Alderson Broaddus Basketball

[ABjo]

[JDonAB92]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

With the serious declining of enrollment in some of these state institutions and the fact that out-of-state teams don't seem to want to stay, I just think things look bad for that league. I am not sure seven years from now that Glenville State will be a four-year institution. The state can't continue to fund these schools if the enrollment continues to spiral down.

I also say that it would end up pretty much being a WV conference. Frostburg State is in the most rural area of Maryland. It would nice to be called WVIAC again if we elect to go. The conference fits the profile, at this point, of a NAIA collection rather than a NCAA D2 collection. I see nothing wrong with NAIA. I loved the old WVIAC days. The Kentucky NAIA schools have a lot of similarities to us and seem to be just fine with the NAIA status. The NAIA has evolved since we left in the mid 90s.

I think there are more schools that are going to start leaving. I have serious concerns about wanting to be in the MEC. I understand the money. But it could turn out this conference turns up-side-down. I don't trust Reid Amos. Maybe I am wrong on that. But he is so closely tied to West Liberty, especially emotionally, that I have serious concerns about having to deal with him.

[BlueBlood]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

JDon, BTW - knowing the I-81 corridor as much as I do (and you too), it's makes it easier to understand Shepherd/PSAC. Going with the valley is so much easier than fighting it!

[JDonAB92]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

They can save a lot money by going to the PSAC....money saved from putting teams up in hotels like they do now in the MEC. You can take that money and invest it more in athletic facilities and scholarships. Their current closest member in the MEC is Fairmont State which is 3 hours away. While they are in the state of WV, they are on the outer-most tip of the panhandle. They really resemble more of a MD/northern VA school.

[JDonAB92]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

David Shriver with 17 points and 5 rebounds for the North squad in the WV High School All-Star game.

19 days left in the NCAA calendar year. It seems quiet right now. The question is: will there be any more movement of schools within local conferences? Shepherd and PSAC made their announcement official. There is a lot of bad blood it appears between MEC and Shepherd over this move, and not just by posters on a message board. MEC is down to 10 schools.

[UFOILERFAN]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

David Shriver with 17 points and 5 rebounds for the North squad in the WV High School All-Star game.

19 days left in the NCAA calendar year. It seems quiet right now. The question is: will there be any more movement of schools within local conferences? Shepherd and PSAC made their announcement official. There is a lot of bad blood it appears between MEC and Shepherd over this move, and not just by posters on a message board. MEC is down to 10 schools.

I think the MEC really needs to make some moves soon. I don't anticipate NDC and UU sticking with them much longer. I would be surprised if they didn't offer AB a spot.

[Looking For 9]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

Fool me twice shame on me

[UFOILERFAN]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

Shepherd and Wise were able to get out of the MEC fast. I am assuming that they paid early exit fees. Wonder how many other schools would be able to join the MEC that fast if they have to pay early exit fees.

[Looking For 9]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

You mean from other conferences?

I think G-MAC can manage travel cost with some smart scheduling and location sharing.

[JDonAB92]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

I am not an expert and won't claim to be one. I just have an opinion. But it is going to be harder and harder for a lot of the WV schools to compete at the regional level in NCAA D2. I enjoyed the NAIA days of the WVIAC. I know why the WVIAC went D2, but it has caused problems ever since. There is a lot more to going D2. We finished last in athletics in the G-MAC. I do think we have a great chance to win the G-MAC in men's basketball next season. Football will be improved but probably well below the top tier. But a lot of sports seem to be in a stagnant state at AB.

If ABU is going to leave the G-MAC, then I would prefer Alderson Broaddus go back to NAIA. Not to re-live the days of the past, but simply because it is a better fit. I find it incredibly absurd that AB and WV Wesleyan don't play each other home-and-home in a lot of sports. The schools are less than 30 minutes apart. They are similar in makeup. There used to be a strong rivalry in a lot of sports. I know all the issues that occurred. We don't need to rehash that out. With all that said, I just feel that NAIA is the best route for AB if enough institutions would go along. If money is such an issue in Philippi, then we need to look at some other avenues.

I think, personally, that AB, D&E, OVU, Bluefield State, Salem and WV Tech would be a nice fit together in a NAIA conference. The idea of Salem and Bluefield stay D2 independent gives little to no hope to their athletes other than Bluefield State's tennis program. That is six schools. Quite frankly, there are a lot of MEC schools that need to consider the same route of NAIA. I think WV State, Concord, Glenville State and WV Wesleyan need to strongly consider the move. But to compete in more sports, SOME of the MEC schools need to go that route. Having one successful program at the D2 level and having some other sports in your program go winless or win a few games really doesn't mean you are D2. Glenville State has a good women's basketball program. But their style really doesn't work once you hit the regional play of the NCAA tournament. Only one MEC school got a NCAA bid on the women's side. As good as their women's basketball was, GSC went winless in volleyball.. Piece those schools together and have a NAIA conference of 9 to 10 members and be more competitive in a lot of sports. I would even try to slap the WVIAC tag back on the conference. Add Rio Grande if you want.

I know someone will say....well you don't have enough football schools. It works if your football join the Mid South as an affiliate as a lot of schools do. The Mid South Athletic Conference runs a football conference with three-tiered divisions. You just simply go with that for football and lineup and play the Pikevilles, Bluefield (VA), Union KY, Georgetown KY, etc, etc. If you have ABU, WVW, GSC, State and Concord, then you fill out the necessary football schedule. This is how they have it aligned:

http://www.mid-southconference.org/full-standings/16/14

Some of the MEC schools won't want that, and I understand. But I could point to at least 4 that haven't been having great success in D2. One or two NCAA playoff bids in basketball, for instance, in 26 years of D2 is not that great of a showing for some of these schools. Same can be said for football.....finally get a bid and get housed in the first round of the playoffs. Some of the MEC schools will want to stay D2. Fine. I just think someone needs to sit down with some of the schools, have a reality-check talk, and discuss direction you want to lay at. You could save money on travel for all schools and have a very competitive NAIA conference.

A lot of people will knock this. That is fine. I just don't think there is any thing wrong with NAIA. It has evolved since 1996. Some of the rules/regulations/requirements aren't as stringent as NCAA. I think a lot of the WV schools that are currently D2 mirror NAIA much more. Some of us fit better with Bluefield VA, Pikeville, Rio Grande, Union KY, etc. I feel very strongly about this.

[Looking For 9]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

I think NAIA does make sense for many schools. I am not sure who to blame. NCAA is so poorly managed and has head up their a-- on so many issues. They are a major part of the problem. Tittle IX cost a ton of wasted of money. It needs to be looked at and adjusted.

If a number of schools do not go NAIA it too is in trouble.

I think good fair reasonable streaming could bring in money for G-MAC schools.

[UFOILERFAN]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

You mean from other conferences?

I think G-MAC can manage travel cost with some smart scheduling and location sharing.

Yes, I meant if they had to pay early exit fees from other conferences to join the MEC sooner rather than later. Also, there is certainly nothing wrong with going to the NAIA but there are a lot of people who view that as a step down. I don't, we enjoyed our time in the NAIA and we didn't really give a crap what other people thought about it.

[BlueBlood]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

There are very nice "G-MACish" NAIA conferences in IN and KY. The strength and solidarity of those conferences is what is boxing the G-MAC in on the southern and western borders - which is not helping KWC and TNU (admittedly, I think that the KY solidarity would have broken if G-town hadn't been twice-rejected by the NCAA).

My only real beef with the NAIA is that it lacks national recognition and specifically, does not exist in the northeastern part of the country. Coming from PA, I quickly got tired of explaining what NAIA was to people. If you didn't explain it, they assumed it was an intermural league or a junior college situation. Inevitably, I would need to reference the NCAA in order explain what it was - making it feel very much like a knock-off brand.

[Looking For 9]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

NAIA is a step down. I stepped down from a BMW to a KIA. I get to the same places in the same time with the same radio, gts, cruise control, heated seats, etc and can not remember why it is a step down except for the cost.

[BlueBlood]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

There is a lot of bad blood it appears between MEC and Shepherd over this move, and not just by posters on a message board. MEC is down to 10 schools.

The MEC tone with Shepherd is noticeably different that it was just a few weeks ago with UVA-Wise. Theories:

1) you have higher expectations from "family" than you do from new acquaintances.
2) could have the Shepherd move given FSU cold feet?
3) I would think that this makes eastern expansion more difficult overall (as Shepherd would have been the closest school by a decent margin to potential eastern targets.) Meanwhile, the MEC is boxed in by the PSAC to the north and the G-MAC to the west.