MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[emufan]

Several of my peers at EMU received the 'minority' scholarship while I attended EMU.  Most weren't athletes and none received full scholarships.  With a $16 million hardly anyone gets a full ride.

[jdubyadubya]

let's drop the scholarship(is it or isn't it?) discussion and get back to basketball.

[steelyglen]

Jim I'm all about the holidays and if the Maroons want to take a "scoring" one...'tis the season!    I still them see them throwing up 105 in Nininger on January 16th '02   

[ladyfan]

I believe JW is right. All D3 schools offer some sort of aid to some. I beleive it falls under the category of different ways to skin a cat. When you shake it up and pour it out, it boils down to a kid goes to the school that is the best fit for him in his own mind.

[hasanova]

So, what sort of record will it take to win the 2005-06 ODAC regular season championship?  Personally, I see the league champ being about 14-4 (maybe even 13-5) this season.  Looks to me as though the top five or six teams will beat each other up this winter.

[algernon]

So, what sort of record will it take to win the 2005-06 ODAC regular season championship?  Personally, I see the league champ being about 14-4 (maybe even 13-5) this season.  Looks to me as though the top five or six teams will beat each other up this winter.

I think you're right.  Even a 13-5 record may the best regular season record this year.

To put the question in historical perspective, these are the regular season records of the regular season champs over the last 10 years:

1995-96:  Roanoke (14-4)
1996-97:  Roanoke (13-5)
1997-98:  Hampden-Sydney & Randolph-Macon (13-5)
1998-99:  Hampden-Sydney (16-2)
1999-00:  Hampden-Sydney (18-0)
2000-01:  Hampden-Sydney & Roanoke (14-4)
2001-02:  Randolph-Macon (16-2)
2002-03:  Hampden-Sydney & Randolph-Macon (17-1)
2003-04:  Randolph-Macon (16-2)
2004-05:  Randolph-Macon & Virginia Wesleyan (13-5)

[hasanova]

Personally, I think the league is more fun when it's this competitive.  I know the teams that were so good in the past will disagree, but I didn't enjoy the years of dominant 18-0 or 17-1 teams. I see the winner sweeping the bottom four teams and at least holding homecourt advantage with the five or so other contenders.  If you get a breakthrough sweep against a contender or stumble away against a bubble team, that might prove to be the difference.

[Jacketlawyer]

Personally I think the record to win this year will remain consistent with Algernon's posting. 

As for the whole scholarship topic, there are some things, in my opinion, that don't need to be known.  I would posit that every school uses some kind of weird calculus to help out the athletes.  This is a good thing as long as they don't run afoul of the NCAA (God forbid!) regulations, or stray from any ethical guidelines.

Any early impressions this year for the best coach??

[hasanova]

Personally I think the record to win this year will remain consistent with Algernon's posting. 

As for the whole scholarship topic, there are some things, in my opinion, that don't need to be known.  I would posit that every school uses some kind of weird calculus to help out the athletes.  This is a good thing as long as they don't run afoul of the NCAA (God forbid!) regulations, or stray from any ethical guidelines.

Any early impressions this year for the best coach??

I know I am slightly biased, but I think Palombo can be a contender if he has a breakthrough year (12-6 or better in the ODAC).  He seems to be a good recruiter and motivator - and gets his guys to play "team" ball without worrying about individual statistics and accolades.

[PA Royals Fan]

I'm not sure I'm ready to drop the whole scholarship question so fast.  I find it frustrating when accusations are made with some vague allusions to shady deals but without anything to back it up.  Feels a bit like "swiftboating" to me.

If I sound defensive, maybe I am.  Defensive that if a team has a lot of players of color it is suspicious, and defensive that the school from which I graduated is being accused of something like this.

I have a feeling the EMU program (as are the other programs in ODAC) are some of the best run, cleanest programs in the NCAA.  It would be interesting to know how many violations there have been from ODAC schools.  Not many I bet.  The last I remember at EMU was when a couple of Men's Volleyball players got in trouble for taking a cooler as a prize during a two-man beach volleyball tournament.

So I will get back to BBall, but with the plea for all involved to stick to things you are willing to post in full and not to engage in rumor-mongering

[3sdown]

Financial aid packages...A few years ago the discussion was between HSC and RMC.  Now EMU and BC.  Interesting on how the conversation has reincarnated itself, but between 2 different schools.  The fact is that all of the schools do it differently.  Some schools place more of an emphasis on getting minority students and some coaches use this to their advantage.  Some schools in their packages offer more grant-in-aid, others more loan.  And then there are those infamous "leadership" scholarships and then scholarships given based on a grades, SATs, and interviews, etc.  Some schools provide great incentives for coaches to recruit and "lobby" for their kids in the scholarship process...And not all scholarship processes at the schools are done entirely honestly and fairly.  For example, some schools take into account future possible contributions based on extracurricular activities at the high school level.  The schools, at least based on my knowledge, are constantly shaping and reshaping their financial aid packages to be more competitive with students in general, but also to make athletic programs more competitive on the recruiting trail, since at many of these schools a large percentage of kids attending play intercollegiate athletics.  The fact is sometimes kids are lost that coaches have recruited and the sole reason they are lost is financial.  Also, the fact is that you play the game with only the kids that show up and stay enrolled in school!  Thus, the debate isn't mute...It will always be there and is something that most of the institutions struggle with.  And if EMU is giving scholarships, based on some reason, and they are full in nature, then great!  And if BC can't keep up then I would suggest some lobbying tactics with the administration of the school.  I know RMC keeps a constant tab on what HSC is doing and I am sure that it is vice versa...to make sure that one or the other isn't running away with the market! (Of good students and of good athletes!)  My two cents...

[justafan02]

Adair is probably out tonight vs. EMU but don't be so quick to count out the Marlins.  I know it is easy to do b/c EMU would be tough to conquer w/ Adair and VWC isn't playing well.  But,  I am gonna throw this one out there: Tyler Fantin and Marques Fitch will both be in double digits and lead the Marlins to a W.  Remember:  Fitch is no bum, he will be a 1,000 point scorer by the years end right along with Adair, Warren, Doino not bad company.  Guard the perimeter tonight!!!  Close game tonight Fitch and Fantin lead w/ 18 points a piece.

[10]

The way the Tigers are rolling this season, it will be hard for the Tigers not to be in the hunt for the ODAC title. I know it's kinda early to be talking ODAC title but I love my Tigers. I think Coach Smith and KG (Garst) are doing a great job with the program this year, and I can't wait to see if the guys can keep the intensity at a high level. I know as a former player of  Smith's, he is very proud of the guys so far but he won't let the young Tigers get ahead of themselves and start playing bad basketball.

THE TIGERS CRUSH LYNCHBURG TONIGHT 87-66

ITS HARD TO DECIDE WHO WILL LEAD THE TIGERS TONIGHT BECAUSE EVERYONE IS SO UNSELFISH. BUT I THINK GOOD OL' KEVIN FORRESTER WILL LEAD THE TIGERS TONIGHT. GO TIGERS

[hasanova]

The way the Tigers are rolling this season, it will be hard for the Tigers not to be in the hunt for the ODAC title. I know it's kinda early to be talking ODAC title but I love my Tigers. I think Coach Smith and KG (Garst) are doing a great job with the program this year, and I can't wait to see if the guys can keep the intensity at a high level. I know as a former player of  Smith's, he is very proud of the guys so far but he won't let the young Tigers get ahead of themselves and start playing bad basketball.

THE TIGERS CRUSH LYNCHBURG TONIGHT 87-66

ITS HARD TO DECIDE WHO WILL LEAD THE TIGERS TONIGHT BECAUSE EVERYONE IS SO UNSELFISH. BUT I THINK GOOD OL' KEVIN FORRESTER WILL LEAD THE TIGERS TONIGHT. GO TIGERS

Yes, it is a little early to talk ODAC championship.  So far, the Tigers have played the Wasps and the Marlins.  I think all the ODAC teams, and especially the frontrunners, will have to wait until they've gone through at least the first nine-game rotation before a favorite stands out.  Hampden-Sydney may ultimately win the league title, but I believe there are five or six teams with a legitimate shot at the top.

[mybleedinghands]

The way the Tigers are rolling this season, it will be hard for the Tigers not to be in the hunt for the ODAC title. I know it's kinda early to be talking ODAC title but I love my Tigers. I think Coach Smith and KG (Garst) are doing a great job with the program this year, and I can't wait to see if the guys can keep the intensity at a high level. I know as a former player of  Smith's, he is very proud of the guys so far but he won't let the young Tigers get ahead of themselves and start playing bad basketball.

THE TIGERS CRUSH LYNCHBURG TONIGHT 87-66

ITS HARD TO DECIDE WHO WILL LEAD THE TIGERS TONIGHT BECAUSE EVERYONE IS SO UNSELFISH. BUT I THINK GOOD OL' KEVIN FORRESTER WILL LEAD THE TIGERS TONIGHT. GO TIGERS

Yes, it is a little early to talk ODAC championship.  So far, the Tigers have played the Wasps and the Marlins.  I think all the ODAC teams, and especially the frontrunners, will have to wait until they've gone through at least the first nine-game rotation before a favorite stands out.  Hampden-Sydney may ultimately win the league title, but I believe there are five or six teams with a legitimate shot at the top.

I wouldn't declare anyone as a front-runner for the ODAC championship until they face macon and sydney. They have established themselves as the top 2 teams in the Conference so far, but as early as it is that doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot. You enver know when someone may get injured (ex: Adair, big loss and he could be out a while considering the type of injury it is, one should NEVER rush back from a neck injury) or if and when a team is gonna catch fire (ex: Sydney from last year).