Around the Nation board

[K-Mack]

TGP,
 Yeah, there are a lot of reasons why Mount Union going Division II didn't make sense, that thread explored them all. The ones I can remember is where would a school that small suddenly get the funding to start offering the number of scholarships needed to compete ... if not in football, then in ALL SPORTS they offer.

 Also, as a member of the OAC they are an all-sports match with the other 9 schools in that conference ... Mount Union doesn't dominate other sports (that I know of), football is the anomaly, but that is a good conference in baseball, basketball, etc. from year-to-year. So it's rather fitting ... meanwhile, travel-wise, there isn't really a better fit in D2 for them (although Tiffin, Ashland, etc. play D2)

 Basically it would cost a small school like that more than it could afford, and what would they gain? Proof that their football team can go 7-3 or win a playoff game?

 Also, if they moved, they'd be required to take Kenyon's swimming program with them

 In a decent article in the Milwaukee paper, there was this:

After Whitewater beat Mount Union, the New York Yankees of D3 football, Leipold let only the seniors make the celebrity appearances at the capitol and at halftime of UW and Marquette basketball games.

Funny he should mention that, since I usually go out of my way to NOT compare MUC to the Yankees. The Yankees, first off, haven't won since 2000, kinda hard to be a dynasty, and if playoff appearances make dynasties instead of championships, well there's a whole nother argument for the Braves, for St. Norbert/Curry, etc.

Also, I think the Yankees gain an advantage by having more resources than a lot of its opponents. Mount Union is probably average or below average in terms of physical and financial resources, so the comparison isn't really apt ... although they do have the resource of recruiting with their 9-titles, 11-Stagg Bowl body of work.

Anyway, we murder these topics this time of year ... might be time to examine the UW-W dynastic model.

We actually have a feature in the works on the both of them by the Great Ryan Tipps, so hopefully we'll all learn something.

[K-Mack]

about as honest a parody of the BCS you're gonna get:

http://www.globalsportsfraternity.com/bcs/

Good stuff.

This was the one that cracked me up:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/89188-bcs-declares-germany-winner-of-world-war-ii

[K-Mack]

I think Hobart/Hopkins lacrosse, RPI hockey, etc. is a slightly different argument than MUC ... and the backside is GTown and Hofstra and Dayton and Wagner having to move their football teams out of D3.

But for another day. Back to YIR writing.

[Ron Boerger]

Also, as a member of the OAC they are an all-sports match with the other 9 schools in that conference ... Mount Union doesn't dominate other sports (that I know of), football is the anomaly, but that is a good conference in baseball, basketball, etc. from year-to-year.

MUC's placement in OAC all sports standings (men):
07-08: 3rd
06-07: 2nd
05-06: 2nd
04-05: 5th

MUC placement in NACDA Directors Cub standings (m/f):
07-08: 52nd
06-07: 58th
05-06: 68th
04-05: not in top 100

So, as Keith points out, outside of football MUC is your basic fairly average D3 athletic program, certainly not D2-worthy as consistuted today. 

[Ryan Tipps]

We actually have a feature in the works on the both of them by the Great Ryan Tipps, so hopefully we'll all learn something.

I'm humbled..... 

[runyr]

about as honest a parody of the BCS you're gonna get:

http://www.globalsportsfraternity.com/bcs/

TGP, Thanks much.  Great stuff.  I laughed so hard I cried.   

[K-Mack]

We actually have a feature in the works on the both of them by the Great Ryan Tipps, so hopefully we'll all learn something.

I'm humbled..... 

I cased "great" with "hopefully"

The piece in question:
http://www.d3football.com/notables/2008/12/17

[runyr]

TGP,
 Yeah, there are a lot of reasons why Mount Union going Division II didn't make sense, that thread explored them all. The ones I can remember is where would a school that small suddenly get the funding to start offering the number of scholarships needed to compete ... if not in football, then in ALL SPORTS they offer.

 Also, as a member of the OAC they are an all-sports match with the other 9 schools in that conference ... Mount Union doesn't dominate other sports (that I know of), football is the anomaly, but that is a good conference in baseball, basketball, etc. from year-to-year. So it's rather fitting ... meanwhile, travel-wise, there isn't really a better fit in D2 for them (although Tiffin, Ashland, etc. play D2)

 Basically it would cost a small school like that more than it could afford, and what would they gain? Proof that their football team can go 7-3 or win a playoff game?

 Also, if they moved, they'd be required to take Kenyon's swimming program with them

 In a decent article in the Milwaukee paper, there was this:

After Whitewater beat Mount Union, the New York Yankees of D3 football, Leipold let only the seniors make the celebrity appearances at the capitol and at halftime of UW and Marquette basketball games.

Funny he should mention that, since I usually go out of my way to NOT compare MUC to the Yankees. The Yankees, first off, haven't won since 2000, kinda hard to be a dynasty, and if playoff appearances make dynasties instead of championships, well there's a whole nother argument for the Braves, for St. Norbert/Curry, etc.

Also, I think the Yankees gain an advantage by having more resources than a lot of its opponents. Mount Union is probably average or below average in terms of physical and financial resources, so the comparison isn't really apt ... although they do have the resource of recruiting with their 9-titles, 11-Stagg Bowl body of work.

Anyway, we murder these topics this time of year ... might be time to examine the UW-W dynastic model.

We actually have a feature in the works on the both of them by the Great Ryan Tipps, so hopefully we'll all learn something.

K-Mack,
That's the best explanation I've ever read on here answering the tired litany on Mount Union moving up.

[K-Mack]

Thank you.

Always good to know that it's not useless rambling.

[Ralph Turner]

Thank you.

Always good to know that it's not useless rambling.

That post might deserve a place in the FAQ.

[Pat Coleman]

We actually have a feature in the works on the both of them by the Great Ryan Tipps, so hopefully we'll all learn something.

I'm humbled..... 

I cased "great" with "hopefully"

The piece in question:

... is being held until tomorrow.

[labart96]

pat, keith, ryan, frank, et al -

congrats and thanks on delivering another great season of d3football.

my dad duties prevented me from listening to much of the game audio but what i heard was well done.

guess it's time to turn in for the winter. 

happy holidays!

[K-Mack]

TGP,
 Thanks.

 The first half of the year in review was posted in the postgame package yesterday, in case anyone out there needs to slowly wean himself off of D3 football instead of making a cold break into the offseason.

[Ralph Turner]

Thanks!

Looking forward to Part 2. 

[PBR...]

folks pbr thinks is going to be a very bumpy road for our beloved d3 schools in this economy. this article states how bad things are and most likely will get worse before better....

 
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Many private educational institutions throughout
the United States are very concerned about a recent drop in enrollment numbers,
survey results indicate.
The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities said two-
thirds of 371 private institutions it surveyed reported concerns about a nearly
30-percent drop in regular enrollment applications this year compared with this
time in 2007, The New York Times reported Monday.
Admissions officers have suggested the decline has been caused by students
focusing on cheaper state universities, delaying college plans or simply
limiting the number of universities to which they apply.
Whatever the cause, some officials at private colleges told the Times they are
concerned for the future.
"By this time last year, we had three-quarters of all our applications,"
Admissions Dean Derek Gueldenzoph of Minnesota's St. Olaf College. "The
deadline's Jan. 15. If what we've got now is three-quarters of what we're going
to get, we're in big trouble."
"This is a time when schools like ours, private liberal arts colleges that
don't have a big name, are in a potentially dangerous realm," Stephen
MacDonald, president of Pennsylvania's Lebanon Valley College, told the
newspaper.