The decline of the Division III Football Pool C bid

[BSCpanthers]

The NCAA just needs to have different minimums for each sport.  Not ONE minimum for all sports.

Football should be 7 or 8.  Other sports could be 6 if needed.

Yea and I bet that is what they will have to do at some point.

I think this makes the most sense, but it's going to be hard to put the horse back in the barn if too many 6 team conferences form before they get around to it.

They won't have a choice will they?  If there are more than 32 conferences with six teams, something has to give, either the AQ, or the four week playoff system.

Yep. One or the other. It'll be interesting to see which they choose.

This is the thing.  We could see at least one more that we have all talked about, the SCAC, there has to be more out there looking at this.  There are currently 43 D3 athletic conferences, 28 football playing conferences.  This could become an issue very quickly. 

Side note, did any of you know the home offices for the SCAC is in Lawrenceville, GA, all of the teams are in Louisiana, Texas and Colorado.  Those offices are long way away from the school it represents.

[jknezek]

The NCAA just needs to have different minimums for each sport.  Not ONE minimum for all sports.

Football should be 7 or 8.  Other sports could be 6 if needed.

Yea and I bet that is what they will have to do at some point.

I think this makes the most sense, but it's going to be hard to put the horse back in the barn if too many 6 team conferences form before they get around to it.

They won't have a choice will they?  If there are more than 32 conferences with six teams, something has to give, either the AQ, or the four week playoff system.

Yep. One or the other. It'll be interesting to see which they choose.

This is the thing.  We could see at least one more that we have all talked about, the SCAC, there has to be more out there looking at this.  There are currently 43 D3 athletic conferences, 28 football playing conferences.  This could become an issue very quickly. 

Side note, did any of you know the home offices for the SCAC is in Lawrenceville, GA, all of the teams are in Louisiana, Texas and Colorado.  Those offices are long way away from the school it represents.

Conference location is leftover from the old days before the SAA split. It made a lot more sense then. Interesting that they haven't moved it, but depending on how many people are there it might be expensive in terms of moving expenses as well as people they might lose. Might not be worth it until there is some turnover.

[BSCpanthers]

Let's face it, at this level, the "conference office" is probably just a local law firm and a couple media interns. 

[jknezek]

Let's face it, at this level, the "conference office" is probably just a local law firm and a couple media interns.

I know the ODAC isn't. I've had several email exchanges with Commissioner Bankston over the years. He has been amazingly receptive to responding to a random fan. I also exchanged an email with one other person in the office about a question regarding the All Sports Trophy and she responded immediately. I do believe there are 3 full-time employees, at least, in the ODAC Conference office.

[IC798891]

I'm not crazy about the eight wins thing because that might discourage teams from playing tough schedules.  Also, many lower ranked conferences may have 10-0 or 9-1 teams.  We know a league like the LL might have a 7-3 champion, but do they get penalized because Ithaca plays Cortland, Brockport and others while the NEFC champ (who Ithaca may beat) plays only CCC teams?

We're already past that with the few at-large bids we have. Ithaca's exclusion this past year shows there's basically no hope for a 2-loss team to get selected already, let alone if the at-large pool gets smaller. You might as well schedule OOC as easy as you can, and try for 9-1

[BSCpanthers]

Let's face it, at this level, the "conference office" is probably just a local law firm and a couple media interns.

I know the ODAC isn't. I've had several email exchanges with Commissioner Bankston over the years. He has been amazingly receptive to responding to a random fan. I also exchanged an email with one other person in the office about a question regarding the All Sports Trophy and she responded immediately. I do believe there are 3 full-time employees, at least, in the ODAC Conference office.

I really don't know anything about the SAA conference offices.  I do know when Trinity came to Birmingham for what was a conference championship game in football, our president presented the trophy to Trinity, was a little disappointed that the SAA commish didn't find it necessary to be at the game to present the trophy.

[Jonny Utah]

I'm not crazy about the eight wins thing because that might discourage teams from playing tough schedules.  Also, many lower ranked conferences may have 10-0 or 9-1 teams.  We know a league like the LL might have a 7-3 champion, but do they get penalized because Ithaca plays Cortland, Brockport and others while the NEFC champ (who Ithaca may beat) plays only CCC teams?

We're already past that with the few at-large bids we have. Ithaca's exclusion this past year shows there's basically no hope for a 2-loss team to get selected already, let alone if the at-large pool gets smaller. You might as well schedule OOC as easy as you can, and try for 9-1

Well in the proposed system there would be no pool C chances at all.  I don't have a problem with Ithaca not getting in last year, they had their chance and lost it in one of their non league games (Cortland).  If they played Ana Maria and Morrisville instead of Brockport and Cortland?  I don't think they deserve to get in either but that is the game you always play with non conference OCC.

[SW1]

It is a travesty that the playoffs are dictated by the all mighty dollar from the NCAA. We all understand that it costs money to travel and that will never change, but there are things that could be done to lessen the cost. Why not work a deal with an airline company that we would use exclusively for a lower rate during the 4 weeks of the playoffs. There are many ways to raise money to help with one week of travel to create different matchups that have never happened before. These island teams are expected to have a strong out of conference schedule when noone wants to play them so they have to foot the bill to fly somewhere. Where is the fairness in that? How are they expected to pay for 5 ooc games that may include flights? Quit with the excuses and pony up the money to have a real playoffs with teams that earned the top rankings not playing each other in week one.

[Ron Boerger]

This is the thing.  We could see at least one more that we have all talked about, the SCAC, there has to be more out there looking at this.  There are currently 43 D3 athletic conferences, 28 football playing conferences.  This could become an issue very quickly. 

Side note, did any of you know the home offices for the SCAC is in Lawrenceville, GA, all of the teams are in Louisiana, Texas and Colorado.  Those offices are long way away from the school it represents.

Conference location is leftover from the old days before the SAA split. It made a lot more sense then. Interesting that they haven't moved it, but depending on how many people are there it might be expensive in terms of moving expenses as well as people they might lose. Might not be worth it until there is some turnover.

I seem to remember hearing along the way that one of the conditions for Commissioner Hanberry to remain with the SCAC was that the main office continue to be maintained in Georgia so he wouldn't have to uproot his family.  Given the upheaval at the time and what could have happened to the conference had he taken the SAA job (pretty sure an offer was made), thank goodness the remaining SCAC schools agreed.  He was dealt a difficult hand but with the exception of losing football, which was really beyond anyone's control, I don't think many people expected the SCAC to survive long after it was down to five schools when the split was announced.  And who knows, thanks to the NCAA, Centenary adding the sport and other possibilities, football might even come back.  Here's to you, Mr. Commissioner!

[Ron Boerger]

And ... just announced by D3sports, the USA South is splitting in two effective next year, but apparently all the football schools leaving the USAS will remain as affiliates in the USAS so no impact to bids.  https://d3sports.com/notables/2022/02/usa-south-to-split-in-two

[BSCpanthers]

And ... just announced by D3sports, the USA South is splitting in two effective next year, but apparently all the football schools leaving the USAS will remain as affiliates in the USAS so no impact to bids.  https://d3sports.com/notables/2022/02/usa-south-to-split-in-two

That's going to be interesting to see how that plays out.  That conference has 19 members, crazy, but only 9 play football.  Wonder if Belhaven will move its football to SCAC, which would give them 6, if my math is right.  Honestly, it starts to get confusing and all jumbled in your brain after a bit.

[Ralph Turner]

And ... just announced by D3sports, the USA South is splitting in two effective next year, but apparently all the football schools leaving the USAS will remain as affiliates in the USAS so no impact to bids.  https://d3sports.com/notables/2022/02/usa-south-to-split-in-two

I look for Asbury in Wilmore KY to join the CCS.

[Baldini]

And ... just announced by D3sports, the USA South is splitting in two effective next year, but apparently all the football schools leaving the USAS will remain as affiliates in the USAS so no impact to bids.  https://d3sports.com/notables/2022/02/usa-south-to-split-in-two

I look for Asbury in Wilmore KY to join the CCS.

What about Bob Jones and Warren Wilson?

[Pat Coleman]

Let's face it, at this level, the "conference office" is probably just a local law firm and a couple media interns.

Not true. Most conferences -- not sure about the SAA, though -- have a full-time commissioner, a full-time assistant who handles publicity and information, and some offices have a third person as well.

[Pat Coleman]

I do know when Trinity came to Birmingham for what was a conference championship game in football, our president presented the trophy to Trinity, was a little disappointed that the SAA commish didn't find it necessary to be at the game to present the trophy.

A little perspective: In Week 10 of the Division III football season, the week before the final regular season games, conferences are hosting their championship tournaments in both soccers, field hockey and women's volleyball. In terms of not only tournament operation but gladhanding for a postgame trophy ceremony, your commissioner and assistant commissioner are going to be at those events.