That was the thing that got me, too. I kept running into more information. I'd sit down to write it and end up spending four hours reading over more stuff. I, personally, killed two trees the city of Wooster will never get back with all the research I did.

That was part of the reason I stuck to the NCAC. If all the information was burying me, what was it going to do to my readers when I presented it all.

Well, if no one has verified I'm nonbiased observer, then someone else is using my work e-mail as a contact address ....

I'm going to take another look at this next spring at the latest, to see where it has gone and where it is likely to finish. The topic is quite interesting to me.

Quote from: David Collinge on August 04, 2007, 10:42:45 PM
Here's links to an article and accompanying column, published July 31 in the Wooster (OH) Daily Record, regarding the potential D3/D4 split.

NCAA examines future of Div. III sports
Trying to reclaim original ideals

The reporter, Chad Conant, does an excellent job of summing up the issues, and did some research within the NCAC to illuminate some of the points.  He does choose to label what I might call the "traditionalist" schools as "the small schools," which may rankle some nerves (those sensitive to the "big/small" framing of the issue), but I don't think his intention is to actually define the split that way.  Anyway, there are so many tender nerves out there that there's probably no choice of labels which would not upset at least some partisans.  He does an excellent job of framing the NCAC's concerns with D3 as it currently exists, and that alone makes these articles a good read for those interested in this debate.

I'll go ahead and out myself. This package was me.

As for the "small schools" reference, i think David took it in a way other than what I'd intended. I was calling the group in general small schools because, well, it's the typical way of referring to the smaller division schools. I wasn't referring to the schools currently in D3 as big schoool or small schools. Hope I don't rankle too many feathers with that line.

To me, the NCAC focus was necessary for two reasons. First, the league is part of the group driving some of the debate. Secondly, I tried to tell my readers why they should give a darn. They should care because the impact of what that decision has on the College of Wooster.

And, by the way, the information that appeared in the graphic came from a chart I pulled from the NCAA Working Group for Membership Issues site. I had a couple readers e-mail me thinging those were my ideas.

Thanks David. I put a lot of work into that. You wouldn't believe the file of research I have.

Quote from: ScotsFan on August 01, 2007, 06:20:15 PM

I'm also surprised that Wooster isn't making a trip to Georgetown (KY).  I figured that was going to be a home and home series.

Steve Moore said immediately after that game that there'd be no return trip.

Surprised no one's talking about Wooster's Bahamas trip.

Quote from: Pat Coleman on July 11, 2007, 10:44:05 PM

Quote from: wally_wabash on July 11, 2007, 06:10:57 PM

Quote from: Nonbiased Observer on July 11, 2007, 05:26:44 PM

Quote from: wally_wabash on July 11, 2007, 02:30:15 AM

Quote from: Nonbiased Observer on July 10, 2007, 09:34:12 PM
It is a one-bid basketball league under the new rules and will never go deep in the football playoffs again.

The one bid you speak of (Wooster) wasn't the one bid that blew the title game two years ago (that is admittedly a dig on Witt and a compliment to the league). 

The new strength of schedule portion of the selection process means either the league has to win a lot more out of conference or live wiith only getting one in.

I meant the future, not the past.

Wooster and Witt both play strong non-con schedules during hoops season and as long as they perform well there and don't blow more than a game or two during the NCAC season, they'll continue to be strong candidates for postseason selection.  Last year Witt made the mistake of getting drubbed twice by OWU and dropping one to Allegheny which pretty much knocked them out of Pool C consideration.   

The change in SOS calculation will hurt regardless of the non-conference schedule.

Exactly. I did a little research for a story and found that Wooster, Witt and OWU were the only NCAC schools above .500 out of conference. When you also get a touch of credit for the teams your opponents beat, it's awfully difficult to get much help when they don't beat anyone.

Quote from: wally_wabash on July 11, 2007, 02:30:15 AM

Quote from: Nonbiased Observer on July 10, 2007, 09:34:12 PM
It is a one-bid basketball league under the new rules and will never go deep in the football playoffs again.

The one bid you speak of (Wooster) wasn't the one bid that blew the title game two years ago (that is admittedly a dig on Witt and a compliment to the league). 

Quote from: smedindy on July 11, 2007, 12:52:34 AM
Wabash doesn't have lacrosse, either.

Wabash needs varsity lax.  Tomorrow. Are you listening Vern?

The new strength of schedule portion of the selection process means either the league has to win a lot more out of conference or live wiith only getting one in.

I meant the future, not the past.

The mere fact you have to have a PBK chapter to be in the league should tell us the NCAC has little interest in being some major conference. It is a one-bid basketball league under the new rules and will never go deep in the football playoffs again.

It is what it is: A group of similar schools that want to play in a competitive league.

Quote from: aueagle on July 10, 2007, 03:37:24 PM
Nonbiased "O"...Never Say Never...I think Wabco has hit it right-on...I like the idea of the first Super Conference in D3. Was it all about academics when CWRU left  to join a "Little Ivy" with Chicago? Was the NCAC not good enough for the Spartans? C'mon...any institution, company, sales force, team, looks to get better...from the top, down. Hiram needs to make a major commitment to their programs. They have made recent strides in facilities, but the on-the -field product is a shame. Earlham, well is Earlham. When I see one NCAC team in the Top 25 for D3, when all of us sit in a hot-bed of HS talent...why, why can't we have multiple teams that rock, year in and year out. I am tired of the OAC dominating us. DU & RHIT have solid programs that could only enhance our standing...on & off the field.

eagle,

Again: Understand that the mission of the conference is not to win on a national level. These are like-minded schools with academics as their priority. Remember, this is a league where the school presidents have the heavy hand. All of the decisions are theirs.

I will repeat: The NCAC will never drop a school because of athletic status.

Also important to remember for football's sake: The NCAC and UAA (Case, Wash U, Carnegie Mellon and Chicago) join in a sort of football alliance in 2008.

For other sports: Kenyon seems to fare OK in swimming. The conference has also had a men's final four rep the last two years.

Quote from: aueagle on July 06, 2007, 03:19:16 PM
Regarding the Street & Smith's Top 25. MUC-No Problem...Wabash-Better prove the #7  spot. We'll find out in December....Bethel?....Carnegie Mellon? THE Coast Guard?....That's why it's PRE-season....Shame on the NCAC for not having teams in the Top...This board spoke of this 2 yrs ago...we need to be better from top to bottom....Drop the Quakers & Puppies and sign Depauw, Westminster.

The NCAC will never drop schools because of athletic performance. No chance in the world.

It's about understanding the mission of the league, which is certainly not to win national titles.

Wooster plays Denison twice and Oberlin and Kenyon once. That is correct.

They also play Ohio Wesleyan instead of Witt in December

I saw Franks as a junior. He was a stand-still shooter. Terrific shooter if you let him line up and let it fly, but his accuracy decreased immensly off the bounce.

Condolences to the folks at Wittenberg.

From what I understand, Durant isn't married and his girlfriend works in Kansas. I like the source on that info.

The rest of it could be true. No one I know seems to know.

Remember, Wooster has a 6-8 sophomore on campus and a 6-6 sophomore who looks quite stout in the post. If Steve Moore really wants to dump it in constantly, which I wouldn't think with James Cooper in the backcourt, he'd have a shot with those two and Evan Will.

Kaleb Reed, from what I've seen, looks farther along as a basketball prospect than football. But, with six quarterbacks on the roster, but none of them past their sophomore years, he might have a better chance of an immediate impact in football. When all's said, he's proobably a small forward/power forward hybrid. Like Tom Port without the consistent jumper and the bulk.