FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[formerd3db]

ThunderHead:
I agree with you re: Purdue's field at Ross-Ade Stadium.  In its day, that new style "prescripton athletic turf" was a great innovation and served them well.  However, as we've all been discussing here, this new style turf is the way to go.  What is that old cliche'? ..."time marches on" or "you can't stop modern progress"?

sflzman:
That is good news.  With all these new stadiums and scoreboards around the MIAA (including what Kazoo is doing), once again it shows that Hope is going to fall behind in this area as far as their football facilities. Yet as has been discussed, the catch in that situaion is that the City of Holland owns the stadium. Hope already has the "state of the art" for our new soccer/lacrosse stadium (and their baseball/softball stadiums and basketball/volleyball arena), so they need to do this for football.  However, until something gets resolved with the city, we'll be now last in the facilities.  Of course, I am not saying that Holland Municipal Stadium is terrible because it is nice, but outdated.  The main problem is the natural turf as has been discussed and...aside from the fact that Hope needs to own its own football facility IMO.

Anyway, we'll keep updated via you sflzman and the construction cam as well.  Thanks for the info.

[Raider 68]

Yeah no problem. I actually talked to the SID there and from what he says there should be photo updates on the Alma site as the project goes on.....I'll link when I see em or take some of my own....

sflzman,

Thanks for the info, like to see those pics. +k Now if formerd3db can convince his alma mater to doing something
like Alma that would be great! In reality though Holland owing the stadium does pose it limitations!

[sflzman]

With the renovations this summer it will leave Hope with the probably worst facility in the conference - something that they are not used to at all!

I know about Holland owning the field, and we've had this conversation a number of times on the board, but I really think Hope would like to make a move towards doing something with their field situation....

[ThunderHead]

sflzman: Thanks for considering taking the pics. It'd be great to see. If I could K+ you for your willingness I would!  

formerD3db: Interestingly enough I was driving through Holland yesterday and happened to drive by Hopes soccer/lacrosse field. While I couldn't tell if it had visitor bleachers, I will say I was very impressed with what I was able to "glimpse".   I though, why the heck doesn't Hope play football there?

I have no idea what it seats, ect...but I though if Hope could do that for soccer, it could probably do really well in designing a football stadium as well. No offense at all to Old Holland Municipal, but I definitely was not impressed with that place. It's very quaint, but I also though it was very out dated. It would be great if they at least considered updating it.

Anyway - just wanted to pass along props on your soccer/lacrosse facility, very nice.

Go Trine!!!

[sflzman]

Just checked the Alma site, and they have a game scheduled on that open date:

Sep. 24 - Washington and Lee - Lexington, VA - 1 pm

They were 8-3 last year, defeating #19 Hampden Sydney and #20 Randolph Macon during the season...

Their season came to an end at #9 Thomas More in the playoffs first round.....

[ThunderHead]

sflzman,

I just was looking at your website and realized that you guys have a kid named Alex Andrus from Coopersville, MI.

I remember a few MAC college coaching buddies bringing him up a few years in round table discussions, at that time they thought pretty highly of him. Good get for Alma. Have they used him much?

Go Trine!!!

[sflzman]

Well the reason he trasfered in was he wasn't getting enough playing time, but a knee injury sidelined him this past season. Hopefully Andrus should be able to help the stud linebacking crew we have this year....

[ThunderHead]

Ok - I'm gonna go on a bit of a "rant" so bear with me here.

I've been looking at other sections of this board, and can't help but wonder why people go to such great lengths to stand out as fools?

Some people speak on the OSU situation like they have first hand knowledge of things not reported but that "probably took place" - even if there is no evidence what they are reporting is factual in any way. I can't help but think they are pretending to speculate on a situation they know nothing about.

I thought about pointing out just how idiotic they sounded, but alias, my karma has taken enough hits so I though I would show some restrain - and vent here. I'm not an OSU guy, but I love how people with no clue as to how a D1 program works go around speculating like they are long term administrative veterans of D1 athletics.

Anyway, just my thoughts. We will NEVER know all that happened at OSU, but as they say "haters gonna hate", but at least attempt to hate in a way that doesn't make you look like a complete fool. While many of you may disagree on my view points, at least we disagree on factual things for the most part.

Go Trine!!!

[Raider 68]

While I have not looked up the stats, it would interesting to know what are the historical records and awards of the MIAA teams. I know them for the OAC, but am curious for the MIAA?

[ThunderHead]

Fomerd3db: So I got sent to Holland again today, and noticed something I though I would ask you.

It seems like between the basketball arena and the lacrosse stadium there is quite a large section of land that would be perfect for a football stadium. Again, it was just a few passing glimpses, but it looked like there was enough room.

It seems like that would also be perfect because of the ample parking available that is currently used for basketball and soccer/lacrosse.

Has this been kicked around or thought about? Or does the contract with the City of Holland still got a ways to go?

Go Trine!!!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Formerd3db: another option(?) which I raised some months ago - could Hope negotiate with the city that they will pay for the upgrades of the existing stadium in return for an ownership share in the stadium?

[If this was already responded to, my apologies for an elderly (lack of) memory!]

Two stadia, virtually side-by-side, seems kind of silly if the current stadium is solid enough to warrant upgrading (and it 'felt' that way to me when I was there, being largely built into a solid earth bowl).

[sac]

While I have not looked up the stats, it would interesting to know what are the historical records and awards of the MIAA teams. I know them for the OAC, but am curious for the MIAA?

http://miaa.org/fb/

Everything you ever wanted to know about MIAA football.

[ThunderHead]

Mr. Ypsi,

As far as the two stadium idea, I actually think - given the structure of design they have at Hope, that it wouldn't look as bad as it does in other places.

A lot of high schools are going to the "campus" type environment where they have all their stadiums relatively close. IMO if the stadiums are made out of that beautiful new look brick (which hopes basketball and soccer arena are made out of) and the stadiums have a "shell" the stadiums would go together like building structures, as the outside fa-sates match.

Anyway, it was just a thought given the space I saw, and I wondered if they had explored that, or left that large spot "open" for some reason...

While I agree that normally upgrading the current stadium is the way to go, perhaps owning the stadium is worth it for Hope in the long run, compared to renting it from the city. If that's how it is done, I'm not sure.

Go Trine!!!

[sflzman]

Mr. Ypsi,

As far as the two stadium idea, I actually think - given the structure of design they have at Hope, that it wouldn't look as bad as it does in other places.

A lot of high schools are going to the "campus" type environment where they have all their stadiums relatively close. IMO if the stadiums are made out of that beautiful new look brick (which hopes basketball and soccer arena are made out of) and the stadiums have a "shell" the stadiums would go together like building structures, as the outside fa-sates match.

Anyway, it was just a thought given the space I saw, and I wondered if they had explored that, or left that large spot "open" for some reason...

While I agree that normally upgrading the current stadium is the way to go, perhaps owning the stadium is worth it for Hope in the long run, compared to renting it from the city. If that's how it is done, I'm not sure.

Go Trine!!!

I agree with you totally Thunderhead. The soccer field here in Alma is a little off campus (u have to walk up the "rails to trails" path a little bit past the football stadium it ends up being about 4 or 5 blocks) and even with an MIAA Champion girls team, they couldn't draw the numbers they wanted....

[Raider 68]

While I have not looked up the stats, it would interesting to know what are the historical records and awards of the MIAA teams. I know them for the OAC, but am curious for the MIAA?

http://miaa.org/fb/

Everything you ever wanted to know about MIAA football.

sac,

Thanks for the link!