A Wee Bit Early To Project

     Major League Baseball has reached the next to last weekend  of June; Summer came upon us earlier this week. It is time to take a look at the MLB standings thus far. Identifying the duds is easy. Seeing who might make the playoffs in October could be a bit harder.

     We can throw out the Philadelphia Phillies. They aren't going anywhere. It seems to be endemic in Philly that the teams aren't too good--see the Eagles, Flyers and Exhibit A--the Sixers, although the latter did pick up the No. 1 pick in the recent NBA Draft.  And the Flyers came away with a nice consolation in the NHL Draft--a highly-prized forward at the No. 2 slot. I digress.

     Rule out the San Francisco Giants. Once world beaters with catcher Buster Posey and   big game pitcher Madison Bumgarner, the Giants were perennially in the World Series. But with Bumgarner's injury, the fortunes of the Giants have nose-dived.

     Also exclude the Giants' Bay Area companion, the Oakland A's. Constantly interjecting youth into the lineup, they are perhaps a year of two away from becoming a contender for a playoff spot. At least Northern Californians can revel in the Golden State Warriors 2nd NBA title in the past 3 years.

     Another West Coast team with no chance are the San Diego Padres. They are marginally better than the Giants. Cincinnati is not going to contend either. They are young and rebuilding.

     Teetering at the edge of irrelevance are a number of teams. Two of those teams can be classified as major disappointments. The Detroit Tigers have fallen mightily. Miguel Cabrera is having an awful year by his lofty standards and the pitching just isn't there (their best pitcher has been in Washington with the Nationals for a couple of years). Then there are the New York Mets. Major injuries riddling the vaunted pitching staff and a lack of production by the big bats of Cespedes, Walker and Granderson have left the Mets far behind the N.L. East-leading Washington.

     Miami cannot not find itself and is still dealing with the hangover of the late season death of pitching ace Jose Fernandez. At least the Marlins host the All Star Game next month. Atlanta has a nice, new stadium in suburban Cobb County and the hopes that the return of the injured Freddie Freeman to the lineup, albeit at third base, might interject them back into the race against the Nationals. The Chicago White Sox are not very good at 32-41; there might be a managerial change upcoming.

     There are a number of teams who can contend despite miserable starts. The N.L. Central is the perfect example. The surprising Milwaukee Brewers are in the lead, but only with a 40-37 record. St. Louis, off to a rough and unusual start now 7 games below .500 are only 5 games behind the Brewers. Pittsburgh, enduring suspensions and inconsistent hitting and pitching, is a notch better than the Cardinals and hope that star Andrew Mc Cutcheon remains hot and carries the team until the other bats join in. Defending World Champion Chicago is a barely above .500 team; still that leaves the Cubbies only a half a game behind the Brew Crew for first place in the N.L. Central. Most prognosticators expect that the Cubs will get their act together in the second half of the season and run away from the pack. I think it is more like limp past the rest of the Division.

     So many other teams are in the thick of the race. Despite the New York Yankees great and unexpected start riding the Aaron Judge gargantuan home run phenomenon plus some standout pitching from youngster Luis Severino and veteran C. C. Sabathia now on the DL, the Boston Red Sox have now drawn even with the Yankees after a morose start. Even with Boston projected in the pre-season to win the A.L. East, it will be a battle in the Division, as Tampa Bay is unexpectedly only 2.5 games behind the leaders and the Orioles and Blue Jays are capable of putting a run together and making life harder for the current leaders.

     Looking at the AL Central, the Cleveland Indians, losers to the Cubs in a thrilling 2016 World Series which went into extra innings in Game 7, have overtaken Minnesota to gain control of the Division. While the Twins early start was nice, it is the Kansas City Royals who are making up ground after a bad beginning to the season. Relying on veterans from a 2015 World Series win, Eric Hosmer, Salvatore Perez and Mike Moustakis are back in All Star form, and with Jason Vargas topping MLB pitchers with 11 victories, the resurgent Royals are poised to make a charge at the Indians.

     A three team race has taken shape in the N.L. West. Arizona, Colorado and Los Angeles have been the leaders for the entire early season. Ace Clayton Kershaw heads up a good pitching staff and rookie Cody Bellinger is having a better start to his career in terms of homers, with less at bats than even Judge has with the Yankees;  he has slugged a record 22 homers in his first 52 games to Judge's 25 in nearly 70 contests. Shortstop Corey Seager is putting together another outstanding year and the Dodgers are on a 9 game winning streak and 14 wins in the last 15 games in a effort to distance themselves from the D-backs and the Rockies.

    That leaves two teams who have charged out to commanding leads in their respective Divisions. Washington maintains a 9 game lead over the Braves. Led by the mercurial Bryce Harper, ex-Met standout Daniel Murphy and former Detroit Tiger Matthew Scherzer's pitching, it is unlikely that the Nationals will be caught. They still need to shore up the bullpen by making a trade for much needed help to survive the season, let alone the playoffs.

     Houston has left the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers in its wake, jumping out to a 12 game lead. Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve form an impressive middle infield duo who can hit and field. Outfielder George Springer has mashed 21 homers and Josh Reddick is making diving catches. The Astros need to get pitching ace Dallas Keuchel back and healthy in order to make a deep run in the playoffs. I don't see them surrendering the Division; the Astros are for real.

     All of the leading teams have some flaws and injuries will occur. Right now, the Astros and Dodgers have the best records in the American and National Leagues. If things stay the way they are, it would not be a surprise to see them in the World Series. Many other worthy clubs will have a say in the finish to the 2017 season. Can Washington win a couple of rounds? Will the Cubs run roughshod over the opposition? Who will survive the Cleveland-KC battle? Are Arizona and Colorado legitimate N.L. Wild Card teams? Who will come out of the A.L. East--New York with its powerful bats or Boston with its sluggers and top-notch pitching? Or are there a coupe of teams lurking, awaiting one big surge to overtake a Division leader or sneak into the Wild Card picture?

     It is a wee bit early, just before MLB reaches the halfway point in the season, to anoint anyone as the prohibitive favorite. This is not a scenario like the recently completed NBA season and playoffs where the Warriors and Cavaliers were EXPECTED  to vie for the title. No, the MLB season seemingly is more like the NHL--anyone can win--witness the Pittsburgh Penguins victory in the playoffs to retain the Stanley Cup and any one team can, like the Nashville Predators, make a concerted effort to make the Finals.

     One thing is certain--this is why they play all of the games. And it will be fun to watch how the remainder of the season unfolds.

   

   

What More Could Fans Expect?

     Within a span of about 24 or so hours last Sunday and Monday, the Pittsburgh Penguins became back-to-back Stanley Cup champions while the Golden State Warriors defeated the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers to win their second NBA Finals in three years. Two different sports, two different teams with markedly divergent paths in securing titles. And remarkably divergent aftermaths to their victories.

     The Penguins were not an overwhelming favorite at the start of the NHL playoffs. That crown went to the Washington Capitals with superstar Alex Ovechkin.

     Golden State had added superstar Kevin Durant in the off season and had completed another dominant regular season. With their returning cast plus the addition of Durant, the Warriors were deemed to be prohibitive favorites to have a showdown with the Cavs for the third time in three years.

     Pittsburgh suffered injuries to some of its best players in the course of the season--defenseman Kris Letang required neck surgery to repair a herniated disk, while goaltender Matt Murray suffered a lower body injury during warm ups prior to Game 1 of the opening series versus Columbus. The Penguins went from being favored to perhaps even or a slight underdog to the Blue Jackets in spite of the home ice advantage.

     The Warriors appeared to be at full strength going into the playoffs, unlike last year when star Steph Curry had nagging injuries which caught up with him in the Finals. Their only question facing Golden State was whether Durant had fully recovered from a leg injury incurred in early 2017.

     Despite the significant injuries, the Penguins rallied around star and team captain Sidney Crosby and the superb goaltending of veteran Marc-Andre Fleury to dispatch Columbus in 5 tough contest. While Pittsburgh was the better team, it was not by much over their Columbus counterparts.

     Having finished the regular season as the number 1 seed overall, Golden State took on the eighth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers. Clearly the superior squad, the Warriors had to withstand scoring blitzes from the dynamic back court duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum to sweep the Blazers and head to the second round.

     In the second round, Pittsburgh faced a big obstacle in the Capitals. Washington had home ice as a reward for having garnered the most points in the NHL regular season. The Caps were the clear favorites; Pittsburgh was an underdog based on injuries and how well Washington had played. However, Washington had a tough time in winning its opening series versus the gritty Toronto Maple Leafs. Moreover, the Caps had a significant history of losing the big game or series, especially in the chase for the Cup.

     Utah, with its young and talented team led by rising star and free-agent-to-be Gordon Hayward, loomed ahead for Golden State. Utah had topped the Los Angeles Clippers, another under performing playoff team and were thought to be able to give the Warriors some trouble.

     Once more in the playoffs, in a seven game series, Pittsburgh toppled the Caps. Ovechkin played hurt and became a non-factor. The remainder of the team could not overcome the Penguins stout defensive effort.

     As much as Utah tried to compete, Golden State had the better answers with Curry, Durant, Draymond Green and co. The Warriors took out the Jazz in a second four game sweep.

     Pittsburgh's Conference Finals foe was the Ottawa Senators, victors over the New York Rangers, a team many had picked to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Coupling a hot goaltender and timely scoring, this was going to be a severe test for the Penguins, especially after having been extended to seven games by Washington in a bruising affair.

     For Golden State, the second best team in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs, would be the upcoming opponent. Coached by Greg Popovich and led by Kawhi Leonard, a premier forward and Manu Ginobili, the Argentine legend, but absent their point guard, Tony Parker, the Spurs were expected to give Golden State all they could handle.

     In another seven demanding games, the Penguins outlasted Ottawa. It took double overtime in Game 7 for the Penguins to book their trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. The goaltending of Matt Murray, the inspiration of Crosby and the grit of his teammates again was just enough of a razor-thin margin to secure that Finals berth and a chance to be the first team in 20 years to be a repeat champion.

     Leonard came out blazing against the Warriors. He looked to be unstoppable. The Spurs ran out to a huge lead against the flat Warriors team which evidently had too much time off between series and looked rusty and out of sync. Then the series changed on one play. In the third quarter, Leonard went up for a three point shot, which was contested by the Warriors' big man, Zaza Pachulia. Leonard's left leg and foot landed, entangled with Pachulia. As the game progressed, it was apparent that Leonard could go no further with an apparent ankle injury. He was done for the series. With that, Golden State mounted a furious rally from over 20 points down and with 1:48 left, Curry hit a 3 point shot to tie the game. Then Durant, who finished with 34 points, took over. Somehow, the Warriors survived, eking out a 113-111 gut wrenching victory. From thereon, despite the heroics of Ginobili, the Spurs no longer were a worthy match for Golden State without Leonard. Three rounds, three sweeps.

     The Nashville Predators had survived the gauntlet of the Chicago Black Hawks, St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks to win the Western Conference and reach their very first Stanley Cup Finals. Led by defenseman P.K. Subban and goaltender Pekka Rinne, and aided by a very vocal crowd at the Bridgestone Arena, Pittsburgh had their work cut out for them.

     For all its dominance, Golden State had a long-awaited date with the Cleveland Cavaliers--an NBA record third straight Finals meeting between two teams. In 2014-15, Golden State prevailed. Last year, the great play in the last two minutes of Game 7 in Oakland by the acknowledged best player in the world, Lebron James and the pressure-packed shooting of Kyrie Irving, gave the Cavaliers a championship, in the process negating the Warriors' record-setting 73 regular season wins. Both teams had dominated their conference opposition during this season and in the playoffs. This was going to be an epic showdown in the rubber match, many predicted; others felt that Golden State would steamroller the Cavs.

     While Pittsburgh went up 2-0 at PPG Arena, when the games shifted to the Preds' home, Rinne and company responded with 2 resounding wins. Game 5 went to the Penguins, returning the series to Tennessee for Game 6. A scoreless tie except for a controversial early whistle blown by the referee which cost Nashville a goal, the contest was highlighted by the duel between Rinne and Murray. As it seemed this game was going to be an overtime affair, the Penguins struck with just over an minute left on a rebound bank shot off of the elbow of Rinne by Patric Hornqvist. An empty net goal before the end of the game sealed the victory for the now repeat champions Pittsburgh Penguins. Three time champ Sidney Crosby hoisted the Stanley Cup in a parade around the ice and he also carried away the Conn Smythe Trophy, emblematic of the best player in the entire playoffs.

     Golden State thumped Cleveland by out running them in Games 1 and 2 in Oracle Arena. When the series shifted to Quicken Loans Arena, the Warriors rose back from another big deficit to win 118-113. The pride of the Cavs was clearly visible in Game 4, as they shellacked the Warriors, ending the dream of a 16-0 run through the playoffs. Many commentators worried that the Warriors might follow the path of last year, being up 3-1 and losing the series in 7 games. Game 5 was a tight contest, with James and Irving being magical. But as much magic as they could provide, the depth of Golden State and the shooting and all around play of Durant augmented by Curry proved to be too much for the Cavs. While James averaged a triple double in points, rebounds and assists per game, Durant's play matched and at times surpassed that of Lebron. Durant was the difference, which validated his blockbuster move to Golden State from Oklahoma City, and won him the Finals M.V.P.

     Minutes after the Warriors had won Game 5, the speculation started on whether Golden State was a super team for the ages; would the team remain intact with Curry, sharpshooter Klay Thompson, Durant, defensive whiz Andre Igoudala and Green; and what was going to happen with the Cavs since they lacked the firepower to beat the Warriors. Moreover, questions abounded about the other teams in the Eastern Conference being able to challenge Cleveland next season--especially the Boston Celtics, who did give the Cavs fits in the East final. After all, Lebron  had to be human at some future time, notwithstanding his 7 straight appearances in the NBA Finals.

     Not too many experts attacked the Penguins the way the media went after the Warriors and the Cavs. The celebratory parade went on as scheduled in downtown Pittsburgh, as almost a ritual. No one is anointing the Penguins to be a 3-peat team. Of some significance, it is believed that Fleury will be snatched up by the new Las Vegas team in the expansion draft. Not much else was heard in the aftermath about the Penguins 2017-18 fortunes.Yet the belief is that Golden State is the clear favorite to win it all again in 2017-18.

     Golden State held its parade in Oakland and then announced that Coach Steve Kerr, who suffered through agonizing back issues which caused him to miss much of the playoffs until Game 2 of the Finals, would be back on the sidelines next season. Some of the Warriors will party throughout the weekend in Las Vegas, accompanied by the team owners.

     Cavs fans cannot take any solace that James shaved his head after losing to Golden State and was already in the gym, practicing. Nashville should reflect on the civic pride engendered by the Predators magnificent run.

     The Stanley Cup will travel to far-flung places was the choice of each Penguin who gets his name engraved on Lord Stanley's trophy. There will be off season moves by all of the teams in both leagues to measure up to the champions. Before too long, the hockey players will be back training on and off of the ice. Gym rats like Curry, Durant, Irving and Thompson will be honing their games anew.

     Autumn will return and the chase is renewed. The Penguins fans will be optimistic and, hopefully, realistic. The NBA denziens will continued to be incessantly inflamed by the media, rest and expectations be damned. I hope that the Bay Area fans rise above the noise to cherish the accomplishment of this season's extraordinary Warriors team.

     Otherwise, what more could fans expect?


   

   

When Too Much Is Too Much

     I thought that today I would have written about the Golden State Warriors doing the unthinkable--sweeping the defending Cleveland Cavaliers and the best player in the world, Le Bron James and nemesis Kyrie Irving en route to an unprecedented 16-0 post-season record. Until the Cavs came out with focus and determination to throttle the Warriors. The series returns to Oakland for Game 5 on Monday night. I am not as comfortable as the many prognosticators who think that it is inevitable that the Warriors claim their second championship in three years. The Cavs came back last year from a 3-1 deficit to win; who says they are incapable of winning four straight? I put nothing past James, Irving, Kevin Love and J.R. Smith to keep momentum on their side. We shall see.

     I could have written about the New York Yankees and their surprising start to the 2017 season. The Yankees are in first place, 3 games better than the consensus A.L. East favorite, arch rival Boston. The Yankees have been led by the gentle giant, Aaron Judge, he of the gargantuan 20 home runs and top 3 exit velocity hits in Major League Baseball. Or how Gary Sanchez has come alive again after last years's incredible rookie season. Or the contributions of Didi Gregorious, who missed the first month of the season due to an injury suffered in the World Baseball Classic. Add in Brett Gardner's homers, Aaron Hicks hitting over .300, Matt Holliday also hitting bombs, All Star play from Starlin Castro and superb pitching from Luis Severino and Michael Pineda. It's early. Time will tell if the Yankees are legit.

     Perhaps it is the Houston Astros, the top team in MLB. The Astros are blowing away the competition in the A.L. Central, running out to a double-digit lead. Even with ace Dallas Keuchel returning to DL for a second stint, diminutive 2B Jose Altuve leads the Astros in hitting--again. It is only June, so the jury is out on how good Houston really is.

     How about the New York Mets stinking up the NL East? Beset by key injuries to star players, a lack of consistent productivity from its hitters and woeful pitching, even with dominating the Atlanta Braves this weekend, the Mets have not come close to expectations. Perhaps the expectations were too optimistic...

     Maybe the French Open suits your style. Rafael Nadal is in another French Open final. He went into the match versus Stan Wawrinka tied with Pete Sampras for second all-time major titles with 14 and he was seeking to be the first player with 10 victories in one Grand Slam. His 19-0 record in the French semis and finals is unbelievable. As Roger Federer and Rafa head towards retirement, when the injuries and age finally do catch up with them, their mark on the sport is reminiscent of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus in golf. Of course, Nadal is virtually invincible on clay anyway, so his straight set victory today is no great surprise.

     I could also have written about the Belmont Stakes and the upset winner Tapwrit triumphing over the favorite, Irish War Cry. Alas, this third Belmont victory for trainer Todd Plechter meant nothing more than that. there was no Triple Crown winner this year and the horses that won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness weren't even running at Belmont. Too bad.

     Or maybe I could have expounded on the Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguins and their marvelous and talented captain, Sidney Crosby. Alas, the Penguins returned to Nashville Sunday night ahead 3-2 in the series, but where the Predators had won twice in very convincing fashion. While the Stanley Cup would be on call in Tennessee (I listen to that oddly reverberate in my head--Tennessee and ice hockey??), the betting line was for a winner-take-all Game 7 in Pittsburgh. Except that the Penguins rallied for 2 goals in the last 1:35 of regulation to defeat a very game Predators squad, securing the Stanley Cup in back-to-back years for the first time since the Detroit Red Wings accomplished that feat in the late 1990's. Crosby was also a back-to-back winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Finals M.V.P. This should have gotten at least equal billing with Nadal's historic triumph in Paris.

     Then there is the story of the New York Jets jettisoning veteran players, allegedly developing a QB who reportedly overthrew receivers so badly that TWICE he hit reporters removed from the sidelines with his ugly throws. There is discontent and the specter of a lousy season is prevalent. Certainly a worthwhile read from  a long-suffering season ticket holder perspective.

     But my focus this week is on the absurdity of NCAA Baseball at the Division I level. It is June 11 and the champion has yet to be determined. This weekend is the Super Regional phase--8 sites where best of 3 series are played to determine who heads to Omaha for the College World Series. Teams like number 1 Oregon State, with a remarkable 54-4 record, including 5-0 at home in the NCAA playoffs, stand to play 60-65 contests if headed to the finals, which itself is a best of 3 series after a double-elimination format to determine the final participants.

     The 16 Super Regional teams have been playing since February. The warm weather teams benefit the most, with few rain outs or games postponed due to snow. Usually 4 to 5 games are played per week. Travel is a major consideration for many schools--the far-flung Big 12 can see trips as far East as Morgantown, West Virginia and as far South as Austin, Texas.

     Basketball is bad enough, exceeding 30 games per season is a regular occurrence; North Carolina played 42 games from November to April. At least they played more home than road games. And not more than 3 a week unless in a tournament.

     Where is the schooling for these scholar-athletes? Is sports greater than the academics? Why should teams with graduates for over a month in some instances, still be playing into late June? What about freshmen who are thrust into almost 2 to 3 times as many games than they played in the spring before, when they were high school seniors?

     I am no more in favor of the NCAA Track and Field Championship happening this weekend in Eugene, Oregon. The same complaints are echoed. The difference is that whole 25 man squads are not affected; track is by and large individual competition except for relays.

     At least the NCAA Softball champion was determined earlier in June. Congrats to the repeat champs, the Oklahoma Sooners. It mercifully took them three fewer weeks to accumulate 61 victories in 70 contest to win the title.

     I don't know what the answer is. My Franklin and Marshall College baseball teams in the late 1960's and early 1970's played 25 to no more than 28 contests from late March, invariably with snow on the ground, to the very beginning of May. I was able to concentrate on final exams because we weren't too good and the season concluded within the academic calendar.

     My suggestion to the NCAA is this: stop playing February or end the games in May. Not every team should play each other in 3 game series during the regular season. Finish the playoffs by Memorial Day as in lacrosse. Make the tournament single-elimination. Bring the student back to campus in a far more normal manner--like the other non-athletes.

     Until the NCAA comes to its senses, we will see this ridiculousness continue. To the detriment of youngsters who should enjoy more of the college experience outside of baseball.

     In hindsight, I wish the Warriors had dethroned Cleveland in four games. Then I might have had something to write about.

A New Stadium Matters

     I just left my 45th Reunion at Franklin and Marshall College. My core group, minus a few individuals who could not make the weekend, were in attendance. We had a blast, meeting with the former F&M baseball coach, Ken Twiford, and the winningest Division III basketball coach, Glenn Robinson, who started his career at F&M during our tenure at the school. Old stories were retold; the aches and pains of growing old were discussed at length; families were talked about. Most of all we were happiest to be among friends who still had a lot in common.

     Reunions get me back to campus. So do the yearly football game and a basketball or baseball game on occasion. I have seen F&M transform from a small, liberal arts college in the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, to a bigger, more modern and now, a somewhat taller campus. F&M still promotes itself as that small college, and to a significant extent, that is true.

      What has happened is that, while the student body size has not grown, the campus has expanded greatly. Many new buildings have popped up; in my days at F&M, the psychology building left the immediate campus area because of the classroom and laboratory crunch which had arisen. More recently,  the beautiful Alumni Sports Fitness Center (AFSC) was built in the early 1990's as a partial response to a leak in the old Fackenthal Pool on campus adjacent to Mayser Gym, which was the home to a number of sports teams. The AFSC was the first of any F&M buildings to move across the Harrisburg Pike, thus beginning the move towards a larger campus. Other buildings were to rise in that area--mostly business and retail facilities, jolting the Lancaster economy where there had once been factories and warehouses.




     A master plan envisioned taking the historic home of F&M football, Sponaugle-Williamson Field, ensconced in the north end of campus--abutting Mayser Gym where the locker rooms are located--and putting a parking garage underneath it while placing student residences where the field had been. The football field would then be removed to a parcel of land beyond the AFSC, which once housed the Armstrong Cork factories and headquarters. Ultimately, the baseball and softball fields would be taken from their present homes on the Baker Campus and relocated to nearby the multipurpose stadium. This, along with a new track and a proposed addition to the AFSC for a basketball/volleyball gym, would complete the transformation of the athletic facilities to a locale that could rightly be called a sports complex.


     I saw the progress on the new Shadek Stadium, named after my baseball teammate who is a Board of Trustees member; it is nice and new, but smaller than the current stadium. When completed, Shadek Stadium will be the crown jewel of F&M Athletics. 


     Stadiums, and to a lesser degree, arenas have been the focal points for many campuses. I have been to many schools, large and small, and I have seen that placement of the stadium can be contingent upon how the college or university plans its athletics. Notre Dame, Georgia and Alabama have the stadiums and arenas close to or in the midst of the academic buildings. The University of Pennsylvania, Bucknell and Florida also are among the schools which have their primary sports arenas in the middle of campus. I noted  that every year Wesleyan University erects a stadium on Andrus Field, which is directly below the library, from where the picture below was taken.  


     Rutgers has High Point Solutions Stadium and its 52,000 seats on land in Piscataway where the old, 23,000 Rutgers Stadium sat and which is surrounded by fields, some of which have been themselves transformed a number of times and remain there for football parking.



    At Rutgers, a whole other set of campuses has grown up in Piscataway, removed from the original Rutgers campus in land-locked New Brunswick. Baseball, softball, swimming and track are all nearby the Rutgers Athletic Center, which is apart from High Points Solutions Stadium. Livingston Gym is used for gymnastics and the old, small Rutgers Gym, across College Avenue from the main Library, still is home to some events.

     LSU and Penn State built a whole complex of stadiums and athletic facilities on the edge of campus. They are within walking distance for students from campus yet are not disruptive to the flow and direction of the school. Lehigh has moved its athletic compound fairly far away from the main Asa Packer Campus to a vast Goodman Campus--even across Interstate 78, guaranteeing a bus or car ride to a game.

     Obviously, schools prioritize athletics in largely different ways. Division I universities are far bigger animals than Division III colleges. In Division I, more people attend contests while the percentage of participants per the size of the school is much greater at the Division III level. Money and competitiveness are greater components in Division I.  Yet at Division III colleges like F&M, emphasis on winning corresponds with recruiting and the amount of money budgeted for athletic facilities and teams.

      Student-athletes are attracted to a college for a variety of reasons. They love shiny new buildings and fields to play on. Whether it is Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge or Mary Harden Baylor University, a Division III school (see below), the stadiums are upgraded to attract scholar-athletes. 

     Two of the most venerable academic schools, Princeton and Williams, built new stadiums on campus to attain wins by putting a modern face on their approach to outdoing their brethren.




     So in that regard, F&M is no different among its peers. The football stadiums within the Centennial Conference are older, more established venues. Only Johns Hopkins University has a larger capacity than most at Homewood Field, due to its participation in Division I lacrosse in the lacrosse-mad hot bed of Baltimore and Maryland. Small wonder that Hopkins is perennially among the national Division III football powers.
 

       Thus, to be competitive in football, F&M is compelled to upgrade its football stadium to attract the best talent. While money has been poured into the bowels of Mayser Gym for newer locker and theater-like video rooms for different groups of the offense and defense, that may not be enough. Which is where Shadek Stadium plays its part.

     A lot of dealing among Lancaster General Hospital and the City of Lancaster as well as the Norfolk-Southern Railroad has allowed the extension of the F&M campus. An unsightly rail yard was uprooted and moved to permit Shadek Stadium to be built on the grounds of what is now known as Armstrong Fields.  

     I learned that there is discontent about the move off the academic part of the campus to an athletic hub a walk across Harrisburg Pike. Insistence about the tradition of playing on the field where F&M football had been for over a century can resonate only so much in today's collegiate marketplace. Given that Rutgers started football with Princeton in 1869 and the football field moved to its present site in Piscataway in 1938 and is the SECOND home for Rutgers football after the original College Field on campus was vacated in 1890, the tradition argument is not a winner.

     F&M envisioned a master plan in 2010 for making an entire campus of academic and living places integrated within each other and removing vehicular parking while creating a central walkway through campus. The athletic portion of the plan was readjusted in 2012, which amended the idea of attaching a new arena to the AFSC. It is an 11 step process which has an elongated timeline, and is a guide subject to amendment.

     The vision of F&M may not comport with that of some of the alumni. Alums resist change, although change is inevitable. Well-thought out plans for a campus can enrich the livelihood and sustainability of the institution, a fact the alumni should and do recognize by their generous support of their Alma Mater. 

     Athletics has been a corresponding component of academia for ages. Athletic competition, whether intramural or intercollegiate, is a fundamental part of any institution of higher education. Young men and women go to college to learn and grow into adults. As much as colleges integrate new techniques and ideas into the curriculum and provide the latest in technology for the students, so must the school offer the latest and safest environments for those attending and paying the skyrocketing costs of both public and private education.

     Whether it is a newly-remodeled dorm with air-conditioning and modern living accouterments, a new arts building on the horizon or a football stadium with new locker rooms and lights plus nicer, seats for the spectators/alumni, it is incumbent upon colleges like F&M to be totally competitive academically and athletically while still being fiscally responsible in their goals. Tradition must take a back seat to modernization and enhancement of the school.

     In the end, with the support of its alumni, the entirety of the changes to F&M will promote a new generation of critical thinkers with a full liberal arts education. Changes to the athletic facilities are a necessary facet of this process. It happens everywhere, with justification.

     When we all return for the 50th Reunion, much of the reconfiguration of the campus will be underway. For all of the progress I have viewed in the past 45 years regarding the transformation of the F&M landscape, it is only fitting that athletics comes into line with the academic and building renovations as well as the regeneration of the city of Lancaster.

     I can only imagine how much better the College will look to those of us who make it back to campus for our 60th Reunion in 2032.