FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[faunch]

Massey rates this game 28-24, UWW.  Hansen says 29.1-24.9, SJU.  If they are at least correct that the game will be that close then I'm almost certain to have a heart attack this weekend.  bennie already had me drinking before 7:30am last weekend.

I'm already coming out of my skin and it's only Wednesday...or Thursday for you!

[OzJohnnie]

Massey rates this game 28-24, UWW.  Hansen says 29.1-24.9, SJU.  If they are at least correct that the game will be that close then I'm almost certain to have a heart attack this weekend.  bennie already had me drinking before 7:30am last weekend.

I'm already coming out of my skin and it's only Wednesday...or Thursday for you!

#$@%!  Thursday?  I actually thought it was Wednesday.  I'm so far behind in my work this week.  Damn.

[art76]

I'll piggy-back on Oz's observations - in that I think this game is going to be another nail-biter. In fact, I am of the opinion that North Central and the Mules are going to have a good game as well. We might witness two games in the semis that will be talked about for a number of years. More so, especially if the Stagg is a close affair as well. Picking #3 and #4 might be a toss up this year. I can see any of these 4 teams coming out on top when it is all done and said. It's going to be a great final two weeks of D3 football.

Go Johnnies!

[02 Warhawk]

Massey rates this game 28-24, UWW.  Hansen says 29.1-24.9, SJU.  If they are at least correct that the game will be that close then I'm almost certain to have a heart attack this weekend.  bennie already had me drinking before 7:30am last weekend.

I saw on Twitter Hansen posted:

SJU @ UWW: UWW 29.1-24.9

I think you may have it backwards. I think he picked UWW to win 29.1-24.9

For the record, I'm not as confident as Massey or Hansen in UWW Saturday

[BDB]

I probably shouldn't give you yahoos this link, but   

[OzJohnnie]

Massey rates this game 28-24, UWW.  Hansen says 29.1-24.9, SJU.  If they are at least correct that the game will be that close then I'm almost certain to have a heart attack this weekend.  bennie already had me drinking before 7:30am last weekend.

I saw on Twitter Hansen posted:

SJU @ UWW: UWW 29.1-24.9

I think you may have it backwards. I think he picked UWW to win 29.1-24.9

For the record, I'm not as confident as Massey or Hansen in UWW Saturday

I did have it backwards.  Mental block.

[art76]

Observations about the four remaining teams:

UW Whitewater versus St. John's - Pound the ground and control the clock with your offense vs. the long baller

Muhlenberg verses North Central - Squashing defense vs. the shifty gun slinger

If the Warhawks and Mules prevail in the semis, the Stagg is going to be a rugby scrum.

If the Johnnies and the Cardinals move on, then we have a "who can run up the score fastest" contest.

It's just so intriguing to see how the four teams all have different make-ups, strengths and weaknesses - it's just going to be a hoot for us D3 fans!

Go Johnnies!

[57Johnnie]

Oz,
I just bought a nice bottle of Australian wine. Do I need an anti-clockwise corkscrew to get the cork out? 

[jamtod]

Oz,
I just bought a nice bottle of Australian wine. Do I need an anti-clockwise corkscrew to get the cork out? 

No, but since Australia is on the southern hemisphere, you need to hold the bottle upside down while you open it.

[02 Warhawk]

Observations about the four remaining teams:

UW Whitewater versus St. John's - Pound the ground and control the clock with your offense vs. the long baller

Muhlenberg verses North Central - Squashing defense vs. the shifty gun slinger

If the Warhawks and Mules prevail in the semis, the Stagg is going to be a rugby scrum.

If the Johnnies and the Cardinals move on, then we have a "who can run up the score fastest" contest.

It's just so intriguing to see how the four teams all have different make-ups, strengths and weaknesses - it's just going to be a hoot for us D3 fans!

Go Johnnies!

My favorite part: All the top seeds have been eliminated before the semi's.

Fun times....except if ur a fan of one of those top-seeded teams

[TheChucker]

...Yes, there are 97 roster spots, but it is the 20 scholarships, the cost of paying coaches, and the cost of team travel- even by bus-- that makes it so expensive.  As MIAC schools know, big rosters equals more enrollment...

So in the end, SCSU risks giving up another 77 net students worth of revenue (97 minus 20 scholarships) of at least $1.16M (77 X $15K + any grant money from the Feds/State not paid by the student). It doesn't seem like such a great deal.

FWIW. My last post on this issue for all those craving D3 semifinals discussion.

[GoldandBlueBU]

Massey rates this game 28-24, UWW.  Hansen says 29.1-24.9, SJU.  If they are at least correct that the game will be that close then I'm almost certain to have a heart attack this weekend.  bennie already had me drinking before 7:30am last weekend.

I'm already coming out of my skin and it's only Wednesday...or Thursday for you!

Wait a second, I thought you said SJU was going to lose to Wheaton?  Now you're nervous that they  might beat UWW? 

I jest of course. 

Go Johnnies!  Beat the sconnies!

[OzJohnnie]

Oz,
I just bought a nice bottle of Australian wine. Do I need an anti-clockwise corkscrew to get the cork out? 

No, but since Australia is on the southern hemisphere, you need to hold the bottle upside down while you open it.

Ha. I was going to say while standing on his head.

Regardless, 57, enjoy the bottle. I wasn't much of a wine drinker before I got here but the Aussies are into their alcoholic grape juice and I may have picked up a favourite or two myself.

[OzJohnnie]

Observations about the four remaining teams:

UW Whitewater versus St. John's - Pound the ground and control the clock with your offense vs. the long baller

Muhlenberg verses North Central - Squashing defense vs. the shifty gun slinger

If the Warhawks and Mules prevail in the semis, the Stagg is going to be a rugby scrum.

If the Johnnies and the Cardinals move on, then we have a "who can run up the score fastest" contest.

It's just so intriguing to see how the four teams all have different make-ups, strengths and weaknesses - it's just going to be a hoot for us D3 fans!

Go Johnnies!

My favorite part: All the top seeds have been eliminated before the semi's.

Fun times....except if ur a fan of one of those top-seeded teams

We have had a long period, 10 or 12 years, where there where no more than three real contenders in any one year, often only two or even one contender. And the gap between the contenders and the rest of the field was huge and obvious. This year we'll finish with maybe seven teams who had a legit shot and were only a couple plays away from the whole shebang.

Could this be the beginning of a DIII renaissance or do you think this year will prove to be an anomaly?

[AO]

I can tell you that for a Title IX compliance check, each sport has an 11 page worksheet covering everything from facilities to resources to recruiting budgets to accommodations of athletes to access to trainers to how many administrative assistants are provided in the sport offices.  The Court does look at all of those.

SCSU had 19 sports at the time.  That is 200 pages minimum of the data being furnished.

Like I said, baseball and softball illustrate the difficult conundrum-- softball gets a dump for a home field they play on for maybe 4-5 games per year, but play 20-30 in the dome on the football field.  Baseball gets a gem of a field to play on for 7-10 games per year but otherwise plays on the road.  It is hard to compare whether or not athletes are given equitable opportunities accordingly.  If they built Husky Stadium right and demolished the football portion of Selke, why didn't they add a few hundred thousand more and do softball at Selke correct then?

Football's problem was revenue.  It is declining despite the administration investing in it-- building a new facility in 2004 and re instituting traditions around homecoming, investing in marketing efforts and asking the students to raise their fees just for football-- that is a lot of legislative and political neck being exposed in the name of trying to grow the revenue base.  And they were not unsuccessful over the past 10 years (unlike UM- Crookston, who has struggled seemingly forever).   All donors to athletic programs--- limited in the St. Cloud area--- were pushed instead toward D-1 hockey.  Yes, there are 97 roster spots, but it is the 20 scholarships, the cost of paying coaches, and the cost of team travel- even by bus-- that makes it so expensive.  As MIAC schools know, big rosters equals more enrollment. 

The broader problem is there is a shifting demographic and emphasis away from football nationwide.  College and pro attendance is down nationally, participation is down at high schools.  I view SCSU as a canary in the coal mine, per se-- a proud, moderately successful program which cannot continue the economics to make football sustainable in a modern athletics program.

I don't think declining participation in football has much to do with this situation.  St. Cloud State didn't have trouble filling out a roster, and their attendance wasn't far off of historical averages.  It's not like they were ever getting 10,000 fans per game.  They also are going to be missing the equivalent of 77 tuition paying students from the school now.  It's obviously easier financially in D3 as we know, but I don't think SCSU is the canary in the coal mine as their Title IX lawsuit loss makes their situation substantially different than most other schools.