FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[formerd3db]

Thanks for the kind comments, Raider68.  Your own posts are much appreciated, not only for your discussions regarding our MIAA, but you keeping us "in the loop" with regard to the OAC and Mount Union!

BTW, perhaps there might be a possibility of a Hope/Mount Union women's bb playoff game?   I have not perused the brackets for that, so I am not sure what the possibility would be, shoud both keep winning.  Hope's women's team has been playing well again and could be on track for its third NCAA Div. III National Championship title, although, that feat will be very hard IMO.  It is always tough and takes a "little luck" sometimes I believe!   Anyway, we'll see what happens.

[formerd3db]

Mr. Ypsi:

Congrats on your going over the 400 mark for +k!  Thanks for you contributions here on our board - even though you are one of those IWU guys!   I do, however, know what you mean about the IWU/Hope aspect you've been discussing.  For sure, that is a difficult one to figure out - I admit that I don't have any answers for that.

[D306]

Albion will be announcing a $1million+ expansion the the Dow Center, Football Field, and Race.
Artifical Turf to replace the grass, and an upgraded track as well as other upgrades.
This will allow practices, and spring sports to be played on the field as well as host local sporting events as a destination for Summer camps etc...

Good idea in my mind, good for sports, good for recognition to bring more HS and potential students, as well as students athletes to Albion for events.  There should be a formal annoucement and greater details coming this weekend.

Funny great minds think alike , we have discussed numerous times that this would be a positive and that Alumni monies and bonds should be utilized to make the upgrades in the MIAA to keep them competitive.

[Raider 68]

Albion will be announcing a $1million+ expansion the the Dow Center, Football Field, and Race.
Artifical Turf to replace the grass, and an upgraded track as well as other upgrades.
This will allow practices, and spring sports to be played on the field as well as host local sporting events as a destination for Summer camps etc...

Good idea in my mind, good for sports, good for recognition to bring more HS and potential students, as well as students athletes to Albion for events.  There should be a formal annoucement and greater details coming this weekend.

Funny great minds think alike , we have discussed numerous times that this would be a positive and that Alumni monies and bonds should be utilized to make the upgrades in the MIAA to keep them competitive.

That is great news for Albion! Good to see eveyone coming together for the school!

[formerd3db]

D306:

Indeed, that is great news.  Thanks for the info.  As you said, we've had these discussions about upgrades for MIAA football facilities and now with Kazoo and Albion having announced their new plans, they were two of the three of our schools who needed to do that.  This now only leaves Hope as the "Lone Ranger" holdout - and they really need to do something - it is not a good situation IMO as I've talked about many times.  I realize that there are a number of our colleagues here who are still "grass purists" (and that is okay ).  However, as you mentioned, in today's era, and with the tremendously improved new style turfs, it makes sense and really is the best route to go for small colleges and universities (heck, same for DI I guess).  Particularly for Albion, since they are also adding lacrosse for men and women next year (actually, they've had a club lacrosse team for several years until the last 2 years), the new style turf is the right choice.  Plus, then we don't also have to contend with the torn up turf in the middle of the football season when we play there, unlike what we'll still have to see back at Hope's Holland stadium.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see the photos as construction continues.  I assume they will retain the character of the current surroundings, keeping the old athletic concrete fence from the pre-1920's days - but...they need to replace that darn press box with a new, larger expanded one (and...a covered roof on the top deck for the film crews!

[sflzman]

I heard a rumor when we were talking to our turf company about the maroon turf that Albion had contacted them about a purple turf (the third of that color to be installed by this company) and this announcement of the renovations makes the rumor seem even more true

This rumor was one of the reasons our coaches wanted the "sea of maroon" so badly. U can need be behind longtime rival Albion in the recruiting field.

[D306]

sflzman

Looks to be Purple Endzones on the Artists concept drawings

I would not want a 100% purple field, football fields should be green, endzone can be a teams main color ( IMHP )

http://www.albion.edu/sports/football-field-upgrade

[sflzman]

Ok. I see. It looks very nice and similar to the designs for alma which I saw this past week. I will try to get an image version to link, but I don't know when I will be able to..:

[formerd3db]

D306 and sflzman:

I would agree that color endzones are preferrable to the entire field being of a color.  I guess I'm a "traditionalist" and prefer, like you do, that the actual field remain green.

Also, in the article on the Albion website that you linked for us, there is nothing mentioned about any renovations to the press box.  IMO, I think they are making a mistake if they do not upgrade that as well.  It is antiquated, the last "renovations"- actually construction - was when Sprankle-Sprandle was rebuilt in 1976.  The press box needs new windows, needs to be enlarged (certainly there is plenty of room for the latter) and, as I've "pontificated" before, the need for a covered roof of some sort on the very top is long overdue to protect the film crews and/or coaches who are up there from the weather - the wind is dangerous without question, the protective railing pitiful and when wind/rain/sleet/snow occur it is downright nasty up there (believe me, I've experienced it  ).  I would hope the Albion administration would add these aspects to the new plan, however, from what has been put forth of the plan to date, it doesn't look like that will happen.

I am glad, however, that they are keeping the name of the field in honor of the late Morley Fraser - that should never change.


One last question: sflzman, I should remember this, however, I don't recall (...old age ) - is the new turf at Alma being installed this summer and ready for this fall 2011 season?

[sflzman]

Yes the turf will be installed for the upcoming 2011-2012 sports season for football and lacrosse. Soccer, though, will stay off campus...

There are also plans for a complete softball stadium to be built for next season, along with a building with locker rooms for soccer and a clubhouse for baseball at their off campus site.

[Raider 68]

D306,

Nice link of the new Stadium turf at Albion, if they go with that. The end zones look good in Purple!

[sflzman]

So with Albion, Alma, and Kzoo's renovations and re-surfacings everyone but Hope will have good fields, correct?

[D306]

New AD for Albion

Former Oregon State staff associate, is incoming AD for Albion

http://www.albion.edu/sports/athletic-director-announcement

Nice hire

[Raider 68]

So with Albion, Alma, and Kzoo's renovations and re-surfacings everyone but Hope will have good fields, correct?

From what Formerd3db says, it could be awhile for Hope to have an updgrade since they do not own the stadium!

[formerd3db]

sflzman and Raider68:

You are both correct.