FB: Empire 8

[Pat Coleman]

I was wondering how U of R scored into the UAA.  That conference is basketball just seems to be so randomly put together.   

Are you kidding? Look at the eight schools and tell me what they all have in common.

This is far from random.

My God Pat you're right!  They all have University in the school title!   How could I be so blind???  Those 8 schools were just meant to be together from the beginning, they are surely the only 8 above average academic  universities in America ( I say only above average as opposed to elite because I don't think kids have their final list down to Yale Harvard and then Brandeis or Case Western Reserve).  They threw caution to the wind and said we are the only 8 schools that fit our criteria and distance be damned we are going to start this association!  The parallel's are so shocking and apparent.  I have never once in my mind thought of U of R without immediately thinking of Emory University, it's just a stone cold fact.  Ron Burgandy would say "It's Science"  The connection between those schools makes so much more sense than being in a New York State based conference.  The UAA are a bunch of star crossed lovers to be sure, minus the sad ending as these 8 and only 8 research based institutions of higher learning will continue to thrive thousands of years from now!

Should pull your head out of New York once in a while, I guess. These are eight of the country's elite research institutions who have Division III athletics. That's a lot more in common than a lot of leagues have.

[Pat Coleman]

My guess of how this all comes apart in the end is twofold:

I think Buffalo St., Cortland St., Brockport St., USMMA, Susquehanna and WPI all have loose enough affiliations with their respective conferences that you'll see AT LEAST one of them move by 2009.

I also think that based on playoff access math, we're somewhat overdue for a 33rd (and by 2009, a 34th) playoff team.  That will reduce the issues of Pool B/Pool A mathematical friction re: number of auto-bids vs. # of Pool B bids needed to somehow ensure fair access.  34 teams would force the committee to rank all teams from 1-34 and to give byes to the top two teams.  This isn't too tough to swallow, as anything from 33 and 36 teams would not force a bracket problem.  Once you get between 36 and 48 teams, the brackets will look somewhat screwy. 

So no need to panic yet, but expect some major changes.

There's no 33rd or 34th team. The tournament is capped at 32. Remember how long it took to get the schools to sign off on a fifth weekend for the football playoffs? We won't get a sixth.

The only easing of championship access would be if there is indeed a split in Division III.

[pg04]

I'm sure that they will figure something out... I would not be surprised at all to see an midlevel LL team try and jump to see if they can get to the NCAA's... UofR would make an intresting choice...though acdemicly they would be above most of the schools... but they already have a rival...and UofR-Ithaca would make a great game

'acdemicly'?  This could be paired up with 'Saterday' and 'ridiculus'......Is St. John Fisher a state school??  Damn Superman.....

Hey I'm more coherent than him 100% of the time and I went to the State school. 

[sjfcards]

Speaking of what the E8 will do after losing Norwich. Why wouldn't a conference want an automatic bid. It takes all of the guess work out of it. If you win you are in. Without an AQ you can set yourself up for a bad situation.

So who would be a good fit for the E8? Well I think Kings fits into the mold of a small private school with a good academic program. I heard Lycoming, which is also right there as a strong candidate.

I am sure the E8 will work on getting the extra teams needed to grab that AQ. What I am not sure of is who will get the invite. Perhaps a team more like a St. Lawrence. They fit the mold of a E8 school. I am not sure if you would see a state school like Cortland added. Talent wise they are exactly what you would think about, but I am not sure the E8 leaders would take a team that is not a private institution. They seem to like that small private institution (look at all of the teams as full time members, and as one sport members. Any other ideas as to who could join? I think Kings is the best option.

[Jonny Utah]

My guess of how this all comes apart in the end is twofold:

I think Buffalo St., Cortland St., Brockport St., USMMA, Susquehanna and WPI all have loose enough affiliations with their respective conferences that you'll see AT LEAST one of them move by 2009.

I also think that based on playoff access math, we're somewhat overdue for a 33rd (and by 2009, a 34th) playoff team.  That will reduce the issues of Pool B/Pool A mathematical friction re: number of auto-bids vs. # of Pool B bids needed to somehow ensure fair access.  34 teams would force the committee to rank all teams from 1-34 and to give byes to the top two teams.  This isn't too tough to swallow, as anything from 33 and 36 teams would not force a bracket problem.  Once you get between 36 and 48 teams, the brackets will look somewhat screwy. 

So no need to panic yet, but expect some major changes.

There's no 33rd or 34th team. The tournament is capped at 32. Remember how long it took to get the schools to sign off on a fifth weekend for the football playoffs? We won't get a sixth.

The only easing of championship access would be if there is indeed a split in Division III.

You could always have byes though too.

[Frank Rossi]

My guess of how this all comes apart in the end is twofold:

I think Buffalo St., Cortland St., Brockport St., USMMA, Susquehanna and WPI all have loose enough affiliations with their respective conferences that you'll see AT LEAST one of them move by 2009.

I also think that based on playoff access math, we're somewhat overdue for a 33rd (and by 2009, a 34th) playoff team.  That will reduce the issues of Pool B/Pool A mathematical friction re: number of auto-bids vs. # of Pool B bids needed to somehow ensure fair access.  34 teams would force the committee to rank all teams from 1-34 and to give byes to the top two teams.  This isn't too tough to swallow, as anything from 33 and 36 teams would not force a bracket problem.  Once you get between 36 and 48 teams, the brackets will look somewhat screwy. 

So no need to panic yet, but expect some major changes.

There's no 33rd or 34th team. The tournament is capped at 32. Remember how long it took to get the schools to sign off on a fifth weekend for the football playoffs? We won't get a sixth.

The only easing of championship access would be if there is indeed a split in Division III.

You could always have byes though too.

Pat's right (shocker, I know)...Two teams would get byes - 32 would not and would be forced to play 6 weeks.  It'd be messy.

[Pat Coleman]

Any easing of the ratios is going to have to come through the division subdividing, barring mass extinctions of programs or mass migrations to a different division.

[pg04]

Honestly, I think the 32 teams is good enough and a better solution than a divisional subdivide. 

[Jonny Utah]

Im actually a little disapointed IC wont be playing at Norwich anymore.  That was a nice daytrip from Boston in the fall.

[Tags]

I'm sure that they will figure something out... I would not be surprised at all to see an midlevel LL team try and jump to see if they can get to the NCAA's... UofR would make an intresting choice...though acdemicly they would be above most of the schools... but they already have a rival...and UofR-Ithaca would make a great game

'acdemicly'?  This could be paired up with 'Saterday' and 'ridiculus'......Is St. John Fisher a state school??  Damn Superman.....

Hey I'm more coherent than him 100% of the time and I went to the State school. 

State school here as well - I think it's just a Superman issue.

[AUPepBand]

Pep is getting filled with + karma and just needs to spread it around....
+k to all (except Superman)

[Tags]

Thanks Pep 8)

So, on to some of our local football discussion... I hope the saxons are going hard after Zapata.

[superman57]

superman just does not give his posts the time of day to check for spelling...superman has struggled with spelling and since superman is still dealing with the after effects of surgery and pain pills give him a break.. u elitest a$$ go I hope you spill your soy half calf mocha cappucino in your volvo and pep thanks for the no k

[maninyellowhat]

This is the best debate I've read in a while...what to do, super conference, AQs, bye weeks.  Thanks to Norwich, some real good discussion has been presented.  

I really like the idea of a super-football conference, but it doesn't seem realistic, or logistically sound.  Sounds like it's all a moot point though, as a replacement is in the works.

[Tags]

superman just does not give his posts the time of day to check for spelling...superman has struggled with spelling and since superman is still dealing with the after effects of surgery and pain pills give him a break.. u elitest a$$ go I hope you spill your soy half calf mocha cappucino in your volvo and pep thanks for the no k

Walk it off 57

Here's some -k to cheer you up