Future Conference Affiliations

[chargerblue]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

same reason for all of the turnover in the gliac...some schools don't like to lose and see an easier way to make the playoffs

or just one grouchy-*ss president doesn't want to get along with the rest of the league and convinces other small schools they're getting a raw deal...so they take their collective ball and go find a different corner of the gym to play in at lunch time....and maybe a new path to the playoffs emerges. It was always just about being stubborn. Still is. One man's freedom fighter is another man's stick in the mud.

[BlueBlood]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

or just one grouchy-*ss president doesn't want to get along with the rest of the league and convinces other small schools they're getting a raw deal...so they take their collective ball and go find a different corner of the gym to play in at lunch time....and maybe a new path to the playoffs emerges. It was always just about being stubborn. Still is. One man's freedom fighter is another man's stick in the mud.

If it was just one grouchy-@ss president, he/she must at least be a very charming one. Half the conference followed him/her. Honestly, I think it was a long time coming. There had been rumblings that an OH D2 conference was possible at least as far back as 2006/2007. The G-MAC took a twisted road to get where it is now, but its pretty close to what was originally discussed a decade ago. There are obviously some envisioned schools missing and some non-envisioned schools that joined. Overall, its pretty close though. BTW - years ago I never imagined Hillsdale would be in the conference, but am extremely glad they chose to join.

[chargerblue]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

same reason for all of the turnover in the gliac...some schools don't like to lose and see an easier way to make the playoffs

If it was just one grouchy-@ss president, he/she must at least be a very charming one. Half the conference followed him/her. Honestly, I think it was a long time coming. There had been rumblings that an OH D2 conference was possible at least as far back as 2006/2007. The G-MAC took a twisted road to get where it is now, but its pretty close to what was originally discussed a decade ago. There are obviously some envisioned schools missing and some non-envisioned schools that joined. Overall, its pretty close though. BTW - years ago I never imagined Hillsdale would be in the conference, but am extremely glad they chose to join.

Hillsdale definitely led the brigade. People on the inside always sold it as "re-invent something you like better" so here we are. We'll see where we are in a few more years. There will always be a generation that will talk about battles with Ferris and Grand Valley...just as there's an older generation that talks about battles with Central Michigan and Northern Illinois. Times change.

[BlueBlood]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

Hillsdale definitely led the brigade. People on the inside always sold it as "re-invent something you like better" so here we are. We'll see where we are in a few more years. There will always be a generation that will talk about battles with Ferris and Grand Valley...just as there's an older generation that talks about battles with Central Michigan and Northern Illinois. Times change.

Your posts are helping me figure out a possible answer to one of the biggest G-MAC questions I've had.

There had long been a plan to create an OH D2 conference (going back to 2008 or so) - one to essentially recreate the old MOC/AMC conference.

Cedarville, NDC, Urbana and Ursuline officially got the ball rolling in 2011. They were to create the vehicle that the other schools would later join. However, by late-2011/2012, there were serious questions as to whether the OH GLIAC schools were going to actually make the leap or not. Ultimately, there was so much doubt that NDC and Urbana left the G-MAC. I really don't think NDC/Urbana would have jumped ship if there was any chance the OH GLIAC schools were still coming. It was presumed that they were not.

Then, all of the sudden in 2015, the move was back on (with Hillsdale now included). I have long wondered what happened to dramatically change "we aren't coming" to "here we are". You may have answered my question.

[Herb Street]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

[chargerblue]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

Then, all of the sudden in 2015, the move was back on (with Hillsdale now included). I have long wondered what happened to dramatically change "we aren't coming" to "here we are". You may have answered my question.

[Redwing]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

Oh wait, none of us could compete anymore so we ran away.

Focusing on football only... Well, look at PO possibilities. :wink: Hell Notre Dame was #1 seed in region last week. (yes they weren't a member very long.)

[chargerblue]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

Focusing on football only... Well, look at PO possibilities. :wink: Hell Notre Dame was #1 seed in region last week. (yes they weren't a member very long.)

Amazing that the NDC we all put 60+ on could be a #1 seed. Three former GLIAC teams could get in as SR1 teams. Without a doubt there have been benefits. This is the healthiest I have seen a Hillsdale team enter Week 11 in 25 years.

[Redwing]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

Amazing that the NDC we all put 60+ on could be a #1 seed. Three former GLIAC teams could get in as SR1 teams. Without a doubt there have been benefits. This is the healthiest I have seen a Hillsdale team enter Week 11 in 25 years.

Huge factor. You know it!

[Fightingscot82]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

How much of a factor was the public vs private breakdown? The GLIAC had the biggest mix of public and private schools. It seemed like a lot of the GLIAC growth was private schools which pushed out former strong public programs like Ferris, Sagninaw, and Tech.

[wssuram]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

Has anyone heard anything about Allen University planning a move from NAIA to Division II? With the school's addition of football, this could be true as there are only a few football playing NAIA schools in the region. They are small enrollment-wise. So I wonder if this is feasible.

[lsnwbearcat]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

Lincoln is back in the miaa for football when in reality they should cancel football.

The MIAA made a mistake when going to a closed schedule. It was a horrendous move. When Lindenwood decided they couldn't compete in the MIAA and left/leaving, it was a perfect time for the MIAA NOT TO add another school and subsequently open the door for out-of-conference play. I always loved the games and comparisons.....which were fun to follow. Minnesota State, South Dakota back in the day.....

The MIAA has lost some luster....and without the non-conference comparisons and competition, it is impossible to evaluate the strength of the teams and the conference as a whole ......until the Playoffs. We shall see soon. I'll be rooting for the Bearcats, Tigers and the MIAA.

[Mulerider]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

The MIAA made a mistake when going to a closed schedule. It was a horrendous move. When Lindenwood decided they couldn't compete in the MIAA and left/leaving, it was a perfect time for the MIAA NOT TO add another school and subsequently open the door for out-of-conference play. I always loved the games and comparisons.....which were fun to follow. Minnesota State, South Dakota back in the day.....

The MIAA has lost some luster....and without the non-conference comparisons and competition, it is impossible to evaluate the strength of the teams and the conference as a whole ......until the Playoffs. We shall see soon. I'll be rooting for the Bearcats, Tigers and the MIAA.

The GAC is the same way when it comes to a closed conference

[chargerblue]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

One Minnesota Crookston

[chargerblue]

Re: Future Conference Affiliations

How much of a factor was the public vs private breakdown? The GLIAC had the biggest mix of public and private schools. It seemed like a lot of the GLIAC growth was private schools which pushed out former strong public programs like Ferris, Sagninaw, and Tech.

Things definitely splintered along those lines but we all got along for 30+ years as a mix before expanding so much. The original MIFC was a beautiful mix of five public schools and five private schools. NMU, Ferris, GV, Wayne, Saginaw, Hillsdale, Valpo, Butler, Ashland, and UIndy.

I think poorly chosen expansion schools had more to do with problems surfacing than those schools simply being private. Did the Erie schools not have a map before joining a conference with two schools on Lake Superior? Did the existing GLIAC schools that approved the Erie schools not have maps either to see where Erie is? What kind of vetting went into other schools like NDC and Westminster who quickly bailed?

This makes me think of so many other bad expansions where leagues blindly think bigger is better and get greedy for franchise fees and membership dues. The CFL expanding into the US in the mid nineties. This was also during the total restructuring of D1 conferences so there was this sense of everyone is doing it.

I think the league just lost a lot of what it had been for years which caused riffs, which caused cracks, which resulted in now permanent fractures.