FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[lewdogg11]

+K anyway for being faithful and passionate about the NESCAC, I just can't ever bring myself to agree with it.

[Doid23]

Good discussion (and civil to boot) +K. I can see both sides of this issue, but tend to side with LD on many. My thoughts:

*If the goal is to compete with the Mt. Union and UWW's of the world, then you are right, you can't. Of course, most other D3 teams that are eligible for the playoffs can't either.
* To your point about the Ivies, the question isn't whether they would dominated by USC or Ohio State, but rather other I-AA schools. And they most certainly would not be dominated by other I-AA teams. They might not win a I-AA championship, but a top Ivy League team could hold their own in the playoffs, and in certain years, go far.
* As LD pointed out, it's the way that Football is treated differently that gets me on this. I understood many of your points nescac1, but in the end, I don't buy the missing classes argument, since hockey, bball, lacrosse, etc. will miss many more classes during the regular and postseason then football players will. And I don't buy the de-emphasis on athletics, since again football seems to be the only sport impacted by that.
*amh63 brought up a good point, in regards to spending on facilities. It's tough to argue that you are de-emphasizing football, when you spend big money on facilities.

In the end, NESCAC schools obviously have the right to do what they want, and I'm OK with it, and actually like that they focus on the rivalries and tradition of the league above all else (I've always been disappointed that Union left NESCAC (and DIII hockey as well). That argument, I can get my head around.  

[02 Warhawk]

Good stuff...thanks for the insightful info. I had no idea the NESCAC was basically the "Ivy League" of DIII...more or less. Good for them on trying to hold up the integrity of the school by not letting in sub-par students just b/c they can run really fast.

But I don't see much harm in NESCAC football programs playing scheduling similar programs outside their conference. They can't be the only school with high admission standards with a football team in DIII...especially in the NE part of the country. It might look good from a recruiting standpoint, to schedule one or two non-conference games a year....that's just my opinion. Like an MIT, John Hopkins, etc....I think you might be surprised on how many NESCAC schools might be able to compete with other DIII football programs.  The Ivy league schools don't play USC, Ohio St...but they still manange to schedule outside their conference...not worrying about their high academic standards might be holding their program back.

thanks for the discussion...i found it very interesting. best of luck to the rest of the season.

[TheHerst2and4]

But I don't see much harm in NESCAC football programs playing scheduling similar programs outside their conference.

From my understanding (and I could have got a bad lead on this) the reason for not scheduling an outside opponent is that according to the NCAA rules 9 games qualifies a team for the playoffs. I was told that this is also the reasoning behind leaving one in conference opponent out for NESCAC schools (ie Amherst alternates Bates and Hamilton playing only one each year; Colby alternates Williams Trinity, etc)

Amherst gets a mention on ESPN.com today
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/101012_tuesday_morning_quarterback&sportCat=nfl

[Doid23]

Amherst gets a mention on ESPN.com today
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/101012_tuesday_morning_quarterback&sportCat=nfl

It's a 23,000 word article! Any hints on where?

[pg04]

That's when you use the handy find function... And anyway, it's near the top.  

[Doid23]

That's when you use the handy find function... And anyway, it's near the top.  

Thanks, got it. Disappointed they didn't give Coach Stick a mention.

But even more intriguing, what is this find function you speak of?

[Jonny Utah]

I think it should be pointed out that the Ivy league schools also choose not to go to the national playoffs and do not play by the same rules as the majority of d-1AA football programs.

[Garnet]

That argument, I can get my head around.  

U89, there is a joke just sitting here waiting.  Care to run with it?

[Pat Coleman]

But I don't see much harm in NESCAC football programs playing scheduling similar programs outside their conference.

From my understanding (and I could have got a bad lead on this) the reason for not scheduling an outside opponent is that according to the NCAA rules 9 games qualifies a team for the playoffs. I was told that this is also the reasoning behind leaving one in conference opponent out for NESCAC schools (ie Amherst alternates Bates and Hamilton playing only one each year; Colby alternates Williams Trinity, etc)

This isn't true, by the way. The conference can exclude itself any way it likes.

[Doid23]

That argument, I can get my head around.  

U89, there is a joke just sitting here waiting.  Care to run with it?

You're asking U89 (who used my helmet after I left) to give me crap about the large noggin?

[02 Warhawk]

But I don't see much harm in NESCAC football programs playing scheduling similar programs outside their conference.

From my understanding (and I could have got a bad lead on this) the reason for not scheduling an outside opponent is that according to the NCAA rules 9 games qualifies a team for the playoffs. I was told that this is also the reasoning behind leaving one in conference opponent out for NESCAC schools (ie Amherst alternates Bates and Hamilton playing only one each year; Colby alternates Williams Trinity, etc)

This isn't true, by the way. The conference can exclude itself any way it likes.

but do you have to play a minimum number of games to be eligible for post-season play?

[Pat Coleman]

But I don't see much harm in NESCAC football programs playing scheduling similar programs outside their conference.

From my understanding (and I could have got a bad lead on this) the reason for not scheduling an outside opponent is that according to the NCAA rules 9 games qualifies a team for the playoffs. I was told that this is also the reasoning behind leaving one in conference opponent out for NESCAC schools (ie Amherst alternates Bates and Hamilton playing only one each year; Colby alternates Williams Trinity, etc)

This isn't true, by the way. The conference can exclude itself any way it likes.

but do you have to play a minimum number of games to be eligible for post-season play?

Nothing in the book says so.

[union89]

That argument, I can get my head around.  

U89, there is a joke just sitting here waiting.  Care to run with it?

Garnet....I'm a bit sensitive to this topic.....'Doid and I share two common problems....large craniums & hairy backs.

[union89]

That argument, I can get my head around.  

U89, there is a joke just sitting here waiting.  Care to run with it?

You're asking U89 (who used my helmet after I left) to give me crap about the large noggin?

Correction.....I had to bring my own 'special' helmet from high school to Union.