ualbany

The U.S. News and World Report college rankings came out this week and it was not good news for one Capital Region institution. The University at Albany continued to fall behind the other New York "University Centers"; Stony Brook, Binghamton and Buffalo in gold standard of national university rankings. For more than a decade there have been rumblings of concern by faculty and alumni about the academic direction of the school. Once a proud research institution with a stout business school, UAlbany is now struggling to be recognized academically.

It was my third year working New York Giants training camp, as part of my responsibilities as the Associate Athletic Director at the University at Albany. Back then, from the beginning of July until mid-August, the Giants' front office personnel would occupy the athletic administration offices of the Great Danes and many of us had camp responsibilities. In those days, there were two-a-day practices and about three to five thousand fans would show up each day to see head coach Tom Coughlin and his team.

The New York Giants have a deep history with Albany and the Capital Region. Check out some of the best photos from camp, featuring the Giants biggest stars.

The University at Albany is getting a twelve million dollar renovation to SEFCU Arena and the physical education gym. There will be some major upgrades and new amenities for both the fans and the athletes.

Mayfest at SUNY Albany, SUNYA, Albany State or whatever else they had students call the school in those days, was one of the best college events on the campus. In the days, before uptight administrators and faculty took "learning how to have fun responsibly" out of the college curriculum, events like Mayfest and Fountain Day put that college campus, sandwiched between Washington and Western Avenues, on the map.

Students from the Capital Region and beyond attend SUNY Albany each year, and here is how much money the school has awarded in scholarships to new students since 2009.

Cars demolished, furniture thrown from rooftops, it was a day to remember.

40 years ago the new wave British band rocked the student body.

Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) commissioner Joey D'Antonio announced that Stony Brook University, Monmouth University and Hampton University will join the CAA as 'full members' next season. Stony Brook and Albany are currently 'associate members' of the CAA for football only. Starting next year, Stony Brook will become a full member and compete against the likes of Charleston, William & Mary, Delaware and Long Island rival Hofstra, instead of NJIT, Maine and the rest of America East.

UAlbany, who has won 3 out of their last 4 games, raced out to 24-7 lead over the Mountain Hawks and never looked back. Dre Perry led the Great Danes scoring attack with 18 points, while blocking 3 shots and snatching 2 steals on the defensive side. Freshman Justin Neely was a monster on the glass, grabbing 14 boards while adding 11 points of his own.

Ok, maybe I don't like polls very much, especially when they are mid-major Division I polls. There are always so many variables. First, they are done by coaches, who are not always the most objective folks when it comes to other programs or coaches. Now throw in the new "Pandemic" rosters, featuring 6th year grad students and the "wild west" in recruiting created by the NCAA transfer portal, well, fans could be in for some of the best basketball we have seen in these conferences, maybe ever.

It's hard not to be skeptical of the NCAA or some of the larger conferences, aka the Power 5 schools, when it comes to things like, well, paying student-athletes above and beyond their tuition, room and board and more recently, a "cost of attendance" stipend. Yes, they are institutes of higher learning but over the years even some of the most prestigious universities in the United States, such as Notre Dame, Stanford, Duke and even Harvard have been marred by athletic scandals. Then add in the football and basketball powerhouses that occupy your tv screen every week and the list of improprieties would make your head spin.