FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[K-Mack]

OK, I'll play the responding game. Mine are in bold.

Anyway ...is the idea of SU leaving the USAC old news or really not that interesting?

hmmm...  let's see, it's been about 4 years since the ODAC rumour has surfaced, so this would seem about time for it to appear again.  Seems like this happens every 4 or 5 years up here.

xBCDad said that not me. Minor, I know, but for the record

Shenandoah is probably a fit institution-wise, and for all sports, ODAC travel would seem to be better for them with just the one significant out-of-state trip to Guilford (although E&H might be a longer hike).

Considering current USASAC travel, I would imagine a once-a-year trip to Carolina would hardly be a concern...

So ODAC travel would be, like, better?

I also hate the six-letter conference abbreviation.

I'm sure it's preferable to trips to Methodist, N.C. Wesleyan, Tidewater (CNU and NNA) and Averett

Bingo - although NNA isn't in our conference, but Maryville (TN) is for football...

Yeah, I don't know where my head was at for that one.

I certainly don't know Shenandoah's reasoning, but I wouldn't be shocked if travel costs and more natural regional rivalries were a factor in their desire to join. Maybe the ODAC seems more stable as well.

From what I hear it's travel costs.  We've been hearing this for 15 years, it was a rumor even before SU added football.  The regional rivalries would be the attractive part of this from a fans perspective.  I know a lot of famlies in town who have ODAC ties - either kids at ODAC Schools or grads themselves.  I know that SU had 7000+ at the BC game a couple of years ago.

I'm gonna guess BC was responsible for a few of those fans.

Overall I think it would be a good move for SU, however, there are some great match-ups that would disappear with a move - and that would be disappointing.  

I would hope I could still muster the strength to continue to hate CNU...

[allsky7]

Do we know that Randolph wouldn't add football? Certainly a way to increase male enrollment.

Former women's schools that added football in the past decade: Greensboro, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Endicott

     I agree Pat. I wouldn't be that surprised if Randolph added football. They also might do it sooner than you think to beat LC to the punch. What a great way to shake the stigma of being an all girls school too. Bottom line...it's about money and the health of the institution. While start up cost for football are high, adding 75-100 paying customers has to be a strong consideration. 8)

[Pat Coleman]

Perhaps, but with stigma comes old guard and students who applied to the school when it was RMWC. That would be a lot of change very quickly -- they might not have the political will to move that soon.

[Jacketlawyer]

Perhaps, but with stigma comes old guard and students who applied to the school when it was RMWC. That would be a lot of change very quickly -- they might not have the political will to move that soon.

Not to mention litigation.  Circuit court judges tossed a suit launched by alumnae earlier this year, but that dismissal is about to be reheard in the appellate courts.  There is also another pending suit.

Things have gotten ugly with this process to the point it's turned into an opera.  Bad opera.

[SU97]

Perhaps, but with stigma comes old guard and students who applied to the school when it was RMWC. That would be a lot of change very quickly -- they might not have the political will to move that soon.

Not to mention litigation.  Circuit court judges tossed a suit launched by alumnae earlier this year, but that dismissal is about to be reheard in the appellate courts.  There is also another pending suit.

Things have gotten ugly with this process to the point it's turned into an opera.  Bad opera.

Add on top of that any fundraising attempts by the college with the old guard... 

[SU97]

OK, I'll play the responding game. Mine are in bold.

[

Shenandoah is probably a fit institution-wise, and for all sports, ODAC travel would seem to be better for them with just the one significant out-of-state trip to Guilford (although E&H might be a longer hike).

Considering current USASAC travel, I would imagine a once-a-year trip to Carolina would hardly be a concern...

So ODAC travel would be, like, better?

I also hate the six-letter conference abbreviation.

Since this is the football board I'll only touch on the current USASAC-FB teams:

Methodist:  360 miles
NCWC:  277 miles
Greensboro: 275 miles
AU:  230 miles
CNU:  220 miles
Ferrum:  Go to the end of the earth, then make a left.
Maryville:  440 miles

That's a lot of travel, considering 4 of the seven colleges are out of state.  (that's 4000+ miles roundtrip if,  just for the sake of argument, SU had to hit the road for each)  I would imagine that the football travel is the least of the worries.  Conference tournaments and the three-day conf. weekend roadtrips across the board (esp. w/hoops).  Granted, Maryville is football only.

[Jacketlawyer]

Do we know that Randolph wouldn't add football? Certainly a way to increase male enrollment.

Former women's schools that added football in the past decade: Greensboro, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Endicott

     I agree Pat. I wouldn't be that surprised if Randolph added football. They also might do it sooner than you think to beat LC to the punch. What a great way to shake the stigma of being an all girls school too. Bottom line...it's about money and the health of the institution. While start up cost for football are high, adding 75-100 paying customers has to be a strong consideration. 8)

Allsky, where would ya put the field/facilities needed for football programs at Randolph and LC?  Both schools are in the middle of Lynchburg and pretty much "land-locked."  LC has Shellenberger Field, but that's the field hockey/lacrosse/soccer (futbol) field.  Randolph has the Wildcat Athletic Field at the rear of the school, but that field has the same purpose as Shellenberger.

[pakownr97]

Hey Kid,

What's the latest on BC's fourth-string QB?

You can't take all this R-MC/H-SC chatter, can you?

Just imagine if they were both good at the same time. Heaven, my friends, heaven.

The offseason is the perfect time to talk H-SC/R-MC. Not much to discuss between August and December for the Tigers and Jackets.

Kidding, of course.  I sure hope it's another interesting ODAC season in 2007.  It was fun until the last week!

Oh, that's it, you and pakownr ... it's bookstore and clock-stopping and pre-1999 jokes non-stop this year!

That's kewl, K-mack, bring it!!!  We are big boys, we can take it as well as we dish it out!

Now if I were you, I would lay off Llamadude and Skoalman.  Unless you want to go hungry at the next Stagg Bowl.  Don't mess with the chefs of Stone Station!!!

Just kidding, they would probably feed ya anyway.  They even feed W & L peeps, although charcoal-broiled caviar does nothing for me personally.

[kickerdad]

[

There was more where that came from. I rarely get to tussle, because the message board Averetts don't often schedule the road trip to Alliance.
[/quote]

Kmack,

Hope none of the few Averett faithful has offended you. Personally, I am looking forward to the Alliance trip even though it will take me 12 hours one way. (includes all the potty and Cracker Barrels I can find). Then at the end of the season we get to travel 12 hours to Maryville, TN. (one way)
Not to mention Ferrum, which as someone referred to it earlier as being at the end of the earth and then taking a left. Last time we went there, I drove for 6 hours and got nowhere.

And by the way for any newcomers, Danville Va (Averett) is not the site seeing capital of the world. Hell, we don't even have a real stadium yet.

[Ralph Turner]

OK, I'll play the responding game. Mine are in bold.

[

Shenandoah is probably a fit institution-wise, and for all sports, ODAC travel would seem to be better for them with just the one significant out-of-state trip to Guilford (although E&H might be a longer hike).

Considering current USASAC travel, I would imagine a once-a-year trip to Carolina would hardly be a concern...

So ODAC travel would be, like, better?

I also hate the six-letter conference abbreviation.

Since this is the football board I'll only touch on the current USASAC-FB teams:

Methodist:  360 miles
NCWC:  277 miles
Greensboro: 275 miles
AU:  230 miles
CNU:  220 miles
Ferrum:  Go to the end of the earth, then make a left.
Maryville:  440 miles

That's a lot of travel, considering 4 of the seven colleges are out of state.  (that's 4000+ miles roundtrip if,  just for the sake of argument, SU had to hit the road for each)  I would imagine that the football travel is the least of the worries.  Conference tournaments and the three-day conf. weekend roadtrips across the board (esp. w/hoops).  Granted, Maryville is football only.

Those are distances that would make the ASC proud!

I still think that the fact that the Shenandoah Field Hockey and Lacrosse teams (both men and women) could find a home in the ODAC will be the proverbial straw.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Oh, that's it, you and pakownr ... it's bookstore and clock-stopping and pre-1999 jokes non-stop this year!

Some people may not realize where Bridgewater has come from.

From 1899 to 1999 (the first 78 seasons of BC football - we didn't play in 1901, 1902, or 1905-1925), we had only six winning seasons.

The records from those years were...

1-0 (1900)
3-2-1 (1903)
5-3 (1968)
6-3 (1971)
5-4 (1973)
6-3 (1980)

Since 2000, we've had seven (in seven years)...

10-2 (2000)
12-1 (2001)
11-1 (2002)
12-2 (2003)
8-3 (2004)
11-2 (2005)
8-2 (2006)

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Oh, that's it, you and pakownr ... it's bookstore and clock-stopping and pre-1999 jokes non-stop this year!

To ready those who may not be familiar with where Bridgewater has come from...

From 1899 to 1999 (the first 78 seasons of BC football - we didn't play in 1901, 1902, or 1905-1925), we had only six winning seasons.

The records from those years were...

1-0 (1900)
3-2-1 (1903)
5-3 (1968)
6-3 (1971)
5-4 (1973)
6-3 (1980)

Since 2000, we've had seven (in seven years)...

10-2 (2000)
12-1 (2001)
11-1 (2002)
12-2 (2003)
8-3 (2004)
11-2 (2005)
8-2 (2006)

[Jacketlawyer]

The records from those years were...

1-0 (1900)
3-2-1 (1903)
5-3 (1968)
6-3 (1971)
5-4 (1973)
6-3 (1980)

Since 2000, we've had seven (in seven years)...

10-2 (2000)
12-1 (2001)
11-1 (2002)
12-2 (2003)
8-3 (2004)
11-2 (2005)
8-2 (2006)

As well as gone in the post-season where no ODAC team has gone before. . . 8)

Had beers with an ex-Bridgewater football player friend of mine last night, and we took up the issue of Bridgewater football.  It was a good discussion.

[K-Mack]

Do we know that Randolph wouldn't add football? Certainly a way to increase male enrollment.

Former women's schools that added football in the past decade: Greensboro, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Endicott

     I agree Pat. I wouldn't be that surprised if Randolph added football. They also might do it sooner than you think to beat LC to the punch. What a great way to shake the stigma of being an all girls school too. Bottom line...it's about money and the health of the institution. While start up cost for football are high, adding 75-100 paying customers has to be a strong consideration. 8)

Perhaps, but with stigma comes old guard and students who applied to the school when it was RMWC. That would be a lot of change very quickly -- they might not have the political will to move that soon.

Not to mention litigation.  Circuit court judges tossed a suit launched by alumnae earlier this year, but that dismissal is about to be reheard in the appellate courts.  There is also another pending suit.

Things have gotten ugly with this process to the point it's turned into an opera.  Bad opera.

Add on top of that any fundraising attempts by the college with the old guard... 

Well, put me in the "I'd be surprised" camp.

In theory it makes sense, as it did for the schools mentioned above, but I believe the name change has folks there riled up, and adding football anytime soon would be the ultimate slap in the face to what some people thought that school stood for.

I mean, if the news of a new football team was received skeptically at Shenandoah, my lord ...

Although (possible inappropriate comment alert) it might be interesting to be a football player on a campus full of women. I mean, they can't ALL hate you.

(that's probably the exact reason why some would rather not have us, but what can I say)

[K-Mack]

Do we know that Randolph wouldn't add football? Certainly a way to increase male enrollment.

Former women's schools that added football in the past decade: Greensboro, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Endicott

     I agree Pat. I wouldn't be that surprised if Randolph added football. They also might do it sooner than you think to beat LC to the punch. What a great way to shake the stigma of being an all girls school too. Bottom line...it's about money and the health of the institution. While start up cost for football are high, adding 75-100 paying customers has to be a strong consideration. 8)

Allsky, where would ya put the field/facilities needed for football programs at Randolph and LC?  Both schools are in the middle of Lynchburg and pretty much "land-locked."  LC has Shellenberger Field, but that's the field hockey/lacrosse/soccer (futbol) field.  Randolph has the Wildcat Athletic Field at the rear of the school, but that field has the same purpose as Shellenberger.

Two words for you.

City.

Stadium.

I actually played a semi-pro game there in '99, it wasn't half bad. Did the renovations to the ballpark in '04 kill the football field there?

I bet that would work as a stopgap until stadiums could be built. If not, maybe the Falwell estate would sell some land, or let them use Liberty's field. I bet the E.C. Glass stadium compares to some D3s too.