FB: American Southwest Conference

[umhb2001]

Seems to ignore what Frostburg did in another "region" last year.  Also conveniently misses the mark on some other key facts about the actual setup, the history, how we got here, Brockport, and a lot more.  I'm glad you started your statement by identifying yourself as a "former AD" with an ax to grind because you missed out in Pool C.  By the way, it's kind of foolish for an admin or former admin to write on a message board like this to this degree.  It almost equates with foolishness of a parent of a player like a starting QB frequently writing on here incognito...

[jamtod]

Seems to ignore what Frostburg did in another "region" last year.  Also conveniently misses the mark on some other key facts about the actual setup, the history, how we got here, Brockport, and a lot more.  I'm glad you started your statement by identifying yourself as a "former AD" with an ax to grind because you missed out in Pool C.  By the way, it's kind of foolish for an admin or former admin to write on a message board like this to this degree.  It almost equates with foolishness of a parent of a player like a starting QB frequently writing on here incognito...

If I wasn't feeding a baby with one arm, I would track down a popcorn gif

[OzJohnnie]

You're feeding a baby one arm?

[QB Jock Itch]

Ouch Frankie, bitter much. I didn't know I bothered you, my apologies sir. But I still think the former AD comments were interesting.

[jamtod]

You're feeding a baby one arm?

Not anymore. Got an extra to spare?

[Frank Rossi]

Ouch Frankie, bitter much. I didn't know I bothered you, my apologies sir. But I still think the former AD comments were interesting.

Giving out injury information about another QB on the same team as your son isn't the best move in the world.  Let me tell you how sensitive that information is: when I reached out to Salisbury to ask about their injured QB's status for my report on Friday's ATN Podcast, they cited federal privacy regulations for why they weren't at liberty to state such information (respectfully).  I appreciate the support for your son on here, but take a deep breath before diving in on some of this stuff.

With respect to Redtooth, I know staff members who have posted on here from schools that lost their jobs or were admonished for doing so.  If folks are prohibited from posting at those levels, the ADs, past and present, should probably set examples.

Let's get to the meat of your discussion.  If you're using performance against Mount Union as the barometer for who deserves certain pairings and podding in the brackets, then apparently we should skip to the Stagg right now on one side of the brackets.  Only two teams have beaten Mount in the playoffs over the last 13 years, perhaps longer -- UMHB and UWW.  There were a couple near misses from Wesley and North Central, and not much else to discuss.  Brockport last year and Frostburg last year, when given the opportunity to play a few rounds, showed that the power East teams may have improved.  Brockport had a bad first quarter out of the starting gate and then basically shut out UMHB while opting against FGs when they were behind by multiple possessions.  Frostburg scored the most points in 2017 against a UMU defense that gave up single digit points to UMHB the next week. 

The Committee over the past 7 years has done the right things in a system that is regionalized by admission of the fact that we have Regional Rankings in the first place -- they've worked to create 1s and 2s out of the Top 8 teams and pod them when geography allows as 1/8, 2/7, 3/6, and 4/5 when we essentially look at the field as seeded teams 1 through 32.  Their estimation is that Brockport is one of the Top 4 -- that geography may have played into some of it, but the criteria supported the decision.  When teams are bunched at the top, they are also allowed to look at last year's playoff performance (for undefeated teams only), which would have further supported the decision.  What you're basically advocating for is using some years of East teams laying eggs to permanently deprive the teams of the region access to the semifinals.  It ignores Rowan over the years since Ithaca won, and SJF in the mid-2000s.  It ignores a potential resurgence for now seeing that Frostburg is leaving.

But at the end of the day, John Carroll would have to beat Mount Union at some point, be it in the 3rd or 4th round, to gain access to the Stagg Bowl.  They set up the 1 seeds as 2/3, 1/4, as they should.  The 2 seeds were dicier because of geography issues, but that's not unusual.  From there, it's strictly a geography game.  That hasn't changed in YEARS.  It's just a question of how many flights will be allowed.  One time, the Committee allowed too many flights in retrospect, and it was noticable that the NCAA started clamping down after that point because it blew the budget.  There are limitations.  It's a money issue.  And it probably won't change. But the front end of what the Committee does is within the rules, appropriate, justified in terms of calling Frostburg the 6th overall team (there wasn't a way to get them under UWW without a guaranteed flight that wasn't going to be allowed), and finishing podding from there.  Three far-East teams (MIT, Framingham State, and Husson) made work harder for crossing regions in East matchups. You'd be just as angry if Husson and Framingham State or MIT met in the First Round just to create opportunities for more cross-regional matchups. But they did take their geography opportunities to flip DVC and JHU to avoid an all-East scenario.  But again, look at how the teams underneath Brockport and RPI are set up -- geography and seeding were respected simultaneously.

We can talk about earned access and alternative ways to get more at-large teams in, sure.  But when you were an AD, did you go to the mat to force that decision?  Two years ago, I asked VP of D3 Dan Dutcher about whether the NCAA would allow football to become an outlier in terms of changing the access ratio or method, and he said yes -- the members would have to work on that.  So where's your formal proposal?  It's my job to ask the questions and spark the changes that way.  Guys like you have or had the power to execute the changes.  But sitting here bitching about the East and suggesting it's unjustified and never improving based on cherry-picked evidence isn't going to win you my support.  If you think I can help improve access somehow, I'm all ears since, as Pat will tell you, I've sounded the alarm bells for YEARS on the loss of at-large slots and what could be done to compensate for it.  Your tone blames the Committee when the Committee did their job the last two years under the rules that exist and the mandates handed down.  Period.

[QB Jock Itch]

You obviously do not know me at all Frank. I would never intentionally hurt Luke or any other player on our or any other team. If you look back I asked people on this message board for prayer for a young man that I think highly of. My son just happens to play the same position. I'm not a reporter and have never claimed to be so I wasn't putting out any info (or trying to gain info) on a young man's injury to help others and I truly apologize to Luke and his family if it was offensive to them in any way. My attentions was only for the purpose of prayer for him. Go CRU!!!

[justafan12]

I come from a D3 softball background and we have dealt with this same issue for years.  Football and other sports have also dealt in the past I am sure I was just not aware of it.

IMO it simply boils down to money.  NCAA does not care about any outside polls; only their own and I am sure that it is done with travel concerns in the background.  I have read NCAA softball committee minutes and they said they would address the issue of conference foes playing each other but it never seemed to happen.  In one case we had the #3, #5 and #8 teams all in a regional (not NCAA rankings) while regionals up north and east had no ranked teams.  The committee also said they would be transparent in their rankings but that too never seemed to happen.  When you play a team during the regular season, conference tournament and then a regional tournament; well it gets rather old.

Again, IMO D3 (and probably D2 as well) is just a step child to the NCAA.  They have to put on championships but they will spend as little money as they have to.

[Pat Coleman]

I'm sure football and basketball are only transparent in their rankings because we cover those sports heavily and push the issue.

[Ron Boerger]

I'm sure football and basketball are only transparent in their rankings because we cover those sports heavily and push the issue.

Y'all do a great job getting someone to actually go on-record to discuss the selection process, to be sure!  Curious as to your thoughts on why, despite that increased transparency, that the final regional rankings aren't published as they are in some other sports like soccer. 

[Pat Coleman]

We do get them in football -- we just haven't seen them yet. We were told to expect them today but so far, no go.

[Ralph Turner]

Lance Hinson has announced his resignation as Head Coach at McMurry, effective immediately.

[HSUDAD]

What a roller coaster of a couple of weeks.  We go from thinking there is a chance we may not even make it, to congratulations, your in and get to play UMHB again.

It is what it is, I will definitely take this over not being in at all.  For what its worth, I feel the NCAA gave us two chances the past couple of years (albeit against a very tough team in Linfield) and we didn't get it done, so in a way I don't blame them from matching us up against the Cru first round. 

We know the challenge in store for us, looking forward to another great atmosphere this Saturday!!

[wally_wabash]

Why does everybody think that HSU vs. Linfield in 2016 and 2017 makes one iota of difference in 2018?  I'm perplexed by this. 

[umhb2001]

I think this because it has been stated in multiple posts and podcasts that previous year's results are looked at when seeding teams in the tourney. I think it's logical to think this. It's sorta like the judge says, "Disregard that and strike it from the record" after something has been said. Everyone still remembers and knows about it. It affects the thought process.