MBB: MAC Freedom League

[kate]

As crushing as both losses were for Del Val vs Stevens last night, particularly the OT loss by the men, the Steven's announcer was amazing - just as good as the Aggies, Gordon Mann.   Made that second loss a tiny bit more tolerable.

[NEPAFAN]

https://d3football.com/notables/2022/02/landmark-to-add-two-take-football-automatic-bid


Nice to see you again Wilkes!

[kate]

If and when it comes to pass, Wilkes will be very much missed by this poster.

[kate]

I truly wish CJ (Colonel John) now a phD pharmacy guy, would weigh in on this.

[kate]

And, thinking about Colonel John here today, a quick true story about fans backing an established and much love Sport's League.   Don't remember the year, but the women's basketball regional was at King's.   When, you ask - DeSales'  Alyssa Antolik was their star.   We live in Easton and the games were played in the evening, and i wasn't particularly wild about going up to Wilkes Barre, but my Hubby said "we're going" - i did whole-heartedly agree that DeSales deserved out support.   We were there, the place was packed and a guy came over and said "are you Kate", and that's how we met CJ.   If it weren't for covid, to this day, we'd support DeSales or whatever MAC team was playing in the Regionals.    Now, even though Moravian is virtually right up the road in Bethlehem, i don't even check their scores on here anymore.   Bottom line, encouraging fan support, not just the handful of parents who faithfully show up, is absolutely crucial.   Hopscotching from league to league doesn't quite cut it.

[jmcozenlaw]

As crushing as both losses were for Del Val vs Stevens last night, particularly the OT loss by the men, the Steven's announcer was amazing - just as good as the Aggies, Gordon Mann.   Made that second loss a tiny bit more tolerable.

Good........but nobody is as good as our Gordon Mann!!!!!

[gordonmann]

That's very kind. I enjoyed his call last night, too.

[kate]

To Dave and Pat, you both are still trying to come up with reasons for my rant after the Landmark announced that they were adding our beloved Wilkes and Lycoming.   Dave, you thought i was jealous, and that gave this 78-year old lady a real chuckle.   Let me just say that my Hubby & i have followed D3 sports since the 1998-99 season, specifically Del Val.   Our son graduated from DVC in '97, but had no involvement in the sport's programs.   We saw an article in the Morning Call high- lighting Jeanne Waznak, a DVC guard and Coach Rotz (now Hogan).   We still have the article.   Wilkes was one of our first away games and we fell in love with the place (our word was Boinky).   Everything about it was so 'us', so to speak.   Anyway, now that we're much older, our away trips have dwindled and with covid, even our Del Val trips have ceased.   We just can't chance it even though fully vaccinated.   We can't begin to tell you how much we miss going to the games and thank heavens for the chance to watch them on here.   Yes, i will always question the validity of a Landmark League, especially with division 3 sports, but just needed you both to realize a little bit of where i was coming from.   GO DEL VAL!!!!!!!

[Pat Coleman]

To Dave and Pat, you both are still trying to come up with reasons for my rant after the Landmark announced that they were adding our beloved Wilkes and Lycoming.

I don't think I was actually doing that, for what it's worth.

[kate]

Don't care to discuss any of it, eh Pat?   I was ready to write a book on the subject.    - right back at ya!

[jmcozenlaw]

Gordon or Dave - For all sports except football, when Lycoming and Wilkes leave the MAC, without any more conference roulette (sure, THAT's happening) , The MAC Freedom will be down to 7 schools, while the MAC Commonwealth will have 9.

Is the answer as simple as moving Eastern back over to the Freedom? Everyone else seems to have a quasi-geography partner. Albright and Alvernia. York, Leb Val and Messiah. Hood and Stevenson. That leaves Widener and Eastern (and they are only a 15-20 minute drive apart down the Blue Route and I've heard that they love being in the same conference/side of the conference).

I can't see any other logical move, again, without conference roulette, whether losing or gaining schools.

If FDU were to move on (those rumors again.........), that would really throw a monkey wrench into things. I also heard that Stevens feels a little left at the altar after thinking they had a good chance to move over to the Landmark. I'm hearing that might just be on hold vs. shot down!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I've also heard Messiah and Eastern like the chance to build more of a rivalry.  The future may be a bit more complicated.

[jmcozenlaw]

I've also heard Messiah and Eastern like the chance to build more of a rivalry.  The future may be a bit more complicated.

Thanks Ryan!! If that is the case, again, outside of more (inevitable?) conference changes...........Widener would be the only one left that makes sense. IMO

[Pat Coleman]

Don't care to discuss any of it, eh Pat?   I was ready to write a book on the subject.    - right back at ya!

I actually still don't understand what you're getting at.

[kate]

Pat, with ALL due respect to you and everybody at d3 Hoops,  i would have loved to have gotten into the head of the person who spawned the Landmark League back in 2005 or 2006.   Yes, Dave did say the guys who came up with the 'like-minded'  premise are gone, but still....  I could see perhaps starting a local league if school finances for sports might be dwindling & longer trips became prohibitive, but holy smokes, for d3 sports?   And you have to understand, until this damn covid, d3 sports and Del Val in particular, were a huge part of our lives.   We still follow Del Val on here and are so thankful that we can do so.   I will never understand the need to fragment a Division 3 Sport's league fan base, and, above all we, my Hubby and i, value diversity.