Running up the score

[Pat Coleman]

When that series was scheduled Allegheny was giving Mount Union its toughest playoff games.

Yeah, Josh, I almost had to call you out for erring while you called someone else out.

In the 90s, Allegheny was a perennial playoff team. When they played Mount in 00-01, they weren't so far removed from that era that scheduling them was viewed as searching for a cupcake.

I probably wouldn't even make that claim if they scheduled them now.

There ARE top 25 teams who do purposely schedule cupcakes (or avoid good teams who could plausibly beat them pre-conference schedule), and there are powerhouses who for years couldn't fill out a schedule with Division III opponents.

It's not that this is a worthless topic, just that one isn't going to get anyone very far if they pursue it with Mount Union. There's not much there.

Gentlemen--

This all may be so, but since 1999, the Gators have never one more than seven games in a season, and made one solitary playoff appearance--losing in the first round to Montclair State in 2003. 

True, but wholly irrelevant.

What is relevant:

1997 playoffs
First round, Nov. 22
at Mount Union 34, Allegheny 30
Mount Union won the rest of its playoff games 59-7, 54-7 and 61-12.

1996 playoffs
First round, Nov. 23
at Mount Union 31, Allegheny 26
Mount Union won the rest of its playoff games 49-14, 39-21 and 56-24.

That was the reality in which the deal was signed. Remember that the 2008-09 St. John Fisher contract was a done deal in mid-2006.

And scheduling is a two-way street. The truth of the matter is it takes two to tango. And St. John's isn't interested in playing long-distance road games -- they're not returning to Marietta next year, for example.

[Josh Bowerman]

I disagree regarding the relevance, but agree that we may be splitting hairs. 

The two teams continued to play in 2000 and 2001--at least three years removed from their playoff clashes with each other.  Given players only have four years of eligibility and the changing DIII landscape at the time, I'd say that Allegheny had begun to enter their rebuilding phase at least two years prior to the 2000 and 2001 seasons where they played MUC.

[Pat Coleman]

But not when the game was scheduled, and it's the act of scheduling that you are calling into question.

[smedindy]

This isn't basketball, where schedules are seemingly in flux up until the start of the season. In football, many teams have schedules locked down for four years in D-3, and many more years in D-1.

If Mt. Union decides to schedule Central, for instance, who is to say in 4 years they may not fall to the 5-5 or 6-4 Central of a few years ago? If they schedule Washington & Jefferson, in four years they could be in a slump. Who knows?

[Pat Coleman]

Plus it appears W&J is satisfied simply scrimmaging Mount Union.

[gordonmann]

My honest first reaction to Easterbrook's column is that he was baiting us.  I generally enjoy his column, check to see which Division III team is mentioned out of curiosity and ignore whatever he says about them. 

[crufootball]

Well if he was baiting us, it worked on me as I just sent him email with a few words of constructive critism 

[HScoach]

I'm not saying Mt. Union schedules cupcakes, or that Allegheny is a cupcake.  But at the same time, MUC hasn't exactly gone out of their way to get out of their general local or even their own region and schedule another legitimate playoff contender, either.  St. John's, Wheaton, Millikin, Washington & Jefferson, Rowan...all teams that have been largely successful during that period of time and henceforth--and well within bussing distance for an Ohio team.  Wabash and Hanover also had some good runs during that period of time, as did Central--also within bussing distance.

Look I'm not trying to start anything, here.  The truth of the matter is somewhere squarely in the middle of the original article and today's letter of response.  I do applaud the Raiders for scheduling SJF for the next two years.  The Cardinals seem to be the class of the northeast now, and it should prove to be a good series.

I'm not sure I like your tone in implying that MUC should schedule some real competition.  I seriously doubt anyone in D3 has more trouble getting an opener than MUC.  How many teams want a 1 in a 100 shot (or worse) of winning their opener?  Not many.

I applaud SJ Fisher for stepping up to play MUC.  Not the other way around.

[Josh Bowerman]

Well, considering the team I cheer for, Hardin-Simmons, has to schedule the likes of UW-Whitewater, UW-Stout, UW-Stephens Point, UW-LaCrosse, Linfield and Azusa Pacific just to fill out a ten game schedule, hscoach, allow me a moment of indignance.  Just in our conference, Mary Hardin-Baylor has had to do the same thing against UW-Whitewater and Willamette, recently, too--so this isn't exactly an isolated case.

So with all due respect, I'm not sure we southerners feel much sympathy when it comes to scheduling for anybody in the midwest or east coast.  You guys live in the smack-dab middle of the DIII world for crying out loud.  Nobody there should ever have any trouble scheduling games. 

[HScoach]

Finding a game within driving distance isn't the problem.  Finding a team willing to run the risk of getting drilled in Week 1 is the problem.

[Josh Bowerman]

Even blind squirrels find acorns once in a while, hscoach. 

[wally_wabash]

I'm not sure I like your tone in implying that MUC should schedule some real competition.  I seriously doubt anyone in D3 has more trouble getting an opener than MUC.  How many teams want a 1 in a 100 shot (or worse) of winning their opener?  Not many.

And that's the problem MUC is going to have...teams that have serious and legitimate playoff aspirations aren't going to put themselves behind the 8-ball in week 1.  Here's the deal when you schedule MUC...you're probably going to lose which puts you into an AQ or bust situation (2-loss teams shouldn't count on getting invited to the tournament).  So when you schedule MUC, in all likelihood you've put yourself into a do or die game every single week for the rest of the year...that can't be ideal. 

Anybody who wins a Stagg Bowl is going to have to beat MUC somewhere along the way.  If you're lucky enough to hit on that 1 in 100 chance, wouldn't you rather have that lucky day come in December as opposed to September?

[Just Bill]

UW-Stephens Point

Stevens.  Sorry, pet peeve.  Thank you for not putting an apostrophe in it. 

Back to the show.

Along with Texas, Wisconsin is another case study in difficult scheduling.  Just about every school has had to schedule a higher division team, NAIA teams, or fly across the country just to make a game.  That's what happens when one of the best leagues in the country shares territory with tow of the worst (MWC, IBC).

[Ralph Turner]

I'm not sure I like your tone in implying that MUC should schedule some real competition.  I seriously doubt anyone in D3 has more trouble getting an opener than MUC.  How many teams want a 1 in a 100 shot (or worse) of winning their opener?  Not many.

And that's the problem MUC is going to have...teams that have serious and legitimate playoff aspirations aren't going to put themselves behind the 8-ball in week 1.  Here's the deal when you schedule MUC...you're probably going to lose which puts you into an AQ or bust situation (2-loss teams shouldn't count on getting invited to the tournament).  So when you schedule MUC, in all likelihood you've put yourself into a do or die game every single week for the rest of the year...that can't be ideal. 

Anybody who wins a Stagg Bowl is going to have to beat MUC somewhere along the way.  If you're lucky enough to hit on that 1 in 100 chance, wouldn't you rather have that lucky day come in December as opposed to September?

However, you can use the "in-region" rule to your advantage.

MUC vs SJF is not an in-region game.

MUC vs SJU is not an in-region game.

MUC vs UWW is not an in-region game. Nor are

MUC vs HSU
MUC vs Linfield
MUC vs Rowan
MUC vs UMHB
MUC vs Wartburg or Central IA.

[Josh Bowerman]

UW-Stephens Point

Stevens.  Sorry, pet peeve.  Thank you for not putting an apostrophe in it. 

Back to the show.

Along with Texas, Wisconsin is another case study in difficult scheduling.  Just about every school has had to schedule a higher division team, NAIA teams, or fly across the country just to make a game.  That's what happens when one of the best leagues in the country shares territory with tow of the worst (MWC, IIBC).

D'oh.  Sorry, stupid mistake.