FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[D3_DPUFan]

I cut my fingernails this morning.  That's true. It's a factual statement.  The reason I didn't post it is because it doesn't have anything to do with the discussion.

It just seems like you go out of your way to make sure that people don't see you as a Trinity cheerleader.  I've said all this before so it should come as no surprise, but I didn't get the idea that everyone was still thinking of Trinity as dominant in all sports.

Relax, Francis. 

[Just Bill]

You mean, "Lighten up, Francis!"

That's a fact, Jack! 

[Ralph Turner]

Keith's analysis of the moves and what might follow is on our blog: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/2011/06/09/after-the-scac-shuffle-whats-next/

A post at the bottom of Keith's blog links one to the (Hendrix) President Cloyd interview.

http://thecabin.net/sports/college/2011-06-08/hendrix-president-discusses-move-new-conference

The comment by Ganda1f about Birmingham-Southern is particularly intriguing.

[gordonmann]

The Rome (Ga.) News-Tribune article covering the breakaway from Berry's perspective mentioned that there would be a "lively discussion" next year about adding the sport at Berry.

[Bmo]

Keith's analysis of the moves and what might follow is on our blog: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/2011/06/09/after-the-scac-shuffle-whats-next/

A post at the bottom of Keith's blog links one to the (Hendrix) President Cloyd interview.

http://thecabin.net/sports/college/2011-06-08/hendrix-president-discusses-move-new-conference

The comment by Ganda1f about Birmingham-Southern is particularly intriguing.

It seems like Dr. Cloyd, from the comments in the article, would be a proponent of the "D4" model that was talked about a while back.  Not sure that's the athletic philosophy that BSC signed up for when they made the switch from D1

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity's athletic department blog is the latest to comment on the #scacshuffle.  

It seems like Dr. Cloyd, from the comments in the article, would be a proponent of the "D4" model that was talked about a while back.  Not sure that's the athletic philosophy that BSC signed up for when they made the switch from D1

Dr. Cloyd is doing a lot of talking about this and implying that his take is representative of the "CAC" as a whole.  I don't see Centre or Rhodes being nearly this outspoken, and don't see those schools (or BSC with their incredible facilities) stepping back from what they've been doing so the Warriors will suddenly be competitive.

As the geographic outlier in the "CAC", Hendrix is going to have many of the travel issues it had before.  OK, they don't go to Colorado, but playing all those schools in the far east and north is pretty similar travel to going to Texas.   It's about 600 road miles from Conway to Atlanta if you take interstates instead of roads that make you stop in every little town along the way, basically the same as it is from Conway to SA, and I betcha they continue to fly just like they do now.   Having a conference with a '500-mile radius' is only significant if the bulk of the schools are inside that radius rather than being around the edges. 

So, given that HX isn't really gaining ALL that much (there will be some gain since they're not in the SCAC-W, and there are some schools closer than Dallas or Austin/SA), it sounds like Cloyd is trying to come up with other reasons to justify making the move.   He makes it sound like HE was one of the movers and shakers; maybe it's even true.   Throwing the old 'academic' card (which, admittedly, is a pretty typical thing the SCAC has always liked to do) is an easy thing to do. 

[Bmo]

Trinity's athletic department blog is the latest to comment on the #scacshuffle.  

It seems like Dr. Cloyd, from the comments in the article, would be a proponent of the "D4" model that was talked about a while back.  Not sure that's the athletic philosophy that BSC signed up for when they made the switch from D1

Dr. Cloyd is doing a lot of talking about this and implying that his take is representative of the "CAC" as a whole.  I don't see Centre or Rhodes being nearly this outspoken, and don't see those schools (or BSC with their incredible facilities) stepping back from what they've been doing so the Warriors will suddenly be competitive.

As the geographic outlier in the "CAC", Hendrix is going to have many of the travel issues it had before.  OK, they don't go to Colorado, but playing all those schools in the far east and north is pretty similar travel to going to Texas.   It's about 600 road miles from Conway to Atlanta if you take interstates instead of roads that make you stop in every little town along the way, basically the same as it is from Conway to SA, and I betcha they continue to fly just like they do now.   Having a conference with a '500-mile radius' is only significant if the bulk of the schools are inside that radius rather than being around the edges.  

So, given that HX isn't really gaining ALL that much (there will be some gain since they're not in the SCAC-W, and there are some schools closer than Dallas or Austin/SA), it sounds like Cloyd is trying to come up with other reasons to justify making the move.   He makes it sound like HE was one of the movers and shakers; maybe it's even true.   Throwing the old 'academic' card (which, admittedly, is a pretty typical thing the SCAC has always liked to do) is an easy thing to do.  

His thoughts could be representative Hendrix only, or they could be representative the "Gang of Four's" academic leadership's thought process going in to this split, and not necessarily their respective athletic staffs.  He made it sound like the presidents got together and decided this was their new focus and direction and that they were like minded in this regard; a top down decision.

My interpretation is that this has very little to do with travel money and missed class time and more to do with reducing emphasis on athletics at their institutions.  "Let's give the boys and girls some time to run about on the field so they can burn off that excess energy and get back to more high minded pursuits."  It will be interesting to see how the other three schools brought on due to proximity feel about this.  Unfortunately, they have lost any say in the matter due to 4-3 majority rules voting.

[Bmo]

Here's some more insight into Hendrix's athletic vision. 

http://arkansasnews.com/2011/06/09/hendrix-seeks-to-indulge-but-not-over-indulge/

[D3_DPUFan]

You mean, "Ligthen up, Francis!"

That's a fact, Jack! 

You are correct! Thank you...15 yard personal foul for misquoting lines from classic movies...

[Ron Boerger]

Here's some more insight into Hendrix's athletic vision.  

http://arkansasnews.com/2011/06/09/hendrix-seeks-to-indulge-but-not-over-indulge/

Thanks for bringing us these continued updates from Arkansas, Bmo.  I see this one, despite an attempt to be positive, contains some of the usual misconceptions of what Division III football is:

• "There probably will not be enough scoring to warrant an investment in an electronic board."
• "Grab a lawn chair and a blanket and pack a picnic basket and drive to Conway where 5.5 speeds in the 40 will be on display."

And then there is Cloyd's apparent vision of Hendrix football facilities:

• Cloyd tells me the start-up costs and ongoing operational costs will be minimal, especially in this new geographically compacted conference.
  
  We're not talking about a vast stadium or a giant television screen. We're talking about a field behind the Mabee Wellness Center bounded by what Cloyd calls "Hendrix bleachers, meaning a lawn chair and a blanket and a picnic basket."

Yeah.  Good luck with recruiting kids to play on that, Dr. Cloyd, let alone

• Without scholarships, football can pretty much pay for itself, even generate surplus money, Cloyd says, if it does as expected and spikes the Hendrix enrollment from the current 1,500 to the desired and presumably ideal 1,800.

God bless 'im, 300 more students (20% growth) because you're adding very small-time football?  

[Bmo]

"Thanks for bringing us these continued updates from about Arkansas from google."

[ADL70]

(El Tea Gray--re: Expanded UAA for 2012 Football.)


Ron,
My contacts (in Cleveland,OH) tell me that the UAA greatly desires to "expand" the conference with 3 "quality institutions" (NOTE: current UAA members play full 9 or 10 game D3 football schedules without requiring that their opponents be mega-graduate institutions). I believe both Trinity and Austin will fit this criteria, leaving a now undecided third institution to be negotiated with. Believe-it-or-not, DePauw also fits this definition; I am just not sure how firm a commitment to the NCAC they have. Certainly an association with these other 6 (expanded UAA) institutions can only be considered a positive.

Trinity vs. UAA:

Chicago                1982-1991                  record  (4-1)
Washingtin U.      1975-2003                  record   (11-7)
Carnegie Mellon   1992-1993                  record   (1-1) 
Case Western      NA                               NA                         





                                                               

etg are your sources referring to football only affiliates or all-sport menbers?  I don't really see the UAA expanding beyond its already large footprint.

[33Belly]

I hate to see the SCAC break up.  I am going to go ahead say that Millsaps will be the power in football in that new conference.

[Ralph Turner]

I hate to see the SCAC break up.  I am going to go ahead say that Millsaps will be the power in football in that new conference.

Beware BSC!

[etbu27]

Just read Ron's linked article....Id say that if I heard the President of a university speak about his football team like that I would not even want to play them, much less play for them. Completely ridiculous, makes me kinda upset for the kids that dont get the chance to read that article and end up going there to play. Unfortunate really.