FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[wrighthall220]

Whoops I guess I shouldn't have posted that Cortland link!     I just thought the stadium was cool and how nice it would look sitting on the BC campus...but even I know that stadium is bigger than some of our academic buildings!       IF BC were to redo the stadium this is a nice model to follow.     

As far as a Stadium Name I'd like Spencer Field at Jopson Stadium.  The two coaches were great friends when they coached together so why not.

[muchacho]

All this facilities talk got me thinking...Time to rank the ODAC according to their football facilities.

Field
1. Guilford - Maybe the best natural grass field I've seen. Whatever they did to it was amazing, and it felt like you were walking on a carpet.
2. W&L - They have the money to afford some groundskeepers, and it shows.
3.Catholic - Field Turf is way of the future. It will be coming to most of these schools in some time. Catholic was last on this list before this year's upgrade.
4. HSC -
5. BC -
6. E&H -
7. RMC -

Stands
1. E&H - Emory has great stands for its home team, and atleast makes an attempt for the visitors. It also has good views for those people who choose not to sit down.
2. W&L - Outdated, but atleast it feels like a stadium. It would be nice if they made some effort to put something in on the visitor's side.
3. RMC - Decent stands for the visitors, and they take care of the home side. Nice press box.
4. BC - They also do decently with the visitor's stands, and the home side is not great but decent.
5. HSC - They have the natural bowl which you play in, which is nice, but not quite on the McDaniel level. Home stands are not up to par, and the visitor's stands are crammed up against the sideline giving the away team no room.
6. Catholic - Completely unspectacular stands which add no charm to the event. A press box that needs to be torn down, and no visiting stands.
7. GC - This is judging before the renovations, since I haven't been down there to check them out. You might as well have lined people up behind the teams to watch games here, and asked them to bring folding chairs. Scaffolding instead of a press box was awful.

Locker Rooms -
1. CUA - Gives decent space with an actual locker room, and they are located near the field.
2. BC - Not great in quality, but they have good locker space and benches, while not located too far from the field.
3. HSC - Their new field house is nice, but the lockers are still small and too far from the field.
4. E&H - Instead of one nice locker room, you get several small ones. The pool is a nice touch.
5. RMC - The Jackets give the visitors a small square room to change in, which is really nothing special. The walk to the field isn't too bad.
6. W&L - The Gennies have an easy trip to the field, but make the visitors change in an empty room, and then walk a mile to the field. Its scenic, but not too convenient.
7. GC - Changing in the old gym is awful, and you have to figure out a maze and a few staircases to find the showers.

[Hug]

As far as a Stadium Name I'd like Spencer Field at Jopson Stadium.  The two coaches were great friends when they coached together so why not.

Once you name a place after a person its difficult to give the naming rights to a donor. The field is named Jopson Field, but to my knowledge the stadium still has not been named. I'd love to honor chaoch Spencer in some way as well, but I think the naming rights to the stadium should be reserved for whomever antis up.

[wrighthall220]

I'd say BC's actual field is very well taken care of.. it may not look great late in the playoffs but what natural field does?

[wrighthall220]

As far as a Stadium Name I'd like Spencer Field at Jopson Stadium.  The two coaches were great friends when they coached together so why not.

Once you name a place after a person its difficult to give the naming rights to a donor. The field is named Jopson Field, but to my knowledge the stadium still has not been named. I'd love to honor chaoch Spencer in some way as well, but I think the naming rights to the stadium should be reserved for whomever antis up.

I was just thinking that Doc Jopson should be given an upgrade to naming the stadium after him since he was more of a Track guy and some of the track set up is behind the actual field.   Spencer being named after the football field would be a nice tribute.  Those that would be interested in improving either the football field or entire stadium, who attended BC more than likely came into contact with either Doc or Spence so I would hope their names would stick.

[Trenches]

All this facilities talk got me thinking...Time to rank the ODAC according to their football facilities.

Field
1. Guilford - Maybe the best natural grass field I've seen. Whatever they did to it was
Unfortunatley the plan is to go to fieldturf next year.  

Stands
7. GC - This is judging before the renovations, since I haven't been down there to check them out. You might as well have lined people up behind the teams to watch games here, and asked them to bring folding chairs. Scaffolding instead of a press box was awful.
Trust me. MUCH MUCH better now... but, sorry, the visitors stands wont be done till next year.

Locker Rooms -
7. GC - Changing in the old gym is awful, and you have to figure out a maze and a few staircases to find the showers.
haha... yeah the vistors "locker room" is terrible.... but the home team has a nice new set up after a renovation from last summer  

[Hug]

BC's actual football "field" has been overhauled. there is a new grass surface, it looks like a Fiarway at Augusta, and fast. If you haven't seen it yet, you will be impressed.

[hasanova]

All this facilities talk got me thinking...Time to rank the ODAC according to their football facilities.

Field
1. Guilford - Maybe the best natural grass field I've seen. Whatever they did to it was
Unfortunatley the plan is to go to fieldturf next year.  

Stands
7. GC - This is judging before the renovations, since I haven't been down there to check them out. You might as well have lined people up behind the teams to watch games here, and asked them to bring folding chairs. Scaffolding instead of a press box was awful.
Trust me. MUCH MUCH better now... but, sorry, the visitors stands wont be done till next year.

Locker Rooms -
7. GC - Changing in the old gym is awful, and you have to figure out a maze and a few staircases to find the showers.
haha... yeah the vistors "locker room" is terrible.... but the home team has a nice new set up after a renovation from last summer  

Muchacho and Trenches, you're both right on all counts.  Field - The grass at Guilford is very nice as is, but they're going to Field Turf in 2007.    Stands - You absolutely won't recognize the home side and I hope they do justice to the Visitors' side in 2007's Phase II.  Press Box - The new press box is super with coaching booths, a great press area, new restrooms and a 3rd floor video area.  The scaffolding and old crappy press box are gone!  Scoreboard - Four times the size of the old one and it has a message board and new sound system - it's even better than I hoped.  Visitors' Locker Room - It's crappy and I wish it wasn't.  Alumni gym was built in 1940 and Ragan-Brown Fieldhouse was attached in 1980.   This is why I say a football/baseball/lacrosse Fieldhouse is badly needed, but it'll take money.     

[Pat Coleman]

In the end, bettering the surroundings while we cheer, eat and pee won't change the performances on the field.

Actually, I'm not sure that's entirely true. I think the stadium has a little impact in recruiting and better recruits could give better performances.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

In the end, bettering the surroundings while we cheer, eat and pee won't change the performances on the field.

Actually, I'm not sure that's entirely true. I think the stadium has a little impact in recruiting and better recruits could give better performances.

I don't think "little" and "could" are worth the $.

I'd take the money and bump up Clark's salary if he ever decided to leave.  Now that certainly impacts the performance on the field.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Here is what I propose:
1) Grade in the back of the bleachers to the road.
2) Add a 12 row section to the top of the bleachers with the middle section being chair-backs for eagle club members
3) Concession area added to the back of the stands with Press box on top, and small Womens and Mens restrooms on both sides of the concession area.

Umm, and who will sit in those new seats?  Again, we rarely max out our 3000-seat capacity.  Even if we do, 100 to 200 or so fans stand by the fence (a great feature which I do) or sit up on the hill.

Whole thing should cost about $300 bucks.

Your sarcasm leads me to believe you're starting to get it.

[Hug]

I don't think "little" and "could" are worth the $.

I'd take the money and bump up Clark's salary if he ever decided to leave.  Now that certainly impacts the performance on the field.

How about "will impact recruiting"

I'm not so much worried about seating, although we do max out half of our games every year. If you pay, you shouldn't have to stand or sit on a hill above the endzone. I just think our restroom and concession situation is second class at best.

[Pat Coleman]

In the end, bettering the surroundings while we cheer, eat and pee won't change the performances on the field.

Actually, I'm not sure that's entirely true. I think the stadium has a little impact in recruiting and better recruits could give better performances.

I don't think "little" and "could" are worth the $.

I'd take the money and bump up Clark's salary if he ever decided to leave.  Now that certainly impacts the performance on the field.

After you're done bumping Clark's salary you still would have plenty of money left over to improve the stadium. If you have enough money to make stadium facility improvements then you could pay several Coach Clarks.

[hasanova]

If all other things are equal, I think the practice and stadium facilities make a difference in recruiting and, therefore, ultimately in on the field success.  Students (and student-athletes) choose their college for a lot of different reasons - academics, college atmosphere, the town it's in, reputation, etc.  Personally, I think Guilford lost a lot of potential football recruits in past years because of subpar facilities.  When I went on the road to watch my sons play HS sports, I saw some 1A and 2A schools with better facilities, not to mention 3A and 4A schools.  Someone in the Daily Dose said, "winning breeds winning" and I agree, but I also believe facilities - in quality and aesthetics - help breed a winning attitude and attract more and better athletes (and coaches) to your school.  I see it already at Guilford and it's only the first season.  I firmly believe you're going to see a positive ripple effect for the Quakers for several more years.  Having Vogelbach and a 5-5 record last year are certainly factors, but I think the stadium changes helped push some folks over to our side that might have kept looking in years past.  Finally, from a fans point-of-view, there is no comparison to last season's "at the game" experience.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

You all make it sound so easy...

"Just build this, add to that, install this ... bam boom bing."

Again; $.