FB: Northwest Conference

[pineconefan]

I had planned on coming in here tonight to check out predictions for the first weekend and perhaps make a few, but holy cow, L&C not playing NWC games! 

Wildcat, in answer to your last question, perhaps the NWC would be better off letting L&C die with the way they've let that program deteriorate over the last decade.  Focus on getting Pacific up and running.  Certainly Pacific can do better than L&C has.

Any other oldtimers out there who remember the demise of Whitman football in 1976/77?  They only played a partial schedule in 76, but the difference was that they announced the cancellation after the season had already started.  They did a similar "self study" and planned on playing in 1977, but it never happened.  The sport was dead in Walla Walla.

I think we'll be seeing a repeat of history in Portland.

[downtown48]

Pat, at first glance I would agree with you that nine games doubles the risk but I really do agree with '64.  If they really are concerned about the players safety, that truly starts Saturday not five weeks from now.  To me if that's the reasoning they should just pack it in.  If their committment level is just to be a schedule filler and not field a competitive team then it would have been nice of them to pack it in a long time ago and let everybody get another game to fill their schedule with.  This leaves everybody blowing in the wind...BRUTAL!

[Dr. Sparky]

I've grown weary over the last few years of Lewis and Clark's elitist attitude.

A couple years ago, Kerry Eggers of the Portland Trib tried to excuse L&C's ineptness in football by saying their academic standards were higher than Linfield and PLU and that accounted for the difference in football programs. I researched the average SAT scores and GPAs for incoming frosh and sent them to him, and as I suspected they were all pretty much the same. I also pointed out that these mythical "higher academic standards" didn't seem to hurt the winning men's basketball team.

Generally, their administration, alums and students think they are "too good" for sports. Any sports, really. Yes, before I get pounded, there are exceptions - a few students and alums care, and understand, about the importance of sports to a well rounded college experience.

The two things I am concerned about are:

1. If Linfield goes undefeated and gets the first round playoff bye (are there still byes in the expanded format?), then that means two weeks between the end of their season and the first playoff game. A scrimmage agains L&C would have been nice, especially for our second and third stringers; and

2. Is Linfield going to refund my season tix for that game? Or at least comp me the first playoff game? Hey, it's the important things here!

[Foss]

Dr. Sparky, there are no more 1st round byes starting this season. I don't know the answer to your second question.

This has to hurt the 2nd place NWC team, as one less game (and an in-region game at that) does not help their playoff bid chances, or at the very least their seeding. It's not a big deal if they go 7-1, but maybe 6-2 (and how many of those mere 6 wins will be against in-region DIII foes?) L&C was not a good team, but having them on the schedule at least gave NWC squads another game, and another in-region DIII opponent.

The conference made concessions to allow Menlo in for football only. Had they known L&C would (likely) drop perhaps by next season, thus still leaving the NWC one team short from an auto bid, would they have said yes to Menlo?

Since Pacific is up in the air, does the conference just accept we are not going to have enough teams for an auto bid and live with it, or do we go after another school? Given Western Oregon's woes in DII and the fact it looks like they are really going to be screwed now with Central Washington and Western Washington likely joining another conference, are they a possibility to switch to DIII and join the NWC? Who in the heck are they going to play if the two WA teams leave them in the dust? Seems DIII would be a better route for WOU (at least in football), and the NWC already made an exception for a school in Cali. Perhaps SOU? 

[shane falco]

There are highschool teams in Oregon that could handle Lewis & Clark in recent years.

Although, I do feel bad for the guy's on LC's team right now.  They probably don't feel too good about this.

[pdxpio]

foss or pat coleman - does anyone have any idea how the games will count?  i mean, it seems to me that they would all be forfeits on LC's behalf meaning everyone in the NWC is guaranteed at least one win for the season.

dr sparky - that is a very valid point there, many at lc feel that they are "above" sports, and that is a terrible attitude.  there are some football players whom are not the sharpest knives in the drawer, however, schools with high academic standards than LC (see stanford and cal) put forth winning teams.  football should be a big part of any college, however, people at lc do not feel that way due to this elitist attitude.

as a pio alum i am very pissed and very embarassed that the athletic department could let this happen.  and i think this whole "commission" is just a smoke screen to buy time before they actually cut the program.

[Pat Coleman]

NCAA rules call for a no-contest in this situation. You can only get a forfeit if the game starts and is called in progress or forfeited after the fact for eligibility issues.

[Gig Harbor Cat]

For people of supposed superior intellegence their logic for dropping league games amazes me.  Cutting the risk for injury by only playing non league games is like being ALMOST pregnant. EITHER YOU ARE OR ARE NOT, EITHER YOU PLAY OR YOU DON'T!!!!!!!!! Someone needs to get up in their face on this one.  They are doing something here that effects alot more players than the Pios.  Alot of Sr player seasons have been effected here.  This is crap .

Phone that IN    GHC

[wc2viking]

This is a horrible decision made by the L & C administration.  They're cheating their own players out of five games they expected to play.  They are also cheating the NWC teams that had counted on the game being played.  At the very least, they should have played out this season and then made the determination on what to do after that. 

Does anyone know how the rest of the NWC will fill the schedule in future years?  Pacific is not going to start up until 2008, 2009? if then.  Who else is out there to play.  Will a SCIAC team play Linfield again?  This stinks because it's obviously hard for Linfield et al to get enough games already.  They could add Eastern Oregon (NAIA) again but that does nothing except hurt us in the D3 playoff picture.

[smedindy]

I thought it was bad when Kenyon begged out of the NCAC schedule for one year because they didn't want to play Wittenberg or Wabash! This, though, this is tough. It's so close to the beginning of the season no one can find a game to replace it with at all. At least there was a chance for Witt and Wabash to pick up a replacement game.

There are many fine academic institutions with competitive football programs (or at least football programs that have good numbers and can win once in a while). Think of the NCAC, NESCAC, SCAC, and UAA.  Carleton has 90 players this season as well. You can do well in football and not compromise academics, and it's sad if they think that's how you have to do it.

[Gig Harbor Cat]

Inside sources say that The Butcher's tools are sharp, ready to slice and dice the WOU D.  Expect the Cats "Electric" O to do a number on Western early and often.  The purple frisbees will fly again.  The Cat Salty D will score two times tomorrow.  Mojo and I are packed and ready to go south early in the AM.  We have our tailgate gift in the car and believe me boys, its HIGH OCTAINE  

Cats in a rout, its over at the half

        GHC

[Pirat]

Obviously this debacle does nothing to help this conference. But, 8-0 and 7-0 teams from this conference still make the playoffs; 7-1 and even 6-1 teams would certainly garner significant interest as either a B or C.  To all of the NWC teams, there is still a lot on the table to play for; so, let's go out there and make this a great season.

[Pat Coleman]

And everyone's Quality of Wins rating will be higher. 

[Pirat]

I guess that is one way to look at it, Pat.

[spiritof86]

I would think alond the lines of Foss. If Linfield goes undefeated, they are really not effected. Who this hurts is the potential 2nd place team.