Alaska teams?

[Brandon]

Re: Alaska teams?

I also think it's cool the GNAC has two Alaska teams, just adds some variety to the league. I like it. There's some odd fans out there who will be negative. Couple years ago someone started a rumor that WOU would be cutting football, definitely not the case. A Linfield fan came in and said that would be a good thing, not sure why someone from D3 would opine on that.

Less competition for players I'm sure.....

[tsull]

Re: Alaska teams?

Less competition for players I'm sure.....

So true, and it's sort of a West Coast thing to hope college football ends, or to have it diminished. I found it odd when a Simon Fraser fan was championing the closing of the sport at a fellow GNAC school. Humboldt State and WWU have closed up shop.

D3 football in the Northwest is fairly weak. A club team from Lewiston, Idaho, a bunch of 26-30 year old mill workers with no former college players on their team, beat D3 Pacific University a couple years ago. That would never happen in D2.

There's a weird mentality out West, and I love the west, but California has one D2 football team in the entire state. Very odd.

[Brandon]

Re: Alaska teams?

So true, and it's sort of a West Coast thing to hope college football ends, or to have it diminished. I found it odd when a Simon Fraser fan was championing the closing of the sport at a fellow GNAC school. Humboldt State and WWU have closed up shop.

D3 football in the Northwest is fairly weak. A club team from Lewiston, Idaho, a bunch of 26-30 year old mill workers with no former college players on their team, beat D3 Pacific University a couple years ago. That would never happen in D2.

There's a weird mentality out West, and I love the west, but California has one D2 football team in the entire state. Very odd.

Understood.

Would be so awesome for Humboldt, Sonoma State, Chico, and SF State to all bring back football.

[tsull]

Re: Alaska teams?

I hope the Alaska schools bounce back from the budget debacle. I like having them in the GNAC and want them to thrive. Heck, I wish the Great Alaska Shootout would make a glorious return.

[laker]

Re: Alaska teams?

I hope the Alaska schools bounce back from the budget debacle. I like having them in the GNAC and want them to thrive. Heck, I wish the Great Alaska Shootout would make a glorious return.

I was with the Gophers in 1994 when they won the Shootout. It was a great experience!

[hoosierdaddy34]

[tsull]

Re: Alaska teams?

Starting to think my endorsement of Sparling was pretty foolish.

[northernGNAChoopfan]

Re: Alaska teams?

UAF has also signed Alex Sommerfield from Auburn, WA... That's only 2 players to replace 7 that graduated or didn't want to use their remaining eligibility. I think UAF takes a hiatus on press releases mid summer, so unless Sparling has a bunch of guys signed and it hasn't leaked to VC, I'd say the program is going to be an epic flop this year. E-P-I-C. I was trying to give Sparling a chance last year although I was not thrilled with the hire. I've long since lost my faith in his chosen Asst., Brown. I don't think he'll be back (I guess, I'd be very surprised if he was). I'm past giving sparling a chance at this point; I'm at the "prove it" point. If they are getting slaughtered night in and night out this year, I may have a tremendous amount of additional free time this winter... :crying:

[hoosierdaddy34]

[hoosierdaddy34]

[laker]

Re: Alaska teams?

Would it do much good for either school to keep hockey if they won't be in a conference in two years? These cuts are massive and that would be the most costly sport.

[hoosierdaddy34]

Re: Alaska teams?

Would it do much good for either school to keep hockey if they won't be in a conference in two years? These cuts are massive and that would be the most costly sport.

[northernGNAChoopfan]

Re: Alaska teams?

Now the ferry system is down with a strike and people are stranded in Southeast Alaska. We are really a cluster this summer! I think each campus wants the model of keeping their control and administration local, but the president is not for this option, so we shall see. I see the political situation the same as you Hoosier. The governor can't appropriate his $3000 PFD without the legislature and the legislature can't override anything with the governor re-vetoing it and they still don't have the votes to override. It looks like the GOPFDers will have to do some compromising if there is to be any PFD at all. That seems to be so fundamental to them, that they may have to consider some compromise to get it. I've never hated the PFD so much in my life.

Our chancellor at UAF is a big supporter of athletics and I regularly cheer alongside him at games and today he came out and stated what kind of feedback he's getting about athletics right now. While our men's basketball team is most likely setting up for a lousy season, there is the first promise in a long time for the women's team and their program seems to have a bit more integrity attached right now. The volleyball team also routed UAA at home last year and came from nowhere to finish 4th in conference and graduated nobody. So, I might be watching more of those games than our men's team this year...

I'm off the grid for a while now. Not sure if I even want to know what happens in Juneau next week. Rough summer, for sure! See you guys in August.

[hoosierdaddy34]

Re: Alaska teams?

Well UAF just offered a 2020 player from Palmer Am. More details in the recruiting thread but apparently they too are feeling confident about the program moving forward. Great sign.

Also got word that UAA coaching staff has been in Vegas actively scouting and recruiting the last few weeks at the AAU tournaments. Another very good sign.

[hoosierdaddy34]