The PR Push

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44 DAYS UNTIL THE SPRING GAME!!!


Fundraising Machine
The strong effort to get the football alumni and the donors behind new Head Coach Pete Mangurian continues…

Yet ANOTHER email “from” senior QB Sean Brackett appeared in many inboxes this morning asking fans to: “show their love of the game and make a gift today!”

Once again, my position on this is simple: I DO think we should all give something to the football program, but it should be a SMALL gift now with the promise of a bigger gift corresponding to how many WINS this team earns in each of the coming 2-3 years.

I plan on giving $100 now, and somewhere between $100 and $150 for EACH win this fall.

As far as Mangurian’s social skills are concerned, he’ll get one of his first tests on Thursday March 22 when he appears at a football alumni event to watch the NCAA basketball games at the Highland Park restaurant and bar on East 34th Street.

A more intimate affair took place last week at a formal event on campus  to welcome Mangurian to New York City. Robert Kraft hosted the event. Bill Campbell made remarks. Other VIP’s at the event were NFL Executive Vice President Ray Anderson, 1961 championship team leader Russell Warren, CBS Executive Vice President Mike Aresco, NFL VP and former 49er great Merton Hanks, Ivy League Executive Director Robin Harris, and CBS football analyst Phil Simms.

It’s impressive that a small event like that for Mangurian could draw so many big names. Hopefully, this is something that will catch the eyes of current high school juniors as Mangurian begins his first real recruiting process as head coach.




Big Day for Adams

Tomorrow will probably be the most important day for Jeff Adams '12 as he attempts to make good on his quest for the NFL.

He is participating in the big NFL pro day at Northwestern University, not far from his home in suburban Chicago.

Getting a Columbia player onto an NFL roster would be a great boost for our program, and Jeff is such a good young man that it's very easy to root for him.

Best of luck Jeff!



Transfer Talk

In response to several reader comments, I want to say that I have also heard rumors about an incoming transfer from Texas.

But that’s just it; these are just rumors.

If I had any more to go on, I would. But I will say that I lean on the side of believing these rumors because most of my sources are unusually mum about it.

The best I can say is: “stay tuned.”

New FB Page

Columbia football's Facebook page has a new layout and is providing some decen updates from time to time.

Click on the link just above and "like" the pages to get on the FB feed.

Melka gets double-teamed at Princeton


Melka’s Momentum

Just about three weeks to go before spring practice starts, and right now the players are knee deep in midterms.

But the tests will really be tough when the players hit the field at the end of this month.

One of those players who will be tested is Nick Melka.

I made a mistake yesterday when I wrote that Melka is a rising senior. Actually, like Wells Childress he is just a rising junior. 

And that’s good news considering he made great strides as a sophomore last season.

Nick had 20 total tackles, but four of them were for a loss. He had one sack.

The stats don’t tell the whole story. Melka stood out by playing in every game and clearly establishing himself as the top D-lineman in his class.

But he too will have to step it up this spring as the new DC Kevin Lempa and D-line coach Alvin Smith look to move back to the 4-3 and everyone’s role on the line is in flux, especially defensive ends.

It seems like current LB Josh Martin is probably going to move back to officially playing DE, which could put the squeeze on playing time for guys like Melka.