FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[reality check]

Let's not have an internal WIAC vs. OAC debate when good football is being played this weekend.  Please?

[2minuteO]

kirasdad  hope u are not getting a little upset that CU is beginning to post on your Mount owned discussion board... enough with the CU bashing...  your smite of FF3 of Capentello not that funny i am sure everyone is laughing.. way to go dane cook

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

kirasdad  hope u are not getting a little upset that CU is beginning to post on your Mount owned discussion board... enough with the CU bashing...  your smite of FF3 of Capentello not that funny i am sure everyone is laughing.. way to go dane cook

Please stop, you are making me cry.  Just like you will be doing after ONU beats you this weekend.

[crusader26]

kirasdad, nice post on the Around the Nation Board...would love to see Cap, ONU & MUC make the playoffs & all three sent to separate regions.  IF, there is a 10-0, 9-1 & 8-2 team, could this realistically happen??

[skunks_sidekick]

In regards to conference strength.  I have previously taken the position that due to the OAC having more higher ranked teams, better records, etc....that it was the strongest conference year in and year out. 

However, Pat so succinctly pointed out to me that rating a conference's strength has more to do with their middle and bottom teams than the team or two at the top.  Based upon that, I would think it's pretty clear to see where the WIAC would be considered the strongest conference.  My argument with Pat was more about his thinking that the Northwest Conference and the OAC go back and forth as to who is #2.  Again, he was able to convince me with data that he was on the mark. 

Having said all that, I think the OAC has a case to be considered the strongest conference this year.  I don't think anyone can make that claim until the year plays out. 

[OU#25]

I can't recall the last time two D3 teams from the same conference played for the national championship.  Is it possible based upon today's playoff format?

I remember a lot of upset fans last year complaining during the playoffs that the true National Championship game was being played between Linfield & WW...and disappointed that WW was not moved to the North Region come playoff time.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

kirasdad, nice post on the Around the Nation Board...would love to see Cap, ONU & MUC make the playoffs & all three sent to separate regions.  IF, there is a 10-0, 9-1 & 8-2 team, could this realistically happen??

I don't think so anymore.  The NCAA sent JCU to the East in Arth's Senior Year (2000) and MUC then beat JCU in the Semi Finals.  The only way all three make it (IMO) is if ONU beats CU, CU beats MUC and don't lose any others.  Three way tie at 9-1 and then they could all possibly make it.

Even then, I don't think each would go to a separate region.  Probably two in the North and maybe one in the East.

[Desertraider]

OU: That happens every year - doesn't it? I mean when MUC played Tom Arth and his boys in the semis (I think it was the semis) many people felt that if the Streaks had been in a different region they would have advanced to the finals. As far as the real Championship game last year - I think it was between MUC and Capital.

Seriously though I think Cap could have gone toe-to-toe with either UWW or Linfield last year and made it to the finals from another region. It would be great to have 2 OAC teams run the playoff table and meet in Salem - who knows maybe this year.

[Pat Coleman]

dabein:

We've been to Capital. We've been to Mount Union (many times, in fact).

We've never been to Mary Hardin-Baylor.

You do not have a monopoly on good games. You better worry about Saturday before you start assuming that the Cap/Mount game will be a better game in the rankings.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

kirasdad

..., so to miss the game of the year in the country's strongest conference makes me wonder.

When did MUC and CU move to the WIAC?

Just so you were updated on the latest d3 polls and so you knew who the best league was:

1 Mount Union (22) 5-0 622
2 UW-Whitewater (3) 5-0 603
3 St. John's 6-0 571
4 Capital 5-0 540
5 Wesley 5-0 511
6 UW-La Crosse 4-0 475
7 Mary Hardin-Baylor 4-1 427
8 Bridgewater (Va.) 5-0 420
9 Rowan 3-1 410
10 Hardin-Simmons 3-1 357
11 Occidental 4-0 355
12 Whitworth 5-0 340
13 Central 5-0 293
14 St. John Fisher 6-0 285
15 Wilkes 5-0 255
16 Cortland State 5-0 245
17 Ohio Northern 4-1

That was a tounge in cheek comment because many on Post Patterns think the WIAC is the toughest conference (from top to bottom).  If you had been around here long enough, you would know that.  Pat used to have an article about it somewhere on the main page, but I couldn't find it.

[Wizardman]

Well, I don't measure conferences from top to bottom. I'll look at the best couple teams adn the top half of the conference. Top to bottom WIAC edges out the OAC, sure. If I had to choose between UW-platteville and UW-Oshkosh  or Baldwin-Wallace and Ohio Northern, I'd easily take the OAC inthat case. It's only if you go to the cellar of the OAC that the WIAC wins out. Does that really matter though if one onferences' crapshack is better than another conferences?

[raiderguy]

DaBein

Pat and the boys have spent plenty of time watching the Raiders and know their potential. Maybe they also think the game against Capital will not be the great drama everyone is speculating! Quite frankly I would love to see the MHB-WW game myself but that Texas run is just as challenging for me as coming back to Ohio for the Capital game.

I don't think they should be slammed just because they didn't "pick" the Raider's game on a very tight travel schedule. Again I hope they know something we don't with their decision. I also am going to go way out on a limb here and think they know they will have plenty of opportunities to watch the Raiders later this year......right?

[oldmantoo71]

I can't recall the last time two D3 teams from the same conference played for the national championship.  Is it possible based upon today's playoff format?

I remember a lot of upset fans last year complaining during the playoffs that the true National Championship game was being played between Linfield & WW...and disappointed that WW was not moved to the North Region come playoff time.

I have been absent awhile, in fact it looks like I was lost.  I had to resign on.  It did even recognize my old logon.  Oh, well what does it matter. 

The issue with Div III will always be $.  The playoffs are probably a losing or break even venture for Div. III.  Big time travel expenses can not be covered.  Sometimes a playoff game draws 6000 but more often than not a lot less.  The Stagg Bowl, other than when a local team played has not come anywhere near a sell out in a what is it a 9 or 10 thousand seat stadium.  That being said they are going to pair the closest geographic teams whenever they can and not worry about the seeding that much.

[Pat Coleman]

Does that really matter though if one onferences' crapshack is better than another conferences?

It matters if you have to play everyone in the conference.

Those looking for preseason conference rankings, check out Around the Nation's preseason column. That's where you'll find them.

[cufan]

Did Arth start out at JC or did he transfer in, and if so from where?