FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Bisondad]

Some news out of LaCrosse.  http://lacrossetribune.com/sports/college/article_5b5a0b3a-918c-11e0-a48c-001cc4c002e0.html

[Just Bill]

Daron Montgomery from Detroit Mercy is the choice for UWSP AD:

    uwspathletics Former @DetroitTitans senior associate AD Daron Montgomery introduced as the new UWSP AD. #ncaa #d3 http://yfrog.com/h36ohsij
Thu, Jun 09 14:16:54 from TweetDeck

[KitchenSink]

Boy, I put out one wisecrack about going on the road in the playoffs again, and the NCAA runs for cover.

Of course, by Monday they could put the WIAC in Pool B, so ...............................

[02 Warhawk]

Boy, I put out one wisecrack about going on the road in the playoffs again, and the NCAA runs for cover.

Of course, by Monday they could put the WIAC in Pool B, so ...............................

So Whitewater is ranked #1 again.

I guess that means we'll be on the road in the playoffs again.  Darn.  

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2011/06/championship-criteria-change

The NCAA must be following your posts very carefully... . What power!

I give the NCAA credit for approving common sense to the selection process, unlike last year.  

[emma17]

Kudos to the selection committee.  An important tool to roundout the overall selection process.

[Sakman 1111]

It is not often that good common sense is used by the NCAA committee.......I say bravo .......

[badgerwarhawk]

"The previous season's performance is to be used only when criteria are considered equal among all unbeaten teams."


I think I'll reserve judgement until I see how they implement common sense.

[BoBo]

"The previous season's performance is to be used only when criteria are considered equal among all unbeaten teams."


I think I'll reserve judgement until I see how they implement common sense.

"...criteria are considered equal..."

Too much wiggle room with this statement, IMO.

How close do the numbers in the primary criteria have to be for two undefeated teams to be considered "equal?" Seems like they're allowing a human being to make a judgement call. And frankly speaking, looking at the make-up of that football committee, many of those members I wouldn't necessarily consider qualified to make that call!! What the NCAA really needs to do is find a workable solution to the non-conference, in-region scheduling issues certain teams have. These teams will always be behind the 8 ball from the get-go. 

[Ralph Turner]

"The previous season's performance is to be used only when criteria are considered equal among all unbeaten teams."


I think I'll reserve judgement until I see how they implement common sense.

"...criteria are considered equal..."

Too much wiggle room with this statement, IMO.

How close do the numbers in the primary criteria have to be for two undefeated teams to be considered "equal?" Seems like they're allowing a human being to make a judgement call. And frankly speaking, looking at the make-up of that football committee, many of those members I wouldn't necessarily consider qualified to make that call!! What the NCAA really needs to do is find a workable solution to the non-conference, in-region scheduling issues certain teams have. These teams will always be behind the 8 ball from the get-go. 

I agree.  Three of the Top 5 Football Conferences have scheduling challenges that work against them.

WIAC
ASC
NWC
and the SCIAC, for that matter.

[hazzben]

The change makes sense.

"...criteria are considered equal..."

Too much wiggle room with this statement, IMO.

How close do the numbers in the primary criteria have to be for two undefeated teams to be considered "equal?" Seems like they're allowing a human being to make a judgement call.

Do you really want a system where there is no human element? You just want to punch in numbers and let a computer to decide the outcome?

We're never going to have a completely objective system, and we shouldn't want that. We want numbers and objective tools that are as accurate as possible, but don't we also want some say in how those numbers are processed?!? There needs to be a proper balance of objective criteria and room for human input/interpretation (i.e. subjectivity). UWW with a low SOS is an objective measurable. Subjective common sense only weighs this measurable so far. There's never going to be a perfect system, but you need objective criteria balanced with the proper amount of human/subjective interpretation. I think that's what this rule change is trying to accomplish.

What makes just as much sense is expanding the playoff rosters. For many teams the 52 player limit was a decrease from regular season travel squads. It was just wrong to have guys suiting up all season, traveling and most likely lettering, and then getting left off of playoff rosters.

Furthermore, the bump up to 58 should help to alleviate injuries as the playoffs go on. This is a great move, let the kids experience the postseason!

[BoBo]

^ hazzben, this new directive is basically a cosmetic change - looks good on the surface. It will only make sense, IMO, when the NCAA fixes the underlining problem in scheduling (which I outlined).  Until then, there is way too much human interpretation of the selection criteria that gets changed on a yearly basis as the committee members make-up changes. It's enough to make this old man's noggin spin!!

[emma17]

I will give the committee the benefit of the doubt that they will use this new criteria properly. This language is exactly what they needed last year in order to support ranking UWW (or a team in similar circumstances- higher) than the objective methodology allowed for.
In truth, I am confident the committee will use this new criteria wisely, otherwise they just set themselves up for a firestorm of critique and doubt. It's hard to imagine they would have put the new language in if they weren't going to directly apply it to a situation similar to last year. I hope there are  more than 4 undefeated highly regarded teams at regular season's end. 

[Pat Coleman]

Remember, this sort of thing has basically been taken into account for years, other than 2010. Mount Union, for example, has never had the best SOS among unbeaten teams in the North, but common sense dictates their placement.

This is writing something into the rules to give the committee cover for doing the right and logical thing. Not sure why they didn't do the right and logical thing last year.

[WarhawkDad]

Remember, this sort of thing has basically been taken into account for years, other than 2010. Mount Union, for example, has never had the best SOS among unbeaten teams in the North, but common sense dictates their placement.

This is writing something into the rules to give the committee cover for doing the right and logical thing. Not sure why they didn't do the right and logical thing last year.

Maybe five in a row was just getting a little boring for some members of the Committee, but the 2nd seed just made the Warhawks persevere.   This change is welcome, but proof is always in the implementation. In reality this action is about as close to an apology as the Warhawk nation is going to get.

[Barber Greene]

UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin announces that she is leaving (kicked out?) to take over Amherst College.  I will quote the DIII relevant part of her e-mail:

Finally, I am happy to point out that by assuming the presidency of a
Division III institution, I can remain an unconflicted -- indeed, a
rabid -- Badger fan forever, and I look forward both to seeing the UW
take home the Paul Bunyan Axe once again and to seeing Amherst beat
Williams at their 126th meeting this fall.