The Ivy League

[Wildcat Ryan]

I dont really want to sound like an idiot, but can someone tell me why the Ivy League doesnt participate in the FCS playoffs?

[93henfan]

http://thedp.com/node/39946

There are certainly mixed feelings within the Ivies. I think this article does a good job of covering many of the angles. The "no football conflicting with finals" rational seems very flawed when other Ivy sports beside football play on during that time.

I think that when you get down to brass tacks, schools with really pretty diplomas just don't want to get wrecked by schools called Appalachian State, Montana, Delaware, etc. Just my .

[SuperHornet]

http://thedp.com/node/39946

There are certainly mixed feelings within the Ivies. I think this article does a good job of covering many of the angles. The "no football conflicting with finals" rational seems very flawed when other Ivy sports beside football play on during that time.

I think that when you get down to brass tacks, schools with really pretty diplomas just don't want to get wrecked by schools called Appalachian State, Montana, Delaware, etc. Just my .

I'm wondering how many Ivy schools would love to be in the playoffs but are prevented by the league rule. Are there any stated repercussions if an Ivy school who is otherwise qualified for the playoffs chooses to rebel against the league rule and go?

[Wildcat Ryan]

Wow, thats pretty retarded, It almost seems like the Ivy League's old guys have a thing against football. It sure doesnt seem fair to the Football teams that they are the only ones banned from post season play

Thanks 93henfan

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

http://thedp.com/node/39946

There are certainly mixed feelings within the Ivies. I think this article does a good job of covering many of the angles. The "no football conflicting with finals" rational seems very flawed when other Ivy sports beside football play on during that time.

I think that when you get down to brass tacks, schools with really pretty diplomas just don't want to get wrecked by schools called Appalachian State, Montana, Delaware, etc. Just my .

Simpatico.

[kalm]

.

[Miley Cyrus]

UM B/C OF YALE-HARV BOWL!!! DUH!!! OBV!!!

XOXOXO

[Mvemjsunpx]

I dont really want to sound like an idiot, but can someone tell me why the Ivy League doesnt participate in the FCS playoffs?

You may sound like an idiot, but not as much as the Ivy League presidents.

[Wildcat Ryan]

I dont really want to sound like an idiot, but can someone tell me why the Ivy League doesnt participate in the FCS playoffs?

You may sound like an idiot, but not as much as the Ivy League presidents.

[Seahawks]

Yet they participate in other NCAA sports playoffs. Go figure.

[Franks Tanks]

Mostly because pointy head Ivy League types hate football players. When the Ivy league was founded they banned all post season games for football. Back in the day some highly ranked Ivy teams had to turn down major bowl games because of this policy-- such as Dartmouth in 1970 who finished ranked 14th in the entire country, and Yale who also finished 14th in 1960. Over the years every other Ivy league sport is allowed to play in post season games. The ban remains in football because they hate football players, and they don't compete at the highest level of D-I (I have heard this excuse) and they don't feel it is worth it.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Mostly because pointy head Ivy League types hate football players. When the Ivy league was founded they banned all post season games for football. Back in the day some highly ranked Ivy teams had to turn down major bowl games because of this policy-- such as Dartmouth in 1970 who finished ranked 14th in the entire country, and Yale who also finished 14th in 1960. Over the years every other Ivy league sport is allowed to play in post season games. The ban remains in football because they hate football players, and they don't compete at the highest level of D-I (I have heard this excuse) and they don't feel it is worth it.

The answer I've gotten from alums of Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Princeton is always the same - the schools were uncomfortable with how schools become dominated by their football programs... dislike it if you want (I know I do) but they have a point... looking at big state schools with big-time football, they are constantly compromising themselves ethically for the benefit of football. You can describe it as "hating football players" but it strikes me as "hating football culture" which, while I disagree... I completely understand.

The other sports, where they participate in post-season involve far fewer athletes and, as such, you can find qualified D-I athletes who also meet their academic standards... tougher for football with their large rosters... I suspect that their greatest fear would be going full-scholly and then having an academic scandal at a school with a vaunted (whether deserved or not) reputation for scholarship...

[Franks Tanks]

Mostly because pointy head Ivy League types hate football players. When the Ivy league was founded they banned all post season games for football. Back in the day some highly ranked Ivy teams had to turn down major bowl games because of this policy-- such as Dartmouth in 1970 who finished ranked 14th in the entire country, and Yale who also finished 14th in 1960. Over the years every other Ivy league sport is allowed to play in post season games. The ban remains in football because they hate football players, and they don't compete at the highest level of D-I (I have heard this excuse) and they don't feel it is worth it.

The answer I've gotten from alums of Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Princeton is always the same - the schools were uncomfortable with how schools become dominated by their football programs... dislike it if you want (I know I do) but they have a point... looking at big state schools with big-time football, they are constantly compromising themselves ethically for the benefit of football. You can describe it as "hating football players" but it strikes me as "hating football culture" which, while I disagree... I completely understand.

The other sports, where they participate in post-season involve far fewer athletes and, as such, you can find qualified D-I athletes who also meet their academic standards... tougher for football with their large rosters... I suspect that their greatest fear would be going full-scholly and then having an academic scandal at a school with a vaunted (whether deserved or not) reputation for scholarship...

There was a time when football players at Ivy League schools were beloved-- think Brian Dowling and Yale in the late 60's who was immortalized in Doonesbery (Spelling?). Since then the demographics of Ivy League schools have changed big time, and the average student at an Ivy is a huge geek who hates big, strong, and popular football players.

[Ivytalk]

The answer I've gotten from alums of Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Princeton is always the same - the schools were uncomfortable with how schools become dominated by their football programs... dislike it if you want (I know I do) but they have a point... looking at big state schools with big-time football, they are constantly compromising themselves ethically for the benefit of football. You can describe it as "hating football players" but it strikes me as "hating football culture" which, while I disagree... I completely understand.

The other sports, where they participate in post-season involve far fewer athletes and, as such, you can find qualified D-I athletes who also meet their academic standards... tougher for football with their large rosters... I suspect that their greatest fear would be going full-scholly and then having an academic scandal at a school with a vaunted (whether deserved or not) reputation for scholarship...

There was a time when football players at Ivy League schools were beloved-- think Brian Dowling and Yale in the late 60's who was immortalized in Doonesbery (Spelling?). Since then the demographics of Ivy League schools have changed big time, and the average student at an Ivy is a huge geek who hates big, strong, and popular football players.

Actually, the average student at an Ivy is now a woman who hates big, strong and popular football players.

[Seawolf97]

But can they play football?

[BlueHen86]

Mostly because pointy head Ivy League types hate football players. When the Ivy league was founded they banned all post season games for football. Back in the day some highly ranked Ivy teams had to turn down major bowl games because of this policy-- such as Dartmouth in 1970 who finished ranked 14th in the entire country, and Yale who also finished 14th in 1960. Over the years every other Ivy league sport is allowed to play in post season games. The ban remains in football because they hate football players, and they don't compete at the highest level of D-I (I have heard this excuse) and they don't feel it is worth it.

The answer I've gotten from alums of Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Princeton is always the same - the schools were uncomfortable with how schools become dominated by their football programs... dislike it if you want (I know I do) but they have a point... looking at big state schools with big-time football, they are constantly compromising themselves ethically for the benefit of football. You can describe it as "hating football players" but it strikes me as "hating football culture" which, while I disagree... I completely understand.

The other sports, where they participate in post-season involve far fewer athletes and, as such, you can find qualified D-I athletes who also meet their academic standards... tougher for football with their large rosters... I suspect that their greatest fear would be going full-scholly and then having an academic scandal at a school with a vaunted (whether deserved or not) reputation for scholarship...

[b2bdaman]

Actually, the average student is of Asian heritage or speaks English as a second language. Football has never been on the average ivy student radar.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

Actually, the average student is of Asian heritage or speaks English as a second language. Football has never been on the average ivy student radar.

Welcome to the discussions! Good add on that one.

[BlueBandit]

They should still play in the playoffs, no matter what the argument...

[BlueBandit]

What is 4 more weeks that they would be practicing anyway

[Ivytalk]

What is 4 more weeks that they would be practicing anyway

Like, OMG! That's the time we could be filling out our business school and Rhodes scholarship applications!!

[NCAAjunkie]

Ivy League just doesn't want their schools getting demolished. They should be particiapting though. Doesn't Princeton have 28 national titles? They should try to add more onto that total...

Ya know? The 1869 title? Because Princeton won the first ever game of football, they had their undefeated dream season. BTW only other team playing the sport was Rutgers.

Cmon now Princeton, 28? Okay.

[Seahawks]

Ivy League just doesn't want their schools getting demolished. They should be particiapting though. Doesn't Princeton have 28 national titles? They should try to add more onto that total...

Ya know? The 1869 title? Because Princeton won the first ever game of football, they had their undefeated dream season. BTW only other team playing the sport was Rutgers.

Cmon now Princeton, 28? Okay.

Hold on a second, the Scarlet Knights won that game:


"The first "football" game played between teams representing colleges in the United States was an unfamiliar ancestor of today's college football, as it was played under 99-year-old soccer-style Association rules.[1] The game between teams from Rutgers College (now Rutgers University) and the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) took place on November 6, 1869 at College Field (now the site of the College Avenue Gymnasium at Rutgers University) in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Rutgers won by a score of 6 "runs" to Princeton's 4.[2][3][4] The 1869 game between Rutgers and Princeton is important in that it is the first documented game of intercollegiate football game ever played between two American colleges. It is also notable in that it came a full-two years before a codified rugby game would be played in England. The Princeton/Rutgers game was undoubtedly different from what we today know as American football. Nonetheless it was the forerunner of what evolved into American football. Another similar game took place between Rutgers and Columbia University in 1870 and the popularity of intercollegiate competition in football would spread throughout the country."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_football" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dbackjon]

But can they play football?

For the Sacramento Sirens!

[89Hen]

The Ivy, especially Harvard, is a joke. They don't participate in the playoffs, so they shouldn't even be mentioned on the FCS board. Put them in "other sports"... that is, if you think their brand of football is even a sport.