FB: Northwest Conference

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'd welcome hearing Pat's opinion, but mine is that the game result hardly matters.  For the 'higher' team, win and 'ho hum, they're d3'; lose and 'coach, don't let the door hit you on the way out'.  To schedule a 'lower' division team is a no-win proposition in the 'court of public opinion' (as you underscore will still giving Michigan shots - they had an unfillable open date; I suspect in retrospect they might take the bye week!)

[coco]

I'd prefer a pure D3 schedule and I still have hope we can get there one day.  (If Pacific and Albertsons gets in gear).

WC11,

Is there any news about either of those schools bringing back football? I was hoping we might be seeing an announcement out of Forest Grove in the near future.

If Albertson does get football back, do you think they'll be in the NWC?

[wildcat11]

I'd prefer a pure D3 schedule and I still have hope we can get there one day.  (If Pacific and Albertsons gets in gear).

WC11,

Is there any news about either of those schools bringing back football? I was hoping we might be seeing an announcement out of Forest Grove in the near future.

If Albertson does get football back, do you think they'll be in the NWC?

Stay tuned in regards to Pacific.  Catdomealumni.com might have some new information on where they currently stands in the next couple of weeks.  IMO, Pacific is a must to get back into the fold.  It would help solve some issues for all of the NWC.  I would love to see the NWC as a 9 team conference but 8 would be incredible. 

College of Idaho (I remembered they just changed it back to that) is exploring that possiblity in moving to Division III but there isn't too much info about their situation.  I've heard rumors about a big donor wanting their athletics moved towards DIII.  They've glanced at the impact of football but pigskin isn't the most pressing priority on their campus right now. 

I'd say they are a long shot.

[bluenote]

Would either or both Eastern Oregon/Southern Oregon ever consider going to DIII? I think that's come up but I forgot what people said. That would seem an option because I think both of those schools need some more localized league play....? I know they are state schools but so are all the schools in the WIAC.

[wildcat11]

Would either or both Eastern Oregon/Southern Oregon ever consider going to DIII? I think that's come up but I forgot what people said. That would seem an option because I think both of those schools need some more localized league play....? I know they are state schools but so are all the schools in the WIAC.

EOU had duel membership for a few years with football being an independent III for a few years but the NWC wouldn't accept  them into the NWC as a football only member so they gave the conference the finger and went back to the NAIA.

SOU is poking around DII and I think will make the jump one day.  I would be willing to be the farm that neither will ever be DIII (as we know DIII).

BTW,s just posted up a new blog entry:  Senior Moment: Andrew Woods.  For anyone who attended home games this year the "Senior Moment" spots were short video interview ads that were ran during stoppages.

[Pat Coleman]

My take is that it isn't worth the risk for the upper-level program. They risk losing to a D-III school and marginalizing the program, possibly the division, and what do they gain? A win that isn't worth anything.

Remember, this isn't like D-I, where the value is at least having an opponent so you can put 80,000-plus in your stadium.

[Mr. Ypsi]

My take is that it isn't worth the risk for the upper-level program. They risk losing to a D-III school and marginalizing the program, possibly the division, and what do they gain? A win that isn't worth anything.

Remember, this isn't like D-I, where the value is at least having an opponent so you can put 80,000-plus in your stadium.

Yeah, I did forget to mention that Michigan's embarassment was no doubt eased by the 111,000 tickets they sold!  

Still, I dare say that if they have an unfillable date in the future, they will instead pay Eastern Michigan whatever it takes to rearrange their schedule.

[wc2viking]

Speaking of scheduling and using D3football's excellent open dates page, I see the following teams are looking for a game next September 20.

Colorado College
Concordia (Ill.)
Howard Payne
Lewis and Clark
Linfield
Martin Luther
Occidental
Pacific Lutheran
UW-Eau Claire
UW-La Crosse
UW-Oshkosh
UW-River Falls
UW-Whitewater
Washington and Lee
Widener

Now, if only there were a non-NWC west coast school SOMEWHERE in that list.  Hmm, let's see....

Of course, I would be happy if Linfield decided to schedule a home and home with one of the UW schools so I could catch another game.

(Yes, I know that most Oxy posters would welcome a game with Linfield.)

[coco]

And Linfield posters would like a game with Oxy. That's a much shorter trip for the 'Cats.

[bluenote]

I wonder if we've contacted all schools on the list? I think it would be great to play any of them.... Here's some more options:

SEPTEMBER 6, 2008
Alfred
Gallaudet
Geneva
Hardin-Simmons
Howard Payne
Linfield
Pacific Lutheran
Rochester
Union
UW-Eau Claire
UW-La Crosse
UW-River Falls
UW-Stevens Point
UW-Whitewater
Waynesburg
Wesley
Western Connecticut
Whitworth

That's 28 schools to contact.

[MonroviaCat]

And Linfield posters would like a game with Oxy. That's a much shorter trip for the 'Cats.

I would think that Colorado College would not be too much of a schlep either.  I'm also assuming they would fly to either of those places---but if they would drive to Eagle Rock then it is probably 2/3 the distance as Colorado Springs......  

11----is there much of a push for the Cats to add a 10th game?  I know finding logistically appropriate opponents is a problem but it seems like if we really wanted a game 10 we could work out a home and home with a UW school that goes in the reverse order of our HSU series.....  Then again, I'm sure I'm looking at things too simply.  

[MonroviaCat]

I wonder if we've contacted all schools on the list? I think it would be great to play any of them.... Here's some more options:..........that's 28 schools to contact

SEPTEMBER 6, 2008                                September 20, 2008
Alfred                                                        Colorado College
Concordia (Ill.)                                          Gallaudet
Howard Payne                                          Geneva
Lewis and Clark                                         Hardin-Simmons
Linfield                                                        Linfield
Martin Luther                                         
Occidental                                                Howard Payne
Pacific Lutheran                                       Pacific Lutheran
UW-Eau Claire                                         UW-Eau Claire
UW-La Crosse                                          UW-La Crosse
UW-Oshkosh                                           
UW-River Falls                                          UW-River Falls
UW-Whitewater                                        UW-Whitewater
Washington and Lee                                UW-Stevens Point
Widener                                                   Rochester
                                                                 Union
                                                                 Waynesburg
                                                                 Wesley
                                                                 Western Connecticut
                                                                 Whitworth
     

Actually---I think it's 22 but who's counting (unless you want us to contact ourselves, teams we're already playing, and some teams twice...)  Sorry, I got to work too early today and am just killing time

[wildcat11]

11----is there much of a push for the Cats to add a 10th game?  

MCat,

When you are "this close" to only having 6 D3 games during the season I think Linfield is more concerned with trying to fill up their 9 game season with as many D3 opponents as possible rather than find a 10th game that would be filled with another NAIA or DII team.

I don’t know what else to say that I haven’t in the past but Linfield works very hard to put together games with available D3 teams but it’s difficult when teams (for one reason or another) don’t want to either play Linfield due to it being a tough game or they don’t want to pay for the travel to come out to Oregon to play Linfield when these teams back east have options are just a short bus trip away.

[MonroviaCat]

11----is there much of a push for the Cats to add a 10th game?  

MCat,

When you are "this close" to only having 6 D3 games during the season I think Linfield is more concerned with trying to fill up their 9 game season with as many D3 opponents as possible rather than find a 10th game that would be filled with another NAIA or DII team.

I don't know what else to say that I haven't in the past but Linfield works very hard to put together games with available D3 teams but it's difficult when teams (for one reason or another) don't want to either play Linfield due to it being a tough game or they don't want to pay for the travel to come out to Oregon to play Linfield when these teams back east have options are just a short bus trip away.

So it sounds like it is safe to say that Linfield would be willing to take on another home and home against a distant opponent?  I'm just suprised when you look at how many NWC vs. UW games have happened that Linfield hasn't been able to arrange one....Oh well--at least we've got 7 of our 9 in the D3......and the NWC has an auto bid.   Thanks again, as always, for the insight 11!

[D O.C.]

Just for the exposure I'd vote for the Keck Wing of Athletic Underwriting to help in scheduling home-home games with

Alfred

Union

Wesley

Washington and Lee

Widener

Seems any of the Wisconsin schools would be tougher AND an in-region game though...