Aug. 31, 2006

Stony Brook, N.Y. -
By Steven Marcus

Athletic rivalries can only be created when both teams play by the same rules.

In I-AA college football, equality means 63 athletic scholarships. To that extent, tonight's third installment of the Hofstra-Stony Brook series still remains less than a fair fight. At least the scholarship score is no longer 63-0 in Hofstra's favor. With 27 scholarships spread between 38 players, Stony Brook looks to make some gains on its fully-funded opponent.

"We'll probably give them a game," coach Chuck Priore said of the 7 p.m. opener for both teams. Upwards of 5,000 fans on the SBU campus are expected. "We probably shouldn't, but we can."

The first-year coach will not use the excuse of being under-funded. "The outside world wants results, we'll give them results," he said. "We concede nothing." Priore has instilled - if not indoctrinated - that thought in his players. Seniors Michael Cosentino and Dan Michitsch both played in the 61-21 loss to Hofstra in 2004 and last year's 55-0 shellacking. "We're going in to win, not just be competitive," Cosentino, a wide receiver, said.

Michitsch, a linebacker, added, "I think it's a great opportunity to prove ourselves in our first game."

When Hofstra was building up in the 1990s it took its lumps. Former coach Joe Gardi often referenced a 50-6 loss to I-AA scholarship power Montana in 1992. In 2000, a fully-funded Hofstra went back to Missoula and beat the Grizzlies, 10-9. In year one of scholarships, no one in the know would pick Stony Brook over Hofstra. Perhaps the final score will begin to suggest the beginning of a rivalry. Equal scholarship dollars will yield competitive equality.

And do not think Priore does not know the deal, saying, "They are more talented than us, they have better players, they are bigger, stronger, faster . . . We have to play the perfect game on the perfect night - and the guy upstairs has to wave his wand."

In reality, the guy upstairs is athletic director Jim Fiore and he has to raise more scholarship dollars. "I expect that we will be on a level playing field by 2008," he said. "That is our hope. By '08 we should be able to walk on the field and win any game."

Much as he would like to get a pass for being a new coach with some young players, Hofstra coach Dave Cohen has to realize that the expectations from Hofstra and its fans is to make haste of Stony Brook before facing I-A Marshall and embarking on a grueling Atlantic 10 schedule. No way Cohen can afford to start his tenure with a close one over Stony Brook.

"We need to make a statement of the personality of our team," Cohen said. "Our approach to this game is indicative of what lies ahead for us in the season."

Stony Brook has scheduled a fireworks display following its home game. It hopes to get some bang for its initial scholarship bucks during the game.