FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

Speaking of San Antonio...was thinking, do you guys remember Trinity QB Roy Hampton getting arrested on the Riverwalk the week of the Stag Bowl???  Can you imagine how bad that cat felt?  WOW.  Wasn't it the night before the game or the Thursday night???  I know they were playing Mt Union.

It was the night of the semifinal game against St. John's. I was still working at the DA's office then and pulled up the police report after it got filed. I don't remember all the details but I do remember thinking it was a BS arrest. Cops on the Riverwalk are supposed to be like cops on Bourbon Street. The boundaries are not the same as if if you're walking down a street in a suburban residential neighborhood. They typically put up with more than just typical drunkenness. I don't remember there being anything other than "he appeared intoxicated". At midnight on a Saturday night on the Riverwalk that's at least 3/4 of the people down there.

Maybe one of the monks slipped him something - or had some hot action on the game at one of San Antonio's finest oddsmakers? Heh...

[Wabash Hokie]

Again with the mistaken assumptions that coaches somehow choose Homecoming opponents. The CONFERENCE chooses the schedule and the ALUMNI OFFICE and other administrators choose the date of Homecoming. A coach has almost nothing to do with it.

Pat - not a mistaken assumption at all.  I am keenly aware of how these decisions are made and in no way inferred that a coach had anything to do with it.  The key here is that with the conference schedule in hand, more than one person or administrative office should be involved in setting the calendar.  Depending on the importance of sports at the school, Homecoming can be adjusted each year to maximize the odds of winning.  Kenyon (10/13) or Hiram (9/28) are both better candidates for a Homecoming win, and neither conflicted with OWU's fall break.

Wabash has mandated homecoming to a the last Saturday of September or the first weekend of October, if I recall. Not much choice there. Other schools may have the predicament, so don't think they can just willy nilly change homecoming to match the opponent.

I agree - Wabash has created a tight window for their Homecoming given that they want to fit the game in before Fall Break (which seems to fall around the 2nd weekend in October).  That was one reason why I checked OWUs academic calendar - to see if they were in the same boat.  However, their fall break was last weekend (20th).  Back in the day, it seemed like we played Wash U for Homecoming for several years in row.

[sigma one]

The grouping some have suggested for a new conference will never happen.  Never is a long time, but NEVER.  For years, there has been loose talk about a conference more centered in Indiana, perhaps with a few teams from Ohio and Kentucky.  One scenario even included two or more teams from Illinois. That's a lot of conferences to tear apart, and potentially a lot af allegiences and rivalries to fracture.
     The alignment with Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky schools actually was floated not all that long ago, seriously.  Travel was one issue, as were the types of institutions that would be joined together.    Discussions broke down after a time, and anyway there was no telling if schools would jump when they had to put signatures on paper.    A key factor all along was having the seven football schools necessary for an automatic bid, and getting the requisite number was a problem. 
     Wittenberg, Bluffton, Mt St Joseph, and Thomas More--several others in Indiana--were never in the equation.
     There had at one point also been talk within the NCAC of how the conference might be divided into east and west divisions by adding several schools.  That idea had some weight.  Still might.  If each division has seven football schools, the question is whether the NCAC would allow each division to have an automatic qualifier.  There were advantages in travel costs and time and in administrative efficiency to the proposed league.  NCAC members have always been acutely aware of, sensitive to, their academic/athletic associations--no accident that all current members have Phi Beta Kappa chapters. 
The addition of DePauw on the western edge of the NCAC (and the almost simultaneous loss of Earlham) have been important recent changes. 
     Just as food for thought:  all NCAC schools now have to send all teams, men's and women's to DPU, and men's to Wabash.  That's more conference travel for all those schools, and long rides home after losses.  Recall that last year DPU won the NCAC all-sports trophy.  Over the past ten years Wabash has gotten used to travelling into Ohio and Pennsylvania on a regular basis, and DePauw was shipping teams all over the south.  The other NCAC members were generally playing most games closer to home, with the outliers being Wabash, and to a lesser extent, Allegheny.  East and west divisions make financial,  wear and tear, and missed-class-time sense.  Will it happe ever?   In this case, ever is a long time.
       

[Pat Coleman]

You probably meant this and just typed NCAC out of habit, but it would be the NCAA that would have to determine whether two divisions could each get automatic bids, not the NCAC. And the NCAA has said no to others who have inquired in other sports.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

The grouping some have suggested for a new conference will never happen.  Never is a long time, but NEVER.  For years, there has been loose talk about a conference more centered in Indiana, perhaps with a few teams from Ohio and Kentucky.  One scenario even included two or more teams from Illinois. That's a lot of conferences to tear apart, and potentially a lot af allegiences and rivalries to fracture.
     The alignment with Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky schools actually was floated not all that long ago, seriously.  Travel was one issue, as were the types of institutions that would be joined together.    Discussions broke down after a time, and anyway there was no telling if schools would jump when they had to put signatures on paper.    A key factor all along was having the seven football schools necessary for an automatic bid, and getting the requisite number was a problem. 
     Wittenberg, Bluffton, Mt St Joseph, and Thomas More--several others in Indiana--were never in the equation.
     There had at one point also been talk within the NCAC of how the conference might be divided into east and west divisions by adding several schools.  That idea had some weight.  Still might.  If each division has seven football schools, the question is whether the NCAC would allow each division to have an automatic qualifier.  There were advantages in travel costs and time and in administrative efficiency to the proposed league.  NCAC members have always been acutely aware of, sensitive to, their academic/athletic associations--no accident that all current members have Phi Beta Kappa chapters. 
The addition of DePauw on the western edge of the NCAC (and the almost simultaneous loss of Earlham) have been important recent changes. 
     Just as food for thought:  all NCAC schools now have to send all teams, men's and women's to DPU, and men's to Wabash.  That's more conference travel for all those schools, and long rides home after losses.  Recall that last year DPU won the NCAC all-sports trophy.  Over the past ten years Wabash has gotten used to travelling into Ohio and Pennsylvania on a regular basis, and DePauw was shipping teams all over the south.  The other NCAC members were generally playing most games closer to home, with the outliers being Wabash, and to a lesser extent, Allegheny.  East and west divisions make financial,  wear and tear, and missed-class-time sense.  Will it happe ever?   In this case, ever is a long time.
       

In Baseball the conference is already split into divisions, East and west.
East:
Allegheny
The mighty Hiram
Oberlin
Kenyon
Wooster

West:
Denison
OWU
Wabash
Depauw
Witt.

2 years ago they went with round robin, but with rain makeups etc., it became problematical. There were still complaints because the top two teams from each Div got into the NCAC tourney . There was always some talk that the third place team in the west was better than the second in the east and so on. This year they are going to have a crossover weekend to decide. 1 vs 4, 2 vs 3 matchup from the divisions respectively. 5 and 5 will play each other.

[ScotsFan]

SIAP, but I didn't feel like reading through the last 20 pages of Wabash talk to see if it had been, but the Baird Brothers Trophy was featured in a piece on ESPN.  You can watch it here:  Trophy Games.  It comes in around the 2:44 mark...   

[sigma one]

You are correct, Pat.  Good catch, as usual.  NCAA certainly would have to consent.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

Griz - as I said earlier to your trolling, low blow crack on Wabash, it would be different for Franklin if you had shown better vs Mount Union in the opener (sorry - it was UGLY) and the Butler game.  Also, if  ;)you start winning playoff games on a regular basis, maybe you gain some credibili  WOW.  Wasn't it the night before the game or the Thursday night???  I know they were playing Mt Union. 

WAF
[/quote]

Actually in the last five seasons Bash has won 5 playoff games (4 losses) with biggest win against North Central and 2 losses to the Purple Powers and FC is 3-4 with a win against North Central and 2 losses to UWW.  The only real difference is that FC puts itself in a tough bind by having to play power teams to make up for HCAC (not FC fault rarely no other good teams). Playing UMC and Butler doesn't help with seeding.  IMO Bash and FC need to find a way play each other every year. You guys could drop Hanover?

[smedindy]

Always good to have any D-3 mention in national media. Will Wooster and CWRU try to schedule each other in Wooster's one non-conference game slot?

[sigma one]

     It's not a question of Wabash dropping Hanover and scheduling Franklin.  Not that easy.  The two games, home and home, some years ago were terrific.  One in OT (Franklin win) and the other down to the wire (Wabash win).  Wabash plays Hanover one more year, then has their schedule set for several more years after Hanover.   Schools occasionally back out of games, some for good reason, but it's not generally good form.   Next year the NCAC goes to a round-robin schedule, finally.  That creates room for only one out-of-conference game each year.  Down the road Wabash and Franklin, who knows.  But not very soon, it appears. 
     I admire Franklin for their scheduling.  Whether doing what they do is ultimately good for them is their decision to make.  To prepare for playoffs?  Early in the season to do that.  To prepare them for their conference season?  Hard to think that's the reason.  To test themselves against the best year in and year out?  Wonderful for the players, school, and program.  Dear recruits:  Come here and play v. some of the best teams in the country.
    Schools don't schedule just because fans want to see them play one another, though we think they should.     

[skunks_sidekick]

Did Russ ever play against Mount?  Knott in 2002 and Burke last year.  Maybe I misunderstood something. 

Nope,  I was just giving Skunks a pass.  At least he had the correct team.



It was Capital in 2005.... you know the Eric Summer pass interference....   14-11 loss

Oh I know what it was..and when it was.  He has had this extreme negative bent against Mount because of what..umm...he didn't do?  Didn't get a chance to do?  Thinks he knows more than anyone on the face of the earth?  His brethren last year indicated as much when we had a few pops before the semifinal.  They tend to look at him as "our knowledgable, former good player, but a-hole friend". 

Of course I am paraphrasing there........   

[smedindy]

Still, doesn't make up for the egregious elitism that no one can be 'good' unless they're super mega elite. A few people's issues with OWU is that their degree of 'good'  may be a stretch because of who they have, or haven't played and their schedule this year is back loaded.

Besides, on a message board, everyone has become a dipwad at one time or another. Pot, meet kettle ya know.

[skunks_sidekick]

Still, doesn't make up for the egregious elitism that no one can be 'good' unless they're super mega elite.

Besides, on a message board, everyone has become a dipwad at one time or another. Pot, meet kettle ya know.

Well gee Smed...you missed the whole point.  BashDad went on and on that OWU's run meant "nothing", because they hadn't played anyone worth mentioning.  I was trying to make a correlation. 

Never mind.......

[bashbrother]

IMO Bash and FC need to find a way play each other every year.

Amen.   2006 & 2007 were both special games.  Let's do it.   With the NCAC round robin next year and for the foreseeable future,  we have one non-conference slot open.  If Franklin would quit trying to win the National Championship in week 1 or 2, there may be something there... (respect)

[Li'l Giant]

SIAP, but I didn't feel like reading through the last 20 pages of Wabash talk to see if it had been, but the Baird Brothers Trophy was featured in a piece on ESPN.  You can watch it here:  Trophy Games.  It comes in around the 2:44 mark...   

This is fantastic. I love that trophy. One of the best. My wife, who lived in Hawaii a bit as a kid had no idea about the name of that fish. Thanks for passing that along.