FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[D3_DPUFan]

The "win at least 50%" reminds me of one of the reasons given by the IHSAA when they went to class basketball in Indiana.  "We want to have more winners."
Since most of the IHSAA board are high school principals and superintendents I have never understood why they did not adopt the policy with academics.  Such as having valedictorians and salutatorians for each grade point level, 4 points, 3 points, 2 points ...

Sad...but very true! 

[wabco]

All interesting about Earlham, but in the "watching a train wreck" mode.

My preference ... get about it and get out.  Lets get a good academic school in here who understands NCAC, understands and upholds what the undergrad and student athlete should receive in the way of Div III support,  and which does not go 0 for the world athletically.  It is not fair to the Earlham athletes what the school has done for them in the way of son-support ... starting largely at the top with the almost daily tirade of academics are incompatable wqith decent athletics.  

As to the althletes abandoned by Brother Bennet and his ilk ... I say ... come on down to the other conference teams ... academics are fine and you will be respected.

As to DePauw ... I hope this is an opportunity ... I can't imagine a higher pressure game than Wabash/DePauw, last game of the year, facing each other for the umpteenth time before 12,000, conference championship, playoff birth.  Great for the conference.  The three Ws, an A, OWU and Dannies.  Then there are the puppies coming on.  Better geographic balance and better impact on budget, no falloff from commitment to academics, great probability of rivalries ... suspect DePauw will soon tumble to a Witt rivalry as well.

[cave2bens]

Concur with other thoughts expressed regarding possibility of Earlham moving along to the HCAC.  Fiscally, it may be a responsible move due to reduced travel expenses and existing rivalries, but the thought of rising to a middle of the packer from benthic scavenger in most athletic endeavors is probably a pipe dream.  Dating back to the late 1960s (spare me the standard "if you remember the Sixties" joke  ," don't recall any stalwart, team prowess on the playing fields at Richmond though there have been some darned fine individual athletes.  8)

One sure positive - Earlham in the HCAC will raise the conference academic and endowment averages, taking some of that pressure off Hanover, Transy, and RHIT even as the bullies from MSJ, Franklin, and DC molest them on the gridiron. 

All interesting about Earlham, but in the "watching a train wreck" mode.
 

As to the athletes abandoned by Brother Bennett and his ilk ... I say ... come on down to the other conference teams ... academics are fine and you will be respected.

Maybe this will cheer the Quakers up - http://www.hulu.com/watch/68615/family-guy-bag-of-weed

[seinfeld]

Got some more info surrounding Earlham, via the NCAC office itself. For sure Earlham is considering leaving, and barring something unusual happening, they are gone starting in 2010-11. The schools in consideration APPARENTLY (my emphasis) are DePauw, Wash & Jeff, Centre and John Carroll. A couple of these schools have apparently contacted the NCAC already. JCU has to be one of them, since they would be the only school, either in the NCAC now or considering joining, that isn't Phi Beta Kappa. I'd be stunned if the NCAC pursued a school that wasn't Phi Beta Kappa.

Centre is a nice fit academically and athletically, but their location would be a significant problem.

Now, DePauw makes the most sense for many reasons, but the word I got is that they may not necessarily even be the frontrunner. Part of this is that they seem to be committed to staying in the SCAC for a couple of more years. Maybe they are just taking this stance so in case they don't make the move to the NCAC, they don't ruffle feathers in their only conference. If they are hesitant about making move, that is a big mistake. I'd be surprised if the SCAC existed in its present form in five years. The fact that Centre is looking at the NCAC says other members of the SCAC are looking to get out. And why wouldn't they, with all that travel. If DePauw doesn't jump on this, I think they are going to regret it.

If not them, then Wash & Jeff is the next best choice. Solid academic school who is pretty well rounded athletically. Would certainly boost the conference in football, and they have solid basketball and baseball programs. Don't know too much else about them. Being close to a major city (Pittsburgh) is a small plus, and I'm sure Allegheny would appreciate a school closer to them.

[Joe Wally]

Would be tremendous to have DPU in the NCAC.  In addition to the reasons outlined by Wabco, would this free up another non-conference date to further enhance strength of schedule?

[wally_wabash]

Investigative reporting at its finest, seinfeld.  That's a karmalicious post. 

My initial thought on this potential list of candidates is that DPU clearly makes the most sense.  As pointed out, JCU doesn't have a PBK which seems like a dealbreaker.  Additionally, they're already in a league that makes sense for them.  W&J is similar in that they're in a league that makes sense.  That leaves DPU and Centre.  Centre is kind of in no man's land...a little too far south to fit well with northern leagues, a little too far west to fit well with mid-atlantic leagues, and a little too far north to fit very well with southern leagues, but the southern leagues are spread out by necessity anyway.  DPU on the other hand, is in a league that makes no sense.  It didn't make sense when they went south in 1998 and it's made even less sense since RHIT moved back into the north. 

Now if DPU is saying that they want to stay in the SCAC for a couple of more years, then it would seem pretty clear that they want out eventually.  But the fact is that there very well may be a window of opportunity coming sooner than that and if they pass on that, they may be stuck in the SCAC for much, much longer than another couple of years.  This would seem like a golden opportunity for them to get back into a geographically sensible league and also get affiliated with a set of institutions that are very much like themselves.  DePauw seems to make the most sense for all parties here.  At least from my point of view...which is admittedly a bit biased here because I really, really want DPU back in the same league as Wabash. 

This is good stuff.  Who said the offseason is boring? 

[Ralph Turner]

Investigative reporting at its finest, seinfeld.  That's a karmalicious post. 

My initial thought on this potential list of candidates is that DPU clearly makes the most sense.  As pointed out, JCU doesn't have a PBK which seems like a dealbreaker.  Additionally, they're already in a league that makes sense for them.  W&J is similar in that they're in a league that makes sense.  That leaves DPU and Centre.  Centre is kind of in no man's land...a little too far south to fit well with northern leagues, a little too far west to fit well with mid-atlantic leagues, and a little too far north to fit very well with southern leagues, but the southern leagues are spread out by necessity anyway.  DPU on the other hand, is in a league that makes no sense.  It didn't make sense when they went south in 1998 and it's made even less sense since RHIT moved back into the north. 

Now if DPU is saying that they want to stay in the SCAC for a couple of more years, then it would seem pretty clear that they want out eventually.  But the fact is that there very well may be a window of opportunity coming sooner than that and if they pass on that, they may be stuck in the SCAC for much, much longer than another couple of years.  This would seem like a golden opportunity for them to get back into a geographically sensible league and also get affiliated with a set of institutions that are very much like themselves.  DePauw seems to make the most sense for all parties here.  At least from my point of view...which is admittedly a bit biased here because I really, really want DPU back in the same league as Wabash. 

This is good stuff.  Who said the offseason is boring? 

BSC is 2 years away from full status in the NCAA.

If Berry College GA is coming into the NCAA in the provisional class of 2009-10, then they need 2 years before their game count as in-region.  They are rumored to have talked with the SCAC.

How long can Oglethorpe continue to run with the big boys?

We hear nothing about Centenary College (Shreveport, Louisiana).  They are a member of the Associated Colleges of the South.

www.colleges.org

They have had trouble with graduation rates in baseball and basketball.

Do they leave the horrible travel issues in the Summit League and move to D-III?

[LGHistorian]

This is purely for lack of knowledge of the timeline it takes to establish a PBK chapter but is there a scenario where the NCAC might admit a new member with the agreement that one would be established.  To me, it is not like there can't ever be another college to have a chapter.  Colleges are establishing these every year.  Also the NCAC is proud that its member schools have PBK but I don't really see in the way the conference is described on its home page that chapters are part of the conference membership rules.

I know I am comparing apples and oranges for this next part.  I remember several years back where the sentiment was that there was no way the NCAC would admit an all-male school to a conference pioneering the cause for equality of men's and women's athletics.

I will allow those who are more knowledgeable than me to explain the actual established criteria for NCAC membership and when enough holes are shot into my post please give it a decent burial.

[Joe Wally]

Found the following on the Fox News site out of South Bend:

Plymouth's Austin Hodges has verbally committed to play football at Wabash College. The running back will sign this weekend . Hodges is a 3 sport athlete who played Football and Basketball and is now in Track. He has an 11.6 GPA to go with his athletic honors.

Anyone know anything about this kid?

[seinfeld]

That's an Einstein like GPA. Quick glance looks like he is a small but fast runner. Was honorable mention all-state in 4A, whatever that is. Good track runner as well.

As for the Phi Beta Kappa rule, I don't know if it is exactly a rule. I can't even remember when I first learned about it being a criteria for the NCAC, but I'm pretty sure it is, even if it is unwritten. It is an easy litmus test for schools from a President's standpoint. No Phi Beta Kappa, no entry. Phi Beta Kappa, got a shot. There are enough schools around that are Phi Beta Kappa that I think the NCAC can stick with this criteria.

I also hold out hope that one day Case will come back to the NCAC. Traveling in the UAA has to be a killer. I'm sure the NCAC would love to have a school that is right in Cleveland (where the NCAC offices are) back, especially one that is as strong academically and well-rounded athletically. Heck, they are already basically in the NCAC in football, and I know Wooster plays them in just about every sport.

[D3_DPUFan]

Found the following on the Fox News site out of South Bend:

Plymouth's Austin Hodges has verbally committed to play football at Wabash College. The running back will sign this weekend . Hodges is a 3 sport athlete who played Football and Basketball and is now in Track. He has an 11.6 GPA to go with his athletic honors.

Anyone know anything about this kid?

All I know is that is one interesting GPA!

[wally_wabash]

11.6?  Maybe it's different now, but when I was in high school, you would have needed help from Matthew Broderick in Wargames to get a GPA like that.  

[D3_DPUFan]

11.6?  Maybe it's different now, but when I was in high school, you would have needed help from Matthew Broderick in Wargames to get a GPA like that. 

Ha! For me, 11.6 would be the sum of each of my four years' GPA...on the high side...

[batman]

It is on a  12.0 scale

[Joe Wally]

It is on a  12.0 scale

Reminds me of the scene from Spinal Tap.

I can imagine the principal at Plymouth High School explaining to a prospective student "Ours goes to twelve"