their digital package, but I don’t have an HD TV so I haven’t done that yet.
Comcast moved everything but local
off their cable package. Their extended cable is now only available with a digital box and it includes BTN
"They say in Happy Valley that if God wasn’t a Penn State fan, why is the sky blue and white?" Fortt said. "Who am I to argue with God?"
let me fix something for you
I don’t know if NYC Pittsburgh will ever be a good college football market.
by The JuggerNitt on Mar 4, 2010 1:58 PM EST up reply actions
To be fair and balanced
put up a pic of the game vs. ND this year.
how about I just post the numbers
Pitt’s average attendance numbers in 2009:
53,446 (up 7.7% from 2008, so that puts 2008 at ~49,950)
Rutgers in 2009: 49,113 (up 13.7%, puts 2008 at ~43,195)
But obviously Pitt is a MUCH bigger draw than Rutgers.
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post/_/id/7423/average-attendance-jumps-in-2009-for-big-east
by The JuggerNitt on Mar 4, 2010 2:25 PM EST up reply actions
i can vouch for the Sold outness of the ND game
was there and had SRO seats. But they only sell out during big games, like ND.
"They say in Happy Valley that if God wasn’t a Penn State fan, why is the sky blue and white?" Fortt said. "Who am I to argue with God?"
That pic only shows a small section, can't see any other part of the stadium.
"It’s just that, reading through this thread, it appears you’re getting your ass kicked." -jtothep
by ReadingRambler on Mar 4, 2010 2:28 PM EST up reply actions
you're right.
But the wide shots I found were all from the halftime show, so there were empty seats from bathroom breaks and beer runs.
not sure if you are sarcastic or not
but the stadium was sold out. Not gonna dispute that. Heinz capacity is 65,050, game sat 65,374.
But yes, Pitt was only able to sell out one game in 2009, with another 63,000+ game against Cinci. This during one of their best seasons in the past 20-30 years.
My whole point is that Pittsburgh isn’t some mecca of college football. Pro football? For sure. But NYC/NJ also likes them their Giants and Jets. When it comes to fan support, Pitt may edge out Rutgers, but it isn’t by some large margin, at least in the past 5 years or so.
by The JuggerNitt on Mar 4, 2010 2:35 PM EST up reply actions
oh, and the fact that I even knew that it was a special occasion that Pitt sold out for the ND game
sorta proves my point.
Basically we’re looking at 2 relatively even fanbases, but one of them brings in more TVs (NJ and maybe NYC) while the other brings in pretty much 0 more TVs than the status quo.
by The JuggerNitt on Mar 4, 2010 2:36 PM EST up reply actions
Let's put forth
these TV scenarios for football in the Pittsburgh market:
Penn State vs. Rutgers
Pitt vs. Michigan State
How ’bout basketball:
Penn State vs. Rutgers
Pitt vs. Michigan State
Which games will draw a larger rating in the Pittsburgh market? Which would the BTN rather have on TV?
the game will be on TV no matter what
and Penn State Rutgers could still possibly be a bigger TV draw for football.
Now presuming that the BTN gets added to NJ (and maybe even NYC), which would the BTN rather have on TV
Penn State vs Rutgers or Pitt vs Michigan State (either sport)?
Considering one of them adds a boatload more TVs, while the other adds none, I think that decision is easy to make. If you want to move Pittsburgh outside of the current Big Ten footprint (ie move them to a different state like WV, NY, NJ, MD, or VA) then sure, they’re an obvious choice, but right now they bring virtually nothing to the table outside of a good basketball team and a football team that is slightly above average every few years.
If I have my choice of a mediocre football fanbase (and let’s be serious, this is mostly about football, with basketball just being an added bonus), which am I going to chose? One that brings a good basketball team, but no extra $, or one that brings a mediocre basketball team and a lot of $$?
by The JuggerNitt on Mar 8, 2010 1:00 PM EST up reply actions
oh, and let me just clarify this a bit more
I don’t think either school should get an invite to the Big Ten
by The JuggerNitt on Mar 8, 2010 1:03 PM EST up reply actions
My office is in NJ
lots of people went to Rutgers. They all cared during that “magic” season. Since then, they have been quiet and don’t even talk about cfb. Until they ask me if I have extra Penn State tickets…
"There are only three certainties in college football: all players will eventually leave, the ACC will be bad, and Joe Paterno ", Clay Travis, CNNsi Fanhouse
The Jets/Giants want big college games at that stadium. Rutgers would play half their games there and half in Piscattaway.
Let’s add Akron, play in Cleveland Browns Stadium, and we’ll sell out half the games to “visiting” fans.
Dumb. Plus ticket sales don’t really matter, since they aren’t shared with anyone, and if you’re a NYC resident with no Rutgers ties, a Rutgers-Indian game in the Giants stadium isn’t going to cause me to watch. People watching is what matters, not people actually showing up.
I know about your diabolical plan.
nope
The Big Ten gets paid by the subscriptions to the Big Ten Network, not by the viewer. Rutgers Alumni + regional Big Ten alumni = New Jersey subscribing to the network and lining Delany’s pockets.
People watching is what matters, not people actually showing up.
allow me to quote that gem whenever the Pitt “yellow-out” nonsense rears its head.
no way
does adding Rutgers get the BTN on basic cable throughout NJ and NYC. If cable stations in frickin’ Columbus can hold out on the BTN for 2 years, I doubt very much you’re going to get cable networks in NJ and NYC to do anything but laugh when you demand they add the network to basic or else.
allow me to quote that gem whenever the Pitt "yellow-out" nonsense rears its head.
The BTN is already on basic in Pittsburgh, so to get back to your first point, adding Pitt to the BT adds no new subscribers. The Yellow Out is hilarious, but I agree it has nothing to do with BT expansion.
I know about your diabolical plan.
Sure, the cable companies are gonna play hardball
Cable stations don’t happen overnight; I expect it to take 3 years for to become established in New Jersey. But it would happen eventually. It would be the same as expanding in any other region, except the population of New Jersey is greater than every option outside of Texas.
to be fair
Only Time Warner was the only Cable Provider that held out on the BTN. The smaller cable providers Insight and WOW both had BTN, Insight a week after it first went on air, WOW a few weeks later. Insight added it first b/c it’s customers were in the Big10, only servicings homes in IN IL and Columbus OH (also a bit of KY). TW has a much larger imprint and couldn’t add see the cost of adding the BTN since the the vast majority of TW subscribers live outside the Big10.
worked cable in Columbus when the BTN first launched so I know all the gory details.
"They say in Happy Valley that if God wasn’t a Penn State fan, why is the sky blue and white?" Fortt said. "Who am I to argue with God?"
PSU fans in NY/NJ
Please keep in mind that there are a TON of Penn State fans/alumns in this area. Right now, they humbly accept that they can’t get BTN on their cable stations. But when you add the Rutgers contingent the two groups together would probably make enough noise to get BTN on cable stations pretty quickly.
I think you can still get the BTN, just not with the basic cable lineup
pretty sure I watched the BTN while down the shore.
by The JuggerNitt on Mar 8, 2010 1:02 PM EST up reply actions
The basketball team will change overnight after they complete their new basketball arena from a lowly dumpy 8,000 seater to a CHA [Carver-Hawkeye Arena] type arena.
Building a new, bigger stadium is the key to success. I’m telling you, overnight success.
I know about your diabolical plan.
Well...
From some of his other comments, he seems to think Rutgers just needs a big name coach with some ambition. Can’t say I disagree. NJ is loaded with talent.
"It’s just that, reading through this thread, it appears you’re getting your ass kicked." -jtothep
by ReadingRambler on Mar 4, 2010 10:50 AM EST up reply actions
They could be better, I guess
but they are still Rutgers. So: (1) how do they convince a “big name coach” to take a chance on them when the kind of coach who could “build a fence around NJ” probably has real offers from schools that can start winning today? (2) how do they pay for it, because they would probably have to be on sabin’s payscale? (3) how do they get the admin to sign off on paying for it, because is sounds like their admin hates sports and they aren’t going anywhere.
I think it takes a lot more luck to just turn around a program than people will admit. For every Nick Sabin there are 10 Charlie Weis’, who come in with all this hype and killer recruiting classes and leave the program worse than how they found it.
I know about your diabolical plan.
Agreed regarding Rutgers' competitiveness
Does anyone really think Rutgers would come in to the Big Ten and even possibly be in the top half of the league? I just don’t see Rutgers ever posting a winning record vs. Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, or Michigan State.
Why add a team that flounders in the bottom half of the league most years?
I’ve lived in northern New Jersey almost all my life, and I would love to have an away game on PSU’s schedule that I could easily drive to. Unfortunately, Rutgers really wouldn’t be a very exciting option. Tailgate all day in a parking lot in Piscataway, just to watch one of those sort of “lose/lose” games on our schedule? Ew.
I (reluctantly) voted Syracuse.
Does anyone really think Rutgers would come in to the Big Ten and even possibly be in the top half of the league?
For a nice summer read, see here. I hate to give them traffic, but its a funny read. The “fan” reactions after are pretty funny too.
"Have I ever told the story of when I met Miley Cyrus?"
by Jeff Junstrom on Mar 4, 2010 11:23 AM EST up reply actions
RutgersAl
He’s a relatively well known fan around the Big East blogs/forums. Delusional is an apt description. Here’s his youtube account; though there hasn’t been new video since the Cincinnati loss.
I voted Rutgers
but that’s because I don’t think they bring any less than any of the other schools on this “Eastern” list, and have the potential to bring more than the others. Also, I’m biased since I actually know/am related to a bunch of delusional, hardcore Rutgers fans with season tickets, etc, as well as people who work for the football team.
With that said, my list is essentially
Texas
ND
Nebraska
Missouri
Rutgers
Syracuse
Pitt
Maryland
I would love a 3 team expansion of Texas, ND, and whoever we bring in with Texas to make them happy. Heck, I’d even be fine with dropping ND and getting 3 Big XII teams to join.
Oh, substance
This was part of a comment I wrote last summer at WWAHT (RIP). I’ll paste it here:
Rutgers is a good school academically, and it’s the right size, etc. But Rutgers has played D-1 football only since around 1990, and they’ve sucked very, very, very badly in each of those seasons except, like, two; Rutgers basketball is always somewhere between average and crappy. In any event, the RU alumni base sucks; school pride there isn’t very high (I know; I have tons of friends who went there, are huge sports fans, and couldn’t care less about RU sports), and there’s a substantial part of the alumni base which resents the fact that RU competes in big-time sports in the first place. There was a big, big uproar when they completed their big stadium expansion a few years ago; many thought it was outrageous that so much was spent on athletics at all. As it is, NYC media barely pays attention to Rutgers sports as it is; this would probably increase only marginally if they joined the Big Ten. In short, not worth it. Dear God, not worth it. My parents (also MSU grads) would enjoy this, because they could see us play every other year. But they’ll live.
PP-TPW.
The Only Colors
Good linked article.
It reinforces my belief that NJ/NY isn’t a good college sports market. As was noted above by JuggerNitt, Pitt’s attendance is a bit higher than Rutgers, this despite the fact that NJ has ~4x the population of the Pittsburgh region.
Thanks everyone.
I wasn’t expecting 70+ posts in this thread.
"It’s just that, reading through this thread, it appears you’re getting your ass kicked." -jtothep
sure you were
you were just expecting to have to post 68 of them
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face
by psupride on Mar 5, 2010 11:56 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
OH SNAP FTW
"It’s just that, reading through this thread, it appears you’re getting your ass kicked." -jtothep
by ReadingRambler on Mar 5, 2010 12:09 PM EST up reply actions
NYC & Rutgers
I’m not sure if someone else mentioned this yet and I’m sorry if someone did. I dont have time to read all of the posts. I happen to live in the area and work in NYC (midtown). When Rutgers was good a couple years ago, I started seeing ads everywhere and games on every bar TV…I was shocked to be honest with you. Then, I was out drinking for a Thursday Happy Hour during the Rutgers-Louisville game and the place was mobbed with Rutgers fans and the game was on every TV.
I am not from NY (Harrisburg and a PSU alum) and say what you will about NYC (fair weather fans, front runners, etc.) but this city will back you if you are good or have big games…bottomline.
Take St. John’s for example, they are below average in bball right now and no one cares…if they build this program back up, they and the Big East will be bigger than the Knicks. Same thing goes for the Mets, Knicks, Rangers, etc.
that's how I see it as well
which gives them a lot of potential, but unfortunately Rutgers would likely perform even worse in the Big Ten than they do in the Big East, and so it will be rare where they’d get the attention of the NYC market.
by The JuggerNitt on Mar 8, 2010 1:06 PM EST up reply actions
The problem (or maybe the best thing? idk) with Jersey
is that there’s a decent amount of overlap between the Philly and NY TV stations. Living next to Trenton, I get both the NY and Philly networks (2 different NBC’s, ABC’s, etc), and already have the BTN in my cable package. I’m not sure how far this overlap extends, but perhaps there aren’t actually that many NJ TV sets without the BTN already on them.
And as for caring about Rutgers
New Jersey-ites have a love-hate relationship with Rutgers. NJ is the #1 exporting state of college students, which speaks for itself. However, if you talk to someone from Jersey (myself included), they’ll defend Rutgers as being a great school all day. But I’ll also agree with most other posts here, everyone (and I mean EVERYONE, even people who you thought couldn’t care less about college football) was abuzz when Rutgers had a good season.
To put the relationship between Rutgers and the NJ/NY markets in a nutshell: when they’re relevant, they’re relevant. When they’re not, they’re not. Simple as that. And almost every season, they’re not. As much as I would love to see Rutgers get the opportunity to play in an amazing conference like the Big Ten, as a Big Ten fan I would never want RU to join my league.
My 2 cents
Agree with most of the comments here: there was only excitement about RU football during that unusually good season a few years ago; otherwise, no one really cares about them – it’s all Giants and Jets. And do they have any other sports of note? I seriously don’t know, even though I’ve lived in NJ for 20 years.
I thinnk their university is a good fit with the Big 10 – large state school, big agriculture program, etc, But I really don’t want to see them in the Big 10. I’d rather no one than RU.
Also, NJ is an awful terrible place full of awful terrible people, so stay away, especially in the summer.
"God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy"
Rutgers has an agricultural program? Really?
I know there is farmland in Jersey (although I’ve never seen it), but I am kind of surprised. I guess I’ve always thought of Rutgers as a “city” school, even though I have no idea where in Jersey they are, and I’ve never been there.
You know who doesn't have an ag. program?
Iowa.
Yes, really.
"Based on my estimates, it appears that Stanzi shall transcend the ages." - Cairo
by ReadingRambler on Mar 9, 2010 8:06 PM EST up reply actions
That is surprising, I have nothing better to do so I looked up which B10 schools do/don't
Do: Penn State, Illinois, Purdue, Sparty, tOSU, Wiscy, Minny
Don’t: Iowa, Indiana, scUM, jNW,
UM and NW doesn't surprise me.
What surprises me is that Sparty does. East Lansing (and nearby luxurious Flint) are sinkholes.
"Have I ever told the story of when I met Miley Cyrus?"
by Jeff Junstrom on Mar 9, 2010 11:07 PM EST up reply actions
Central Michigan has some farms.
But mainly, it’s because MSU was founded as an agriculture school.
"Based on my estimates, it appears that Stanzi shall transcend the ages." - Cairo
by ReadingRambler on Mar 10, 2010 11:32 AM EST up reply actions
basically what Rambler said
but you go 15-20 minutes in any direction outside of East Lansing (and really East Lansing is fairly nice…basically a smaller version of State College. It is Lansing that is the sinkhole, but the two towns definitely have different identities) and you are in farmland/wilderness. But yeah, it is also an ag school/land grant institution.
And Flint is as close to East Lansing as Harrisburg is to State College, and I’d hardly call Harrisburg a farmland paradise.
by The JuggerNitt on Mar 10, 2010 12:53 PM EST up reply actions
I was watching one of those competitive cooking shows last night
and one of the guys was from NYC and he kept mentioning how he moved out of the city into the countryside. That countryside: New Jersey.
Now, I’m one of the biggest defenders of “New Jersey isn’t all an industrial cesspool”, as the place where my dad lives is about the most rural place I’ve ever lived, and he’s surrounded by woods and farms and such (heck, he couldn’t even get cable TV until less than 10 years ago), but I still laughed at the thought that anywhere in New Jersey could be considered the “country”.
by The JuggerNitt on Mar 10, 2010 12:57 PM EST up reply actions
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