MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[fcnews]

Prayers go out to "the twinkle" of Hopefan's eye.

[fcnews]

On a night when FU's Fogerty was "HELD" to 3 pts. The Griffins get big games out of Forrest 23 pts and Storandt 13 pts 16 rebs. Big contribution from Sheetz off the bench with 14 pts.

The Beaver Dome has never been a place where FU plays well. A win is a win.

On depew's comments on the T's. In one case it is always the reaction that gets caught not the action. Second, taunting on Sheetz after hitting a 3pt, anybody that has seen this kid play or knows him, has to laugh at this one.

[formersliaccommish]

Commissioner Will Wolper needs no defense from anyone, especially from someone 800 miles away, but when something is put in writing for all the world to see, it needs to be challenged. Will is doing a fine job as Commissioner of the SLIAC. When I retired I was not involved, rightly so, in the process of choosing my successor. I did, however, see the credentials of all the candidates and he was by far the best. He works with the Administrative Council (ADs, SWAs, and FARs) on a day-to-day basis but ultimately reports to the Council of Presidents. It appears that both groups are pleased with his work. I appreciate JWJ's endorsement of my work and his passion for the conference, but feel he was a unfair to Will.

Will could do nothing about Maryville's decision to go D2 and Blackburn's to drop Football. Both decisions were made by ill-informed administrations for reasons that completely escape me. Maryville thinks it is going to enhance its institutional image by being D2. I've got news for them; there are two ways to enhance an institution's image through intercollegiate athletics. Either be very successful which Maryville has not been other than Women's Basketball and Softball and they fired the Softball coach who made them successful, or by going D1. That's it. Blackburn may have helped balance a troubled institutional budget by dropping Football but how are they going to replace the 40-60 football players in their student body. It appears a soon-to-retire President made a decision that helps the immediate bottom line but will plague her successors in the future. I know there were some problems off the field, and in some player-coach relations, but there were better ways to fix them other than drop a wonderful sport that meant a lot to the school and the community. There is nothing Will could have done in either situation.

With regard to Lincoln Christian leaving, their decision was made on my watch, not Will's. Contrary to Pat Coleman's assertion that they should never have been admitted to the conference, and Gregory Sager's that the conference was desperate for new members, LCC came to us with its desire to join the NCAA and the SLIAC, and with plans to drastically upgrade their athletic program. We visited their campus and saw new facilities, they added five sports to bring their total to ten, and all seemed well. Then Kevin Crawford, their AD and extremely successful Volleyball coach who was also the CFO of the institution, resigned and everything fell apart. LCC would have been a fine member of the SLIAC had the expansion they promised, and started, been completed.

The Football issue belongs on another board and I'll have something to say about that later. I will say now that Principia worked very hard to keep it going in spite of terribly low numbers of players in a sport where squad size is really important. Many of us worked very hard to make Football happen as a conference sport and an AQ in the SLIAC. There are nearly 500 student-athletes who deserve that, and six communities that will miss having the excitement of conference games on Fall Saturdays. I believe a solution to this will be found by Will.

Oh, and y_jak_lok, I may have worked for part time pay but the time and effort were definitely full time. No complaints, though; it was an enjoyable privilege to do it.

     

 

[fcnews]

Very well put, Coach.

Former Commish chooses to participate on this site. It is not a requirement of the SLIAC Commissioner to do so. Former was very visible at many sporting events because he was a well known figure in the the STL sports scene. New Commish has been at alot of this years events and I have spoken to him quite often.

Those that want to meet him personally can always go through proper channels and make an appt. to visit with him.

The SLIAC has been the whipping boy of most of the long standing conferences. If that is what you need, have at it. We here in the SLIAC enjoy our entertainment. And, have produced great individuals from this area. Isn't that the main goal.

Is adding Spalding any different then what happen back east this year? East coast conference adds a Texas school to keep their AQ.

[hopefan]

Westmin - Webster was another tremendously exciting game - I keep picking the right ones to go to.  

Talked to Coach Mitchell before the game  -  really interesting to be close enough to some of the coaches to find out what is going on -  I learned more about Warnicke's injury - or should I say two injuries- As the two players were falling, indeed Warnicke's nose got between the  free falling Fontbonne player's elbow and the floor - Per Coach Mitchell, the nose basicly 'exploded' -  at the same time, warnicke's chin/face hit the floor hard enough to chip a tooth requiring a root canal  -  in a brief conversation, Warnicke told me he hopes to be back playing next Wednesday, with mask - as coach Mitchellsaid... tough kid.   Also what a senior class Westmin has - Warnicke, Med School; Mike Crawford, Law School; Buddy Sodeman, Grand Marshall on Campus, will be in Education;  Kurt Kueschall, proceeding towards marriage and owning a dairy farm!!!

Aah, the game  . . great game!!!  The last two minutes full of clutch shots.
Webster started slow - again, -  and fell behind by double digits...  Westmin's Stan Crawford was outscoring them by himself for awhile, and at one point in time, the score was 27-13    I guess Webster had 'em where they wanted 'em  Webster came back to make it close at half and was down only 2, though had been thoroughly outplayed  -  a good situation to be in at half.  
The Gorlocks took their first lead at 42-41 on a hoop from Whitcombe, and built it up to 49-42 capped by a steal and layup from Niebrugge at 11:30.  From there Westmin made the big comeback, buoyed by 2 3 pointers from Kurt Kovach, taking the lead back ar 54-53 at 8 minutes left.  The Gorlocks went back up by 5 at 4 minutes off of two hoops by Ortwerth and a strong drive by Stegmeir, and it grew to 65-56 at 2:40 as Hrdlicka and Niebrugge scored.  But Westmin wasn't done.  
At 1:50  and the score 67-59, things got interesting - Westmin's Vislay hit a ft, Turk turned it over, and Stan Crawford hit two FTs to make it 67-62.  Turk missed the front end of a 1 and 1, and Kovachs made a monster 3 from the top of the key to cut it to 67-65 with 48 seconds.  After a time out, Westmin came out playing straightup man, and as the shot clock ran out, Webster's Luke Niebrugge hit a jump shot from the corner with defense all over him, even fouling him.. Niebrugge makes the ft for 70-65 at 17 seconds...  STILL NOT DONE  Westmin's kovach comes down and drills another 3 at 9 seconds!!  70-68      Turk is fouled at 7 seconds, this time doesn't miss for a 4 point lead, and Westmin gets a layup at the buzzer... for a 2 point Webster Win.

2 outstanding wins over key competition for Webster in the last two games- if they lose those 2, they would have been close to out of it -  instead they now are in good (but certainly not locked) shape.  You have to go with them if for no other reason that their Seniors are all playing roles so well - Turk controlling the game at crunch time, Niebrugge just out there working and hustling 100%, and scoring more than earlier in the season, Hrdlicka playing so well off the bench whether he's in with the rookie squad or in with the vets at the end, and Ortworth and Stigenmeir, probably only 10 minutes per game, but making critical plays...   Bunch is getting a heck of a lot out of this team in winning these last two - so much so that I came away saying HOW did they win - but thet did!!!!

Westmin played well, but a little sloppy with the ball at times... They miss Warnicke for tempo control....   They are good, BUT as this conference is going, they are not yet a lock either....

Westmin and Font with 2 losses, Gville, Mville, and Webster with 3
Will be tough now for Eureka, Mac to crack that top 5.....  But I think Eureka has it in them to still impact things.....

SATURDAY
Eureka at Fontbonne - the race will be even more exciting if we see an Eureka upset
Webster at Mac - Remember Mac beat them badly first time around...
Blackburn at Westmin  -  be careful here...
Greenville at prin  -  expect a Gville win, but remember, they did lose to LCC

[Pat Coleman]

Well, obviously I would disagree with the assertion that LCC was prepared to join Division III, considering they were so far from compliance. Simply having plans to do something doesn't signify preparedness. That's a big leap from what LCC was to being Division III compliant -- bigger than what Maryville is trying to do right now.

If one person leaving can bring the whole house of cards down, that should be seen through. It's one thing to take a school that needs to add a sport or two to be compliant; it's something else to admit a school that isn't even close, and only complies on paper in a future year.

The UMAC has some similar schools. They have not admitted North Central (Minn.), though North Central has wanted to get in for a few years now. They have pursued a far more prudent course of action.

[fcnews]

If I'm not mistaken. LCC was to add MW golf, MW tennis and W soccer. None of these sports are a huge financial leap.

We have the Commissioner of the conference involved, come onto this site to try and explained what transpired.

But No. We have to bow to the powers that be. Who were know where near any of these meetings. PLEASE.

Perfect example why Commish Wolper would avoid this place like the plague.

Thanks again Coach. Those that need to know appreciate your insight.

[Gregory Sager]

Thanks for your reply, formersliaccommish, and for your willingness to post online. I wish that more administrators would post on this site; it's a great source of information for the rest of us.

I'm still with Pat on this one. It was the fact that LCC had to add so many sports all at once that tipped me off that perhaps that school wasn't a great candidate for D3 membership. It seems to me from having followed the process with other schools in the new-member pipeline that they've usually only had to add one or two new sports, three at the most. Also, the fact that LCC dropped out only one year into the provisional process was pretty unusual.

[Gregory Sager]

If I'm not mistaken. LCC was to add MW golf, MW tennis and W soccer. None of these sports are a huge financial leap.

No, as formersliaccommish said, LCC had five sports and needed to add five more to reach the D3 minimum of ten. LCC currently has six sports, so one of the new ones has been retained.

We have the Commissioner of the conference involved, come onto this site to try and explained what transpired.

But No. We have to bow to the powers that be. Who were know where near any of these meetings. PLEASE.

Perfect example why Commish Wolper would avoid this place like the plague.

Don't get your knickers into a twist, fcnews. This is an informative and polite discussion. The "powers that be" (why can't you just identify Pat by name?) isn't making anybody bow, or do anything else for that matter.

[fcnews]

MW golf (2), MW tennis (2) and W soccer. That makes 5 sports in my book.

[Gregory Sager]

MW golf (2), MW tennis (2) and W soccer. That makes 5 sports in my book.

Yep, you're right. I read it too fast. My bad.

[hopefan]

 The You and me's are who should be important to the commissioner -  despite what alternative opinions might be offered by Pat or others - that was what was so good about former commish - I want to hear more than one side of a story.

[Pat Coleman]

I showed where another conference is in a similar situation and has taken a more cautious approach rather than taking all comers. The SLIAC isn't the NEAC, a league so desperate for members that it has to snap up whatever it can get.

Admitting LCC was, in hindsight, clearly a mistake. But it should have been seen in foresight. Plans on paper are one thing; teams on the field are what's required, however. Even the NCAA seems to think it's a mistake to admit a school that's so far from being ready to fulfill the requirements. They changed the rules, in fact, to prevent another LCC situation:

After it has been determined that the institution meets the Association's requirement of acceptable academic standards (per Constitution 3.6.3.2), the application may be approved, provided the applicant institution satisfies all of the following standards at the time of application:  (Adopted: 1/8/07 effective 8/1/07, Revised:  10/22/07)  [For legislation applicable to institutions that applied for Division III membership or petitioned for reclassification to Division III prior to August 1, 2007, please refer to the 2006-07 NCAA Division III Manuals or the NCAA Division III Homepage at www.ncaa.org.]

(a) Compliance during the year immediately preceding the application with all sports sponsorship requirements per Bylaw 20.11.3 and its subsections.  This includes, but is not limited to, the number of varsity intercollegiate sports an institution must sponsor and the minimum contest and participant requirements for sports sponsorship;  (Adopted: 1/8/07 effective 8/1/07)

Even the NCAA appears to feel it was a mistake to admit LCC, seeing as LCC would not be admitted under the revised rules.

[hopefan]

Please SLIAC, consider encouraging William Jewell to go ahead with moving to NCAA3 and snatch them up - a perfect partner for Westminster out west, a very good academic institution, Football, and distance from St Louis no farther than Louisville and Spalding  -  think two divisions, Missouri, Illinois

[fcnews]

Admitting LCC was, in hindsight, clearly a mistake. But it should have been seen in foresight. Plans on paper are one thing; teams on the field are what's required, however. Even the NCAA seems to think it's a mistake to admit a school that's so far from being ready to fulfill the requirements. They changed the rules, in fact, to prevent another LCC situation

Even the NCAA appears to feel it was a mistake to admit LCC, seeing as LCC would not be admitted under the revised rules.

Mr. Coleman - Hindsight is 20/20 and the Commisioner ,that was seated at the time, has come on here and explained what transpired.

Your statement that "Even the NCAA appears to feel it was a mistake.....", gives the casual reader of this site the idea that the rule was written only for the SLIAC's actions. That is totally false. But, the way you wrote almost even convinced me.

Just as it could not of been forseen the direction Maryville was headed, nor could it have been expected that the CFO and AD at LCC was going to be leaving. Or, that the new people in his position would take the actions they did. The same with the actions Blackburn's President has taken.

As I said before, the teams LCC were adding were not the type that breaks the budget. Also, anyone who visited the campus at the time could tell from all the construction, money was not a factor.

I'm glad you have an interest in our conference. But, to make it sound like there is no one driving the bus, could effect potential recruits and their parents decision.

Please SLIAC, consider encouraging William Jewell to go ahead with moving to NCAA3 and snatch them up - a perfect partner for Westminster out west, a very good academic institution, Football, and distance from St Louis no farther than Louisville and Spalding  -  think two divisions, Missouri, Illinois

Hopefan - Do you really think that the SLIAC is ignoring the William Jewell situation. They have been contacted before and since. They have other plans they are working towards. I guess we could always try "encouragaing" them to. What is that? Something like Please and now Pretty Please.

If being personally aquainted to the current commisioner is that important to you, contact him. I don't think Mr. Wolper is going to search you out at a sporting event. Just to say hi to a fan that he doesn't know exists.