American Southwest Conference

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I'm sure it's been pointed out before that Hardin-Simmons and UMHB would prefer to stay D3 at all costs, and this tweet does confirm that, but it also seems like them and the other remaining ASC members are starting to get desperate. Wonder if this means we'll see any of them in the LSC in the near future

[MooseLodge]

There are some schools in the ASC that will end up closing if they can’t keep a D3 conference intact. Howard Payne, ETBU, and HSU are surviving because a chunk of their student bodies are on sports teams. As in up to 200 on the football team.

Most of those athletes will never play, and many have no business being in college. The schools pump them up with big hopes, help them get Pell grants and loans, and that funds the school.

But the “school” (using that term generously) then dumbs down the curriculum so that all the athletes can pass classes and keep up the charade, so that the dollars keep flowing in. Meanwhile, these “athletes” will owe a mountain of debt when they leave, with many not being able to write a complete paragraph or work a simple math problem.

It’s all pretty sick and unethical, and really needs to be stopped. It gives higher education a really bad look. McMurry left the conference because of this. They joined another D3 conference, with real schools and real academics - Trinity, Southwestern, Austin College and others, that are actually educating students and not allowing the ballers to run the school.

[boatcapt]

There are some schools in the ASC that will end up closing if they can’t keep a D3 conference intact. Howard Payne, ETBU, and HSU are surviving because a chunk of their student bodies are on sports teams. As in up to 200 on the football team.

Most of those athletes will never play, and many have no business being in college. The schools pump them up with big hopes, help them get Pell grants and loans, and that funds the school.

But the “school” (using that term generously) then dumbs down the curriculum so that all the athletes can pass classes and keep up the charade, so that the dollars keep flowing in. Meanwhile, these “athletes” will owe a mountain of debt when they leave, with many not being able to write a complete paragraph or work a simple math problem.

It’s all pretty sick and unethical, and really needs to be stopped. It gives higher education a really bad look. McMurry left the conference because of this. They joined another D3 conference, with real schools and real academics - Trinity, Southwestern, Austin College and others, that are actually educating students and not allowing the ballers to run the school.

But that's not a conference issue, D3 or otherwise. That is a school issue, and not just a D3. Just an example, the University of Alabama has 119 "players" on it's football roster. Last I checked, D1 schools could have a maximum of 85 players on full scholarship. That's 34 players paying their own way for the "honor" of saying they are on the Alabama football team. That's between $420,000 and $1.2M that goes to the school in tuition alone...EVERY YEAR!!

[Predatory Primates]

But that's not a conference issue, D3 or otherwise. That is a school issue, and not just a D3. Just an example, the University of Alabama has 119 "players" on it's football roster. Last I checked, D1 schools could have a maximum of 85 players on full scholarship. That's 34 players paying their own way for the "honor" of saying they are on the Alabama football team. That's between $420,000 and $1.2M that goes to the school in tuition alone...EVERY YEAR!!

Most D1 and D2 schools carry 110 to 130 players.

[boatcapt]

Most D1 and D2 schools carry 110 to 130 players.

Yep...cash cows for the schools. People grouse about schools with so many athletes while refusing to acknowledge the shear dollars these athletes bring to schools. They want to do straight line math (coaches salary+equipment+insurance+facility cost-ticket sales=sport cost) that ignores tuition, room and board, etc that comes to the school because of the players.

[MooseLodge]

But that's not a conference issue, D3 or otherwise. That is a school issue, and not just a D3. Just an example, the University of Alabama has 119 "players" on its afootball roster. Last I checked, D1 schools could have a maximum of 85 players on full scholarship. That's 34 players paying their own way for the "honor" of saying they are on the Alabama football team. That's between $420,000 and $1.2M that goes to the school in tuition alone...EVERY YEAR!!

College athletics in general are pretty screwed up. But at least Alabama isn’t running a fake school - except for the athletes.

[boatcapt]

College athletics in general are pretty screwed up. But at least Alabama isn’t running a fake school - except for the athletes.

When you're bring close to $1M to a schools bottom line (not counting room & board and fees) bring in a raft of players who you know will probably never see the field, that's a pretty lucrative side hustle for the school.

At many schools, this side hustle is keeping the university in business.

Note, Alabama football was just an example. Same thing happens across the D1 landscape and at other college levels as well.

[MooseLodge]

When you're bring close to $1M to a schools bottom line (not counting room & board and fees) bring in a raft of players who you know will probably never see the field, that's a pretty lucrative side hustle for the school.

At many schools, this side hustle is keeping the university in business.

It isn’t a side hustle. These schools are hauling in a minimum of $10-12 million per year from paying athletes, much of it borrowed money through student loans.

[boatcapt]

It isn’t a side hustle. These schools are hauling in a minimum of $10-12 million per year from paying athletes, much of it borrowed money through student loans.

Yep. Student athletes are not the only college students scammed into ever increasing student loans. The administrative and faculty cost of college are through the roof! Getting students through the doors by any means necessary is the only way colleges can afford to pay their staff.

[huntnfish]

They are playing a home and home road robin which gets them to 6 games and then struggling to find others.

https://www.tiktok.com/@theth3rddivi...19476024003883

[huntnfish]

But that's not a conference issue, D3 or otherwise. That is a school issue, and not just a D3. Just an example, the University of Alabama has 119 "players" on it's football roster. Last I checked, D1 schools could have a maximum of 85 players on full scholarship. That's 34 players paying their own way for the "honor" of saying they are on the Alabama football team. That's between $420,000 and $1.2M that goes to the school in tuition alone...EVERY YEAR!!

A lot of DI schools are giving NLI money to their Preferred Walk Ons now. Many are giving it to the 105 that can report to fall camp sometimes the NLI money is exactly the cost of attending schools so they basically have 105 scholarship now.

[Finchwidget]

They are playing a home and home road robin which gets them to 6 games and then struggling to find others.

https://www.tiktok.com/@theth3rddivi...19476024003883

Double round robin schedule with 2 non conference games against Lincoln (CA) type opponents is a pretty depressing schedule for someone of UMHBs caliber. Not that I think it's their fault though, but if this is what staying D3 is going to be for them from now on, I can see why they're exploring all their options

[Techster88]

They are playing a home and home road robin which gets them to 6 games and then struggling to find others.

https://www.tiktok.com/@theth3rddivi...19476024003883

Love that so called football teams.

MHB is the only school D2 ready. Would be a nice addition

The others like Sul Ross are too small. Trinity would be another nice addition but I don’t see it happening.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Love that so called football teams.

MHB is the only school D2 ready. Would be a nice addition

The others like Sul Ross are too small. Trinity would be another nice addition but I don’t see it happening.

My opinion only its stay D3 or go D1 for MHB.

They may go D2 but it would only be for a cup of coffee like Incarnate Word did before making the final jump.

[huntnfish]

Love that so called football teams.

MHB is the only school D2 ready. Would be a nice addition

The others like Sul Ross are too small. Trinity would be another nice addition but I don’t see it happening.

Sul Ross is going D2 next year. They are joining the LSC