FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Small but Slow]

It's not about d3 football, but a basketball highlight from Otterbein & Wilmington is a Sports Center Top Play.  The video link isn't up yet.

OAC stadiums have improved greatly since the 80's.  Cap used to play at Cooper Stadium (home of the Columbus Clippers).  The playing surface their makes the old turf at Finnie seem soft and lush.  Once when we played at Marietta on a cold November day rats had taken to the locker room for shelter.  The old building the rats had made their home behind the stadium had recently torn down so they moved into the stadium.  I took a 7th grade team there a few years later and conditions were greatly improved.  I always felt the stadium at Musky has the ideal location and charm.  The only thing missing was dressing facilities at the stadium, but that's no deal breaker.

[seventiesraider]

Having just returned from an indoor track meet at Marietta, what could improve Don Drumm would be to buy up some of the junky properties on the flood plain surrounding it and add some; dare I say it?, PARKING. Thank God I had my Mom's handicap hanger or I'd still be looking for a parking place.

[Dr. Acula]

Word on the street (aka the internet) is that Louisville WR Brandon Mathie has decided to follow his QB to MUC.  I hope that's true.  Mathie is a player. 

[raiderpa]

Mathie would be a nice get for MUC., however, he may find the DB's in practice a little bit different than what he has faced in HS.

On the stadium issue, my feeling is that Musky is like stepping back in time to attend a "real small college" game...
ONU's new facility is a great place to watch a game, you are on top of the action, but needs more visitor seating....

Cap's upgrade is neat, but seating is terribly lacking (at least when Mount visits)

I have no respect for college programs that play in high school stadiums....that sucks

Finnie is always a special place and great (maybe the best) sight lines,  Dial-Robertson gives it a run in this area...
JCU is also great place to visit and  watch (home side had great viewing) although I do not understand why locker facilities were not added in their upgrade

Mount is Mount, and the mystique created by all the success makes it special.....one of the best(maybe the best) pressboxes in D3
Otterbein upgrade is nice, but visitor seating sucks...
Marietta needs to raze and start over

I  would like to see  the Raiders  schedule a home-home with St Johns, as I would love to attend a game there  It looks like the best setting ever for a small college game

[formerd3db]

raiderpa:

If you like the "historic" aspect of MUC's stadium, why then would you not like to see Marietta upgrade their stadium as well?  I agree with all of you that they (Marietta) could/should upgrade that even more, however, the old stone and stone fencing around give it a traditional old college historic atmosphere.

I've always said that about Hope also in regards to it's old, now torn-down stadium i.e. in comparing it to MUC's.  Hope's old stadium, Riverview Park, was owned by the city of Holland as is the new one, but both the city and college helped maintain it.  It was built in about 1930 (perhaps a bit earlier) and had a covered roof on the home stands; visitors seating (within 10 yards of the sidelines) and some semi-endzone bleachers gave it almost a "U"-shaped stadium and a "mini" (very mini ) Churchill Down's type feeling, similar to the preserved old home side section of MUC's stadium.  With fans so close to the field, it was a great atmosphere.  Yet, when Holland built the "new" i.e. current stadium, while it was state-of-the-art at the time (and is built into a "U"shaped hill with students sitting on the hill-side endzone as well), the stands are much further away and it just does not have that cozy, traditional feeling that many of us like (such as you and your colleagues at MUC and many of us at Hope), especially for small college games.  Anyway, thanks for sharing your opinion on the various stadiums.  Some people might think we are all "strange" about this, however, IMO, this "stadium" stuff is obviously all part of the great experience we all enjoy about small college football.

[runyr]

formerd3db,  
You're not strange for the stadium topic.  As an architect, stadiums always catch my interest.  Holland is a beautiful town and those who haven't been there should visit.
When I think of football stadiums in Michigan or in general, U of Michigan's has got to be at the top of the heap.  It's been the biggest stadium since the 1920's and it may be the best for the traditional college experience.  Knute Rockne liked it so much, he copied it at about 3/4 size.
If you Google "top 15 college football stadiums," they ranked Ohio State No. 1.  Looking through the list, you notice how much college stadiums have grown in the past few years.
Alabama, Florida and other SEC schools had stadiums 1/3 the size of Michigan until much later.
Now it seems every big football program is racing to build the biggest skyboxes and jumbotrons.
One of the best small stadiums I've experienced was Bedford High School stadium when Mount played John Carroll there while Carroll's Don Schula Stadium was being built.
Bedford High stadium seats about 8,000 with good seating on both sides of the field and no end zone seating.  Everybody has a good view of the field.  The whole thing is done in masonry, a nice red brick.  Alumna and former cheerleader Halle Berry should be proud.

[purpled]

Rafferty: Should He Stay or Should He Go?
Sunday, February 22nd @ 11:51 PMpost viewed 54 times
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Since the end of last season there has been a lot of discussion on the future of Otterbein's junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty and why not?   The Dublin native has graduated from Otterbein College (working on his Masters), recently got married, had a stellar 2008 season were he led the Cardinals to a school record nine wins and a berth in the NCAA III playoffs.  So the question remains should he stay or should he go?

As a freshman at Western Kentucky University, Rafferty was redshirted and then decided not to play football his junior year prior to transferring to Otterbein – thus giving him an extra year of eligibility

Why He Should Stay
I've always been a believer that very few people get a chance to play college football.  The fact that Rafferty led the Cardinals to a 9-2 record and a second place showing in the tough Ohio Athletic Conference has many wondering if he can lead Otterbein once again to the top of the OAC in 2009.

I can't recall a single player in the OAC who means as much to their team as Rafferty does.  A finalist for the 2008 Gagliardi Award, he ranks 10th in NCAA III passing efficiency (160.6) and can certainly add to those impressive numbers if he decides to return.  However, returning to college football to just boost his collegiate stats isn't the reason why Rafferty would return.

Every year the power house program in Northeast Ohio called the Purple Raiders continue to dominate.  But one has to think with the lose of Nate Kmic and Greg Micheli from Mount Union does this give Rafferty and Otterbein an edge heading into next fall?  Let's face it.  If Rafferty decides to come back it's purely because he's just not finished.  He is a winner and a competitor.  And that's great for the OAC and Otterbein.


Why He Should Go
The exciting thing about small college football and in particular NCAA III football is players play for the love of the game – plain and simple.  In NCAA III there are no football scholarships – just the always 'impressive' financial aid packages.  To the parents out there that means get your check books ready.

Now I don't want to be the one to say this is about money but money is a factor.  Usually when we talk about players not returning it's because they are chasing the money, the dream, the NFL.  However, in Rafferty's case there is no NFL contract waiting just an extra year of expensive and unnecessary tuition.  Now that puts a new meaning to 'pay to play.'

In making decisions like this there are always the 'X' factors to be considered.  While I don't recall Rafferty having any serious injuries in 2008 - you have to wonder is it worth the price his body will take playing another season.   Let's not forget about the Rafferty fans - namely his family, friends, coaches and teammates who will surely have an influence on his decision.

Life Comes At You Fast
I am sure that Jack Rafferty is asking himself am I ready for the 'real' world and will I regret not playing this great game one last season.

I love the Nationwide Insurance slogan – 'Life Comes At You Fast.'  Unfortunately, life does come at you fast.  Maybe for Rafferty football will slow it down

Food for thought gentlemen.

[seventiesraider]

And Bedford High School stadium has the nicest 4 level pressbox this side of Texas. It was less than awe inspiring to look up from my script and see the 35 member Mogadore Band a way, way down there before my operation allowed me to resign as the band announcer gracefully.

The spread those people put on for high school playoff games made me understand why Ric and HSCoach want to sit up there on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons.

[reality check]

Neat article on Rafferty.  The "he means more to his team than anyone else has ever meant to theirs" angle is a bit overblown when he plays for a school that has already had some very solid quarterbacks in both D'Orazio and Steltzer.  I would venture to say that Dante Brown, Kenneth Sasu and Jason Vrable all meant more to their Marietta teams than Rafferty does to Otterbein.  Certainly Rocky Pentello meant as much or more than Rafferty has meant to the Cards.  I would also imagine that Tom Arth and Dan Larlham (for at least one of his seasons) were as important to their respective clubs.  

I'm also troubled by the way the article implies that the financial aid is somehow tainted.  That's what I get from reading between the lines anyways.  I earned every dollar of scholarship and grant money.  I worked way too hard for my breaks to have some writer imply that "impressive financial aid" packages are not merited.

I think he stays because he's still going after his masters and the eligibility is there.  If he were done with his undergraduate program and sitting around with an extra year, it seems more debatable but as it is, what sense does it make to start your masters and leave before finishing it with another year of eligibility?  I say it's a pretty solid "stay" scenario for Jack Rafferty.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Recalled (and wondered about) a story from a few weeks ago - anyone have an update on the two injured coaches?

[purpled]

The article about Rafferty was from OhioCollegeFootball.com. I had nothing to do with it. I posted it as FYI.

[reality check]

Purpled can speak for himself, but my take on what he wrote is that the "impressive" financial aid packages aren't really that impressive, and that even with an aid package four years in DIII are going to cost the family big bucks.

Surprisingly, I owed less money after four years at ONU than I would have if I went to the top state school on my list: U of Cincinnati.  I hated the school but loved one of their programs.  All totaled, I am quite happy with the cost of my four years at ONU.

[purple]

 I hope Rafferty stays and plays another year. When he looks back on his college days he will remember best the times he had with his buddies on the football team and the great guys who coached them. Fun like that is hard to come by in this increasingly cold world. Besides, he should want another crack at the Purples in Mount Union stadium.

[raiderguy]

Raiderpa,

Speaking from experience, about 5+ games a season, St. Johns does have a beautiful setting for football.
They have a bowl effect on three sides with the home stands on one side, and a steep curved hill going around one end zone and continuing behind the visitors stands. The trees on the hills and all the fall colors makes it outstanding. The other end zone is open to the main athletic complex and locker room area. They fill the place every home game. Last year was actually a little down because the team was somewhat in question on the offensive side of the ball. They still won the attendence crown again.
It would be a fabulous opener for both teams and they would put 11,000 in the seats. They paid to get Marietta up here two years ago because they have more open dates to fill every year.
I am not sure John or Larry would want to start his season with that type of game and the cost would be a little steep. It is 800 miles away so maybe the NCAA would love to contribute to the cause for such a marque game to open the season.
Plus the pre-game is great too. Come on up! As I always say "If I can't see the #1 team in the country play, I'll settle for #2." The fans are great and there is also the Mall of America side trip.

[Knightstalker]

Purpled can speak for himself, but my take on what he wrote is that the "impressive" financial aid packages aren't really that impressive, and that even with an aid package four years in DIII are going to cost the family big bucks.

Surprisingly, I owed less money after four years at ONU than I would have if I went to the top state school on my list: U of Cincinnati.  I hated the school but loved one of their programs.  All totaled, I am quite happy with the cost of my four years at ONU.

I was accepted into the music programs at Moravian and NJCU, I would have come out in less debt if I had attended Moravian which was 4x more per year than NJCU.  Although the real deciding factor was my classical guitar professor and the professional accomplishments of the NJCU faculty which were more in the direction I wanted to go with music.  Of course with that all done with here I am the EDI and Logistics coordinator for pruveyors of fine imported crap.