Temple University football enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2015, with the Owls winning 10 games and hosting a pair of sellout crowds at Lincoln Financial Field, against Penn State (above) and Notre Dame.
by Jack Kerwin | ydkjack1@gmail.com
It is all about football. Contrary to what Board of Trustees members may say another way, or what area newspaper columnists may write in spite, it is. Not in a positive sense, either. At least not for those who thoroughly enjoyed what Temple University experienced last fall and completely supported the continuing evolution of the school’s grid program. Pretty much lost amid emotions attributed to the latest national tragedy and allegations of criminally negligent past acts further scarring another Pennsylvania state institution of higher learning was this little ditty of info that floated out there earlier this week: Temple’s board announced its intention to dismiss university president Neil D. Theobald. The collective “umm, guuuulp” coming from Edberg-Olson football complex, not to mention anywhere else vested interests in the Owls exist, was very real, and, frankly, very sad. Reality is, college football costs money, a lot of it … until, should things work out, it hits the point where it is self-sufficient and then, eventually, a money-maker for the school. That is the goal of every FBS-playing university in the country – to reach that, and maintain it. Temple, even with a recent surge of attention, remains just in the beginning stages. Any financial deficit at the school, and Temple certainly has its share, can be linked – directly or indirectly – to funding football at Temple. That falls under Theobald’s domain. So, it doesn’t take a genius to understand the board’s frustration with him and his fixation into making Temple football into something other than a ho-hum afterthought. Still, gulp … Put it this way, if Theobald goes, so do all those hopes for an on-campus stadium and a truly legit big-time program – as well as the potential financial boon from that. Since arriving in North Philly three and a half years ago, the prez has been a driving force in the Owls’ push to relevance. That “presence” many felt that they never did before in regards to Owls football, credit him. No doubt, head coach Matt Rhule has been the front man of the entire operation, getting players, getting them to believe in him, and then getting them to perform on the field, at a highly successful level in 2015 to boot. But Theobald, as much as anyone else in that position before him, was pulling the strings behind it all. Increasing the budget, being aggressive with advertising, supporting Rhule in every way possible and then re-structuring the coach’s deal right after Thanksgiving to make sure good times could keep on rolling. Now? Well, if the board follows through with ousting Theobald, don’t be surprised if things come to a screeching halt along North Broad. No more on-campus stadium talk. No more big-time aspirations. No more hot-commodity coach eventually, either. Yeah, the budget may stop bleeding. Perhaps the school, ultimately, could reach a status of fiscally sane. But anything more than that, fueled by a football program that could positively affect the school socially and academically as much as monetarily … Umm, guuuulp. |
Put it this way, if Theobald goes, so do all those hopes for an on-campus stadium and a truly legit big-time program – as well as the potential financial boon from that. Since arriving in North Philly three and a half years ago, the prez has been a driving force in the Owls’ push to relevance. That “presence” many felt that they never did before in regards to Owls football, credit him. ... Theobald, as much as anyone else in that position before him, was pulling the strings behind it all. Increasing the budget, being aggressive with advertising, supporting (Matt) Rhule in every way possible and then re-structuring the coach’s deal right after Thanksgiving to make sure good times could keep on rolling. Now? Well, if the board follows through with ousting Theobald, don’t be surprised if things come to a screeching halt along North Broad. |
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