PSAC vs MEC....

[JDonAB92]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

Thinking about recent events in the relations of these neighbors, I decided to Google Map the distance between Bridgeport WV and Lock Haven PA and I swear this is true. Using several addresses and names the results stayed the same NO ROUTE FOUND !!! Although CALU had no part in the availability of DANNY SANCOMB, given the upcoming departure of SHEPHERD, it may be that some in the MEC home office (why Bridgeport?) are feeling more than a little stressed toward their big brother to the north. I don't know what they can do about their apparent vulnerability but the longer the bullying goes on the more likely it seems that the MEC will not survive. It must get pretty awkward at regional events.

The MEC lost UVA-Wise and Shepherd. UVA-Wise had not had a winning record in men's basketball since joining the league. In fact, they were pretty bad in the early stages. I think the MEC may have done a little bit more to strengthen UVA-Wise than did UVA-Wise did to strengthen the league. If you look at the 3 main men sports (football, basketball and baseball), UVA-Wise only had one winning season overall since joining the league and that was in football in 2016.

Shepherd is a big loss in football and baseball. But they are replaceable in men's basketball for the MEC. And since this is the basketball forum, that is why I bring that up. Shepherd has had some winning seasons in men's basketball. They haven't hurt the MEC. But to be truthful, out of all the old-guard of the WVIAC schools, Shepherd is the only school yet to go to the NCAA in men's basketball since the WVIAC went D2 in 1996. All of the current MEC members that were a part of the WVIAC have been to the NCAA tournament except Shepherd. Concord, Charleston, WV State, Glenville State, WV Wesleyan, Wheeling Jesuit, Fairmont State and West Liberty have all had one or more NCAA tournament bids in men's basketball. Shepherd has yet to achieve that. Alderson Broaddus, Bluefield State and Salem International also have been to the NCAA men's basketball tournament one or more times. Of the old WVIAC guard, Shepherd and Davis & Elkins are the only two schools that have not been to the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Ohio Valley wasn't originally a WVIAC member when the conference went D2.

Frostburg State has the potential to be very good in football. I live in Maryland and they have done an excellent job in D3 lately.They beat two Top Ten opponents in the playoffs before losing to #2 and perennial power Mount Union. Quite frankly, Mount Union would beat a lot of MEC and PSAC football schools right now. I think you would be quite surprised. Frostburg State is more than ready as a football school to move up. Maryland is a state that has been developing a lot of talent lately in the football ranks. A lot of big time schools flock to Maryland now to recruit football players. With the ability now to offer scholarships, Frostburg State has great potential in the D2 ranks. There is only one other D2 football school in Maryland and that is Bowie State. UMD, Navy, Towson and Morgan State are the only D-I schools with football in the state and Navy really recruits a national student-athlete. Frostburg State will have some nice built-in advantages when going D2.

I don't think Alderson Broaddus will get an invite to the MEC based solely on the "subtraction by addition" principle. I don't think the G-MAC is offering Notre Dame College. It appears they are waiting on Ashland and Indy. If the MEC though were to invite AB and we accept, then I think the G-MAC would need to add another football school and would offer Notre Dame at that point. So all that would happen with the MEC is that they gain one/lose one. Doesn't help. But AB has been 33-8 against Shepherd in men's basketball since 1993. They also have 9 NCAA tournaments and 2 regional finals in that time. That trumps Shepherd's basketball which hasn't had a NCAA men's basketball bid. So don't pretend like AB doesn't bring any thing. The MEC has had two separate schools make the NCAA Final game in men's basketball in the league's short existence. People won't like me saying this, but men's basketball is what it is known for. Right now the MEC is good at 11 schools. If Notre Dame gets an invite first to join the G-MAC, then there is no question the MEC will in turn invite AB. I just don't see the G-MAC doing that. There is still 13 days left in the NCAA calendar so things can still happen.

[JDonAB92]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

I've actually been to Bridgeport, WV.....but it was in 1977. I had friends whose dad was originally from there and he moved his family from Norristown back to West Virginia when it wasn't a bad idea. Now...that would be a terrible move.

You may want to do more research on that statement.

Bridgeport, WV is a pretty good place to live. The average median income currently in Bridgeport is over $80,000 per year. The average median income in Norristown, PA is $43,000. I would select Bridgeport any day of the week. It is modern. It is by an interstate. It has a mall. It is growing economically and the area around it is developing. The Bridgeport schools are well above the national mean and median. Bridgeport HS was rated higher than Norristown HS by US News and World Report. There is a lot of downturn in the southern portion of WV due to the decline and demand in coal. Those pockets are clear. But Bridgeport is a real solid area to live and grow a family in the north central area of the state.

[PSAC76]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

I think that the GMAC is less stable than the MEC. The GMAC seems to be more spread out and more of random pieces put together, whereas to me, the MEC is more schools that have regional traditions. I get that there are exceptions, but I would be very surprised if Frostburg and AB aren't jumping at the chance to be in the MEC. If Notre Dame leaves the MEC, which I don't necessarily agree that they would, I do not know what route the MEC would go. But if I am a school in the region, I would much rather be in the MEC than the GMAC.

[PSAC76]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

I think that there should be a PSAC/MEC challenge, similar to the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The top 10 from the PSAC vs the 10 MEC schools. Thoughts on this from anyone?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

There basically already is although it's not called a Challenge or anything.

There are again a lot of contests this upcoming season.

Last year the PSAC had a big advantage in wins. Year before it was the MEC.

[ctrabs74]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

I think that there should be a PSAC/MEC challenge, similar to the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The top 10 from the PSAC vs the 10 MEC schools. Thoughts on this from anyone?

Most of the PSAC vs. MEC contests take place during the opening weekend of the season as in-region 'conference challenge' tournaments (there are also MEC vs. CIAA and PSAC vs. CIAA tossed in as well).

[boatcapt]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

The MEC lost UVA-Wise and Shepherd. UVA-Wise had not had a winning record in men's basketball since joining the league. In fact, they were pretty bad in the early stages. I think the MEC may have done a little bit more to strengthen UVA-Wise than did UVA-Wise did to strengthen the league. If you look at the 3 main men sports (football, basketball and baseball), UVA-Wise only had one winning season overall since joining the league and that was in football in 2016.

Shepherd is a big loss in football and baseball. But they are replaceable in men's basketball for the MEC. And since this is the basketball forum, that is why I bring that up. Shepherd has had some winning seasons in men's basketball. They haven't hurt the MEC. But to be truthful, out of all the old-guard of the WVIAC schools, Shepherd is the only school yet to go to the NCAA in men's basketball since the WVIAC went D2 in 1996. All of the current MEC members that were a part of the WVIAC have been to the NCAA tournament except Shepherd. Concord, Charleston, WV State, Glenville State, WV Wesleyan, Wheeling Jesuit, Fairmont State and West Liberty have all had one or more NCAA tournament bids in men's basketball. Shepherd has yet to achieve that. Alderson Broaddus, Bluefield State and Salem International also have been to the NCAA men's basketball tournament one or more times. Of the old WVIAC guard, Shepherd and Davis & Elkins are the only two schools that have not been to the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Ohio Valley wasn't originally a WVIAC member when the conference went D2.

Frostburg State has the potential to be very good in football. I live in Maryland and they have done an excellent job in D3 lately.They beat two Top Ten opponents in the playoffs before losing to #2 and perennial power Mount Union. Quite frankly, Mount Union would beat a lot of MEC and PSAC football schools right now. I think you would be quite surprised. Frostburg State is more than ready as a football school to move up. Maryland is a state that has been developing a lot of talent lately in the football ranks. A lot of big time schools flock to Maryland now to recruit football players. With the ability now to offer scholarships, Frostburg State has great potential in the D2 ranks. There is only one other D2 football school in Maryland and that is Bowie State. UMD, Navy, Towson and Morgan State are the only D-I schools with football in the state and Navy really recruits a national student-athlete. Frostburg State will have some nice built-in advantages when going D2.

I don't think Alderson Broaddus will get an invite to the MEC based solely on the "subtraction by addition" principle. I don't think the G-MAC is offering Notre Dame College. It appears they are waiting on Ashland and Indy. If the MEC though were to invite AB and we accept, then I think the G-MAC would need to add another football school and would offer Notre Dame at that point. So all that would happen with the MEC is that they gain one/lose one. Doesn't help. But AB has been 33-8 against Shepherd in men's basketball since 1993. They also have 9 NCAA tournaments and 2 regional finals in that time. That trumps Shepherd's basketball which hasn't had a NCAA men's basketball bid. So don't pretend like AB doesn't bring any thing. The MEC has had two separate schools make the NCAA Final game in men's basketball in the league's short existence. People won't like me saying this, but men's basketball is what it is known for. Right now the MEC is good at 11 schools. If Notre Dame gets an invite first to join the G-MAC, then there is no question the MEC will in turn invite AB. I just don't see the G-MAC doing that. There is still 13 days left in the NCAA calendar so things can still happen.

I agree with all.

The Frostburg to DII and specifically what that does to other schools from a recruiting standpoint is very interesting. What current/soon to be former MEC school recruits Maryland heavily and very successfully? Now that school is going to have direct in-Maryland competition. Frostburg also offers a "Regional Rate" for out of state students within 120 miles of campus that covers a HUGE area from east of Harrisburg in the east to Charlotsville VA in the South, almost to Grove City well north of Pittsburgh to a major swath of Ohio in the west.

Frostburg has the resources and location to become very successful very quickly but resources and location don't always equal success.

[PSAC76]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

Do many MEC folks post on here? It doesn't seem like they or the CIAA get much traffic on the boards

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

Shepherd has a lot of football posters. WL has the most basketball posters. WJ has a handful. That's it. Love to have some Fairmont State people join.

Even the PSAC has very few basketball posters. Probably 75% are from IUP. Gannon has a couple. Edinboro has a couple. Cal has a couple. That's it.

This side of the board gets way less action compared to football.

[CALUPA69]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

Shepherd has a lot of football posters. WL has the most basketball posters. WJ has a handful. That's it. Love to have some Fairmont State people join.

Even the PSAC has very few basketball posters. Probably 75% are from IUP. Gannon has a couple. Edinboro has a couple. Cal has a couple. That's it.

This side of the board gets way less action compared to football.

You're right but I really enjoy the basketball talk WITHOUT all the OT crap. It seems that every time a new topic pops up on the FB side there's a better than even chance it will slide into politics, school pride or something else totally unrelated to FB. Follow them both but always enjoy this side more. Just saying.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

You're right but I really enjoy the basketball talk WITHOUT all the OT crap. It seems that every time a new topic pops up on the FB side there's a better than even chance it will slide into politics, school pride or something else totally unrelated to FB. Follow them both but always enjoy this side more. Just saying.

No doubt. I like this side much better.

Lol you forgot one thing about the football side. No matter the topic ... from Trump to the Penguins ... within 8-9 posts it will somehow turn in to an IUP football topic. Never. Ever. Fails. It's actually comical to see it progress.

[CALUPA69]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

No doubt. I like this side much better.

Lol you forgot one thing about the football side. No matter the topic ... from Trump to the Penguins ... within 8-9 posts it will somehow turn in to an IUP football topic. Never. Ever. Fails. It's actually comical to see it progress.

It never bothers me that my allies and I are outnumbered on either side. I just miss the days when #11 BROOQUE WILLIAMS Dad was here and really pulling for his daughter and the VULCANS WBB. There was some energy.

[Golden89]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

It never bothers me that my allies and I are outnumbered on either side. I just miss the days when #11 BROOQUE WILLIAMS Dad was here and really pulling for his daughter and the VULCANS WBB. There was some energy.

I wish that I was on this board back in the 2009-2010 days. That was one fantastic Gannon WBB squad that beat Brooque & company three times (of their 37 straight to start the season) en route to the Final Four and blew an 18-point second half lead against Emporia State in the de facto national championship. The memories of that season still live on.

[PSAC76]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

I think that we are all aware of the successful programs of the PSAC. But who are the most successful programs in the MEC and CIAA? I don't just mean in MBB, WBB, and FB. Overall? What are good jobs and bad jobs? Who gets the most out of their resources and who gets the least?

[Stea1th]

Re: PSAC vs MEC....

If Notre Dame leaves the MEC, which I don't necessarily agree that they would, I do not know what route the MEC would go. But if I am a school in the region, I would much rather be in the MEC than the GMAC.

NDC wants to be in the GMAC. Shorter commutes, traditional rivalries.