FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[woosterbooster]

Please don't anyone take this as a knock on the school, but I've been up to Hiram four or five times, for both baseball games and J.O. volleyball tournaments, and have yet to find the town of Hiram.  All that I've seen is a crossroads with a traffic signal and one ancient mom & pop convenience store.  There is no there there.  The area has more the feel of being in 1776 Montana than 2006 Ohio. 

If an athlete, or any student, was looking for a school that would offer the opportunity for a little nearby fun on weekends, it would have to be one of their last choices.  Hiram makes Gambier look like a thriving metropolis.  It just doesn't seem like recruiting would be an easy chore up that way.

[WallyFS4]

I was getting ready to make the same comments.  It would be very hard to recruit to Hiram, even if you were giving full ride academic scholarships.  It's a nice campus, but there is nothing else there.  Don't know the surrounding area that well, but if I am correct the nearest small town is 15-20 minutes a way.  It is in the middle of nowhere.  I think they do very well with what they have to offer.  At least they don't skirt anyone.  As always.

WABASH ALWAYS FIGHTS!

[aueagle]

Hiram is in the middle of NOTHING! Those that need to party at the bars, go to Kent-and swill beer with the Golden Flashes. The drive is less than 20 minutes.

[nike]

I have been to Hiram several times. Not a bad place.  I think it usually comes down to the coach. Get someone in who has a burning desire and give him time. We have seen people in this conference turn losers into winners.
But I must admit Hiram is going to take a heck of a guy to turn that program around.

[smedindy]

But I think they're happy with the NCAC, because once in a while they can get a Denison, Kenyon, Oberlin or Earlham in some sport or another.

Their hoops program seemed on an uptick last year with a bunch of freshmen. Who knows?

[woosterbooster]

Seems to me they ought to be able to pick up a dozen or so wins a year across the various sports via forfeit, with the visiting team getting lost on the way and ending up in Youngstown or Alliance.  With all that wooded area surrounding the campus, you'd think they ought to at least be the DIII paintball and orienteering champions.  Or logging.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Seems to me they ought to be able to pick up a dozen or so wins a year across the various sports via forfeit, with the visiting team getting lost on the way and ending up in Youngstown or Alliance.  With all that wooded area surrounding the campus, you'd think they ought to at least be the DIII paintball and orienteering champions.  Or logging.

WooBoo, +k!

Their secret weapon - camo the campus!  If the other team can't find you, you win all your home games.  Brilliant!

[nike]

Hiram actually has been doing a lot of construction on campus. And I have been reading good things about the school over the years. Maybe if they get their enrollment up they will get more players.
Plus I hope they get a dynamic coach that can convince kids that Hiram can win.  As I have stated before, Wooster went almost twenty years with only two winning seasons, if my memory serves me.  Then Barnes came and they started to win.

[Li'l Giant]

Maybe if they get their enrollment up they will get more players.

I don't remember who it was but one Hiram alumnus in our previous dicussion said the college's charter capped their enrollment. So, I can't imagine that will happen.

I don't think numbers is the problem. They had an 80 man roster this year.

[usee]

What are your bracket picks for the Mount Union bracket?

I see no hope for Hope ... it will be MU in a slaughter.
Wheaton will win out over Mt. St. Joseph by a goodly margin (not as big as MU but almost)
Concordia over North Central in a close game
Capital will put one on Witt (Note:  the end of season rankings by Pat and the boys lists Wabash as an also ran but does not list Witt)
St. John Fisher cruises over Union
Springfield's margin of win is like that of Wheaton

Love to have Witt win ... but just do not believe it is in the cards.  Discussion?

For the first time in quite some time I think the North region might be the weakest region overall, despite the fact that the tournament favorite resides here.  My quickie take on the North Region:

Mount should cruise to the regional final dispatching Hope with little trouble and then overwhelming Wheaton in the semifinal.  Capital is simply too strong for Witt's one-dimensional offense.  I like NCC to win the rematch over Concordia (Concordia caught NCC with the 2nd game vs. 1st game advantage which I tend to think is huge).  They will have no such advantage this time around.  Then I like Cap over NCC in a rematch of last year's first round game (which was a classic by the way) which sets up a rematch of last year's North Region final...which I pick MUC to win because picking against Mount Union is just plain silly. 

I think the east is by far the weakest region. I actually don't think the top half of the north is much different than last years. this is a north central team that is better than last years version who lost to cap in the final seconds (same as the bash) and this wheaton team is the best team we will send to the playoffs yet (better than the 2002 team that lost at muc 42-21 and significantly better than the team that lost 27-6 to muc). Cap is obviously quite strong. I think north central will beat concordia by at least 10 points or more. and all the other top seeds will hold form.

[frank uible]

The Browns at one time located their summer camp at Hiram. Undoubtedly Paul Brown believed the spot would tend to keep his players separate from unfavorable influences.

[wittdaone]

Just like the Bengals used to have their training camp in Wilmington.

[bashbrother]

I think it usually comes down to the coach. Get someone in who has a burning desire and give him time. We have seen people in this conference turn losers into winners.
But I must admit Hiram is going to take a heck of a guy to turn that program around.

Depauw is due for a coaching change, maybe Hiram should send a team to Greendingle, they may not have to wait for long and they will get a coach that can adequately manage things.

[chris.futscher]

I really don't buy that middle of nowhere aurgument.  Where is C'ville?  Forty minutes from Indy, Thirty minutes from Purdue, An hour + from Bloomington?  Aside from Tommy's and the touch, what does the town offer the average college kid?

If Hiram has a critical mass of students that are aleast somewhat socially inclined, recruiting should not be more of a problem than at other small college towns-->rest of the NCAC.

[smedindy]

Hey, we have a Steak N Shake now here bucko! We're living high on the hog! And the Creekside is a good place to have a few, too.