G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

[Stea1th]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

I'm not sure about OVU or TNU (neither one shares much history with the OH schools). However, I'm almost positive that Cedarville, Malone and Ursuline will vote with the football schools on all matters that impact conference viability/sustainability. The G-MAC is what they have long desired and I don't see them being short-sighted about it. Without the football schools, the non-football schools would find themselves trying to put together a conference with Bluefield State, Salem, Oakland City, etc. (and they know that)

I agree. I don't think that Malone dropping football changes their allegiances. Ursuline has to know that they are lucky to be in this conference. They are in this conference only because they did the work to help start it. If they want to maintain their seat at the table, they can't be obstructionists. Cedarville has been playing these schools in sports for 80 years or more, doesn't want to play football, and will likely vote however they have to to maintain the balance. OVU should have the same exact outlook as Ursuline. They need to vote with the big boys (or at least abstain) even if its not truly what they desire. They are lucky that they got into the conference early. If this doesn't work out for them, they are screwed. They have to be telling themselves before every meeting "just don't screw this up".

Oh...TNU. At this point I don't know if it matters how they vote. The OH and football schools have numbers. Plus, they have to question why they are even in this conference every day of their life.

[boatcapt]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

I agree. I don't think that Malone dropping football changes their allegiances. Ursuline has to know that they are lucky to be in this conference. They are in this conference only because they did the work to help start it. If they want to maintain their seat at the table, they can't be obstructionists. Cedarville has been playing these schools in sports for 80 years or more, doesn't want to play football, and will likely vote however they have to to maintain the balance. OVU should have the same exact outlook as Ursuline. They need to vote with the big boys (or at least abstain) even if its not truly what they desire. They are lucky that they got into the conference early. If this doesn't work out for them, they are screwed. They have to be telling themselves before every meeting "just don't screw this up".

Oh...TNU. At this point I don't know if it matters how they vote. The OH and football schools have numbers. Plus, they have to question why they are even in this conference every day of their life.

Maybe they have learned their lesson but I note OVU and AB voted against the best interest of the WVIAC and that lead to the conference imploding and both schools scrambling to find a new home. Guess you could say they "have a history!!"

Does the GMAC require a 2/3 vote to add new members or is it 50% +1? The WVIAC required a 2/3 majority and that is what gave the non-football playing schools so much power.

[Nick - Shep '05]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

If I had a dollar for every post on this board were someone heard from a reliable source that one or the other or both joining the GMAC is a "done deal," my savings account would have a considerable amount of extra benjamins in it.

You mean Washingtons, don't you? :wink:

[boatcapt]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

You mean Washingtons, don't you? :wink:

Hahaha!! Nope...five wrong predictions from a source on conf moves equal one Benjamin! Guess I could have said many, many, many, many, many WASHINGTONS!!

[chargerblue]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

Hummm... football school's breaking away from non-football schools. THAT has a familiar ring to it!!!!

That's why the original MIFC was the freaking best! Football schools making league decisions based on football reasons. Jack McAvoy was a great visionary. We need leaders like that.

[WVIAC-F-EVER]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

To be successful as s football league, your teams can play 2 non conference games or less...

Head to head with GLIAC and GMAC annually gets them to 9 games... they need 2 or 3 fb teams to avoid there too teams from missing playoffs...

Findlay went to Shepherd and won a playoff game...

[chapmaja]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

I don't see Northwood leaving the GLIAC. Let's not forget they did this once before, and came back to the GLIAC. It was a long time ago and things were much different, but Northwood did leave the GLIAC after the 1986 season and did not return to the GLIAC / MIFC until the 1993 season. At the time they things were much different from the standpoint of conference size. The GLIAC, in 1986 had only 6 teams. MTU had left the GLIAC following the 1985 season, but NMU joined the GLIAC for football following the 1986 season. They got lucky from a scheduling standpoint however that many of the GLIAC teams still needed opponents and Northwood played the entire GLIAC schedule the next 3 seasons, despite not being a member. The problem for Northwood came when they were left out of the merger between the Heartland and the GLIAC which formed the MIFC. Now, with 11 member schools, the MIFC has much less scheduling flexibility than the GLIAC, and in 1990 Northwood was only able to play 2 MIFC opponents. Hillsdale and SVSU. The remaining schedule was a mix of NAIA, and D3 schools. In 1991 things were worse as Northwood was only able to put together an 8 game schedule consisting of the same two MIFC teams. By the end of the 1001 season word had already come that the NCAA was changing their rules and school now had to have their entire athletic department within the same division, so Valpo and Butler were effective kicked out of the MIFC, following the 1992 season. This allowed Northwood, and St. Francis (Il) the opportunity to join the MIFC, which they did for the 1993 season. 1994 saw Michigan Tech also realize that playing a independent schedule wasn't going to work out in the long run and they returned.

Northwood, without some other catalyst of change, is unlikely to make a move to a new conference away from one in which they are basically centrally located. What catalysts of change could cause them to make a move? I can think of three of them.

First, the GLIAC breaks apart on the northern end. This would mean MTU and NMU bolting west to the NSIC. I don't see this happening as I don't see NMU and MTU breaking apart again, as they did in the 1980's. With Augustana leaving the NSIC in a couple years for D1, they will be short 1 team, not two, so I don't see the UP GLIAC's taking off, plus travel would not be significantly better in the NSIC anyway.

Second, the GLIAC loses Ashland and another school to the GMAC. I don't think Ashland goes due to their competitiveness within the GLIAC, unless other factors force them to make the move ($$$$$$). Their programs are very competitive within the GLIAC and that prepares them well for post-season in all sports, including getting them to the post-season, something membership in the GMAC may not do.

Third, someone from the GLIAC makes an unexpected decision to jump from the GLIAC to D1. I don't think it would be GVSU, but they might not be the only option to make that move. I think it is unlikely, but I have heard a couple rumors that WSU is again thinking about the move, which I again, don't see as likely.

In conclusion, I don't think Northwood, or Ashland goes anywhere from the GLIAC. I think the GLIAC is more likely to pull a school like LTU or Concordia (please don't), from the NAIA ranks up into D2 and the GLIAC.

[chapmaja]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

That's why the original MIFC was the freaking best! Football schools making league decisions based on football reasons. Jack McAvoy was a great visionary. We need leaders like that.

This does bring up a possibility. Could the MEC and GMAC schools merger their football offerings to form a single multi-division conference for football? This would be a 20 team conference if my numbers are correct, allowing a school to play a 9 game division schedule and 1 non-division game with the possibility of a championship game between the divisions.

[boatcapt]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

This does bring up a possibility. Could the MEC and GMAC schools merger their football offerings to form a single multi-division conference for football? This would be a 20 team conference if my numbers are correct, allowing a school to play a 9 game division schedule and 1 non-division game with the possibility of a championship game between the divisions.

I think a merged MEC/GMAC makes a lot of sense...and not JUST for football. This new league would also be a beast in BB as well as other sports. But for this to work, there would need to be some trimming of some schools off the bottom or it would just be too large.

[boatcapt]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

That's why the original MIFC was the freaking best! Football schools making league decisions based on football reasons. Jack McAvoy was a great visionary. We need leaders like that.

That's what the MEC was/is trying to do. 12 members all playing football. That's what makes them adding DE head scratching...poor athletic school with no football...didnt need them at all.

[UFOILERFAN]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

That's what the MEC was/is trying to do. 12 members all playing football. That's what makes them adding DE head scratching...poor athletic school with no football...didnt need them at all.

The D&E move was a shocker but you're welcome. :laugh:

[Tony Nicolette]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

Northwood, without some other catalyst of change, is unlikely to make a move to a new conference away from one in which they are basically centrally located. What catalysts of change could cause them to make a move? I can think of three of them.

First, the GLIAC breaks apart on the northern end. This would mean MTU and NMU bolting west to the NSIC. I don't see this happening as I don't see NMU and MTU breaking apart again, as they did in the 1980's. With Augustana leaving the NSIC in a couple years for D1, they will be short 1 team, not two, so I don't see the UP GLIAC's taking off, plus travel would not be significantly better in the NSIC anyway.

Second, the GLIAC loses Ashland and another school to the GMAC. I don't think Ashland goes due to their competitiveness within the GLIAC, unless other factors force them to make the move ($$$$$$). Their programs are very competitive within the GLIAC and that prepares them well for post-season in all sports, including getting them to the post-season, something membership in the GMAC may not do.

Third, someone from the GLIAC makes an unexpected decision to jump from the GLIAC to D1. I don't think it would be GVSU, but they might not be the only option to make that move. I think it is unlikely, but I have heard a couple rumors that WSU is again thinking about the move, which I again, don't see as likely.

In conclusion, I don't think Northwood, or Ashland goes anywhere from the GLIAC. I think the GLIAC is more likely to pull a school like LTU or Concordia (please don't), from the NAIA ranks up into D2 and the GLIAC.

Deleted the history lesson for the sake of space...but I enjoyed it.

I think your scenarios are about right. I also agree that they are all probably long-shots. Northwood isn't going anywhere unless something drastic happens. Also, the UP schools aren't going anywhere...the geography for them in the NSIC is actually WORSE than the what they have presently in the GLIAC, and I'd be curious as to what other entities might oppose something like that (ie, the Governor's Office).

I agree that a D1 move is possible. The only other thing that could change everything is if the NCAA implodes to an extent. If the Power 5 decide to break away and form their own gig (which I'm baffled why they haven't already), then the whole structure and alignment of the NCAA could change. Not a clue what that could mean. All things staying the same, I think Northwood stays. I like the idea of Ashland staying and I hope they do, but I still consider that to be 50/50...never say never.

I'm intrigued about inviting some schools to move up. Lawrence Tech is a gold mine geographically, and they are NUTS about their sports, marketing them, and most importantly...funding them. Plus, they have the two things that the GLIAC really needs in a new member: football and baseball. Agree that we leave Concordia where they are. Would love to see us make a run at Indiana Tech also...they are top-end of the WHAC most years in a lot of sports, and Fort Wayne is really not bad geographically. They probably have no desire to move up, so might be a long shot. Plus, their lack of football mitigates their appeal.

Whole lot of "who knows" with all of this. What actually ends up happening will probably be something few of us saw coming...seems like that's how things go anymore...

[BlueBlood]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

The D&E move was a shocker but you're welcome. :laugh:

I agree. I always thought that AB and the MEC would eventually bury the hatchet and that D&E would eventually be left out there as a far outpost of the G-MAC. I never imagined that it would be the opposite.

This allows the G-MAC to make AB and OVU travel partners - meaning one trip to WV instead of two.

[UFOILERFAN]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

Deleted the history lesson for the sake of space...but I enjoyed it.

I think your scenarios are about right. I also agree that they are all probably long-shots. Northwood isn't going anywhere unless something drastic happens. Also, the UP schools aren't going anywhere...the geography for them in the NSIC is actually WORSE than the what they have presently in the GLIAC, and I'd be curious as to what other entities might oppose something like that (ie, the Governor's Office).

I agree that a D1 move is possible. The only other thing that could change everything is if the NCAA implodes to an extent. If the Power 5 decide to break away and form their own gig (which I'm baffled why they haven't already), then the whole structure and alignment of the NCAA could change. Not a clue what that could mean. All things staying the same, I think Northwood stays. I like the idea of Ashland staying and I hope they do, but I still consider that to be 50/50...never say never.

I'm intrigued about inviting some schools to move up. Lawrence Tech is a gold mine geographically, and they are NUTS about their sports, marketing them, and most importantly...funding them. Plus, they have the two things that the GLIAC really needs in a new member: football and baseball. Agree that we leave Concordia where they are. Would love to see us make a run at Indiana Tech also...they are top-end of the WHAC most years in a lot of sports, and Fort Wayne is really not bad geographically. They probably have no desire to move up, so might be a long shot. Plus, their lack of football mitigates their appeal.

Whole lot of "who knows" with all of this. What actually ends up happening will probably be something few of us saw coming...seems like that's how things go anymore...

I imagine the GLIAC has tried to get Hillsdale back in the league

[Tony Nicolette]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

I imagine the GLIAC has tried to get Hillsdale back in the league

I would be willing to wager that this has NOT happened.