I love it! D2-ish talent, D3 scholarships, NAIA action, with all the fun of a cross-country conference, played in high school caliber stadiums. Who wouldn't want to be apart of that?
I saw USD manhandle UST a couple weeks ago, then saw SDSU demolish Drake. Harvard also cleaned up on UST last week, it was brutal. The PFL just shouldn't exist. I get Drake is kinda competent in their conference in basketball, but yeesh - is it worth it at this point? All that money spent and all that losing just to be "D1"
While I understand your overall point, you may want to find a different target school. Even though Drake is minimally competent in athletics, the school is doing just fine financially. They can certainly justify it.
While I understand your overall point, you may want to find a different target school. Even though Drake is minimally competent in athletics, the school is doing just fine financially. They can certainly justify it.
But yeah, Pioneer League is brutal.
That is a very true point. Didn't mean to take a swipe at them financially, and I do think they are a good institution academically. They were also name-dropped in the great Alexander Payne movie About Schmidt starring Jack Nicholson, so that's worthy of my praise.
Fact is though, they are a D1 program that lost to an NAIA program, and therefore I will make fun of them for approximately another couple weeks until I inevitably forget it ever happened.
I am well aware that Jamestown would need to get a lot better on the football field. I have never expected them to come in and finish in the top half of the football standings. My pushback is coming from the thought that football is the entire focus of both Jamestown applying to the NSIC and the NSIC accepting the Jimmies. I know this is a football forum, but there is far more to being a Division II institution than what happens on the football field.
I understand why the "Four Horsemen of the NCC" wouldn't want Jamestown. But I'd argue the rest of the NSIC has just as much in common with Jamestown as they do with the Four Horsemen. If the argument against Jamestown is "private Christian school with a small enrollment," what does a No vote say about how the league feels about the small private Christian schools currently in the league (such as CSP, USF, UMary)? If the argument against Jamestown is "small, isolated town," what does a No vote say about how the league feels about schools like Wayne, Southwest, Crookston, Bemidji?
I am well aware that Jamestown would need to get a lot better on the football field. I have never expected them to come in and finish in the top half of the football standings. My pushback is coming from the thought that football is the entire focus of both Jamestown applying to the NSIC and the NSIC accepting the Jimmies. I know this is a football forum, but there is far more to being a Division II institution than what happens on the football field.
I understand why the "Four Horsemen of the NCC" wouldn't want Jamestown. But I'd argue the rest of the NSIC has just as much in common with Jamestown as they do with the Four Horsemen. If the argument against Jamestown is "private Christian school with a small enrollment," what does a No vote say about how the league feels about the small private Christian schools currently in the league (such as CSP, USF, UMary)? If the argument against Jamestown is "small, isolated town," what does a No vote say about how the league feels about schools like Wayne, Southwest, Crookston, Bemidji?
Great story. But what do they add besides an even number?
The thing about all those schools is they are already IN the conference, not looking to be added into it.
That is a very true point. Didn't mean to take a swipe at them financially, and I do think they are a good institution academically. They were also name-dropped in the great Alexander Payne movie About Schmidt starring Jack Nicholson, so that's worthy of my praise.
Fact is though, they are a D1 program that lost to an NAIA program, and therefore I will make fun of them for approximately another couple weeks until I inevitably forget it ever happened.
You’ll get your shot at the Pioneer League this weekend. I picked SMSU…we’ll see.
I am well aware that Jamestown would need to get a lot better on the football field. I have never expected them to come in and finish in the top half of the football standings. My pushback is coming from the thought that football is the entire focus of both Jamestown applying to the NSIC and the NSIC accepting the Jimmies. I know this is a football forum, but there is far more to being a Division II institution than what happens on the football field.
I understand why the "Four Horsemen of the NCC" wouldn't want Jamestown. But I'd argue the rest of the NSIC has just as much in common with Jamestown as they do with the Four Horsemen. If the argument against Jamestown is "private Christian school with a small enrollment," what does a No vote say about how the league feels about the small private Christian schools currently in the league (such as CSP, USF, UMary)? If the argument against Jamestown is "small, isolated town," what does a No vote say about how the league feels about schools like Wayne, Southwest, Crookston, Bemidji?
Well written, Four Horsemen indeed. Augustana was the 1st school to apply to the NSIC and has benefitted the most by the move, but is still a small Christian school. MSU and UMD have done well. St. Cloud is a shell of it's former self. My thoughts after some back and forth is what's the hurry to add a school? The league is doing just fine as is and having an OOC game is fun for coaches, players and fans. I tend to agree with Purple Mav Man, a school applying to move up to D2 should have a good resume and add value. I don't see that with Jamestown.
BTW. I also picked SW to beat Valpo. Roll Mustangs!!!
Congrats....You do realize the Northern Sun would fall apart? Conference of Jamestown, Minot St, Mary, Crookston, Moorhead, SW will rival the SEC in no time. Congrats Jamestown got their first win over winless Doane, in a 10-7 barn burner.
I'm sure Duluth is chomping at the bit to add another 400 mile trip.
6 schools need to vote no - schools with 350-500 miles to Jamestown; Wayne, Duluth, Mankato, Winona (5) Schools with 300-350 miles to Jamestown; Sioux Falls, Augie, CSP, and SW (4)
I guess NSIC officials were impressed with the Orange team color which should come in handy during Halloween but they were turned off by the nickname “Jimmys” offending some Joes and other pronouns.
That is a very true point. Didn't mean to take a swipe at them financially, and I do think they are a good institution academically. They were also name-dropped in the great Alexander Payne movie About Schmidt starring Jack Nicholson, so that's worthy of my praise.
Fact is though, they are a D1 program that lost to an NAIA program, and therefore I will make fun of them for approximately another couple weeks until I inevitably forget it ever happened.
You may forget, but in NW Iowa, they won't :) I say this as a former NAIA guy who also beat a D1 school. One with scholarships even!
4x 'Crackerjack' NAIA National Champions - 1996, 2006, 2008, 2009 2016 NSIC Champions🔑🔑🔑🔑🔑🔑🔑🔑
You’ll get your shot at the Pioneer League this weekend. I picked SMSU…we’ll see.
After watching the UMD game, I'm not as high on the Valpo game as I was heading into the season. Granted, UMD is a much much tougher opponent than Valpo.
So we'll see indeed. I'm excited for it either way.
EDIT: SMSU also plays Drake in MBB this year. Just an exhibition, but still - a win's a win regardless, even if it doesn't count for anything!
I think we should move up. Nearly every school our size is D1 and we have the facilities and all sports success to match. And our budget is roughly in line with a low major in the Summit already (Plus Big 12 in wrestling would be sweet). As far as football is concerned, we have like 5 years of ineligibility to go from 36 to 63 scholarships and we can just be FCS Independent durong the interim and schedule who we want including NSIC and FBS pay games. There are worse stadiums than ours in FCS and we can expand with temp seats like what we did with Vikings training camp and Hockey Day. The only reason we haven't moved on is a lack of vision. My answer would be different if the NCC split never happened and the D2 to D1 and NAIA to D2 jumps haven't happened.
I think we should move up. Nearly every school our size is D1 and we have the facilities and all sports success to match. And our budget is roughly in line with a low major in the Summit already (Plus Big 12 in wrestling would be sweet). As far as football is concerned, we have like 5 years of ineligibility to go from 36 to 63 scholarships and we can just be FCS Independent durong the interim and schedule who we want including NSIC and FBS pay games. There are worse stadiums than ours in FCS and we can expand with temp seats like what we did with Vikings training camp and Hockey Day. The only reason we haven't moved on is a lack of vision. My answer would be different if the NCC split never happened and the D2 to D1 and NAIA to D2 jumps haven't happened.
Almost everything I agree with you, except that awful press box would need to be blown up and replaced, also a designated wheelchair and handicapped section in the seating area.
I think we should move up. Nearly every school our size is D1 and we have the facilities and all sports success to match. And our budget is roughly in line with a low major in the Summit already (Plus Big 12 in wrestling would be sweet). As far as football is concerned, we have like 5 years of ineligibility to go from 36 to 63 scholarships and we can just be FCS Independent durong the interim and schedule who we want including NSIC and FBS pay games. There are worse stadiums than ours in FCS and we can expand with temp seats like what we did with Vikings training camp and Hockey Day. The only reason we haven't moved on is a lack of vision. My answer would be different if the NCC split never happened and the D2 to D1 and NAIA to D2 jumps haven't happened.
Where does the money for 54 additional scholarships come from? The 27 added to football would need to be matched for Women as well. Kinda glanced over that part.
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