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Daily Egyptian

After a storybook season, Saluki football has made the next step into history by putting out bids for all three rounds of the Division I-AA playoffs.

For many devoted fans, the playoffs have been on Christmas wish lists for years, but that large unnamed gift under the tree also bears a $30,000 price tag.

But such a huge sum of money isn't the issue, according to Athletic Director Paul Kowalczyk. In fact, he believes in the Salukis so much he filed the paperwork Wednesday bidding for home games for all three rounds of the playoffs at a tidy sum of $120,000.

This number is more than a little deceiving. A bid is more like a guarantee. This means no money has been put down yet but guarantees we will put forth the money if requested. However, SIU will not lose any money if we do not receive a home game. If the National Collegiate Athletic Association thinks we deserve a home game as much as we think we do, it will allow us to host at least a first-round playoff game.

This money seems like an enormous amount ˜ and it is ˜ but it is going toward valid causes, one of which is traveling expenses for the visiting team. Also, if SIU does not receive a home game, no money will be lost, and the expenses to travel away would be taken care of. According to Kowalczyk, any leftover money goes into the NCAA general operating fund which one way or another goes back to the institutions.

However, a small catch in the NCAA bylaws states that 75 percent of the estimated net receipts as submitted on the proposed budgets must also be handed over to the NCAA.

Football should be football, cut and dry. We understand traveling expenses can rack up, which justify the $30,000 for each game. But for the NCAA to also ask for 75 percent of the net revenue is a bit unreasonable. Most Division I-AA schools do not have money that can just be thrown around ˜ especially here at SIUC.

But the Salukis will find out if they are seeded in the top four for the playoffs at noon Sunday. If we receive one of the top four seeds in the Division I-AA playoffs, then we are guaranteed home games for the first and second rounds. If we do receive a first round home game, it will be Nov. 29.

As we've already said, this game will cost SIUC a lot of money. A win will be difficult without fan support, and the fact that the game falls on the tail end of fall break could have been an unfortunate coincidence for the Salukis.

But thanks to Elizabeth Scally, assistant director for Housing and Residence Life, and the rest of University Housing, students will be allowed to return a day early. Of course nothing in life comes without a price. According to Scally, to cover operating costs, the University charges all students $9.50 a day to stay in the dorms during the break. But where else can someone find lodging for less than $10 a night?

She said they will still be operating under break housing, but much of the staff has agreed to cut their vacations a day short to accommodate more students.

Students can stay updated on the seeds by watching ESPNews at noon when they announce the seeds or by logging onto www.SIUsalukis.com at12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Game tickets will be sold at $6 for students and $12 for non-students. Alumni are also pitching in to help game attendance, according to Kowalczyk. Currently, the Athletic Department is soliciting alumni to help cover the cost of a ticket for students. It is still uncertain how the tickets will be handed out, but students can find out by watching for updates on the same website.

For staffers to sacrifice a day of vacation, alumni to help pay for tickets and the Athletic Department willing to pay a large sum for home field advantage should be incentive enough for students to come back a day early and support the Salukis.

Copyright 2009 - Daily Egyptian