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Started by Pat Coleman, September 22, 2005, 03:16:50 PM

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Ralph Turner

Quote from: Toby Taff on September 18, 2009, 02:24:09 PM
Quote from: kirasdad on September 18, 2009, 01:03:02 PM
Quote from this weeks ATN:

QuoteThat said, perhaps the most interesting bit of feedback came from a prominent player on a Texas team. In part, he wrote of Mount Union:

"If they were to play Hardin-Simmons or UMHB to start off the season it would a different story as you can tell HSU and UMHB aren't afraid of opening up going up North to play football because we realize that no other team gives us a good look until we play against each other."

Have their coach call up Coach Kehres.  I'm sure he would be willing to set something up.  Or how about take of business on the field and MUC will see you in Salem some day?
I like the sentiment here.  UMHB has traveled and played home and home series' with Willamette and with UWW (and wanted to again from what I gather); HSU has played 4 with Linfield.  Both teams are willing to spend the coin and schedule the strong teams for the out of conference games.  Otherwise they're playing NAIA games.  And It has paid off; UMHB has taken care of business and made it to play MUC in the playoffs once and UWW twice, but don't miss the point that because of where HSU and UMHB are, people don't really get a feel for how good they are or aren't until they play one another.  And let's be honest, normally they're playing that game for the conference title and who gets the home game for the rematch in the first round (if both teams finish with no more than 1 loss).

In fairness to all parties involved, MUC is a member of the 10-team Ohio Athletic Conference. They have one non-conference date that can be filled in the first 2 weeks of the season.  They have played a former MUC coach when he took the head job at Averett (VA) a home-and-away in 2006 & 2007 and St John Fisher (NY), a quality East Region opponent in a home-and-away series, in 2008 & 2009.  You cannot fault those series.

The ASC, home of HSU and UMHB, is rumored to have Concordia Texas adding football in 2011.  That makes a 9-conference game schedule.  Same challenges there...

I hope that both UMHB and HSU can find quality non-conference (hopefully D-III) games.  Maybe we shall see an MUC/UMHB or HSU non-conference game.

Mr. Ypsi

Quote from: Pat Coleman on September 18, 2009, 02:28:08 AM
I suspect he's been to more D-III basketball games in the past decade than you have.

Maybe, but after a 37 year gap, I'm not as easy to beat as I used to be. ;)  While I'm not about to start competing in those "how many games did you attend" contests you, Greg, David, etc., get into each year, I have been to 7 games in the last 3 years.  It's a start. :D

I was just razzin' K-Mack.  Just because he's a football writer doesn't mean he can't join in on the boards as a basketball fan.  While I read a majority of the boards, I don't read 'em all, so maybe he does; but I do read ODAC, so I'm guessing he doesn't.

redswarm81

Quote from: kickerdad on September 18, 2009, 03:17:15 PM
Quote from: frank uible on September 16, 2009, 11:07:15 AM
The typical football fan located 50 miles from any DIII college generally doesn't even know that college exists, much less care about its football team.

You are right on the money with this. Our son played at Averett University and during the 4 years we traveled back and forth (300+ miles) to each home game, I found it amazing how many folks in the city of Danville, Virginia that didn't care that there was a college football game being played on Saturday afternoon, or didn't know there was a even a college in Danville. . . .


I swear by the blood below my feet,
Virgil Caine's brother'd a been at those Averett games,
but a Yankee laid him in his grave--
too bad you can't raise a Caine back up when he's in defeat (2:40 - 3:10) .

la na na na na la na na na na na . . .

(with thanks and apologies to Messrs. Roberston, Danko and Helm et al.:D
Irritating SAT-lagging Union undergrads and alums since 1977

Kira & Jaxon's Dad

Quote from: Ralph Turner on September 18, 2009, 09:05:39 PM
In fairness to all parties involved, MUC is a member of the 10-team Ohio Athletic Conference. They have one non-conference date that can be filled in the first 2 weeks of the season.  They have played a former MUC coach when he took the head job at Averett (VA) a home-and-away in 2006 & 2007 and St John Fisher (NY), a quality East Region opponent in a home-and-away series, in 2008 & 2009.  You cannot fault those series.

Mike Dunlevy was a former MUC coach? ???
National Champions - 13: 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017

Ralph Turner

Quote from: kirasdad on September 19, 2009, 09:44:26 PM
Quote from: Ralph Turner on September 18, 2009, 09:05:39 PM
In fairness to all parties involved, MUC is a member of the 10-team Ohio Athletic Conference. They have one non-conference date that can be filled in the first 2 weeks of the season.  They have played a former MUC coach when he took the head job at Averett (VA) a home-and-away in 2006 & 2007 and St John Fisher (NY), a quality East Region opponent in a home-and-away series, in 2008 & 2009.  You cannot fault those series.

Mike Dunlevy was a former MUC coach? ???
MY bad,  Don Montgomery at E&H is the MUC grad.

Thanks, kirasdad and +1!

Kira & Jaxon's Dad

Quote from: Ralph Turner on September 19, 2009, 10:10:13 PM
MY bad,  Don Montgomery at E&H is the MUC grad.

And LONG TIME Defensive Coordinator.  Thanks for the +K
National Champions - 13: 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017

K-Mack

Quote from: Pat Coleman on September 18, 2009, 02:45:55 PM
Quote from: HSCTiger74 on September 18, 2009, 01:28:19 PM
Quote from: Pat Coleman on September 18, 2009, 02:28:08 AM
I suspect he's been to more D-III basketball games in the past decade than you have.

Geez, Pat, you've been awfully prickly of late. Are you getting enough sleep?  ;)

Dunno, I've made two posts a day for the past week so I'm not sure if you really know me well enough to know if I'm prickly.

of late?!?!
Former author, Around the Nation ('01-'13)
Managing Editor, Kickoff
Voter, Top 25/Play of the Week/Gagliardi Trophy/Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year
Nastradamus, Triple Take
and one of the two voices behind the sonic #d3fb nerdery that is the ATN Podcast.

K-Mack

Quote from: TGP on September 18, 2009, 03:47:35 PM
Quote from: K-Mack on September 18, 2009, 12:28:47 AM
Heyyyyy TGP ... that pic wasn't there the first time.

Doesn't the ball roll off the field into the water though?

Well truth be told the lake is about 1/2 to 1 mile from the Boz (up Rts 5 & 20). 

Even before I'd seen the field, I was kidding. There should at least be a some stands between the water and the edge of the field.  ;)

Although at Chowan, extra points kicked would roll down a hill and into a lake. I think I've seen the water feature at least one other place.
Former author, Around the Nation ('01-'13)
Managing Editor, Kickoff
Voter, Top 25/Play of the Week/Gagliardi Trophy/Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year
Nastradamus, Triple Take
and one of the two voices behind the sonic #d3fb nerdery that is the ATN Podcast.

K-Mack

Quote from: kickerdad on September 18, 2009, 03:17:15 PM
Quote from: frank uible on September 16, 2009, 11:07:15 AM
The typical football fan located 50 miles from any DIII college generally doesn't even know that college exists, much less care about its football team.

You are right on the money with this. Our son played at Averett University and during the 4 years we traveled back and forth (300+ miles) to each home game, I found it amazing how many folks in the city of Danville, Virginia that didn't care that there was a college football game being played on Saturday afternoon, or didn't know there was a even a college in Danville. You go to a local food establishment after the game and a local would see the flag on the car or Averett on a sweat shirt and say "Who is Averett and where are they located". Even the local newspaper gave high schools more publicity than the college. The year Averett played Mount Union (Number one DIII football team in the country) in Danville, there was barely any press, and if it weren't for the family's that travel as far away as FL or PA, plus the crowd that followed Mount Union, there wouldn't have been more than 20 locals in the stands. However I think a lot has to do with the fact that Averett has only been playing football since 2000 and with the exception of the 2005 and 2006 seasons, the excitment hasn't been there. Sometimes I don't think any of the students came (especially in 2007 when they went 0-10.

We live close to Christopher Newport University and everyone knows about them. The two times Averett played there, the home side was packed and seemed to be standing room only on the sidelines. Only saw that at Averett the one season they shared the conference championship with CNU.

I just wonder is there more that the schools could do to attract interest in the local towns and surrounding towns?

I wrote about Trine's efforts at this last year ... they basically started going to other people's events and going out to local community groups to build rapport. So instead of 'hey you, come to our football games' it sounded like 'hi, let's be friends, and once we're friends, you'll realize I play football and you'll want to support the team without being sold on it."

Something to that effect.

I think smaller towns are somewhat predisposed to the sense of community where "townies" might take an interest. Especially where high schools are big, there ought to be more overlap between teams. A partnership of announcing each other's games over the speaker or letting the popular local HS play on your turf once a season just to get people on campus and familiar with the stadium.

People have to take an interest in your team for one reason or another. If there's no connection, I can see why they don't come.

Some schools are very student-crowd dependent, which is good, but it can beget embarassingly small crowds on fall break week.

I've oft wondered the same things, so I'm interested in the discussion.
Former author, Around the Nation ('01-'13)
Managing Editor, Kickoff
Voter, Top 25/Play of the Week/Gagliardi Trophy/Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year
Nastradamus, Triple Take
and one of the two voices behind the sonic #d3fb nerdery that is the ATN Podcast.

K-Mack

Quote from: Ralph Turner on September 18, 2009, 09:05:39 PM
Quote from: Toby Taff on September 18, 2009, 02:24:09 PM
Quote from: kirasdad on September 18, 2009, 01:03:02 PM
Quote from this weeks ATN:

QuoteThat said, perhaps the most interesting bit of feedback came from a prominent player on a Texas team. In part, he wrote of Mount Union:

"If they were to play Hardin-Simmons or UMHB to start off the season it would a different story as you can tell HSU and UMHB aren't afraid of opening up going up North to play football because we realize that no other team gives us a good look until we play against each other."

Have their coach call up Coach Kehres.  I'm sure he would be willing to set something up.  Or how about take of business on the field and MUC will see you in Salem some day?
I like the sentiment here.  UMHB has traveled and played home and home series' with Willamette and with UWW (and wanted to again from what I gather); HSU has played 4 with Linfield.  Both teams are willing to spend the coin and schedule the strong teams for the out of conference games.  Otherwise they're playing NAIA games.  And It has paid off; UMHB has taken care of business and made it to play MUC in the playoffs once and UWW twice, but don't miss the point that because of where HSU and UMHB are, people don't really get a feel for how good they are or aren't until they play one another.  And let's be honest, normally they're playing that game for the conference title and who gets the home game for the rematch in the first round (if both teams finish with no more than 1 loss).

In fairness to all parties involved, MUC is a member of the 10-team Ohio Athletic Conference. They have one non-conference date that can be filled in the first 2 weeks of the season.  They have played a former MUC coach when he took the head job at Averett (VA) a home-and-away in 2006 & 2007 and St John Fisher (NY), a quality East Region opponent in a home-and-away series, in 2008 & 2009.  You cannot fault those series.

The ASC, home of HSU and UMHB, is rumored to have Concordia Texas adding football in 2011.  That makes a 9-conference game schedule.  Same challenges there...

I hope that both UMHB and HSU can find quality non-conference (hopefully D-III) games.  Maybe we shall see an MUC/UMHB or HSU non-conference game.

Ralph, I agree with you for the most part. But MUC could have done better than Averett and Wash. U. had they really wanted to. But their other recent two-year series were UW-Whitewater and SJF, neither of which are weak opponents.

Another thing is that HSU and UMHB and Linfield and Willamette and even the UW schools are all resigned to spending the money it costs to travel for games. MUC -- geographically -- doesn't have to do that, though none of the series above are nearby. I think they have tried to get Wittenberg or Wooster to take that game in the past with no luck. I don't know how far and wide MUC searches for that game, but I don't think there's an unlimited list of teams that want to play them. (though I bet Rowan would. I bet CNU would. Wesley always needs games.)

There are some elite teams that will duck other elite teams in the regular season, though, so that's not a complete figment of the imagination.
Former author, Around the Nation ('01-'13)
Managing Editor, Kickoff
Voter, Top 25/Play of the Week/Gagliardi Trophy/Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year
Nastradamus, Triple Take
and one of the two voices behind the sonic #d3fb nerdery that is the ATN Podcast.

Ralph Turner

Thanks for the comment on MUC and WUSTL.

In 2004-05, when MUC played WUSTL, I thought of WUSTL as a stronger team than they are now.  That series must have been scheduled 1-2 years earlier, when WashU was still coming off a Pool B bid in 1999.  (Wash U was 7-2/3-0, not 6-3/2-0, in 2001.)

Mugsy

Quote from: K-Mack on September 20, 2009, 10:53:17 PM
Quote from: TGP on September 18, 2009, 03:47:35 PM
Quote from: K-Mack on September 18, 2009, 12:28:47 AM
Heyyyyy TGP ... that pic wasn't there the first time.

Doesn't the ball roll off the field into the water though?

Well truth be told the lake is about 1/2 to 1 mile from the Boz (up Rts 5 & 20). 

Even before I'd seen the field, I was kidding. There should at least be a some stands between the water and the edge of the field.  ;)

Although at Chowan, extra points kicked would roll down a hill and into a lake. I think I've seen the water feature at least one other place.

No lie... my freshman year our JV team at Wheaton had a scrimmage against Joliet Correctional.  That's right... inside the prison facilities.  After our first touchdown, the extra point went over the wall since one endzone was only 7 yards deep due to buttin' up against the prison wall.  As the ball sailed over the wall one of the Joliet players yelled "I'll get that..."  ;D :P

btw: Several of the Wheaton coaching staff suited up for the game as well, including Coach Swider.  This was back in 1985.
Wheaton Football: CCIW Champs: 1950, 1953-1959, 1995, 2000, 2002-2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019

gordonmann

#1707
QuoteI think I've seen the water feature at least one other place

Lebanon Valley has man-made pools with fountains behind one goal post.  A good kick can net you a splash down.

Knightstalker

Quote from: Ralph Turner on September 17, 2009, 11:03:09 PM
How about this for toughest job...

Football coach at Swarthmore, New Jersey City, Blackburn, Principia and Colorado College...

These aren't tough jobs, they haven't lost a game in years.

"In the end we will survive rather than perish not because we accumulate comfort and luxury but because we accumulate wisdom"  Colonel Jack Jacobs US Army (Ret).

K-Mack

Quote from: Knightstalker on September 23, 2009, 02:33:08 PM
Quote from: Ralph Turner on September 17, 2009, 11:03:09 PM
How about this for toughest job...

Football coach at Swarthmore, New Jersey City, Blackburn, Principia and Colorado College...

These aren't tough jobs, they haven't lost a game in years.

Funny.

At least the coaches get to spend time with their families now!

Too much?
Former author, Around the Nation ('01-'13)
Managing Editor, Kickoff
Voter, Top 25/Play of the Week/Gagliardi Trophy/Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year
Nastradamus, Triple Take
and one of the two voices behind the sonic #d3fb nerdery that is the ATN Podcast.