Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

[Ram040506]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

Some would disagree...It's because the MEC refused to bring in a dancing partner for Shepherd...or it's because the Commissioner was giving everything to WLU and conversely doing nothing for Shepherd...

I would say those particular points are more in the process of doing your Pro's and Con's list. Both of those being on the Con side and yes contributing to reasoning to leave the conference. But not the end all be all your making it out to be. Your as bad as the news is today, just manipulating talking points and other data to support whatever you want the end result to look like.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

Shepherd is gone. Ship sailed. Time to move on or the MEC will be hitting the iceberg soon.

[boatcapt]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

Shepherd is leaving because its a better opportunity for the athletic department as a whole. Not because they didn't get their way and are pouting/leaving because of it.

Some would disagree...It's because the MEC refused to bring in a dancing partner for Shepherd...or it's because the Commissioner was giving everything to WLU and conversely doing nothing for Shepherd...

[boatcapt]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

Sarcasm is noted.

Given that the OH schools that would have shown interest are the ones that moved to the GMAC and are similar in almost every way to NDC, I guess its a miracle that we were ever invited to join. I guess that makes Urbana an even bigger miracle.

What part of "their business model has been to stay at 12 teams" didn't you understand? If you have 12 teams and a 13th (or 14th or 15th) school contacts you, you politely say no thank you even if they have the qualities you would want in a new member.

[Stea1th]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

Shepherd is leaving because its a better opportunity for the athletic department as a whole. Not because they didn't get their way and are pouting/leaving because of it.

Completely understood.

[Ram040506]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

I'm talking about Shepherd leaving the MEC because they didn't get their way. What is Shepherd going to do if the other PSAC Presidents vote against something that they want? I mean, Shepherd is the "Most Western" school in the PSAC...wonder what Shep would do if the PSAC realignment that may come in the not too distant future includes them moving from the East to the West? Shepherd does now have a history of leaving when things don't go their way.

As for the PSAC getting rid of Post, true, they were an Associate member so it was easy to get rid of them. But still, they were the only non-PA school ever in the PSAC and the conference did get rid of them when better in-state options became available.

Shepherd is leaving because its a better opportunity for the athletic department as a whole. Not because they didn't get their way and are pouting/leaving because of it.

[Stea1th]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

The MEC's business model has been to stay at 12 teams and focus on quality rather than quantity and schools that didn't have the quality were indeed told no thank you. It appears now that they should have focused instead on inviting every school to join them regardless of size, location and quality.

Sarcasm is noted.

Given that the OH schools that would have shown interest are the ones that moved to the GMAC and are similar in almost every way to NDC, I guess its a miracle that we were ever invited to join. I guess that makes Urbana an even bigger miracle.

[boatcapt]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

You were telling us how they've been playing most of the same schools for 90+ years between the WVIAC and the MEC. Doesn't sound like a history of leaving when they don't get their way.


The PSAC and LIU Post parted ways when full-time, i.e sponsoring more than football in the conference, options became available.

Yes...And up to now they did not have a history of cutting and running. Now they do. Just as the PSAC before Post had a history of never "cutting" a member, associate or otherwise and before recently, the PSAC never had a history of a member dropping athletics.

Will the PSAC and Shepherd "part ways" if a PA based school becomes available? Will they part ways when (if) the conference contracts and having a team in WV becomes superfluous to the PSAC's needs? Only time will tell...

[boatcapt]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

Are you ****ting me? Within the last few months and since the MEC has been at risk of downsizing - sure, you are on record....NOW. But two to three years ago (when there were OH schools actually looking to make a move), you were telling me that the MEC never intended to be more than 12 football playing schools and that there was no need to expand and that your sources indicate that the OH schools inquired and were kindly told "no thank you" and that you were very happy about that because you wouldn't want them anyway.

You must not have read closely. I've consistently said that I wanted the MEC to expand to 16 BUUUUTTTTTT...That I didn't think that is what the MEC wanted. I've said on numerous occasions that the next logical step above 12 is 16 which would allow the conference to split into two divisions. A number of us even went so far as to prepare a list of sorts of the schools that we hoped would be part of this expansion (Frostburg was on the list as was U Pike, a couple of Ohio schools and Bowie).

Difference between what I wanted (and was on record supporting) and what I thought the MEC was going to do. The MEC's business model has been to stay at 12 teams and focus on quality rather than quantity and schools that didn't have the quality were indeed told no thank you. It appears now that they should have focused instead on inviting every school to join them regardless of size, location and quality.

[Horror Child]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

I'm talking about Shepherd leaving the MEC because they didn't get their way. What is Shepherd going to do if the other PSAC Presidents vote against something that they want? I mean, Shepherd is the "Most Western" school in the PSAC...wonder what Shep would do if the PSAC realignment that may come in the not too distant future includes them moving from the East to the West? Shepherd does now have a history of leaving when things don't go their way.

You were telling us how they've been playing most of the same schools for 90+ years between the WVIAC and the MEC. Doesn't sound like a history of leaving when they don't get their way.

As for the PSAC getting rid of Post, true, they were an Associate member so it was easy to get rid of them. But still, they were the only non-PA school ever in the PSAC and the conference did get rid of them when better in-state options became available.

The PSAC and LIU Post parted ways when full-time, i.e sponsoring more than football in the conference, options became available.

[Stea1th]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

Hey...I'm in favor or expanding the conference to 16 (or even 14) and have been on record for a while. .

Are you ****ting me? Within the last few weeks and since the MEC has been at serious risk of downsizing - sure, you are on record....NOW. But two to three years ago (when there were OH schools actually looking to make a move), you were telling me that the MEC never intended to be more than 12 football playing schools and that there was no need to expand and that your sources indicate that the OH schools inquired and were kindly told "no thank you" and that you were very happy about that because you wouldn't want them anyway.

[boatcapt]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

It is very difficult to kick a full member school out if it is compliant. This isn't remotely like the situation with Post. Post was an associate member. Shepherd will be a full member.

I'm talking about Shepherd leaving the MEC because they didn't get their way. What is Shepherd going to do if the other PSAC Presidents vote against something that they want? I mean, Shepherd is the "Most Western" school in the PSAC...wonder what Shep would do if the PSAC realignment that may come in the not too distant future includes them moving from the East to the West? Shepherd does now have a history of leaving when things don't go their way.

As for the PSAC getting rid of Post, true, they were an Associate member so it was easy to get rid of them. But still, they were the only non-PA school ever in the PSAC and the conference did get rid of them when better in-state options became available.

[boatcapt]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

By not having football, WJU should have not been considered. While this wouldn't have immediately helped Shepherd, some of those Ohio schools could have been targeted early on. And now, bringing in Frostburg and setting up two divisions, Shepherd's travel would have been reduced. Would it have been enough to keep them in the MEC? I don't know. It would've been a more difficult decision though.

But "bringing in" additional Ohio schools would have been used to bolster your argument about everyone having a "partner" except poor little Shepherd. It would have also bolstered your argument about "travel distance" being a prime reason that Shepherd is leaving...only it would have been MORE extreme!

Hey...I'm in favor or expanding the conference to 16 (or even 14) and have been on record for a while. But what I'm not in favor of is expanding for the sake of expansion. Frostburg makes sense (and has for a number of years) but remember, back when the conference was getting going Frostburg said they weren't interested in moving up to DII (not specifically to the MEC, just a general "looked at it, were happy in D3" sort of thing). There are other schools that combine the size/commitment/location criteria that the MEC is looking for but I don't know if the conference is working with them, if the conference has contacted them and they said not interested or if the conference is happy at 11 (or 12).

[Ram Tough]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

So effectively you're saying that Shepherd couldn't convince six other MEC schools of the need to expand to 14 so they took their ball and left? Wonder what they will do if the other PSAC Presidents vote against them in the future??

It is very difficult to kick a full member school out if it is compliant. This isn't remotely like the situation with Post. Post was an associate member. Shepherd will be a full member.

[Ram Tough]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

And Capehart no longer works at WLU.

Here's what the local paper had to say about Pumroy and his firing by then new President Hendrix:

http://www.journal-news.net/sports/2...on-perplexing/

So who did the MEC "slight" by not asking them to join? Who would have been a better choice in your minds eye that WJ? Yes, WJ did not have a football team and that proved to be a huge problem in 20/20 hindsight, but what other program would have offered the quality that WJ offered in the other sports it sponsors and yes, I include basketball in that?

By not having football, WJU should have not been considered. While this wouldn't have immediately helped Shepherd, some of those Ohio schools could have been targeted early on. And now, bringing in Frostburg and setting up two divisions, Shepherd's travel would have been reduced. Would it have been enough to keep them in the MEC? I don't know. It would've been a more difficult decision though.