HADLEY - In 1960, my family moved to Amherst from Pittsburgh, Pa., after my father was chosen as the head football coach at the University of Massachusetts. When we moved here, UMass was at the beginning of its growth spurt and it was time for the football program to grow with it.

The football program was a mediocre one playing in the Yankee Conference. My father had come from big-time football as the offensive coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh, which at the time was one of the better football programs in the country, playing in the Sugar Bowl and Gator Bowl his last couple of years there.

The UMass athletic director, Warren McGuirk, told my father that the university was ready to make the move to Division 1 and big-time football. All my father had to do was create a successful program.

In the next couple of years, his teams won conference championships, had an undefeated season, a season where the team allowed only 12 points all season and an invitation to the Tangerine Bowl. Back then, this was considered a pretty big bowl.

Football-wise, UMass was then at the same level as Boston College, Penn State and way above UConn. The team had moved into its new stadium and was selling out every game.

Everything was perfect for it to make its move.

Then, the administration balked and decided it didn't want to spend the money. Today, Boston College (ACC), Penn State (Big 10) and UConn (Big East) are all in BCS conferences. Penn State, which has made many more headlines off the field recently, reported that it netted $84 million from its football program last year alone.

This year the MAC Conference which UMass is moving to next year has four teams in bowl games that will receive $4.7 million. Not to mention the money from the ESPN TV contract and monies from their out-of-conference schedule.

Two years ago, when UMass went to the Big House to play Michigan, it received $550,000 and almost beat them. Also, an estimated $181 million will be distributed from the BCS group to Division 1 programs this year.

I think we have all learned from the John Calipari years that amazing things can happen when you recruit, coach, play and promote well. We can't be afraid to compete emotionally, physically, or fiscally at the next level.

We also know the positive ripple effects that happen when you can compete on the national level. Any questions about that? Consider UConn.

The Faculty Senate has to back this move because the alternative is to stay in the withering Colonial Athletic Association and risk not having a football program at all.

That means a student comes to Amherst with no football team, most likely no marching band, (which might be the best in the country) and not a whole lot of school pride.

In most facets of life you have to spend money to make money. We made a mistake in the 1960s by not making this move.

Let's make sure we don't make the same mistake again.

Michael Fusia lives in Hadley.