Future of Division III

Ralph Turner · May 17, 2006, 01:35:00 PM

Mike Perrin's news article does a very good job of outlining th parameters of the story, who votes, how the decision it will be made, the factors considered.

Thru the miracles of the internet and the pervasive access to all types of information, I think that the question that the board's facing is what I outlined on the blog.

IMHO, it is a no-brainer.

Liberty University has 10,000 students. UNC-Asheville can dip into the state's coffers, especially if a politically powerful governor wants to build that campus. Winthrop and Coastal Carolina are as geographically isolated as anything in the SCAC. BSC seems to be the strongest academic campus in the Big South. We are talking bus rides to SCAC East Division members, not plane flights and connections to Lynchburg VA or Myrtle Beach (Conway) SC.

David Collinge · May 17, 2006, 02:16:51 PM

Quote from: Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham NewsDoesn't Birmingham-Southern teach the Bill of Rights?

Whenever someone attempts to correct spelling or grammar in a post in here, they invariably make a spelling or grammar mistake of their own. I guess this is the journalistic equivalent of this tendency.

Ralph Turner · May 18, 2006, 09:09:58 AM

Birmingham News' Mike Perrin covered yesterday's rally at B-SC.

Another good job of journalism. Note the references to the SCAC and to the University of Chicago and Emory.

The article also contains a really good ad for a Gretchen Wilson/Trace Adkins redneck Revolution Tour concert on May 27, 2006 at the Verizon Center.

Ralph Turner · May 18, 2006, 09:30:08 AM

Birmingham News' Thomas Spencer's article on the factors that the BSC Board is considering. IMHO, Mr Spence covers the history and the issues very well. (I wonder if he reads the blogs and message boards of D3Hoops.com.

)

Note the athletic budget overruns by a possible 300%-500% ( which is just a guess from the numbers given in the article) over the last 7 years.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · May 18, 2006, 09:55:39 AM

Yeah, I think this site might have put him on to a couple of points from that second page. It's nice to be a part of some journalists secret weapon.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · May 19, 2006, 11:37:58 AM

Condolences on the front page story. Hopefully the appeal to the executive committee will go well.

Ralph Turner · May 21, 2006, 01:54:49 PM

Kevin Scarbinsky asks some very impugning questions in his column today about BSC's evaluation to move to D3.

The answers to these questions were becoming apparent as the revenue from the Athletic Fund raisers was not reaching the levels from the "good years" at the end of President Neal Berte's era. The large, apparently one-time gifts from the Richard Scrushy's with HealthSouth money, were not being replaced from other sources in the BSC community, a community so small that all the living exes would only fill up the "cheap seats" in Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

The AD at the President's Cabinet meeting was aware of the budget juggling that the administration was doing to keep the university afloat. He knew where a lot of that red ink was flowing.

The fact that the board, the adminstration and the key individuals involved in the decision making process conducted this investigation out of the media spotlight is a testimony to their professionalism. Yes, my curiosity does want to know who else is on the short list of "SCAC Wannabe's". We know that Colorado College and Austin College are no longer on that list.

As for family, putting bread on the table is part of family. Dipping into the endowment is like "eating the seed corn". Treating a student-athlete with integrity may mean quickly coming to a decison that will allow him/her to transfer to another school, D1, D2 or NAIA, where he/she may continue an athletic career different from what BSC will be. It will mean honoring the coaches contract and helping that coach go where s/he may wish.

We covered many of the particluars in the blog.

I wish BSC a speedy and successful transition to the next phase. IMHO, the SCAC (or the GSAC) would be a great place to land.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · May 22, 2006, 12:29:41 PM

After the recent blog, the GSAC seems like a very solid fit for BSC, if not some of the more eastern ASC teams. It will all depend on how serious those GSAC squads are about getting to AQ status for men's sports.

formerd3db · May 22, 2006, 11:26:43 PM

Ralph:

Since the "nickname" section is blocked out, I'm posting this here. Anyway, it looks like the NCAA pulled their usual "hypocrit act" once again with the McMurray decision today. Their nickname is a generic term and in no way whatsoever can be interpreted as offensive. I don't always agree with the NCAA, on the other hand, I support many of their policies. However, they have a tendency to install some that make no sense at all quite frequently. They'll do as they please. Then again, oh, sorry for my complaining - we shoud be glad we have a DIII format for regulation and post-season play anyway.

Ralph Turner · May 22, 2006, 11:37:29 PM

Thanks d3db. Pat has created a blog on which I have been posting the "McMurry" side of the story.

Ralph Turner · May 23, 2006, 08:34:37 AM

More BSC stuff from Mike Perrin, who has done a very good job of outlining the process from D1 to D3. The BSC board decides on Friday.

He also answers one of the questions that arose on the BSC Blog.

The answer is New York University, Utica (NY) College and Catholic University of America. Please check the blog to find the question.

Hawks88 · May 26, 2006, 02:25:10 PM

Looks like it's official, BSC to DIII. No real details here. Just that the vote went through this morning.

http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/breaking/index.ssf?/mtlogs/bama_bhamnews_break/archives/2006_05.html#145180

Pat Coleman · May 26, 2006, 07:21:00 PM

Details went up this afternoon on the front page of both our sites.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · May 26, 2006, 07:32:14 PM

Quote from: David Pollick
D3: Did you consider any other classification for Birmingham-Southern?
DP: No. We had no interest in looking at Division II. We're looking at that which complements our academic profile and we believe that amateur athletics is where institutions ought to be finding themselves.

D3: Are you saying D-I doesn't qualify as amateur athletics?
DP: You have to begin with the notion that you're paying people to compete in athletics. They're getting (a scholarship) because they're an athlete. By definition when you're paying someone money you're moving into a professional role.

I'm glad a real college president feels the same way I do.

Warren Thompson · May 26, 2006, 07:47:56 PM

Quote from: Hoops Fan on May 26, 2006, 07:32:14 PM
Quote from: David Pollick
D3: Did you consider any other classification for Birmingham-Southern?
DP: No. We had no interest in looking at Division II. We're looking at that which complements our academic profile and we believe that amateur athletics is where institutions ought to be finding themselves.

D3: Are you saying D-I doesn't qualify as amateur athletics?
DP: You have to begin with the notion that you're paying people to compete in athletics. They're getting (a scholarship) because they're an athlete. By definition when you're paying someone money you're moving into a professional role.
I'm glad a real college president feels the same way I do.

Yes, but bear in mind that even in D3, athletes often are, in essence, paid to play by means of generous financial aid packages. (See what is the case at Haverford, one of the truly academically elite D3 venues. In many ways, this institution goes after outstanding athletes just as energetically as do the Wideners, Rowans, and Mary-Hardin Baylors.)