FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[ADL70]

Blaming the UAA schedule is a red herring.

First, no one forced Wabash to participate.  Earlham didn't.

Second, Wabash doesn't have a recent history of scheduling tough teams.  06-07 Franklin had zero winning seasons from 99-05.  Millikin was third or fourth best CCIW team.

04 & 05 WUStL (which conf?)

02-05  Kalamazoo  13-14 previous three seasons and zero winning seasons 94-99.

[old wabash]

the lgs have nothing to be ashamed of... this season... or any season since joining ncac.
check the records.
the question is can we ascend to another level?
and if so, how?
i believe cc took the team up a notch(same as level).
that growth coincided with entering ncac.
there is still a level to aspire to for the lgs.
bringing a mt union player/coach says the admin has aspirations.
the discussion is probably not going to influence when or how.
but it gives us some thing to talk about in the off season when we wish we were still in the stands.

[bashbrother]

70 -

I don't really believe anyone is blaming the UAA, it is really about frustration in the lack of non-conference flexibility that the agreement brought with it.  

The fact that Case wasn't scheduled to play Wabash or Witt in the regular season during the initial part of the agreement was unfortunate.    I haven't seen the scheduling, do Case and Wabash square off in the regular season at all during the agreement?  

At the end of the day, Wabash lost because they did not play well enough to win, not because of anything else

[ADL70]

Through 2011 Wabash's UAA foes are the closest ones, Chicago and Washington.

In 2010 CWRU drops OWU and Kenyon and adds Allegheny with an open date to fill.  I'm hoping for a week one game w/John Carroll.

[short]

CWRU only agreed to enter the UAA vs NCAC agreement if Wabash and Wittenburg were not on their schedule.  However, things have now changed and CWRU wants to play Wittenburg in the regular season as a part of the agreement.

[wally_wabash]

First, no one forced Wabash to participate.  Earlham didn't.

I'm pretty sure that the NCAC wasn't going to enter and promte this agreement in the fashion that they have if participation by member schools was optional.  Earlham has been playing a series with Manchester and Rose Hulman since at least 2000 and have been playing the Manchester/RHIT/Anderson triumverate since 2004.  I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing that Earlham has very lengthy agreements in place with these schools...otherwise they don't have any good reason to not follow the party line and pick up some of these UAA games.  It's my understanding the NCAC, as a conference, agreed to schedule the UAA as a conference.  Earlham is part of the NCAC and therefore part of the deal, pending preexisting contracts.  If Earlham doesn't have lengthy contracts with these schools and is just not picking up their share of this deal, then maybe Earlham ought to rethink their alignment.  The agreement with the UAA is a good thing for most of the NCAC, but not for all of the NCAC.  I'm ok with making a sacrifice for the greater good, but everybody needs to be on board with it. 

[nike]

Each school should strive to have the best athletics program it can have, as it should in the other more obvious areas like academics, especially when we are talking about the schools in the NCAC.
But each program has it's own inherent obstacles.  Within D3 football schools, the difference in numbers of students alone causes inequalities.  So am not sure some things can be overcome year in and year out.
During the Sutton years, we had a number of very good players and a couple of great ones(Sutton and Drushal).  But they graduate and cannot easily be replaced.  Four years ago OWU was 7-3 and looking good.  Kenyon also looked poised to become a top tier team that year.  But, alas, it was not to be.   So we learn to enjoy each game as it comes.  And look forward to next year's team providing the "one moment in time."  Or maybe the next year or even year after that. 
It takes a heck of a coach and players and administrative commitment to change the direction of a program.  Or make the team a contender for the national title. Can any NCAC team make a serious run at the Stagg Bowl?  It would take a lot of things falling into place, like a special player like Beaver, surrounded by very good players on defense and offense.  And solid coaching.
I would love to see it happen.

[wally_wabash]

This is pretty interesting.  I kind of like this idea of longstanding rivals of very close geographic proximity could wear home jerseys for their annual game regardless of which site the game is played at.  I'd love to see Wabash in the home reds every year in the Bell game.  If the NCAA lets this fly for USC/UCLA this weekend, I'd like to see Wabash and DePauw look into starting this as a tradition in our game as well.   

[Li'l Giant]

I'd love to see Wabash in the home reds every year in the Bell game.  If the NCAA lets this fly for USC/UCLA this weekend, I'd like to see Wabash and DePauw look into starting this as a tradition in our game as well.   

Actually, it appears it would be renewing a tradition.

The 1976 and 1978 games show both teams wearing home jerseys in games played at Little Giant Stadium. In the 1979 game in Greencastle, Wabash is wearing red and DePauw starts out wearing white, but then in the 2nd half is wearing the home black jerseys.

I like the idea of having both teams wear home jerseys in the Bell Game. Let's bring that back.

[ADL70]

I'm skeptical that any of us posting on here have the inside story on the NCAC-UAA agreement.  But short if you do, please share more.  While Earlham does have  history with their three OOC opponents, I question that in 2005 they already had contracted for games through 2011.  I'd welcome the return of the Bill Edwards Trophy game between CWRU and Wittenberg (pitting the team I grew up watching with my alma mater) and dropping Hiram, but Wittenberg's schedule is "out of phase" with a game w/Olivet scheduled through 2010 as its tenth game.  Maybe in 2011. 

[BashBacker#16]

If I were a Franklin alum/fan, would you guys not be super bummed they moved the game from the College to the High School??  That is brutal.  I was shocked to read this in the Indianapolis Star this morning.  In reading the HCAC page, they seem to be taking a positive take on it - knowing that they have a sweet field turf surface to negate poor conditions.  First ever quarter finals, you are the home team (earned), and you are playing at the high school??  That would be tough to take.

Gingg on field turf.....YIKES!

Just my 2 cents.

[wally_wabash]

I think they should have moved the game to Wheaton.  Teams have forfeited the opportunity to host playoff games in the past due to inadequate seating or press facilities.  Why should the condition of the field be treated any differently?  I think schools that are interested in hosting playoff games (which would be all of them) should be obligated to keep their facilities in adequate playing condition. 

[FightinScot]

I think schools that are interested in hosting playoff games (which would be all of them) should be obligated to keep their facilities in adequate playing condition. 

obligated? like its their choice on field conditions? cmon now, do you think Woo's field would have been playable the week after Witt...even two weeks after? Nobody's touched the field since that game and its still a mud bowl. Weather has a lot to do with it- natural grass gets torn up when weather takes a turn for the worse.

It does seem strange they're playing a college playoff game on a high school field though...

[wally_wabash]

I don't think that D-III fields are the only fields that get rained on...other schools manage to maintain playable (not always pristine, but playable) fields through weather and general use.  If the cost of maintaining a natural surface to a minimum level of playability through December is too great, invest in your artificial surface of choice. 

I'm just saying...here we are in the national quarterfinals and one of D-III's four games is being played at a high school.  This doesn't help our preferred brand of football gain credibility. 

[aueagle]

AaaaHHhhh....One of my favorite words the last month...COMMITMENT...to a program, to me, extends to the playing surface as well. BW had very average facilities until they built Finnie in the 1970's...Then high schools & OHSAA started playing their games at BW. OWU will try to make Selby into this type caliber. I ask the Franklin Griz fans...doesn't Red Faught deserve better?