FB: Conference of New England

[Pat Coleman]

But if it gets you the opportunity to keep the automatic bid ...

[jackson5]

But if it gets you the opportunity to keep the automatic bid ...

Understood, I'd just assume they'd go for a Becker  or Anna Maria or even Norwich or Castleton before they did DC

[d3fan142511]

Norwich is already joining the NEWMAC....I think this CCC conference will go after Becker or Mount Ida (better football tradition then Becker)

[Pat Coleman]

Why would those teams want to join a tougher football league when they're in a conference with an automatic bid where they're already competitive?

[NED3Guy]

Huge benefits to Becker to become an all in member of the CCC as their current affiliation (for the majority of their sports) does not have an AQ in as many sports as the CCC.

No reason to jump from the ECFC just to become an affiliate in the CCC, but if the CCC offered them an all in, it makes tons of sence.

[jackson5]

Norwich is already joining the NEWMAC....I think this CCC conference will go after Becker or Mount Ida (better football tradition then Becker)

I assume that Catholic was called before last month when the Norwich to NEW MAC deal was announced.

Pat, while I understand its probably better to be in worst conferences since there's essentially no at larges in D-3, but usually teams want to be in better conferences.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Norwich is already joining the NEWMAC....I think this CCC conference will go after Becker or Mount Ida (better football tradition then Becker)

I assume that Catholic was called before last month when the Norwich to NEW MAC deal was announced.

Pat, while I understand its probably better to be in worst conferences since there's essentially no at larges in D-3, but usually teams want to be in better conferences.

For administrators, being in a more prestigious conference academically is almost certainly a plus.  (And I have no clue as to the academic prestige of the conferences being discussed.)  But being in a conference where athletically you have a far better shot at the postseason rather than one which is more challenging - hmmm...that might make a good discussion question.  I suspect the answers would vary greatly.

[jackson5]

Norwich is already joining the NEWMAC....I think this CCC conference will go after Becker or Mount Ida (better football tradition then Becker)

I assume that Catholic was called before last month when the Norwich to NEW MAC deal was announced.

Pat, while I understand its probably better to be in worst conferences since there's essentially no at larges in D-3, but usually teams want to be in better conferences.

For administrators, being in a more prestigious conference academically is almost certainly a plus.  (And I have no clue as to the academic prestige of the conferences being discussed.)  But being in a conference where athletically you have a far better shot at the postseason rather than one which is more challenging - hmmm...that might make a good discussion question.  I suspect the answers would vary greatly.

In sports like baseball, basketball and soccer where you have a shot at still getting to the NCAA's as a 2nd or 3rd place team, the obvious answer is best conference possible. For football where we're only a few more splits away from their being zero at large bids left, it's more complicated. The pride part of you says go up against the best, but teams like RPI, Springfield, Alfred would all be looking at multiple NCAA appearances if they spent the last decade in the  NEFC or ECFC.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Norwich is already joining the NEWMAC....I think this CCC conference will go after Becker or Mount Ida (better football tradition then Becker)

I assume that Catholic was called before last month when the Norwich to NEW MAC deal was announced.

Pat, while I understand its probably better to be in worst conferences since there's essentially no at larges in D-3, but usually teams want to be in better conferences.

For administrators, being in a more prestigious conference academically is almost certainly a plus.  (And I have no clue as to the academic prestige of the conferences being discussed.)  But being in a conference where athletically you have a far better shot at the postseason rather than one which is more challenging - hmmm...that might make a good discussion question.  I suspect the answers would vary greatly.

In sports like baseball, basketball and soccer where you have a shot at still getting to the NCAA's as a 2nd or 3rd place team, the obvious answer is best conference possible. For football where we're only a few more splits away from their being zero at large bids left, it's more complicated. The pride part of you says go up against the best, but teams like RPI, Springfield, Alfred would all be looking at multiple NCAA appearances if they spent the last decade in the  NEFC or ECFC.

But don't forget that the ultimate decisions are being made by people who may or may not give a damn about athletics.  And that's just the administrators. 

The faculty (I spent my career at a low-level D1 school) has a mix of 'jock-sniffers' who give breaks out the wazoo to athletes, 'dumb-jock haters' who won't make ANY allowances for athletic commitments, no matter how much the advanced warning, and the (hopefully) majority who treat athletes individually and fairly.

If either administrators (short term) or faculty (who usually win in the long term) get too out-of-whack, athletics can go down the tubes.  They will either start going 1-9, 0-10, or get put on probation.  Successful programs have both supportive administrators AND faculty.  (And, of course, it doesn't hurt to have supportive alumni and community members!)

[d3fan142511]

Pat-Why would Norwich leave the ECFC then? They and Mount Ida have been the best team overall since the ECFC has been around. Not one losing conference record.

Makes all sense for Mount Ida and Becker to join the CCC...Better Overall conference/ cuts down on travel and the amount of overnights and beside for WNEC and Salve there arent really world beaters in that conference. Curry Nichols and UNE? Common Mount Ida and Becker would be competing with them.

[Pat Coleman]

Pat-Why would Norwich leave the ECFC then? They and Mount Ida have been the best team overall since the ECFC has been around. Not one losing conference record.

Norwich has some old rivalries in the new league -- it's got a bit of a Freedom Football Conference flavor, doesn't it?

On the flip side, why would Coast Guard leave the Liberty League? Why would Western Connecticut leave the NJAC?

[d3fan142511]

it works both ways really is not that far fetched of an idea for either of them to leave. Only time will tell

[NED3Guy]

Norwich had been looking for ways to reconnect with their old pals Coast Guard and Merchant Marine for years. The tradition of those games is the D3 equivalent of Army / Navy / Air Force games. Huge for alums, huge for recruiting purposes (beyond athletics). Being associated with the two federal academies (Coast Guard and Kings Point) is a HUGE deal for the Norwich administration.

Side note: Norwich has been playing football longer than the other EFCF teams have combined! That's crazy when you think about it. Easy to see why Norwich would move on, both from a football standpoint, but more importantly from an institutional standpoint.

[Pat Coleman]

Remember too that Norwich might be stepping up in football competition now, but they left the Empire 8 for the ECFC after a four-year span in which they went 1-23 in Empire 8 play.

[d3fan142511]

Power Rankings:
1. WNEC
2. Endicott
3. Coast Guard
4. Salve
5. MIT
6. Maine
7. Curry
8. Nichols

No Games this week.