BB: WIAC: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Spence]

So is Wisconsin-Whitewater ready to admit that they don't belong in D3 yet or do they still want to pretend that D3 was designed for Public universities with 5 figure enrollments?

And so it begins......

You guys had a winning streak that was over 40 games in football, have won 4 of the last 5 national championships in football. Have won 10 national championships overall since 2005. You have the student body and the facilities for it. The excuse was always that you couldn't move up in football because you'd have to move up in all sports. You're dominating in basketball and baseball to now so what's holding you guys back?

Two things:
1. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
2. State of Wisconsin Assembly and Senate, Board of Regents

How does Parkside do it then?

So to answer Spence's question as to how UW-Parkside managed to move to D-II, the answer is they didn't. They just started there.

Which is a cop out answer. Like you said, teams have moved divisions before, so obviously there's precedent for it happening again.

In fairness though, most of the WIAC should be D-II, not just Whitewater. You'd think that would be a proposed solution to the problem Superior causes -- for the other schools to play at the level they should already be.

[Just Bill]

So is Wisconsin-Whitewater ready to admit that they don't belong in D3 yet or do they still want to pretend that D3 was designed for Public universities with 5 figure enrollments?

And so it begins......

You guys had a winning streak that was over 40 games in football, have won 4 of the last 5 national championships in football. Have won 10 national championships overall since 2005. You have the student body and the facilities for it. The excuse was always that you couldn't move up in football because you'd have to move up in all sports. You're dominating in basketball and baseball to now so what's holding you guys back?

Two things:
1. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
2. State of Wisconsin Assembly and Senate, Board of Regents

How does Parkside do it then?

So to answer Spence's question as to how UW-Parkside managed to move to D-II, the answer is they didn't. They just started there.

Which is a cop out answer. Like you said, teams have moved divisions before, so obviously there's precedent for it happening again.

In fairness though, most of if not the WIAC should be D-II, not just Whitewater.

I'm just telling you how it is.

No one has moved from a non-scholarship model to a scholarship model. That's the catch that involves the state government. I'm sure if a school wanted to make the leap they could do it, but my only point is that it's not as simple as just putting in an application with the NCAA.

[Spence]

"I'm sure if a school wanted to make the leap they could do it,"

This is the only part of your statement that matters. They haven't done it because they don't want to; they'd rather be big fish in a small pond.

[Just Bill]

"I'm sure if a school wanted to make the leap they could do it,"

This is the only part of your statement that matters. They haven't done it because they don't want to; they'd rather be big fish in a small pond.

Which you would agree is their right.

[Spence]

"I'm sure if a school wanted to make the leap they could do it,"

This is the only part of your statement that matters. They haven't done it because they don't want to; they'd rather be big fish in a small pond.

Which you would agree is their right.

Makes the criticism more than fair, though.

Interesting though that D-III has done a number of things to cut the legs out from under powers, especially in baseball, but has done nothing about this kind of imbalance.

[Just Bill]

"I'm sure if a school wanted to make the leap they could do it,"

This is the only part of your statement that matters. They haven't done it because they don't want to; they'd rather be big fish in a small pond.

Which you would agree is their right.

Makes the criticism more than fair, though.

Interesting though that D-III has done a number of things to cut the legs out from under powers, especially in baseball, but has done nothing about this kind of imbalance.

Is that what this is all about? I don't recall a Whitewater supporter ever saying they CAN'T go to a different division. Only that it's not realistically feasible, and it's not.

And the D-III membership that worried about that imbalance tried to do something about it. They tried to split into a sub-division, but over 80% of the membership defeated it. So clearly it's not as big of an issue for most of them.

[Just Bill]

Now look what you've done. You've got me defending Whitewater fans. I hate myself.

[02 Warhawk]

So is Wisconsin-Whitewater ready to admit that they don't belong in D3 yet or do they still want to pretend that D3 was designed for Public universities with 5 figure enrollments?

And so it begins......

You guys had a winning streak that was over 40 games in football, have won 4 of the last 5 national championships in football. Have won 10 national championships overall since 2005. You have the student body and the facilities for it. The excuse was always that you couldn't move up in football because you'd have to move up in all sports. You're dominating in basketball and baseball to now so what's holding you guys back?

The phrase "Born on third base, think they hit a triple" comes to mind. Really is amazing that they or some other public giant doesn't win it every year in a no-athletic-scholarships environment. And of course they're so humble about it too.

This topic is too exhausting to me....I'll let someone else explain why school size doesn't matter in college sports (scholarship or no scholarship).

[Spence]

"I'm sure if a school wanted to make the leap they could do it,"

This is the only part of your statement that matters. They haven't done it because they don't want to; they'd rather be big fish in a small pond.

Which you would agree is their right.

Makes the criticism more than fair, though.

Interesting though that D-III has done a number of things to cut the legs out from under powers, especially in baseball, but has done nothing about this kind of imbalance.

Is that what this is all about? I don't recall a Whitewater supporter ever saying they CAN'T go to a different division. Only that it's not realistically feasible, and it's not.

What is unfeasible about it? I don't really see why if Parkside can be D-II that most of the WIAC (minus Lax, Eau Claire and Superior) couldn't. So they don't want to...fine, but then that makes the criticism that they're "playing down" completely fair game.

[Spence]

So is Wisconsin-Whitewater ready to admit that they don't belong in D3 yet or do they still want to pretend that D3 was designed for Public universities with 5 figure enrollments?

And so it begins......

You guys had a winning streak that was over 40 games in football, have won 4 of the last 5 national championships in football. Have won 10 national championships overall since 2005. You have the student body and the facilities for it. The excuse was always that you couldn't move up in football because you'd have to move up in all sports. You're dominating in basketball and baseball to now so what's holding you guys back?

The phrase "Born on third base, think they hit a triple" comes to mind. Really is amazing that they or some other public giant doesn't win it every year in a no-athletic-scholarships environment. And of course they're so humble about it too.

This topic is too exhausting to me....I'll let someone else explain why school size doesn't matter in college sports (scholarship or no scholarship).

And you'll be wrong.

It's about resource allocation.

[BigPoppa]

"I'm sure if a school wanted to make the leap they could do it,"

This is the only part of your statement that matters. They haven't done it because they don't want to; they'd rather be big fish in a small pond.

One could say the same about Marietta.

[Spence]

"I'm sure if a school wanted to make the leap they could do it,"

This is the only part of your statement that matters. They haven't done it because they don't want to; they'd rather be big fish in a small pond.

One could say the same about Marietta.

I can see you've never been to Marietta. Probably the 2nd smallest OAC school after Wilmington.

The idea of Marietta being able to compete on any higher level in football is particularly hilarious. They're still working on resembling a Division III program.

[BigPoppa]

Then how does Duke compete in D1? Size is mostly irrelevant.

[02 Warhawk]

Then how does Duke compete in D1? Size is mostly irrelevant.

+K

BigPoppa gets it.

[Spence]

Then how does Duke compete in D1? Size is mostly irrelevant.

D1 is completely different from D3 in that regard. Even high vs. low D1 there's a difference. UCF and its huge enrollment has more potential as a program than Tulsa and its tiny one.

At D3, the difference in size and public status is access to resources, and ease of same. It's not the only one, but it's one that is pretty directly correlated to size.

ETA: Duke has one of the highest budgets and strongest revenue streams in all of college basketball because of their media and marketing presence. None of that plays in D3.