FB: Northwest Conference

[George Thompson]

Then you're giving someone else a gift home game they haven't earned.
[/quote]

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Pat, I see no problem requiring every team to play at least one playoff game away.   If Mount Union or any other Top 5 or 6 team has to play another unbeaten team away, I do not see that as a gift.   Now, if they must travel to play a 7-3 team, you have a valid point.

I mean, 37 straight home playoff games?     

George

GO CATS! GO!

[criswyly]

GHC,
My journey in Mongolia has recently come to an end.  I am now in the process of developing some screenplays that might actually see the light of day.  Thanks for asking.

[LuavilleCat]

Hel PA Wesleyfan,

The only folks that'll be visiting The First State next week are those who will pay a visit to the Dover Downs Casino.

GO CATS

[Gig Harbor Cat]

Awesome Cris,
   So you are back in the states ?  Good luck with your next venture.

[speedybigboy]

Then you're giving someone else a gift home game they haven't earned.

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Pat, I see no problem requiring every team to play at least one playoff game away.   If Mount Union or any other Top 5 or 6 team has to play another unbeaten team away, I do not see that as a gift.   Now, if they must travel to play a 7-3 team, you have a valid point.
I mean, 37 straight home playoff games?     
George

GO CATS! GO!
[/quote]
George, Back in the 70s/80s (you may recall?) the NAIA had each school "bid" to host the playoff game.  Basically the school with the most money, I mean the one that could put together the best "package" for the NAIA, would get to host.  After too many home wins (including my school, PLU) the NAIA decided in 1981 that each playoff team would have to have at least one road game in the playoffs.  Going into the playoffs we were ranked #1 at 9-0 and coach decided not to bid on the first round.  We traveled to #2 ranked William Jewell (also undefeated) and lost.  As far as I know this only lasted that one year as schools figured out that if both teams had already hosted then one of them would have to host the championship.

For the purpose of discussion I submit the following.

As far as giving teams "gifts" there is already an element of "participation being important" at the d3 level.  The structure of the playoffs is not to get the top 32 teams in with all the auto bids to conferences whose champion has no chance of advancing.  I'm not denigrating this format.  I think it's ultimately good at the d3 level.  I also think that home field advantage is huge and therefore support a change to the current system.  I think any attempt at comparing SOS across the vast expanse of d3 is futile and ultimately of little value from an accuracy sense.

I think the answer could be to designate at the start of the year that certain conference champions would host a first round home game that year.  It could be done on some sort of rotating basis.  After the first round seeding or sos or whatever the ncaa thinks up would come into play.  From looking at last weeks box scores it's clear that attendance would not be hurt by trying this format.  Attendance across the country frankly sucked.

[MacQuiz]

Hey Cats...Wanna get your blood up?

http://soundcloud.com/wildcat11/linfield-clu-block-fg-raw

[D O.C.]

Good AM.
It seems like IF d3 pulls off a broadcast Saturday, Keith and Frank Rossi will call the game.
It would also seem there were many viewers on our "late" game last Saturday.
That audience needs to know the students were out of school. The crowd was sparse.

[RedandPurple]

Hey Cats...Wanna get your blood up?

http://soundcloud.com/wildcat11/linfield-clu-block-fg-raw

AWESOME BABY!

[RedandPurple]

Thanks George.

[George Thompson]

For the purpose of discussion I submit the following.

As far as giving teams "gifts" there is already an element of "participation being important" at the d3 level.  The structure of the playoffs is not to get the top 32 teams in with all the auto bids to conferences whose champion has no chance of advancing.  I'm not denigrating this format.  I think it's ultimately good at the d3 level.  I also think that home field advantage is huge and therefore support a change to the current system.  I think any attempt at comparing SOS across the vast expanse of d3 is futile and ultimately of little value from an accuracy sense.

I think the answer could be to designate at the start of the year that certain conference champions would host a first round home game that year.  It could be done on some sort of rotating basis.  After the first round seeding or sos or whatever the ncaa thinks up would come into play.  From looking at last weeks box scores it's clear that attendance would not be hurt by trying this format.  Attendance across the country frankly sucked.

Speedybigboy,

Good ideas and thoughts there.   

For the past 10 years, the playoff structure has left a lot to be desired.   First, the West Region always seemed to be the toughest one to reach the semi-finals.   Now, this year, they place 4 of the Top 8 teams in one bracket!   

I would love to see Linfield play an Albion (6-4) or Benedictine (7-3) in the first round.    No offense to them, but CLU would eat them alive!    CLU was one tough team!

And for any team to go with 37 straight home playoff games is absurd.    If they had just one away game each year, would they have lost at least one or two of them?    Maybe, maybe not.     But you said it well, "home field advantage is huge".

Anyway, the Wildcats need to go to Wesley and prove the system is flawed.

George

GO CATS! GO!

[wrdad]

For the purpose of discussion I submit the following.

As far as giving teams "gifts" there is already an element of "participation being important" at the d3 level.  The structure of the playoffs is not to get the top 32 teams in with all the auto bids to conferences whose champion has no chance of advancing.  I'm not denigrating this format.  I think it's ultimately good at the d3 level.  I also think that home field advantage is huge and therefore support a change to the current system.  I think any attempt at comparing SOS across the vast expanse of d3 is futile and ultimately of little value from an accuracy sense.

I think the answer could be to designate at the start of the year that certain conference champions would host a first round home game that year.  It could be done on some sort of rotating basis.  After the first round seeding or sos or whatever the ncaa thinks up would come into play.  From looking at last weeks box scores it's clear that attendance would not be hurt by trying this format.  Attendance across the country frankly sucked.

Speedybigboy,

Good ideas and thoughts there.   

For the past 10 years, the playoff structure has left a lot to be desired.   First, the West Region always seemed to be the toughest one to reach the semi-finals.   Now, this year, they place 4 of the Top 8 teams in one bracket!   

I would love to see Linfield play an Albion (6-4) or Benedictine (7-3) in the first round.    No offense to them, but CLU would eat them alive!    CLU was one tough team!

And for any team to go with 37 straight home playoff games is absurd.    If they had just one away game each year, would they have lost at least one or two of them?    Maybe, maybe not.     But you said it well, "home field advantage is huge".

Anyway, the Wildcats need to go to Wesley and prove the system is flawed.

George

GO CATS! GO!

Actually mount has had 49 straight home playoff games. (excluding the neutral site of stagg bowl)
But mount has been a storied d3 program since the early 90's and back then mount had to go on the road a lot because they hadn't proven anything to that point. even though they lost some of those games, they started to win there road playoff games and that is why mount is mount. They proved that they could win on the road in the playoffs enroute to the stagg bowl, now someone has to prove that they can knock off mount @mount.

Mounts been so good for so long that absolutely they should keep hosting playoff games until they stumble

[bluenote]

Good AM.
It seems like IF d3 pulls off a broadcast Saturday, Keith and Frank Rossi will call the game.

I would be more than willing to pay a reasonable fee for the broadcast if that would help make it happen...heck, being laid up the 1st part of the season I even watched 2-3 home games via the Linfield Video Feed @ $12 each. Free would be nice for the Wesley/Linfield game but I'm sure many people would be willing to chip in and help if needed.

[MonroviaCat]

Good AM.
It seems like IF d3 pulls off a broadcast Saturday, Keith and Frank Rossi will call the game.

I would be more than willing to pay a reasonable fee for the broadcast if that would help make it happen...heck, being laid up the 1st part of the season I even watched 2-3 home games via the Linfield Video Feed @ $12 each. Free would be nice for the Wesley/Linfield game but I'm sure many people would be willing to chip in and help if needed.

I'm pretty sure that Playoff games have to be free.

[bluenote]

Mounts been so good for so long that absolutely they should keep hosting playoff games until they stumble

I disagree with that.....there's no reason why they can't play on the road in the playoffs just like everyone else, at least for 1 game to another excellent team who hasn't lost during the year. That's how it's done in every other sport that has a playoff system. They don't constantly favor one or 2 teams every year. That's pathetic and it gives less credibility to the system.

[RedandPurple]

For the purpose of discussion I submit the following.

As far as giving teams "gifts" there is already an element of "participation being important" at the d3 level.  The structure of the playoffs is not to get the top 32 teams in with all the auto bids to conferences whose champion has no chance of advancing.  I'm not denigrating this format.  I think it's ultimately good at the d3 level.  I also think that home field advantage is huge and therefore support a change to the current system.  I think any attempt at comparing SOS across the vast expanse of d3 is futile and ultimately of little value from an accuracy sense.

I think the answer could be to designate at the start of the year that certain conference champions would host a first round home game that year.  It could be done on some sort of rotating basis.  After the first round seeding or sos or whatever the ncaa thinks up would come into play.  From looking at last weeks box scores it's clear that attendance would not be hurt by trying this format.  Attendance across the country frankly sucked.

Speedybigboy,

Good ideas and thoughts there.   

For the past 10 years, the playoff structure has left a lot to be desired.   First, the West Region always seemed to be the toughest one to reach the semi-finals.   Now, this year, they place 4 of the Top 8 teams in one bracket!   

I would love to see Linfield play an Albion (6-4) or Benedictine (7-3) in the first round.    No offense to them, but CLU would eat them alive!    CLU was one tough team!

And for any team to go with 37 straight home playoff games is absurd.    If they had just one away game each year, would they have lost at least one or two of them?    Maybe, maybe not.     But you said it well, "home field advantage is huge".

Anyway, the Wildcats need to go to Wesley and prove the system is flawed.

George

GO CATS! GO!

Good discussion thread. I agree with George, speedy, and blue. For Mt. Union to host that many playoff games is absurd, however they have earned the right to do so. GO CATS!