FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[seventiesraider]

Although I realize that we have some sage sporty people here at D3, I gotta say I think the AFCA poll makes more sense this week. Sorry, but I don't see where a team on a three game lossing streak belongs in the top 25. Also glad to see Capital a little lower and ONU a little higher. Just my opinion.

[JK]

I know there are several military types on this board, just like me.  One of the great things about my Army career is that it has afforded me the opportunity to travel around the world as well as around our great country.  What I have found from those travels, however, is that many people are hrribly uninformed on DIII.  In fact, some people don't even know DIII exists.  I mentioned to a guy in Oklahoma when I was stationed at Ft. Sill that I had played football in college.  He was duly impressed and asked where, so I told him "Capital University.  It is a small school in Columbus, Ohio."  His reply was:"Oh, small school, like Division II?"  When I replied "No, Division III," he looked utterly confused and said "I didn't even know there was a division III.  Your school must have been tiny"  What makes this even worse is that this wasn't a hick, uneducated local.  This was the retired Football coach/ teacher doing a broadcast for the local radio station.  Another group, mostly in the plains states like OK, KS, NE, etc. think DIII is an offshoot of NAIA.  I guess we should lump Kentucky, my current home, into that as well.  KY has several small colleges, and to my knowlegde only Centre and Thomas More play DIII including Football and Transylvania is DIII but does not have a football team.  Colleges like Georgetown, Union, Pikeville, Cumberlands, etc. would probably benefit from playing D3 instead of NAIA, but, in my opinion, are ignorant of what D3 stands for.

Wherever I go, I do my best to try to preach the gospel of DIII and educate the masses, but most people, including, apparently, this writer from ESPN, are blissfully unaware and don't care to be educated.  Some of the media types, including Colin Cowherd, think "These small division III schools need to just chill.  This is more publicity than D3 has EVER gotten, and I have received many emails saying that exact thing.  They need to realize than any pub, especially in their case, is good pub."  I guess I shouldn't have quoted that, because my memory isn't that good, but it was something to that effect when Cowherd was on his kick.  I will make a broad brush assumption and lump this Easterberry guy in the same crowd.  In his own deluded mind, he probably thought he was doing DIII and especially MUC and OTT a service by even mentioning their names in a National format.

It is trying somethimes, to be a "D3 guy,"  but stay the course, folks.  The word is getting out.  Just look at the hometowns on the rosters of some of the DIII schools.  There are more kids now from big-time programs who go to DIII schools who in the past would never have "lowered themselves" to play there.  Maybe one day idiots like Cowherd and Easterbrooks will realize D3 is legitimate college football.

[e_lee]

I remember Cowherd's comments.  They were very irresponsible and ill-informed.  Very frustrating to sit there and hear them.  He must have got alot of email.   He kept saying, stuff about all the emails he was getting from D3 guys.

I echo JKs sentiments.  I live in a place vastly ignorant of Division III football.  It can be frustrating.

[wrighthall220]

Lee,
I wrote Collin an extensive email because what he said went beyond what was said here about MUC.. he insulted every kid that plays or has played D3 sports.. I make an effort NOT to listen to the guy now... I shut the radio off after he took the emails from those of us that complained about his comments as a joke.. I wonder if ESPN really knows how poorly some of their personalities treat D3 sports.   ESPN often has debates on their radio and tv shows on whats wrong with D1 (which D3 gets right) and they always fail to realize that there's a division and kids out there playing college sports for the RIGHT reasons.. because they love the game and they're not doing it for $$$.

[raiderpa]

I left my two cents worth for Greg Easterbrook (actually about a dime's worth)...

As a 30 year follower of Mount Union football, I don't remember ever punting on first down...RIC might know...I do know however that Mount has, on numerous occasions kicked field goals on various down when inside the red zone when scoring a TD would be cruel and unusual.

The comment about Mount's 3rds being as good as most team's 1's, is unfortunately more true than not.  This is what creates the large margins...also take into consideration that many of the losing teams have their 3's as well, so they are somewhat  mismatched.

I don't want to come off as "uppity" or not respectful of all the great kids who go out on the field at DIII schools, it is just that Mount has created a monster that gets bigger and bigger as kids want to go there to have a shot at a "ring".  They are getting kids from Florida, Indiana, Illinois, who are not even recruited, but want to play for them.
Garcon is an example...he just called and showed up....

Ohio Northern, Capital, and WWW proved that they were equal or nearly equal and on a good day could whip the Raiders...

As a Mount fan, I would love to see more games like ONU and the two CAP games from last year...I get no enjoyment watching some of the blowouts....(unless its John Carroll or BW)

[raiderguy]

ESPN sent the Cold Pizza Show to Mount in 2004 on their Football Friday travels around the USA. It was the only school that was not D1 as I recall.

If D3 was so bad and Mount so classless why bother. It is obvious some people at ESPN respect the stature of a D3 athlete and understand Mount is far from the "class" he put us in with his comments. Maybe Greg should visit with a few of them before he runs his mouth.

This guy went to Colorado College. Gee do you think he ever heard of a guy named Gagliardi? I suppose he thinks they are in that same group of classless schools. RE: SJU 60-Auggie Tech 0.

[section13raiderfan]

For the people who feel it is a slap in the face for a team that is blowing you out to immediately return the ball to you via a punt on other than 4th down or a field goal attempt from long distance, please consider this. The opposing team can resign a game early. If it does not then you have to assume they still wish to compete. When a coach directs his kicker to try long field goal attempts, that is merely one way to hold the score down. When he punts the ball back on any down other than 4th down that also is a way to hold the score down. When a coach repeatedly runs the same play over and over again to the easiest area for the opponent to defend, that is also a way to hold the score down...and run time off the clock to boot. I assume you all know what a "Mercy Clock" is and what its used for. Anyway you look at it...its still embarassing to the losing team, but would you rather the dominating team keep trying to score...maybe setting a record for the ages, or getting opposing the coach fired? What would you Mount Union haters do instead? Lets see how you handle the situation and save face.

[Ric]

Larry Kehres does kick field goals late in games.  What's his view on it? I don't know I've never asked him.  He has a reason for everything he does and I think his reason for kicking field goals is get that unit game time work. Was Otterbein happy he sent the field goal unit out in the fourth quarter last week to make it 71-14? Probably not.  Nor would they have been happy if he scored 90 points, which I think he could have easily done. 

He also could have ran the ball into the tackle on every hand off but he views running plays with the second unit as valuable game time experience, a lot of times, as was the case last Saturday, against a mostly first team unit on the other side of the ball.

I saw him get upset at Marietta a few years back because they ran the clock in the second half and played 12 minute quarters? Why, because they shorted him the chance to score three more touchdowns? No, because he had an idea how many players he would be able to get into the game and took that number on the road. It costs him more money to take 70 kids than 50 but he views game time experience for those kids as invaluable.

Let me set the record straight about something though, I have never seen LK punt on first down.  I have never seen him punt on second down or third down to just give the ball back to the opponent.  That never happened.

As for this guy on ESPN, why bother? This is creating hits to the site.  They don't care why they just like the hits. I've never read a word he wrote and I never will.

[purpled]

Hug - take a hike along with Easterbrook!

[raiderguy]

Ric

How do they pull off two JV games in two days? It can't be two completely different team can it?
Are you going to publish stats like last year?


I'll hang up and listen to your reply.

[frank uible]

During the 20s and 30s when each year after the NFL ended its season up North pro players banded together and played "all-star" games in the South and California. It was not uncommon for these games to be played on consecutive days - sometimes 2 games in one day. Furthermore the players of that day were "60 minute men".

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

MUC JV probably has enough to field two teams.  Or at least each player plays a couple of quarters in each game.

[Ric]

raiderguy, lol. I imagine they scheduled games back to back like that to cover themselves because one of the teams was Wooster and history tells us Wooster backs out of the JV game minutes before the bus is ready to leave.  They finally played this year so you had two games in two days. And yes there were pretty much two different Mount teams in those games.  I'm not sure about the stats. I haven't asked for them and have been so busy with things hadn't really thought about it but if I have a chance to see the coach that sent those to me last year on Saturday I'll ask him.

[HScoach]

Let me set the record straight about something though, I have never seen LK punt on first down.  I have never seen him punt on second down or third down to just give the ball back to the opponent.  That never happened.

But there have been too many instances for me to count where a runner/receiver has broken into the clear for an obvious TD where the ball carrier will step out of bounds inside the 10, or hook slide to keep from scoring.  I've seen that a lot over the years.

[e_lee]

Some of ESPN does a great job with D3 football.  I thought Dari Nowkah, on ESPNNews did a great job with Pat and the Selection Show last season.  He was prepared and professional.  It was great to see(or in my case, listen to on ESPNews on XM, on my drive back to South Carolina).

Let's focus on the positive.