FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Fripp52]

This news awoke me from a long winter's nap.  All I have to say is, I am not happy with the decision.  I have enjoyed the SCAC the last three years and will again for one more year.  I texted my son who responded with the words "lame decision".  It does not directly impact him sinced he is done after this year.  I thought the SCAC was a recruiting advantage and an experiential positive.  Now the kids can spend an extra night at Wooster, Ohio, Gambier, Ohio, and Richmond, Indiana instead of San Antonio, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee.
So long until the season starts.....................

[BashDad]

Recruiting advantage? Over who? Earlham?

[Pat Coleman]

The release on the SCAC site was cited elsewhere.
http://www.scacsports.com/news/depauw_leaves_scac

[wally_wabash]

This news awoke me from a long winter's nap.  All I have to say is, I am not happy with the decision.  I have enjoyed the SCAC the last three years and will again for one more year.  I texted my son who responded with the words "lame decision".  It does not directly impact him sinced he is done after this year.  I thought the SCAC was a recruiting advantage and an experiential positive.  Now the kids can spend an extra night at Wooster, Ohio, Gambier, Ohio, and Richmond, Indiana instead of San Antonio, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee.
So long until the season starts.....................

I'm sure Brian Casey would have had no problem staying put if you'd be willing to foot the bill for traveling to San Antonio and Memphis and Jackson and Atlanta and Colorado Springs....WOOOO!  

Seriously...if you want to visit and really get an "experiential positive" from going to a place like San Antonio, it isn't going to happen on an overnight game trip in October.  That's a business trip...not an immersion experience.  

The reality, I believe, is that once RHIT left it was no longer a matter of if DePauw went north again, but when.   The when was answered when Earlham found a new home and created opportunity.  I really believe that most people would have been more surprised if DePauw didn't become the 10th member of the NCAC than if they did.  

[Ron Boerger]

Fripp, to be fair, for every one who liked being able to travel all over the place, there is likely another who thought it took too much away from time to study.   Students who like the former may give the nod to other SCAC schools, those preferring the latter, DePauw (or other NCAC schools).  Either viewpoint is certainly valid.

When you look at time and money spent by to participate combined with the huge endowment losses over the last months (some possibly since recouped), the monetary aspect of being part of the SCAC has to be considered along with the time factor.   And, as Wally said, DePauw was on an island without a decent travel partner once RHIT left, making matters worse. 

I'm glad your son enjoyed the SCAC and will have the chance to finish his career as part of the conference. 

[Fripp52]

Wally - to be clear, the football team always took an extra day for the Colorado and Texas trips to see the sites.  So, there was something more to it than a single overnight trip.  I do know that DPUs affiliation to the SCAC was a factor in him coming to DPU and others on the team.  Otherwise, he would have gone to Earlham - hahahaha. I understand the decision and all of the factors.  I just don't like it.

[cush]

who knew depauw jumping to the ncac would set off the chain reaction. Nebraska joining the big 10, texas to the pac 10, big stuff. Maybe the scac and ncac can merge-ha. Since the scac board is meeting today, i would assume the depauw president is there maybe everything can be worked out with the 2011 schedule and the scac offering berry this week.

[Pat Coleman]

From the SCAC: "We are still discussing how we will handle DePauw and 2011 football scheduling."

[D3_DPUFan]

Fripp...I share your disappointment. While the move to the NCAC adds to the already incredible rivalry with Wabash (as if it could get much more intense), the football experience in the SCAC is very good. That is not meant to slight the NCAC in any way...and certainly not our worthy rivals to the north...but a sentiment that is shared by most if not all of the football program...players and coaches.
The travel piece of the SCAC is part of the football experience and the recruiting pitch. My guess is the staff is not thrilled about telling incoming freshmen there has been "a change in plans." And Ron as for all the students who are upset by the travel in the SCAC....why in would any student-athlete choose DePauw knowing that travel is part of the package?  Do you really think that for every player who likes it there is a player who doesn't? Sorry, not true. The bottom line, as many have pointed out, is money. Understandable.  Although I must admit I amost threw up in my mouth when I read the quote that the move provides "a more environmentally friendly travel regimen." What?
I have nothing but positives to say about the SCAC and wish the league and its members future success, at least after 2012:).

[DPU3619]

The reality, I believe, is that once RHIT left it was no longer a matter of if DePauw went north again, but when.   The when was answered when Earlham found a new home and created opportunity.  I really believe that most people would have been more surprised if DePauw didn't become the 10th member of the NCAC than if they did.  

This is a great point for 2 reasons.

1) Before RHIT left & Colorado joined, DePauw traveled more miles for athletics than every school at any level save 2: Wash U & Hawaii. With the add of CC, I'd guess DePauw is #2 now.

2) DePauw shafted the rest of the ICAC for a few reasons, but the main reason was that Bob Bottoms was college roomates (@BSC, I think) with the President of Millsaps at the time. All along, I felt DePauw would be out of this conference within 3 years of Bottoms being gone. I had hoped for the NCAC, and I'm thrilled to have it and not something considerably worse.

One final thought on football recruiting, DePauw is now in the Ohio conversation. Yes, they'll be fighting a lot of others for those kids, but DePauw hasn't really been in that conversation in the last decade. I think getting 9 or 10 Ohio kids beats the 1 or 2 Texas kids most years.

I loved the travel as much as anybody, but I side with Wally. Those are business trips. DePauw hasn't always treated them as such, and in my honest opinion, maybe they should have. I love Memphis. I love San Antonio. But, now that those are gone, we ought to start treating Springfield, Ohio just like Anderson, Indiana or Holland, Michigan. 

[fantastic50]

Now the kids can spend an extra night at Wooster, Ohio, Gambier, Ohio, and Richmond, Indiana instead of San Antonio, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee.

Personally, I hope that DePauw's football team has exactly that attitude the first time they visit the Scots, wishing that they were elsewhere.  Wooster would be happy to take advantage of that distraction.

[D3_DPUFan]

who knew depauw jumping to the ncac would set off the chain reaction. Nebraska joining the big 10, texas to the pac 10, big stuff.

very good 

[wally_wabash]

Fripp...I share your disappointment. While the move to the NCAC adds to the already incredible rivalry with Wabash (as if it could get much more intense), the football experience in the SCAC is very good. That is not meant to slight the NCAC in any way...and certainly not our worthy rivals to the north...but a sentiment that is shared by most if not all of the football program...players and coaches.

I think you'll find that the football in the NCAC isn't quite as bad as many think.  Yes, the bottom of the league can be really bad and that seems to carry more weight with casual observers than what's happening at the top of the league.  But with Earlham out and DePauw now in, that one move I think changes the dynamic.  Wabash, Wittenberg, DePauw, Allegheny (quietly went 8-2 last year), and Wooster are now a very clear top half of the league and those five should all be playing one another every season.  OWU is a good program just waiting for resuscitation...but we'll worry about that when it happens.  As it stands, there are five pretty good programs and it won't be easy for anybody to win the league.  Yes, you're probably going to get a couple of games against way overmatched opponents, but I think for the most part once you get to see the league, you'll find that it isn't as bad as many think. 

[Ron Boerger]

D3_DPU, I guess I wasn't clear.  Obviously, the student-athletes currently in the pipeline either find the travel a plus or can deal with it ... but there are a lot of other student-athletes out there (e.g., at schools in more close-knit conferences) who don't consider the SCAC travel a plus, at least not enough to select a SCAC school over one in another conference.   Kids who want  southern travel as part of their college experience will go elsewhere, but some kids that wouldn't have considered DPU because of the stress of all that travel will now consider it. 

Change always sucks for those who are in the middle of the process.  The kids (and parents) who come after won't care, because they will have made their selection knowing that DPU is going to be happily ensconced in the NCAC.    And besides - continued success will lead to travel in the playoffs, anyway ... paid for by our good friends at the NCAA.

[D3_DPUFan]

D3_DPU, I guess I wasn't clear.  Obviously, the student-athletes currently in the pipeline either find the travel a plus or can deal with it ... but there are a lot of other student-athletes out there (e.g., at schools in more close-knit conferences) who don't consider the SCAC travel a plus, at least not enough to select a SCAC school over one in another conference.   Kids who want  southern travel as part of their college experience will go elsewhere, but some kids that wouldn't have considered DPU because of the stress of all that travel will now consider it. 

Change always sucks for those who are in the middle of the process.  The kids (and parents) who come after won't care, because they will have made their selection knowing that DPU is going to be happily ensconced in the NCAC.    And besides - continued success will lead to travel in the playoffs, anyway ... paid for by our good friends at the NCAA.

Thanks for clarifying...I agree with that.