MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

It is a one year deal... to celebrate the 75th Anniversary... it isn't great... but it isn't bad, either.

[philip_ponder]

I actually think it's a pretty cool deal, and not just because I'm in Atlanta.  First, the D3 game will still get D3 fans that would have made the trip to Salem.  No, it won't get the Virginia fans that have become annual attendees.  But it will get the people that travel to Salem every year.  The game will of course get the fans of the two participating teams.  The attraction of coming down during the Div. 1 Final Four will also bring some new D3 fans that haven't been to Salem before.  With the D3 championship game and the D2 championship game being played as a double-header, it will get some D2 fans, as well.  Additionally, everyone with tickets to the Div. 1 Final Four (some 70,000 people) will get free admission to the D3/D2 championship games and the NCAA is going to give free publicity for the game.  And there are a lot of fans in the Atlanta area that will just come out to see a good game.  The NCAA is hoping to pack Philip Arena with 17,000+ fans.  I don't know how close they'll get to that number, but I would expect an all-time record crowd for the D3 championship game.  On top of that, the two D3 teams will be introduced at half-time of one of the Div. I semi-final games, and then the National Champions will be introduced on Monday night.  I think it will be a great experience for the student-athletes that are fortunate enough to make it that far, and a great chance for Div. III to get some publicity.  I'm all for the idea!

[sac]

I agree that it sounds bad for D3 overall, but the idea of Sweet 16/Semis in Salem is intriguing. That would be a chance to see a lot of quality teams at once.

Also will give them a chance to explain how footing the bill for the extra flights to Salem then Atlanta can't be done every year.

[KnightSlappy]

If you're looking for some wonderfull off-season basketball reading, may I suggest the following:

http://scottsbbblog.blogspot.com/

Well done sac!!!!!  Can't wait for the next installment, and I'm looking forward to reading your insights in-season as well.

I'm obviously pro blogs, so +1 from me.

[Pat Coleman]

I actually think it's a pretty cool deal, and not just because I'm in Atlanta.  First, the D3 game will still get D3 fans that would have made the trip to Salem.  No, it won't get the Virginia fans that have become annual attendees.  But it will get the people that travel to Salem every year.  The game will of course get the fans of the two participating teams.  The attraction of coming down during the Div. 1 Final Four will also bring some new D3 fans that haven't been to Salem before.  With the D3 championship game and the D2 championship game being played as a double-header, it will get some D2 fans, as well.  Additionally, everyone with tickets to the Div. 1 Final Four (some 70,000 people) will get free admission to the D3/D2 championship games and the NCAA is going to give free publicity for the game.  And there are a lot of fans in the Atlanta area that will just come out to see a good game.  The NCAA is hoping to pack Philip Arena with 17,000+ fans.  I don't know how close they'll get to that number, but I would expect an all-time record crowd for the D3 championship game.  On top of that, the two D3 teams will be introduced at half-time of one of the Div. I semi-final games, and then the National Champions will be introduced on Monday night.  I think it will be a great experience for the student-athletes that are fortunate enough to make it that far, and a great chance for Div. III to get some publicity.  I'm all for the idea!

I'm just happy I have a cousin I can stay with in Atlanta, because I don't foresee being able to get a hotel room for the same rate as I could in Roanoke.

[KnightSlappy]

I actually think it's a pretty cool deal, and not just because I'm in Atlanta.  First, the D3 game will still get D3 fans that would have made the trip to Salem.  No, it won't get the Virginia fans that have become annual attendees.  But it will get the people that travel to Salem every year.  The game will of course get the fans of the two participating teams.  The attraction of coming down during the Div. 1 Final Four will also bring some new D3 fans that haven't been to Salem before.  With the D3 championship game and the D2 championship game being played as a double-header, it will get some D2 fans, as well.  Additionally, everyone with tickets to the Div. 1 Final Four (some 70,000 people) will get free admission to the D3/D2 championship games and the NCAA is going to give free publicity for the game.  And there are a lot of fans in the Atlanta area that will just come out to see a good game.  The NCAA is hoping to pack Philip Arena with 17,000+ fans.  I don't know how close they'll get to that number, but I would expect an all-time record crowd for the D3 championship game.  On top of that, the two D3 teams will be introduced at half-time of one of the Div. I semi-final games, and then the National Champions will be introduced on Monday night.  I think it will be a great experience for the student-athletes that are fortunate enough to make it that far, and a great chance for Div. III to get some publicity.  I'm all for the idea!

I'm just happy I have a cousin I can stay with in Atlanta, because I don't foresee being able to get a hotel room for the same rate as I could in Roanoke.

Maybe if they built some of these?

[KnightSlappy]

I actually think it's a pretty cool deal, and not just because I'm in Atlanta.  First, the D3 game will still get D3 fans that would have made the trip to Salem.  No, it won't get the Virginia fans that have become annual attendees.  But it will get the people that travel to Salem every year.  The game will of course get the fans of the two participating teams.  The attraction of coming down during the Div. 1 Final Four will also bring some new D3 fans that haven't been to Salem before.  With the D3 championship game and the D2 championship game being played as a double-header, it will get some D2 fans, as well.  Additionally, everyone with tickets to the Div. 1 Final Four (some 70,000 people) will get free admission to the D3/D2 championship games and the NCAA is going to give free publicity for the game.  And there are a lot of fans in the Atlanta area that will just come out to see a good game.  The NCAA is hoping to pack Philip Arena with 17,000+ fans.  I don't know how close they'll get to that number, but I would expect an all-time record crowd for the D3 championship game.  On top of that, the two D3 teams will be introduced at half-time of one of the Div. I semi-final games, and then the National Champions will be introduced on Monday night.  I think it will be a great experience for the student-athletes that are fortunate enough to make it that far, and a great chance for Div. III to get some publicity.  I'm all for the idea!

I'm just happy I have a cousin I can stay with in Atlanta, because I don't foresee being able to get a hotel room for the same rate as I could in Roanoke.

It's going to be difficult to explain to my wife, boss, and checkbook that it will be necessary for me to travel to Virginia and Georgia next spring.

[sac]

I actually think it's a pretty cool deal, and not just because I'm in Atlanta.  First, the D3 game will still get D3 fans that would have made the trip to Salem.  No, it won't get the Virginia fans that have become annual attendees.  But it will get the people that travel to Salem every year.  The game will of course get the fans of the two participating teams.  The attraction of coming down during the Div. 1 Final Four will also bring some new D3 fans that haven't been to Salem before.  With the D3 championship game and the D2 championship game being played as a double-header, it will get some D2 fans, as well.  Additionally, everyone with tickets to the Div. 1 Final Four (some 70,000 people) will get free admission to the D3/D2 championship games and the NCAA is going to give free publicity for the game.  And there are a lot of fans in the Atlanta area that will just come out to see a good game.  The NCAA is hoping to pack Philip Arena with 17,000+ fans.  I don't know how close they'll get to that number, but I would expect an all-time record crowd for the D3 championship game.  On top of that, the two D3 teams will be introduced at half-time of one of the Div. I semi-final games, and then the National Champions will be introduced on Monday night.  I think it will be a great experience for the student-athletes that are fortunate enough to make it that far, and a great chance for Div. III to get some publicity.  I'm all for the idea!

I'm just happy I have a cousin I can stay with in Atlanta, because I don't foresee being able to get a hotel room for the same rate as I could in Roanoke.

don't you mean Alanta

[Gregory Sager]

My initial response is that I hate the idea, but I'm open to persuasion.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

My initial response is that I hate the idea, but I'm open to persuasion.

Totall agree - well only up to the comma

[pointlem]

So what would a Wheaton (or even a Hope or Calvin, and likely some other schools) do if the DIII game were on a Sunday?  Play through the semis and then have their Chariots of Fire moment, leaving the team they defeated in the semi-final game to play in the championship?  That would trigger an interesting national news story, and a debate about how far the culture should go to respect cultural and religious diversity.

[fantastic50]

So what would a Wheaton (or even a Hope or Calvin, and likely some other schools) do if the DIII game were on a Sunday?  Play through the semis and then have their Chariots of Fire moment, leaving the team they defeated in the semi-final game to play in the championship?  That would trigger an interesting national news story, and a debate about how far the culture should go to respect cultural and religious diversity.

I had thoughts along the same lines.  It would be quite an opportunity for an institution to show that their deeply-held beliefs matter more than the pursuit of glory, and to do so with the national media's attention.

At the D-I level, there are two institutions that don't play on Sundays, for religious reasons, and the NCAA accommodates them (at least in basketball, I'm not sure about non-revenue sports).  BYU is a well-known case, but can anyone name the other?  A couple of quick hints: This team has advanced to the "big dance" only once; when they did, their first-round opponent was a powerhouse from the same state.  Also, until just four years ago, their home games were played in a gym that seats less than 1000 people, one of the smallest facilities in D-I).

[ziggy]

So what would a Wheaton (or even a Hope or Calvin, and likely some other schools) do if the DIII game were on a Sunday?  Play through the semis and then have their Chariots of Fire moment, leaving the team they defeated in the semi-final game to play in the championship?  That would trigger an interesting national news story, and a debate about how far the culture should go to respect cultural and religious diversity.

I had thoughts along the same lines.  It would be quite an opportunity for an institution to show that their deeply-held beliefs matter more than the pursuit of glory, and to do so with the national media's attention.

At the D-I level, there are two institutions that don't play on Sundays, for religious reasons, and the NCAA accommodates them (at least in basketball, I'm not sure about non-revenue sports).  BYU is a well-known case, but can anyone name the other?  A couple of quick hints: This team has advanced to the "big dance" only once; when they did, their first-round opponent was a powerhouse from the same state.  Also, until just four years ago, their home games were played in a gym that seats less than 1000 people, one of the smallest facilities in D-I).

Notre Dame? (snicker, snicker, snicker)

[realist]

In 2010 Calvin's women's volleyball team was in St. Louis for the finals.  The championship game was scheduled to be played on Sunday, but because Calvin was one of the final two teams the game was pushed back to Monday.  Calvin won.
It sure would throw a wrench in the works if one of the teams that does not play on Sunday reaches the finals.  I sure hope it is Calvin that causes the NCAA to wrestle with the issue, but suspect they (NCAA) will just move to alternate date.  The NCAA will honor it's committment not to require teams to play Sunday, and doubt much will be said about it.
In 1993 Calvin was in the sweet 16 down in TN. (Emory and Henry), and a huge blizzard hit the area.  The Friday night games went reasonably well, but the weather was so bad the TN authorities initially did not allow fans to leave the gym, and there was talk of people sleeping in the gym etc., and other places on campus.  After several hours the buses were cleared to go back to Bristol to the hotel.  There were long discussions about the Sat. game being postponed, and played on Sunday which Calvin said no to, and Mon. was the next date.  The game was played in front of very few fans on Sat., and with the refs. from Friday night's game being used again.  Ohio Northern beat Calvin.

[sac]

So what would a Wheaton (or even a Hope or Calvin, and likely some other schools) do if the DIII game were on a Sunday?  Play through the semis and then have their Chariots of Fire moment, leaving the team they defeated in the semi-final game to play in the championship?  That would trigger an interesting national news story, and a debate about how far the culture should go to respect cultural and religious diversity.

I had thoughts along the same lines.  It would be quite an opportunity for an institution to show that their deeply-held beliefs matter more than the pursuit of glory, and to do so with the national media's attention.

At the D-I level, there are two institutions that don't play on Sundays, for religious reasons, and the NCAA accommodates them (at least in basketball, I'm not sure about non-revenue sports).  BYU is a well-known case, but can anyone name the other?  A couple of quick hints: This team has advanced to the "big dance" only once; when they did, their first-round opponent was a powerhouse from the same state.  Also, until just four years ago, their home games were played in a gym that seats less than 1000 people, one of the smallest facilities in D-I).

Campbell University   http://www.campbell.edu/


My first guess was Presbyterian, but their gym is too "big".