FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[BashDad]

Good stuff by R Tipps: http://d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/index

I would love it if Wabash replaced HSC on the schedule with UW-Osh Kosh.

[wabashcpa]

Or Wesley - that would be a great challenge and measuring stick game.  I think that is the kind of game a program trying to reach elite status has to consider.

[BashDad]

Agreed.

[jknezek]

Teams had years to get on Wesley's schedule. They begged for it. Now they only have one OOC it's going to be a lot harder. I too would like to see that game, however.

[wally_wabash]

Or Wesley - that would be a great challenge and measuring stick game.  I think that is the kind of game a program trying to reach elite status has to consider.

Speaking practically, I think this isn't happening because it's a budgetary beast.  The Gentlemen's Classic was cool and I'm glad that we did it, but I think we have to realize that it was a novelty.  Wabash isn't going to take an anybody-anyplace approach to scheduling that non-league game as much as people would love to see it.  I don't have an exact count, but there are a TON of schools to partner with inside of a 5-6 hour bus trip radius (and not all of them are Hanover).  I'd expect future non-conference partners to live within that circle with an occasional excursion outside of the bus-able area (say, once very 6-8 years). 

Speaking hypothetically with an eye on tournament invitation- there still just isn't the evidence that playing Wesley and maybe losing is worth the risk.  I don't know if Wabash would lose to Wesley and I'm not saying that I think they would necessarily- but that's definitely on the table.  The overwhelming evidence -still- says that if you're swimming in Pool C, you prefer 9 wins instead of 8 wins.  This is a thing that needs tweaked in the selection criteria, but there it is.  I think you have to play your hand according to what the rules are instead of what they should be.  I'm REALLY hoping that North Central loses to Wesley and to Wheaton.  Not because I take any great pleasure in seeing North Central lose (I'm officially indifferent), but I want to see how this case plays out.  It did not work out well for Thomas More just last year.  I suspect it won't work out well for North Central either, but I do want to see it play out and see if the result is different. 

[BashDad]

Play for national championships, not for pool c invitations.

[wally_wabash]

Play for national championships, not for pool c invitations.

I definitely understand the sentiment, but you can't play for a championship if you're not in the tournament.  It's a tricky path to navigate and because basically all of the D3 championships in the last 20 years have been won by just two teams, there's not really a blueprint or any evidence of what actually works to get to that point.  Mount Union doesn't play anybody in their non-league game.  UWW can't find anybody to play.  Teams that have jumped in to play those two specifically haven't gotten any better (from a getting-closer-to-a-championship sense) as a result.  I'd rather Wabash play Wesley and Mount Union in November and December than in September. 

[bashbrother]

Play for national championships, not for pool c invitations.

I definitely understand the sentiment, but you can't play for a championship if you're not in the tournament. 

Beat Witt!

[BashDad]

If you lose two games in the first ten, against anybody, you're not gonna play for or win the national championship. It's irrelevant. The reward for playing a challenging team in the regular season far outweighs the risk.

[USee]

Or Wesley - that would be a great challenge and measuring stick game.  I think that is the kind of game a program trying to reach elite status has to consider.

Speaking practically, I think this isn't happening because it's a budgetary beast.  The Gentlemen's Classic was cool and I'm glad that we did it, but I think we have to realize that it was a novelty.  Wabash isn't going to take an anybody-anyplace approach to scheduling that non-league game as much as people would love to see it.  I don't have an exact count, but there are a TON of schools to partner with inside of a 5-6 hour bus trip radius (and not all of them are Hanover).  I'd expect future non-conference partners to live within that circle with an occasional excursion outside of the bus-able area (say, once very 6-8 years). 

Speaking hypothetically with an eye on tournament invitation- there still just isn't the evidence that playing Wesley and maybe losing is worth the risk.  I don't know if Wabash would lose to Wesley and I'm not saying that I think they would necessarily- but that's definitely on the table.  The overwhelming evidence -still- says that if you're swimming in Pool C, you prefer 9 wins instead of 8 wins.  This is a thing that needs tweaked in the selection criteria, but there it is.  I think you have to play your hand according to what the rules are instead of what they should be.  I'm REALLY hoping that North Central loses to Wesley and to Wheaton.  Not because I take any great pleasure in seeing North Central lose (I'm officially indifferent), but I want to see how this case plays out.  It did not work out well for Thomas More just last year.  I suspect it won't work out well for North Central either, but I do want to see it play out and see if the result is different.

How about Wesley, Wheaton and Platteville. That's on the table too.

[USee]

Play for national championships, not for pool c invitations.

I definitely understand the sentiment, but you can't play for a championship if you're not in the tournament.  It's a tricky path to navigate and because basically all of the D3 championships in the last 20 years have been won by just two teams, there's not really a blueprint or any evidence of what actually works to get to that point.  Mount Union doesn't play anybody in their non-league game.  UWW can't find anybody to play.  Teams that have jumped in to play those two specifically haven't gotten any better (from a getting-closer-to-a-championship sense) as a result.  I'd rather Wabash play Wesley and Mount Union in November and December than in September.

100% agree. Teams like to beat their chest (yes I am referring to NCC fans) about playing tough competition but you play tough competition in November and December. Playing them in September gets you a seat on the couch more times than not. (see NCC 2014)

[USee]

If you lose two games in the first ten, against anybody, you're not gonna play for or win the national championship. It's irrelevant. The reward for playing a challenging team in the regular season far outweighs the risk.

This has certainly been the pattern in a top heavy, purple colored D3 landscape. But look anywhere else and you can see underdogs and wildcards playing and winning national championships. As D3 improves and we move closer to parity among the top 25 you will absolutely see Pool C play for a title. Ask the SF Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, Butler Bulldogs....Ask Ohio State for goodness sakes. They didn't lose 2, but they almost weren't in the playoff last year. Last team in won. It happens and it will happen in D3 IMO.

[BashDad]

Parity at that scale ain't never happening in D3.

[badgerwarhawk]

Parity at that scale ain't never happening in D3.

Agreed

[bashbrother]

Parity at that scale ain't never happening in D3.

Agreed

I love parity,  but we simply are not seeing it translate as much in Division III.....(at least in the past 15-16 years.  When other NCAA Divisions have seen more of it.   

The Case:

- Either UWW or Mount have won the last 13 of 15 Championships.
-  Linfield 2004  (Currently #3)  & St. Johns - 2003 (Currently #8) are the only other teams to win it all during that time.
-  Perennial Top 5 Div III Teams such as MHB, Wesley have not won it.
-  In the 15 Championship games prior to the year 2000,  there were nine (9) different schools that claimed the D3 Title.

While you can never say never and I believe teams should strive to accomplish it each and every year,  parity is extremely tough with all of the factors in play at the Division III level.  Sure,  a team can put together a special class or a few exceptional athletes (Like All-Timers) ...  Like St. Johns and Linfield did years ago and break through..... but as the numbers prove.... it is very tough.

I hope I am wrong... parity is much more fun to watch.