Coen, Tavani support taking the 2014 Lehigh-Lafayette game to the Bronx

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/ FROM KEITH GROLLER As usual, there were a lot of things to write about after Saturday's Lehigh-Lafayette game. Most important was the ramifications Lehigh's 38-21 win will have on its NCAA FCS playoff chances. The field will be announced at 1:30 today and I really wouldn't be surprised by anything the committee does. The Sports Network, which chronicles the FCS as well as anyone, doesn't believe Lehigh will make the field of 20. We'll see. Besides Lehigh's win, the other big news to come out of Saturday was the announcement that the 150th Lehigh-Lafayette game in 2014 will be held at Yankee Stadium in New York City. There was plenty of speculation about that move and we heard months ago that it was a done deal. However, no one would go on the record about it until yesterday when a surprise announcement was made just before kickoff of the 148th game. In terms of the move's popularity with the fan base and alums, I'd say it's a mixed bag. There were plenty of boos mixed in with cheers in the Fisher Stadium crowd when longtime Lafayette PA man Jim Finnen made the announcement during Saturday's game. My guess is that the difference of opinion will be split along generational lines. The older alums will not like having to get to and from the Bronx. Navigating that George Washington Bridge and the Deegan Expressway are not a lot of fun. But the younger people probably think having a game in one of the most prominent sports venues in this country, if not the world, is a hoot. After the game, I asked both Lafayette coach Frank Taving and Lehigh mentor Andy Coen about the announcement and both said they didn't even know it was going to be announced on Saturday. Both embrace the idea, which is now more than an idea -- it's reality. This is Lafayette's home game and their call. Lehigh people probably don't care that they won't have to visit College Hill again until after the next presidential election in 2016, but Leopards fans might. Lehigh will not lose out on a true home game. The 2013 and 2015 games will be at Goodman Stadium. But Lafayette will lose out on a game at Fisher. I'm not sure how Leopards fans feel about that. Still, Tavani and the Leopards players who attended the postgame press conference were all for it. "I've certainly heard both sides about it," Tavani said. "My first reaction when it was first discussed was what a wonderful experience for our young men, what terrific exposure for recruiting. "I spoke to a group of recruits and parents before the game in our team room, as I always do, and you should have seen their eyes light up when I mentioned it." But Tavani also admitted: "I know there's another side of it. And I know there are alumni and people in the community who are concerned. "But these things only come around once every 150 years. An opportunity to make it special and play on a huge stage, and get even more national attention, is really big. It's not my decision, but I do support it fully. It's something to be excited about and hopefully I am still living and breathing to see the 150th." Coen concurred. "I am excited about it," he said. "I think it's going to be a positve. I don't know all of the details of it, but there's certainly going to be a buzz about it. We should get a great crowd. I will be excited just to walk on the field at Yankee Stadium. I think the last time I did I had to jump over the fence and run." Coen was just kidding about last part. "My mother is a big Yankee fan and she will be all fired up about it," Coen said. I am sure there will be a lot more written about this even in the months ahead and lots of opinions on both sides will be expressed.