FB: Northwest Conference

[wildcat11]

I was reading an article recently concerning UConns move to FBS in football and was thinking of what kind of impact or benefit the NWC would have in moving from d3 to d1-AA, just a theoretical discuss as I doubt it would be too beneficial unless they went all the way to FBS, but hasn't everyone thought how great it would be to see some of our teams playing for a national title in front of 70k+ fans and millions on tv, taking home $10mm in BSC revenue?

Don't get all real on me with how much it would cost or how unfeasable it would be against the mission statements of the school and their commitment to the Student-Athlete, but just go ahead and dream with me.

Actually, I think I would hate that.  I believe most of us love small college football not only because many of us attended a small college but because of the intimate nature of non-scholarship football.  We love the access, and the fact you can walk around the track to follow the action, not having to pay a nickle to set up a tailgate in the parking lot, no TV timeouts breaking up the flow of the game, or being hit over the head by continual advertisements, or that our players are students first and foremost, and we get to settle a championship on the field.

Don't get me wrong...I enjoy DI football but I love what we have in DIII/small college football and wouldn't change it for any of those DI perks.  Like Frosty said "Make the Big Time where you're at"

[Kingsmen4]

I was reading an article recently concerning UConns move to FBS in football and was thinking of what kind of impact or benefit the NWC would have in moving from d3 to d1-AA, just a theoretical discuss as I doubt it would be too beneficial unless they went all the way to FBS, but hasn't everyone thought how great it would be to see some of our teams playing for a national title in front of 70k+ fans and millions on tv, taking home $10mm in BSC revenue?

Don't get all real on me with how much it would cost or how unfeasable it would be against the mission statements of the school and their commitment to the Student-Athlete, but just go ahead and dream with me.

Actually, I think I would hate that.  I believe most of us love small college football not only because many of us attended a small college but because of the intimate nature of non-scholarship football.  We love the access, and the fact you can walk around the track to follow the action, not having to pay a nickle to set up a tailgate in the parking lot, no TV timeouts breaking up the flow of the game, or being hit over the head by continual advertisements, or that our players are students first and foremost, and we get to settle a championship on the field.

Don't get me wrong...I enjoy DI football but I love what we have in DIII/small college football and wouldn't change it for any of those DI perks.  Like Frosty said "Make the Big Time where you're at"

Amen 11 - nothing more to be said. +K

-Go LU

[idalogger]

Have to say I agree. I enjoy the purity of D3 sports; I've had a chance to see every baseball and football venue in 3 years, meet some great people,and watch kids compete for the fun and joy of it. Nothing better.

As for the UPS-LC game, it was one for the ages, with 132 points scored in 3 hrs. The Logger comeback was sensational, and I thought they might have finally escaped the close loss bugaboo. However, a misjudged sure interception with less than 20 seconds left set up the final dramatics to deal the Loggers another close loss.

So...with Pacific playing well against Whitworth, the Loggers will have to get off the deck once again and compete. Man, this has been a rollercoaster season. Injuries have decimated the defense, which can be seen in the huge yardage they are giving up, and the offense has been inconsistent - two key turnvers in the 3rd quarter hurt on Saturday.
I know one thing- it has not been boring!

[logger54]

I agree, and I didn't mean to assert that D3 was not as enjoyable as D1 or that D1 was better.

I guess i just get caught up in the money side of the equation, and I wonder the impact that additional funding would have for the University and the athletic programs themselves.

Maybe I'll just donate a Jumbrotron to UPS and call it a day.

[MacQuiz]

I agree, and I didn't mean to assert that D3 was not as enjoyable as D1 or that D1 was better.

I guess i just get caught up in the money side of the equation, and I wonder the impact that additional funding would have for the University and the athletic programs themselves.

Maybe I'll just donate a Jumbrotron to UPS and call it a day.

There's not a thing wrong with thinking about the "What Ifs" of this and that.
WC11 comments are right on the nose!  From my perspective, the access is a key point at the D3 level.  We feel like we belong to something special...and we do!!!
The Jumbo tron idea is fantastic for the sponsor/fan/alum/etc that can afford something like that.  The transition to field turf would also bring the game up for the players and the loyal.  D3 all day baby!!!

[Gig Harbor Cat]

54

They need more than a Jumbotron !!

[river]

Have to say I agree. I enjoy the purity of D3 sports; I've had a chance to see every baseball and football venue in 3 years, meet some great people,and watch kids compete for the fun and joy of it. Nothing better.
. . . .

The chance that kids have for fun and personal accomplishment in actual intercollegiate sports competition extends to all 18 sports as reflected in the All-sports trophy competition.  For example, even though Whitworth hasn't been doing so well in recent times in football, it ruled in the aggregate in the 2009-10 competition.

[Tuxguy]

Football at the d3 level is a special game.

I believe it is so special to watch kids who are paying to play vs. getting paid to play each and every week. As others have said, I enjoy D1 football. And watching a game at Autzen Stadium or any other big arena is an experience. But those who have been to those big games and then watch football at  Linfield  come away with a new feeling for the game. Just to be able to hear the hit is cool. you can get at times as close as 15-20 feet from the action. And where else can you have seats on the 50 yard line and still have a post/pillar in your way?

You've gotta love it!
See you Saturday MacQuiz

GO WILDCATS!
One Game at a Time!!

[Lever Street]

Nice one Tux!

[dahlby]

Nothing beats meeting the new student athletes as freshman and following them through their college days and watching them mature to young adults. Playing for the love of the game. Nothing beats it. We started following our local college/university 28 years ago and since have not renewed season tickets to pro games and quit attending D1 and D2 contests in several sports.

We also attend many functions in several different departments and have the same feelings.

[coco]

There's nothing like D3 ball. You feel a connection to the players knowing that they are regular kids, not celebrities. As spectators we are close to the action and, like Tux said, we can actually hear some of the hits.

You know these kids will be back in class Monday and that their education is a top priority. At D1 schools it's almost as if the players are semi-pro, and their education is an afterthought. Some of them have a sense of entitlement that is embarrassing, and their behavior shows it. Small college coaches tend to address those issues because they are trying to make their players better people, along with being better football players.

I think small schools have a stronger camaraderie, too, because it's easier to know the players, coaches and other spectators and tailgaters personally. Not saying that D1 teams don't have their rabid fans, but there's more anonymity there, IMO.

It's going to be a good Saturday!

[BearcatChatter]

I'm definitely playing the broken record on this one. While the 60,000-seat stadiums and big-name bowl games have their appeal, it's largely commercial. Unfortunately, so much animosity and emotion is put towards many irrelevant things, like "votes" in the AP and BCS polls for instance. People get more obsessed with who's number one than the actual intricacies of the game itself. Everybody wants to know what someone else thinks and why. I think small college football is all about the what happens between the endzones, and that sustains the magical feeling of every Saturday.

Access is key too. I like that I'm on a first-name basis with numerous different coaches and players. When you root, it becomes for people, not just numbers. Most Division I athletes are treated by the general public as professionals already anyway.

However, it sure would be nice to see some of the ardent fan support those big name programs (and Linfield) get. As much as I hated everything about my first Saturday at the CatDome back on October 2nd, I was very very impressed at the level of support the team gets. Besides having a majority of students acting as a major (and loud) part of the game, it seemed like even community members were coming out. As my friend BCP would say, it's the best small-college football atmosphere around. You guys have a good thing going up there in McMinnville.

[02 Warhawk]

This week's DIII Fan Poll has been released.

For further discussion go to D3 Top 25 Fan Poll message board.

[FarAwayCat]

Great work by the Cats this week!  It seemed a bit more close than the 15 pt spread.  But I'll take it.  ON the note of Linfield moving to DI, I would love it if it meant I could get a video feed of every game.  Radio just didn't do this game justice (not a slight against the radio crew in any way, they did a great job).

Congrats to Pacific making an appearance on d3football.com with the highlite of the week.  Not sure any of them will notice it or appreciate it though as I suspect the Pacific d3football.com crowd and posters are just in their infancy. It'll be another 3 years until any of their players can graduate and become posters on this board unless one should try to pull an ole AB trick..... (am i the first one to make a reference to the old AB this year?)

[logger54]

Side note, even if it's not good for UPS sometimes. I like the attention the NWC has been getting over the last few months.