Around the Nation board

[Pat Coleman]

The biggest key... move it all or don't move at all. Can't get a deal like Johns Hopkins (lacrosse), Hartwick (soccer), etc. since they are now grandfathered into a rule the prohibits just one sport moving.

And even before that, you could never move football or basketball up a level. That wasn't permitted.

[Ralph Turner]

Ralph, I'm gonna miss you if you head off to the D2football.com boards.

The OAC is very competitive and very balanced!  One can make the case that the weekly gauntlet that the OAC teams run prepares them for the post-season.

The OAC runner-up usually laments the blown game that knocked them out of Pool C.

In 2011, the BWC stumbled against Capital to fall from Pool C.
In 2010, ONU won a Pool C and beat Wittenburg in the first round before losing to NCC in the second round.
In 2009, Otterbein stumbled against Marietta to fall from Pool C.
In 2008, Otterbein got the Pool C bid and lost to Franklin in a blowout 62-45 in the first round.
In 2007, Capital got the Pool C bid and lost at National Champion UW-Whitewater 34-14 in the first round. (The 20-point margin was the third lowest that season.)
In 2006, Capital got the Pool C bid and lost to UMU in the Elite 8, 17-14.

While you're making this point, Capital finished ranked No. 5 in 2005 and No. 3 in 2006, with a three-point loss at Mount Union in the playoffs both years. They were definitely one play away from breaking through (although both Ls were in the quarterfinals).

I have a lot of friends and about 10-12 years of historical recall on the D3boards.   

As for 2005, this year's college seniors couldn't even drive in 2005!

D2 is a completely different animal.

[smedindy]

So are you gonna stick around for grins and giggles, Ralph? 

[Ralph Turner]

So are you gonna stick around for grins and giggles, Ralph? 

Yes.  I understand what D2 offers and the strategic advantages that D2 can afford a university for its student athletes.  There are some very specific changes that are happening in Texas, itself a D-3 island/orphan, in which this timely move to D-2 is an opportunity that one must consider in the paradigm shift that is happening, both in college education and in Texas state politics and educational funding.

The vacuum that is being left in D-2 in Texas is amazing to consider.

I am still a D3 kinda guy!

[ncc58]

I understood it the way you understood it and acknowledged that. But since I had done the research last night in response to a different question, I thought I would share it here.

Sorry if it threw you off. UW-W has been mostly dominant this season, outside of UW-O and maybe the second UW-L game. Hard to say the 17-3 and 20-0 games weren't domination, though, just by defense not overwhelming offense.

There were 4 UWW games that were close going into the second half.

UWW was tied with UWP at the half, and it was a one score game until the 4th when a UWP defender failed to get LC on the ground in the backfield and the play resulted in a ridiculous TD run.

UWW trailed UWO at halftime and was tied after 3 quarters.

The game with UWSP was a 5 point game at halftime. And UWW only led EC by a TD at halftime.

Of course, UWW exerted their dominance in the final half (or quarter) of those games. Just one ill timed turnover could have changed any of those games. But any of those games would give a WIAC team confidence that they could play with UWW.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

AO - not sure if you are familiar with JHU football and its history... but I wouldn't go and say it has an advantage thanks to the lacrosse program. The ONE thing that has changed that could "affect" the football team was the turf was changed to the new field-turfs... but even Goucher College put in field turf for all of it's outdoor sports except men's lacrosse (who plays on the surface when its prefered grass surface isn't in shape to play on).

And you could say the JHU football team has gotten a pretty cool scoreboard with video and replay... but that is something I have seen at other schools and honestly is not all that big when it comes to Division I stadiums.

The stadium is still rather old and simple... but that is what makes Hopkins lacrosse and football unique.

The JHU lacrosse program is actually building a completely new facility to house the teams and coaches offices, etc. When that is complete, the only advantage that football and the other teams at JHU will garner is the fact that there will finally be room for everyone in the main athletics building (you should see how crammed things are).

And finally, it wasn't until the last few years that JHU football has actually been pretty good... so how do you explain whatever advantages they have gotten from the lacrosse program that has been around as a Division I program since ... geez I can't even find out how long... but for generations.

[AO]

AO - not sure if you are familiar with JHU football and its history... but I wouldn't go and say it has an advantage thanks to the lacrosse program. The ONE thing that has changed that could "affect" the football team was the turf was changed to the new field-turfs... but even Goucher College put in field turf for all of it's outdoor sports except men's lacrosse (who plays on the surface when its prefered grass surface isn't in shape to play on).

And you could say the JHU football team has gotten a pretty cool scoreboard with video and replay... but that is something I have seen at other schools and honestly is not all that big when it comes to Division I stadiums.

The stadium is still rather old and simple... but that is what makes Hopkins lacrosse and football unique.

The JHU lacrosse program is actually building a completely new facility to house the teams and coaches offices, etc. When that is complete, the only advantage that football and the other teams at JHU will garner is the fact that there will finally be room for everyone in the main athletics building (you should see how crammed things are).

And finally, it wasn't until the last few years that JHU football has actually been pretty good... so how do you explain whatever advantages they have gotten from the lacrosse program that has been around as a Division I program since ... geez I can't even find out how long... but for generations.

My tone probably wasn't evident in my previous post, but I am a supporter of letting schools pick and choose which division each sport will play in.  I'm sure that if Amherst were to switch their basketball team to D1 and they built a new arena and generated millions that they would have an advantage over Williams in their other d3 sports, but I wouldn't classify that advantage as being unfair.  Here in Minnesota I'm sure UM-Duluth football is helped by their d1 hockey team, but St. Cloud State's hockey team might not be enough to save the football team from being cut as has been recently threatened.  As I noted previously about St. Thomas., some schools will be able to give better financial aid packages and offer better facilities.  As long as the d3sports play under the d3rules in terms of no-scholarships and number of practices, etc...I say game on. 

[USee]

Keith,

Great work on YIR. I love reading your stuff. You bring a viewpoint based in intelligence and analysis that is both refreshing and encouraging as you capture snippets from the d3 landscape throughout the season. It is one of the things I miss in the off season. But this:

ATN almost never discusses race, a tribute to the way D-III never makes it necessary. Doors are open to players from diverse walks of life, with football and college being the common denominators. You don't have to go back too far in the history of many D-III colleges to find a time when the educational opportunities were available only to a small sliver of the population, based on race, gender, social class and more. As 2011 is a stitch in time, one in which the racial makeup of the championship teams or the panel of Gagliardi Trophy finalists goes undiscussed, it is an extra point for which D-III can pat itself on the back. In this day and age, we are successfully judging one another on our merits.

Struck me as very profound. The fact that race is rarely discussed in D3 is one of the best indicators we are headed in the right direction as a leading indicator for our society. Where we are now is not acceptable but where we are relative to where we have been is very encouraging. Thank you for your work and for this reminder. I do not take it for granted.

[Ralph Turner]

Who will win Stagg Bowl XXXIX?
UW-Whitewater by 7-plus (2141) - 56%
Mount Union by 1-6 (664) - 17%
UW-Whitewater by 1-6 (516) - 13%
Mount Union by 7-plus (489) - 12%
Total votes: 3810

Can Stagg this be considered a near-upset or parity?

Thanks to all who comment!   

[BoBo]

Who will win Stagg Bowl XXXIX?
UW-Whitewater by 7-plus (2141) - 56%
Mount Union by 1-6 (664) - 17%
UW-Whitewater by 1-6 (516) - 13%
Mount Union by 7-plus (489) - 12%
Total votes: 3810

Can Stagg this be considered a near-upset or parity?

Thanks to all who comment!   

My $.02 says it has to be parity.  After 7 consecutive Stagg Bowls, to think these two could be 4 to 3 in games and 183 (UWW) to 181 in total points is remarkable. As far as the poll question goes, those who cast a vote, including myself, probably thought the game would go according to the previous 6 games and be about a 10 point margin of victory (except '06 of course), but highly competitive & the winner in doubt until the last few minutes of the fourth quarter. Other than '06, it's been that way. Defenses ruled this year.

On a side note, when adding up the percentages (56+17+13+12), it only equals 98%!!  What happened to the other 2%?   

[Pat Coleman]

Believe those are people who hit the vote button without selecting anything.

[K-Mack]

Keith,

Great work on YIR. I love reading your stuff. You bring a viewpoint based in intelligence and analysis that is both refreshing and encouraging as you capture snippets from the d3 landscape throughout the season. It is one of the things I miss in the off season. But this:

ATN almost never discusses race, a tribute to the way D-III never makes it necessary. Doors are open to players from diverse walks of life, with football and college being the common denominators. You don't have to go back too far in the history of many D-III colleges to find a time when the educational opportunities were available only to a small sliver of the population, based on race, gender, social class and more. As 2011 is a stitch in time, one in which the racial makeup of the championship teams or the panel of Gagliardi Trophy finalists goes undiscussed, it is an extra point for which D-III can pat itself on the back. In this day and age, we are successfully judging one another on our merits.

Struck me as very profound. The fact that race is rarely discussed in D3 is one of the best indicators we are headed in the right direction as a leading indicator for our society. Where we are now is not acceptable but where we are relative to where we have been is very encouraging. Thank you for your work and for this reminder. I do not take it for granted.

I appreciate it. While I wrote that to reflect it as a positive thing, and chose my words carefully than I do some paragraphs, I realize race, religion and politics almost always bring some sort of reaction, and I was bracing for negative feedback more than someone telling me that was profound.

So I appreciate it even more, considering.

[AUKaz00]

Not sure if this is the best place for it, but playing off of the frontpage story about the former Central player refereeing the BCS championship game, Pep wrote a nice column about 2 former Saxons in the NFL.

[K-Mack]

So now that Kickoff is published ... new season anyone?

[Ralph Turner]

So now that Kickoff is published ... new season anyone?

Yes, I like how you seem to have moved the bulk of the ASC teams into the top half of D3 schools. It appears that the mid-range ASC schools have gotten stronger, in McMurry's departure.  Sul Ross and Howard Payne still need some help.