Editor’s Note: The views in the following letter do not reflect the opinions of The Eastern Echo
Enough, already. Even the indoor practice facility collapsed.
Eastern Michigan University should disband its pathetic and irrelevant football program.
Since 1996, the Eagles are roughly 54-175. Football serves no purpose and brings zilch to the university.
It's a national punching bag; virtually no one cares about it; and it has been funneled millions of dollars that could be better used elsewhere. Eastern is Division I in name only and has one of the nation's poorest programs. I'm sick of it as a season ticket holder.
Sadly naive, hopelessly optimistic coach Chris Creighton (3-21) is in reverse. Western Michigan and Central Michigan win, go to bowls (at the Bahamas and Ford Field) and draw honestly to remain Division I (Pepsi's bulk ticket purchases keep EMU attendance afloat).
The Eagles do none of that. The state's good players will forever go to Kalamazoo and Mt. Pleasant, not Ypsilanti for team paintball/broom ball night or hefty hugs from Creighton, who doesn't allow cussing. Inferior recruits will flood EMU; it will never catch up.
Eastern was outscored, 505-305, in 2015. Under Creighton, EMU has been outpointed, 996-487, and outgained, 12,221-8,000. E-fluff.
Crunch these numbers, too: fourth, up from sixth in 2014 in ESPN's Bottom 10; seventh in CBS's Worst 25; worst rushing defense in America (316.9) and 125th of 128 in total defense (519.7); and 75 plays of 20-plus yards allowed and 41 of 30-plus. Eastern averaged an alleged 4,897 fans at Rynearson, worst in the nation; WMU was at 19,441 a game and CMU at 15,672. But I bet the Broncos and Chippewas never had a Bobby Allison night!
For 2016? No real quarterback; the top runner and his 16 touchdowns are gone; no burners at receiver; and absolutely no tacklers, period.
Power brokers Jim Stapleton and Roy Wilbanks need to accept EMU never will be in Michigan's league and stop this farce. Be TRUEMU, guys, even if it hurts.
Art Brooks
Harper Woods
