BB: Regionals (Midwest) Oshkosh '08, '09, Whitewater '10, '11

[OshDude]

Denning says he brought in Leslie for his superior defensive skills? Leslie is that much better than Schuld at picking up a rolling ball and throwing it to first? Would Schuld throw the ball into the parking lot on a bunt? Or does Leslie somehow have a knack for getting runners at second on a sac bunt? Did Leslie field bunts better than Schuld in Florida or something?

This is not the reasoning I expected. Does this make sense to Tommie or MIAC fans? It doesn't to me.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=751851

[szlongball]

I agree that they most likely want to have it in a central location. If it were in Minneapolis, or Minnesota in general, all the teams would have to travel West and it would be out of the way for some. I like the idea of having it at a neutral location though. I think it is obvious that the home team has an advantage...as that is why most conference and tournaments are hosted by the 1 seed as advantage to them for earning the #1 seed. I would like to see it held in Madison, WI as it would be a central location with a large venue and a neutral field. If they are not going to have a central neutral location, then I think it should move between the regional contenders such as a WIAC site one year, a MIAC site another. With all the minor league stadiums and northwoods league stadium I would think there would be many facilities able to host.
/quote]
Great idea, I would love to see games at Warner Park in Madison or any of the Northwood League Parks. I also like the idea of rotating between MIAC and WIAC sites.
Takes away the home field advantage(Point ONLY plays at Witter for the WIAC tournament and when the regional is there) and puts everyone on an even playing field. With the WIAC being such a strong conference, I'm guessing that is why they continually host the regional. Go Warhawks and make all of us in the WIAC proud!!!

[badgerwarhawk]

You have to bid first.   Hosting has nothing to do with being a strong conference.  It has everything to do with submitting a winning bid.  I think location helps but the WIAC is hosting because they're submitting the best bids.  It's about money.  The regional was held at Witter because Stevens Point bid for it and not Wisconsin Rapids.  They used Witter because they would not have gotten the bid using their campus facility (no lights).  How likely do you think it is that a neutral party, like Madison or Warner Park, will submit a bid?  Personally I think it's more unlikely than likely.

[szlongball]

Have to agree  with you Badgerwarhawk. Has anyone ever approached any Northwoods League team about putting in a bid? And I get the part about Point winning the bid and using Witter Field. With the connections that WW has, couldn't they approach the Mallards about using Warner Park? I can't imagine anyone objecting to using Warner Park.

[Just Bill]

You have to bid first.   Hosting has nothing to do with being a strong conference.  It has everything to do with submitting a winning bid.  I think location helps but the WIAC is hosting because they're submitting the best bids.  It's about money.  The regional was held at Witter because Stevens Point bid for it and not Wisconsin Rapids.  They used Witter because they would not have gotten the bid using their campus facility (no lights).  How likely do you think it is that a neutral party, like Madison or Warner Park, will submit a bid?  Personally I think it's more unlikely than likely.

Edgewood College has considered putting in a bid for a regional at Warner Park in the past.  I don't know if it ever got beyond initial discussions.

And although the City of Madison owns Warner Park, the Mallards defend that piece of turf like its behind the Berlin Wall.  They object to anyone else using it.  Typically a handful of high school games are the only thing that takes place there prior to the end of the Mallards season.  Not to say it couldn't happen, but the Mallards aren't exactly friendly tennants.

[Ralph Turner]

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And although the City of Madison owns Warner Park, the Mallards defend that piece of turf like its behind the Berlin Wall.  They object to anyone else using it.  Typically a handful of high school games are the only thing that takes place there prior to the end of the Mallards season.  Not to say it couldn't happen, but the Mallards aren't exactly friendly tenants.

Isn't that just ducky!   

[dukes]

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And although the City of Madison owns Warner Park, the Mallards defend that piece of turf like its behind the Berlin Wall.  They object to anyone else using it.  Typically a handful of high school games are the only thing that takes place there prior to the end of the Mallards season.  Not to say it couldn't happen, but the Mallards aren't exactly friendly tenants.

Isn't that just ducky!   

Nice...well, my only thought is that if it was presented in the right way they may consider it, as they always seem to be looking for a way to have an event at the stadium. And in my opinion, if they would host you know that Steve Schmitt and his crew would put on a superb weekend. I think I will run it by them and see if they have ever thought about it. What exactly is the process for submitting a bid for such an event?

[Just Bill]

The process is conducted by the NCAA and therefore must have an NCAA school or conference attached to it as a host.  A third-party by themselves cannot submit a bid.  (Edgewood College or the WIAC office would seem the most likely to me, but I suppose UWW or UWP could take it on too.)

There is a long, long, long form to fill out.  Essentially you state how much money you'll require from the NCAA to run the tournament.  If you're the least expensive and your field and city meet the other necessary criteria (fences, lights, seating, adequate hotel space, phone lines, staffing, etc.) you got a chance to win the bid.  History of hosting events also plays into it so it can be difficult for a new bidder to break in, but if Wisconsin Rapids managed it I don't see why Madison couldn't.

[Gustie13]

As a MIAC alum I'd love to see the tournament come to Minneapolis/St Paul, but I don't see it happening in the near future.
Parade Stadium, Augsburg's home field, is owned and run by the city of Minneapolis, who has done some improvements lately, and begun charging more for the fields use. They recently started charging for parking and no longer host the Class A Amateur State Tournament because of $$$. It would be a far cry from the fields in WI it sounds like, because the field is MASSIVE.
Siebert Field, home field for the U of MN would be fun, but the Gophers have Big Ten obligations and I doubt they'd be willing to work around them for the Regional games. I don't believe any amateur teams play on it in the summer, which means its probably expensive to use. Last I heard the university was trying to raise money to build a new stadium on top of Siebert.
Midway Stadium is used by Hamline in the spring and a few amateur teams in the summer and would be available for rent I'd assume, but its primary obligations are to the St Paul Saints, so their schedule would take precedent (they start in late Apr). IMO its not a nice surface to play on, but the stadium is a lot of fun.

The MIAC has held its playoff tournament at fields 45 minutes south of Mpls St Paul every year of the tournament (9 years), so that should give you some idea about the feasibility of holding a tournament in the MSP area.

[OshDude]

There was a murder this week across the street from EJ Schneider, your home for the 2009 Oshkosh Regional.

[BigPoppa]

BigPoppa's Top 25: April 20th

01 Pomona-Pitzer... all they do is win
02 Millsaps... quickly becoming one of the nation's elite
03 Southern Maine... 8-0 this week. WOW!
04 St. Scholastica... might be the biggest sleeper in the nation, even at 24-2
05 Salisbury... 33-5 means they get it done day after day
06 Texas-Tyler... can they survive the ASC post-season or will they stumble again?
07 Trinity (Conn.)... poised to make another run?
08 Heidelberg... great team that is overlooked in its region
09 Kean... settling in after a tough west coast trip early in the year.
10 Eastern Connecticut... playing like the team everyone thought they were.
11 Wheaton (Mass.)... a tough week for them, but still good enough to hang around the top 10
12 Carthage... CCIW#1A...should have the CCIW #1 seed locked up this week.
13 George Fox... somehow, GF will not win it's own conference and will be a bubble team when the bids come out.
14 Ithaca... Bombers are back on track and pounding teams.
15 Wooster... playing well agains after a mis-step last week.
16 St. Thomas... MIAC #1 team
17 Cal Lutheran... Really needs Texas-Tyler to win the Pool A in the ASC... bubble team for Pool C
18 Shenandoah... not really sure about this team yet, but 31 wins speaks for itself.
19 Illinois Wesleyan... CCIW #1B... great team that is just hitting its stride
20 Keystone... Will be the next 30 win team
21 Curry... 7-1 last week! Impressive to say the least... deep staff to do that.
22 Pacific Lutheran... Controls the NWC
23 Mount St. Mary...19-4 right now... make or break week for them
24 Buena Vista... 23-6...showing cracks in their armor.
25 UW-Whitewater...18-9, but still winning games in the tough WIAC.

Dropped out:
UW-Oshkosh (no idea what to think of this team... most up and down team I have ever seen),
St. Olaf (Can they grab a second MIAC bid... I am not sure yet)
Marietta (Do you want to be a big dog or not?)
Thomas More ( It was fun while it lasted, huh?)
Linfield (Cannot lose a pair to lowly Willamette)

[titan2000]

There was a murder this week across the street from EJ Schneider, your home for the 2009 Oshkosh Regional.

Platteville murdered the Titans across town, too. 

[biggio34]

Midwest Regional Prediction

1) St. Thomas (sealed with win over CSS)
2) Stevens Point (WIAC Tourney Champ Prediction)
3) Whitewater (WIAC regular season Champs)
4) St. Scholastica (Seeded Low in Regionals past, staying with trend)
5) St. Olaf
6) NAC Champ (Good luck with the Tommies, does it really matter)

[BaseballFan]

Midwest Regional Prediction

1) St. Thomas (sealed with win over CSS)
2) Stevens Point (WIAC Tourney Champ Prediction)
3) Whitewater (WIAC regular season Champs)
4) St. Scholastica (Seeded Low in Regionals past, staying with trend)
5) St. Olaf
6) NAC Champ (Good luck with the Tommies, does it really matter)

I would agree NCAA has definately not given CSS any respect with their seeding in the past. I would probably put CSS 3rd, tough to put 2 WIAC teams ahead of them with how the season went in WIAC.  Thomas has to be liking where they sit, but dont always assume that playing what appears to be an inferior opponent as a win. St. Thomas lost to Coe in 06' in the opening round.

[cubs]

Midwest Regional Prediction

1) St. Thomas (sealed with win over CSS)
2) Stevens Point (WIAC Tourney Champ Prediction)
3) Whitewater (WIAC regular season Champs)
4) St. Scholastica (Seeded Low in Regionals past, staying with trend)
5) St. Olaf
6) NAC Champ (Good luck with the Tommies, does it really matter)

If the WIAC Tournament turns out the way you thing it will (Point winning) I'm going to say that if Whitewater or Oshkosh were to make the Regionals, the winner of the game in the WIAC Tournament (if it happens) is your other WIAC team.  It would be hard to put Whitewater in over Oshkosh if Oshkosh beats them again giving them four out of five on the season. 

In my opinion, I just don't see a second WIAC team making it, although I hope I am wrong.