Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

[boatcapt]

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

Just curious were Shepherd fits in athletic budget wise to the PSAC?

[Stea1th]

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

Just curious were Shepherd fits in athletic budget wise to the PSAC?

https://ope.ed.gov/athletics/#/

All the info you need is there

[boatcapt]

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

https://ope.ed.gov/athletics/#/

All the info you need is there

Thanks. Interesting...

[boatcapt]

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

One of the worst articles I've ever read.

Aside from the drastically wrong scholarship reporting ... where are all these 10,000 seat stadiums?

Reads like unedited notes. Apparently someone missed a deadline!!!

[ctrabs74]

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

One of the worst articles I've ever read.

Aside from the drastically wrong scholarship reporting ... where are all these 10,000 seat stadiums?

Unless he's alluding to Slippery Rock, which is the only stadium which even approaches 10K, I don't get that either.

[Brandon]

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

It was a follow on question. Kind of in response to those who say there is no way Ashland would EVER join the MEC. If Ashland is kicking the tires on leaving the GLIAC but doesn't share any lifelong bonds with the current members of the GMAC, why would they not consider the MEC? MEC is made up of now 50% private schools so it's not like they would be the only private member...the history of the MEC on the national stage is pretty good for a conference that is only six years old...and I would think Ashland would have a pretty good chance of duplicating Shepherds performance in the football playoffs...From a basketball standpoint the MEC is at least comparable to the GLIAC giving Ashland at least six games against highly ranked teams every year.

There is something driving Ashland to not be completely happy with the GLIAC and not to be happy with the current situation in the GMAC. Your assessment as to why this is might be 100% on the money...but then again, maybe not. Maybe the MEC addresses the "issue" that is keeping Ashland from jumping. Either way, it's worth a phone call.

Ashland's flirtation with the GMAC has to do with being in a league with Findlay, Ohio Dominican, Walsh, and Malone. That's a lot of easy travel which wouldn't be the case as a member of the MEC.

[casey1017]

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

Ashland's flirtation with the GMAC has to do with being in a league with Findlay, Ohio Dominican, Walsh, and Malone. That's a lot of easy travel which wouldn't be the case as a member of the MEC.

Add Tiffin as well. They begin play in the GMAC this fall.

[CALUPA69]

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

It would seem that Ohio, a relatively compact and densely populated state, could easily have an all in state league such as the PSAC. With 12 D2, 22 D3 and 8 NAIA schools a bit of realignment would do the trick. The big difference is that the schools in Pa were already joined at the hip long before intercollegiate sports was even a discussion. Their evolution into the PSAC IN 1951 was a natural progression from their main function as state teachers colleges. Unfortunately no such happy circumstance exists in the BUCKEYE STATE. With an amazing variety of public, private and religious institutions, all with divergent agendas, the likelihood of the long term survival of an Ohio only league seems a long shot at best.

[boatcapt]

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

Ashland's flirtation with the GMAC has to do with being in a league with Findlay, Ohio Dominican, Walsh, and Malone. That's a lot of easy travel which wouldn't be the case as a member of the MEC.

Yet they seem unwilling to pull the trigger. Most recently in February 2018 when they "examined" the GMAC again and found them wanting. Obviously the pull being in a league with Malone, Walsh, Findlay, OD, Ursuline, Cedarville, Lake Erie AND even Tiffin and the travel savings that would give them hasn't been to move them. Left to wonder why Ashland has rebuffed the GMAC not once, but twice now and what is likely to change in the GMAC future to convince them to join?

Pretty clear by the fact that Ashland has addressed leaving the GLIAC twice publicly over the last four years that they are open to changing conferences...Equally clear that the travel distance would be greatly reduced were they to join the GMAC. So it seems the thing that is preventing them from moving is the quality disparity between the GLIAC and the GMAC.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

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

Correct. The fan base (and more importantly high dollar boosters) threw a major fit.

That's like leaving the SEC to join the WAC

With Shep gone the MEC also has MAJOR football credibility issues now.

[UFOILERFAN]

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

Correct. The fan base (and more importantly high dollar boosters) threw a major fit.

That's like leaving the SEC to join the WAC

With Shep gone the MEC also has MAJOR football credibility issues now.

Correct,from Ashland's point of view there is very little difference between the GMAC and the MEC. I don't believe Ashland is leaving the GLIAC for a long time, if ever.

[Brandon]

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

Yet they seem unwilling to pull the trigger. Most recently in February 2018 when they "examined" the GMAC again and found them wanting. Obviously the pull being in a league with Malone, Walsh, Findlay, OD, Ursuline, Cedarville, Lake Erie AND even Tiffin and the travel savings that would give them hasn't been to move them. Left to wonder why Ashland has rebuffed the GMAC not once, but twice now and what is likely to change in the GMAC future to convince them to join?

Pretty clear by the fact that Ashland has addressed leaving the GLIAC twice publicly over the last four years that they are open to changing conferences...Equally clear that the travel distance would be greatly reduced were they to join the GMAC. So it seems the thing that is preventing them from moving is the quality disparity between the GLIAC and the GMAC.

I think this is a correct evaluation of the situation from their view.

[Brandon]

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

Add Tiffin as well. They begin play in the GMAC this fall.

Thank you very much. I had missed that. Needed to make the change on the site.

[boatcapt]

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

I think this is a correct evaluation of the situation from their view.

In Ashland's February statement, the president effectively said there were two major concern they had that were effecting their decision. First was the travel distance and second was conference quality. This and the previous assessment was between staying in the GLIAC and moving to the GMAC. Obviously the GMAC trumps the GLIAC by a large margin in the travel distance concern so the quality of the GLIAC compared to the GMAC must have been hugely in the favor of the GLIAC to "beat out" the massive travel savings. What I'm wondering is does joining the MEC represent a compromise position? Sure, the travel distance for Ashland between the MEC and the GMAC favors the GMAC...but the travel distance between the GLIAC and MEC is a lot less. From a competition stand point, the GLIAC is clearly better than the MEC but I think the MEC's achievements in it's short existence compared to the GMACs achievements in it's equally short existence speak for themselves.

I would say Ashland is clearly not 100% happy with the current two options (Staying in the GLIAC or moving to the GMAC). Perhaps the MEC doesn't have enough going for it (travel distance savings, conference national perspective) to convince Ashland...but you never know until you take a look.

[cneagle99]

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

No offense captain. But I think you are the only person that thinks Ashland is even a remote possibility.