Category Archives: NCAA

Regarding the NCAA, tournament selection and seeding process, etc.

Game Day from the semifinals

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Well, it’s a fairly warm and really windy day here in Belton, Texas. Mount Union is already out to a 10-0 lead in Alliance.

Last night I was here for the UMHB pep rally, and I was amused to hear the … let’s call him the MC of the event, though he came off more like a preacher in tone and really fired people up. But I was intrigued by the claim of lack of respect by D3football.com. Guess they didn’t see our Triple Take this week.

Throwing the floor open. I’m dialing up here so I’m not going to be commenting much.

Thank you, UW-Stevens Point

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Those of you who were listening to last couple of hours of our Wheaton-Franklin broadcast probably were puzzled by the occasional references to our Stevens Point studios. That was born out of necessity, but worked like a charm.

At the high school stadium which Franklin used to host its game on Saturday, there were not enough phone lines, so three lines were installed for the radio broadcasts. By the time my brother Ryan and I got to Stevens Point, Wis., where we were getting ready to cover the UW-Whitewater/UW-Stevens Point basketball doubleheader, it was clear these new phone lines were not going to get the job done, as Gordon Mann had been cut off a half-dozen times and the Franklin broadcast had been knocked off multiple times as well.

Luckily, experience has taught me that a new phone line is a disaster waiting to happen, so we traveled prepared. I had a small converter that allowed me to record a cellphone conversation, one we used on Selection Sunday and that is also our ATN Podcast backup. With a couple of patch cables, which (yes) I did bring, we had it wired into the laptop. And thankfully, UW-Stevens Point’s network was available and robust.

So thanks to UW-Stevens Point Sports Information Director Mitch Capelle, who had an NCAA.com broadcast studio in his office for two hours on Saturday afternoon.

It’s not the most jerry-rigged broadcast I’ve been a part of, but I did kind of feel like I was back in 2001. And at least the last half of the game stayed online.

Now, as for Gordon, standing outside in the snow talking into a cellphone (no room in the press box), I can only hope he’s thawed out.

I normally wouldn’t post such an ‘inside baseball’ story, but there were some questions about it so I thought I’d share.

Hey, hey! Let’s behave out there!

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It’s probably time to reprise something that I’ve posted each of the past couple of years at playoff time, since it’s always relevant and people are pretty engaged in the Daily Dose this time of year.

It’s about sportsmanship. And it’s something we should have throughout college football, but especially here in Division III, at the truly amateur level. As the NCAA disclaimer goes:

“Ladies and gentlemen, the NCAA promotes good sportsmanship by student-athletes, coaches and spectators. We request your cooperation by supporting the participants and officials in a positive manner. Profanity, racial, or sexist comments, or other intimidating actions directed at officials, student-athletes, coaches or team representatives will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from the site of competition. Also, the consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages at the site of competition is prohibited.”

This has been said so many times in the past dozen years that it comes pouring at as if it were second nature. But there’s a fan (or a few) in every crowd in need of a refresher course. So here it is.
Consider this, fans, especially you students out there. These are big games, no doubt, and it’s great to get excited about them, but these players do not deserve your abuse. A Division III football player gets no special treatment above and beyond what you get. They’re not on scholarship, don’t get special dining halls or treatment in the classroom (in fact, you can count on some professors being harder on football players than on the rest of the class).

I would be in favor of immediately kicking anyone out of the stadium who is in violation of the sportsmanship agreement. So what if you paid $5, $8, whatever to be there? Act like a grownup, since that’s what you allegedly are.

If you need to get all liquored up in order to enjoy a football game, stay home. The football should be reason enough. If you’re of legal age, there’s plenty of time to drink after the game — that’s one of the benefits of a noon kickoff.

I have been fortunate enough this season to be at a lot of games with really big crowds, and I have to say, it seems like there has been less of a problem this year than in years past. Perhaps that’s just the midwest talking, though.

So let’s behave. That’s all.