FB: Centennial Conference

[69mule]

Bubdad,

You aint't gonna believe this.  Our third dog is a rescued Catahoula.  A girl named Mattie - the friendliest dog you ever met.    Now that's a small world, eh?

[BubDad]

GoHop,

I think all your observations are dead on. Personally I would like to see someone else "step up" but as anyone can see by my pick'ems I like underdogs, favored teams bore me. Since your a Hopkins guy I can't help bringing up something that is sticking in the craw in Selinsgrove this year. The word is that JHU was less than thrilled about playing the Crusaders in Selinsgrove for Homecoming based on SU's success last year. That led to hard negotiations and a 4pm start time so the game would not be played under the lights as well. If true it's a shame as it turns out that the crusaders aren't much of a threat this year and Susquehanna has a beautiful stadium for night games.

[BubDad]

Bubdad,

You aint't gonna believe this.  Our third dog is a rescued Catahoula.  A girl named Mattie - the friendliest dog you ever met.    Now that's a small world, eh?

That's awesome! As I said I love the breed. My two girls are the most natural hunters I've ever seen. They can run and hunt in the woods and return to the exact spot they were released every time guaranteed. They stay on the property and love they're house and people. If you dont work them they will go nuts though, as I'm getting older I may need a mellower breed.

[ccfan27]

Bubdad,

I'll agree Susquehanna has a beautiful stadium for night games, just don't schedule them for a Thursday night in August! Moravian opened the season there a few years ago on a Thursday night and kickoff didn't happen until after 9 p.m. due to some T-Storms.

I'd have to say that Hopkins motivation for not playing a night kickoff would probably be travel time after the game. If they played a 7 o'clock game by the time everything was wrapped up, the kids showered, and got something to eat it would leave them around 11 o'clock or later with the entire trip to Baltimore still ahead of them. While I like the idea of Night games, I think the travel after the game for many of the CC contests makes it more of a hassle on the players and coaches than the atmosphere warrants. I doubt their unwillingness had anything to do with how Susquehanna played last year on Homecoming. 

[BubDad]

CC,

I love a good debate, so with respect here's my response.
Honestly playing football every week  at 1pm saturday feels like we're all still in high school somewhere where they can't afford lights or are not really into football. Thunderstorms? I say play on this is football! College students that can't stay up late on a Saturday Night? I'm going to have a difficult time accepting that unless the argument is they'll miss the best parties of the week. Though it's a moot point now, I'm sure any coach would be unhappy looking at the schedule to find he is playing a defending league champ on their field for homecoming and under the lights.

[Pat Coleman]

Lightning is serious business and it's right of the NCAA to enforce a mandatory delay when there is lightning in the area.

[BubDad]

Lightning is serious business and it's right of the NCAA to enforce a mandatory delay when there is lightning in the area.

Pat,

It was a joke, I'm painfully aware of lighting rules and delays having coached youth sports for thirty years. Your getting a little stodgy in your advancing years. I do believe a little metal bleacher time for NCAA leadership during a lightning storm could only improve their decision making.

That's a joke too 

[ccfan27]

CC,

I love a good debate, so with respect here's my response.
Honestly playing football every week  at 1pm saturday feels like we're all still in high school somewhere where they can't afford lights or are not really into football. Thunderstorms? I say play on this is football! College students that can't stay up late on a Saturday Night? I'm going to have a difficult time accepting that unless the argument is they'll miss the best parties of the week. Though it's a moot point now, I'm sure any coach would be unhappy looking at the schedule to find he is playing a defending league champ on their field for homecoming and under the lights.

A few of my opinions, and as you said, I too enjoy a respectful debate:

I'm sure the reason players wouldn't want to play a late game may have to do with the partying, but my guess is it would more likely be the coaches that would not be in favor. Sundays for a college coaching staff are quite long days as it is and add to that getting home at possibly 2 or 3 A.M. and you can see why coaches would shy away from these night games with 2+ hours of travel time after the game. Division 3 coaching staffs aren't filled with tons of GA's that are devoted to film breakdown and film exchange. Most of the time any GA's on the coaching staff coach their own position and that gives them the burden of breaking down the film then analyzing it as well. Sundays often include film exchange with next weeks oppenent (which usually requires a halfway meeting point), grading the film of your own team from Saturday's game, and starting to implement your game plan for the following week. I would bet most D3 coaching staffs put close to 10 hours in on sundays, so getting home at 2 a.m. after a long day of travel and a game and turning around to put in another long day in the office probably isn't real enticing to a coach. I don't think it matters if they are playing a defending conference champ on their homecoming, or if its a game against an 0-10 team from the year before. The logistics of the whole event produce more negatives than the benefit of the great atmosphere.

Late games also make it inconvenient for parents of the players as well. Imagine your kid chose to go to school 2 hours away and they played their home games at 7 p.m., wouldn't that be inconvenient to make that drive home 5 saturdays in the fall getting home after midnight. I'm sure if this was the case parents certainly would make the trip to see their child play but couldn't it be much more convenient with a 1 o'clock kickoff and home by 7 p.m.?

As for it feeling like a high school game when it is played at 1 p.m. on a saturday, I'd have to disagree there too. I played 99% of my high school games at night and came to enjoy the saturday afternoon atmosphere during my college playing days. There was nothing like the feeling of walking up to the field on a cool fall afternoon to see the stands filled and the band playing. By the time I was an upper classmen, playing a night game, felt very "high school."

[GoHop]

Personally, I enjoy a 1:oo game more. It gives time for a tailgate before the game and for the players to join the tailgate after the game as well(hopkins has some good tailgates). Also, I like watching a game in daylight better. However, I think the travel time for the visiting team is the biggest factor.

[Pat Coleman]

Lightning is serious business and it's right of the NCAA to enforce a mandatory delay when there is lightning in the area.

Pat,

It was a joke, I'm painfully aware of lighting rules and delays having coached youth sports for thirty years. Your getting a little stodgy in your advancing years. I do believe a little metal bleacher time for NCAA leadership during a lightning storm could only improve their decision making.

That's a joke too 

Ahh, alright. Throw a  on the other joke and I would have gotten it too.

[BubDad]

Solid arguments guys,
I actually put this question to a number of coaches during the recruiting process and many made the same points. Quite a few also said they would like to have night games at least occasionally and enjoy playing under the lights very much. The original point still stands, one team wanted 7pm, one wanted 1pm, so we got 4pm because no one would give in. Should have tossed a coin or arm wrestled for it, compromise seems so unfootball like.

[BubDad]

Lightning is serious business and it's right of the NCAA to enforce a mandatory delay when there is lightning in the area.

Pat,

It was a joke, I'm painfully aware of lighting rules and delays having coached youth sports for thirty years. Your getting a little stodgy in your advancing years. I do believe a little metal bleacher time for NCAA leadership during a lightning storm could only improve their decision making.

That's a joke too 

Ahh, alright. Throw a  on the other joke and I would have gotten it too.

Some things don't come thru well in black and white. It was meant as a sarcastic response to the idea that lighting delays could be a criteria for setting game start times. Lighting happens but it's hard to plan for well in advance.
It's good to see your still slumming on the boards here. The new site is great.

[ccfan27]

Solid arguments guys,
I actually put this question to a number of coaches during the recruiting process and many made the same points. Quite a few also said they would like to have night games at least occasionally and enjoy playing under the lights very much. The original point still stands, one team wanted 7pm, one wanted 1pm, so we got 4pm because no one would give in. Should have tossed a coin or arm wrestled for it, compromise seems so unfootball like.

I wouldn't mind a night game occasionally myself but I think the logistics need to be right...for example Moravian and Muhlenberg easily could make their game a night game (only at Muhlenberg as of now because they have lights) if they wanted due to the 15 minute travel time.

Either way, the debate was fun throughout the week and enjoy the football this weekend.

[TheGrove]

Bubdad,

I'll agree Susquehanna has a beautiful stadium for night games, just don't schedule them for a Thursday night in August! Moravian opened the season there a few years ago on a Thursday night and kickoff didn't happen until after 9 p.m. due to some T-Storms.  

Ugh, don't remind me... that was a looooooooooooooooooong night!

But for the record - there was a lightning delay in the opener between the two in Selinsgrove the year before, and that was a day game!

No offense to you Moravian folks, but I've been through some of the worst weather when we play the Greyhounds... two lightning delays and two hurricanes! yick.

[ccfan27]

Bubdad,

I'll agree Susquehanna has a beautiful stadium for night games, just don't schedule them for a Thursday night in August! Moravian opened the season there a few years ago on a Thursday night and kickoff didn't happen until after 9 p.m. due to some T-Storms.   

Ugh, don't remind me... that was a looooooooooooooooooong night!

But for the record - there was a lightning delay in the opener between the two in Selinsgrove the year before, and that was a day game!

No offense to you Moravian folks, but I've been through some of the worst weather when we play the Greyhounds... two lightning delays and two hurricanes! yick.

And unfortunately for SU folk, at least 3 losses in those occurrences