USD's expectations

[MID-CON_JACK]

I don't want this thread to turn into smack.....

I just finished watching KELO news about USD's move to DI.  The SD Board of Regents heard USD's pitch today and while a formal decision/announcement will be made in a day or two, it's clear USD received the green light.  That's not a surprise.  What troubles me is what appears to be USD's belief -- or do they know something that isn't public yet? -- that they will just walk in to the Mid-Con as though no other school currently in the conference has anything to say about it.  From the story on KELOLAND.com:
http://keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,53099

"USD is looking at joining the MidContinent conference and the Great West conference for football, just like SDSU."

I suppose that kind of talk/thinking is very similar to some of my SDSU compatriots who seemed to think the Big Sky was just drooling to get SDSU and NDSU in the fold.  Wrong.  

So, is there an effort going on behind the scenes within the Mid-Con offices that will try to bring in USD right away?  I think not.  Bringing in a school in transition would be just plain dumb--it would have been dumb for the Big Sky or the Mid-Con to take SDSU/NDSU in the first few years.

I think it's just optimistic talk and wishful thinking.  And in a way, I think USD has to put a positive spin on everything at this point.  

It seems the USD announcements and the manner in which they're being pitched to the public shows a tacit admission that SDSU was right and made the correct decision a few years ago.  At least one of the proponents who spoke before the Board of Regents, Ray Trankel, said as much:  '"We speak on behalf of our employees and the business community we see this as a very positive move on the part of USD that after another university in Brookings made a very positive decision to make this move," said Ray Trankle of Sioux Valley and a USD graduate.'

I'm going to place my confidence in SDSU's leadership.  It's done a great job in the past few years.  When they deem it a good idea for SDSU to meet USD on the field or court, that'll be fine with me.  (You know in some sports we currently compete against USD...e.g. swimming/diving.) But, a big part of me hopes that is a few years off after our schedules calm down following our entry in to the Mid-Con and, I hope, the Gateway (note I'm not talking as though we get to walk in to the Gateway simply because we want to....)

Go Jacks.

[Ozark_Jack]

Re: USD's expectations

usd will learn that finding a conference is a very long and difficult task...and in their case, harder than SDSU had. The Mid Con is not going to let them in for a very long time.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: USD's expectations

I watched KSFY this morning and they also reported that USD was planning on entering the Mid-Con and Great West. That may be their plan, I just wish the media would do a better job of explaining the downside to the Mid-Con adding USD right away, which I believe is why the Mid-Con will wait before considering further expansion.

[filbert]

Re: USD's expectations

I watched KSFY this morning and they also reported that USD was planning on entering the Mid-Con and Great West. That may be their plan, I just wish the media would do a better job of explaining the downside to the Mid-Con adding USD right away, which I believe is why the Mid-Con will wait before considering further expansion.

That's exactly the point. The Mid-Con had an excellent incentive to add IPFW, NDSU, and SDSU: survival.

Adding USD (and/or UND) will cost each of the Mid-Con schools money--not only in travel, but in smaller shares of the NCAA tournament money. And that's not a very big pot at all, with the Mid-Con being a one-bid conference right now.

The U's need to demonstrate to the Mid-Con that they'll bring sufficient advantage to the table that it will overcome the costs involved in adding them. SDSU and NDSU did that, but it took several years actually playing D-I schedules and demonstrating a commitment and ability to succeed at the D-I level.

The time may come when USD is able to demonstrate that advantage to the Mid-Con conference members, but I don't personally think that they will be in a position to do that for several years yet.

[89rabbit]

Re: USD's expectations

The thing that the USD faithful and South Dakota media need to keep in mind is although it makes perfect sense in their worlds to have USD and SDSU in the same conference, does it make sense in the minds of the Mid-Con Presidents.

Keep in mind IF the Mid-Con chooses to expand (and that is a pretty big if) some day, they will have lots of schools to choose from. Each will bring its own advantages and disadvantages here are a short list that I can think of off the top of my head.

UND - close to NDSU
USD - close to SDSU
Utah Valley State - close to Southern Utah
Oklahoma City University - close to Oral Roberts
SIU-Edwardsville - in the heart of Mid-Con Country and close to St. Louis
Texas-Pan American - Est. D-I school sort of close to Centenary

It is really too bad that so many members of the media spent so much time poo pooing our move to D-I that they didn't have time to pay attention to how things work or learn anything about the processes involved. Oh well I guess they will learn their lessons 4 years later when they watch USD go though the process.

Who knows maybe USD and UND will get into the Mid-Con, but the one thing I know for sure is, that it won't be as easy as many seem to think it is going to be. Good luck to our former NCC brethren in their hunt for a conference home, I think they are going to need it.



Go State!

[MID-CON_JACK]

Re: USD's expectations

Iowa State and U of Iowa play in different conferences. I think that's a good model. I would like to see SDSU distinguish itself further by staying separate from USD. That doesn't mean we cannot play them in sports...just means we should be in different conferences.

[filbert]

Re: USD's expectations

The problem for USD is that other than the Mid-Con, there are no other D-I conferences available to aspire to.

The Big Sky has made their reluctance to move east into the Central time zone quite clear to anyone who's paying attention.

The Horizon is a nice, geographically compact conference, and isn't likely to leave their urban eastern Midwest territory to leap into the North Plains.

You'd better be playing RPI 100 or lower men's basketball to even get a sniff from the Missouri Valley. As good as NDSU's doing, they're not even there right now. The Valley's also got a nice, very stable 10-member geographic footprint. They'd have to lose members to start looking, and there's a pretty lengthy list of colleges in front of USD that would get a look first from the Valley. (And no, I'm not including SDSU in that list).

That's the reason why USD is talking up the Mid-Con. That conference is, literally, the only game in town.

[EQguy]

Re: USD's expectations

Iowa State and U of Iowa play in different conferences.  I think that's a good model.  I would like to see SDSU distinguish itself further by staying separate from USD.  That doesn't mean we cannot play them in sports...just means we should be in different conferences.  

I'm with you on this one Mid-Con. This actually works to an advantage for both schools because they have some automatic (and cheap travel) OOC games.

[1bunnies]

Re: USD's expectations

usd will learn that finding a conference is a very long and difficult task...and in their case, harder than SDSU had. The Mid Con is not going to let them in for a very long time.

A couple things usd2 needs to learn. It is a long hard road in making the transition. They also need to get an NCAA D1 Compliance Manual. I learned from very credible sources that SDSU had theirs 2 years prior to making the move and that usd2 still did not have one 2 weeks after their announcement. They seem to think everything is automatic. They have a lot to learn.

[JimmyJack]

Re: USD's expectations

[quote author=Ozark_Jack link=1165897178/0#1 date=1165935768]usd will learn that finding a conference is a very long and difficult task...and in their case, harder than SDSU had. The Mid Con is not going to let them in for a very long time.

A couple things usd2 needs to learn. It is a long hard road in making the transition. They also need to get an NCAA D1 Compliance Manual. I learned from very credible sources that SDSU had theirs 2 years prior to making the move and that usd2 still did not have one 2 weeks after their announcement. They seem to think everything is automatic. They have a lot to learn.[/quote]

I heard that too, also from a credible source. It really says something about how USD is approaching this. Are you listening Terry Vandrovec? Mick Garry? Might be worth asking USD if they have picked up a compliance manual yet or if they're still calling around begging to borrow one from somebody else after they already made the decision to move up.

[Haldersham]

Re: USD's expectations

When you recall all the grief and ridicule that SDSU took for the past three years, it stirs up the resentment in me when we see USD getting a free ride. Harvey Jewett, a USD grad and BOR president as stated there will be no appropriations and USD will be held to the same expectations that SDSU was.

It will be fun to see what happens in the next 5 years in Vermillion. I expect them to encounter more than their share of setbacks. Maybe because they borrowed an outdated compliance manual. EXTRA ORDINARY ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[22jack]

Re: USD's expectations

Does anybody know how they will handle the title IX issues?

[JackJD]

Re: USD's expectations

Does anybody know how they will handle the title IX issues?

Likely: an adjustment here and there and add women's gymnastics. You won't see wrestling or baseball back.

[JimmyJack]

Re: USD's expectations

Does anybody know how they will handle the title IX issues?

They're adding 2 more women's scholarships than men's. Supposedly, that will get them close enough under the recently watered-down Title IX interpretations.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: USD's expectations

[quote author=22jack link=1165897178/0#11 date=1165974659]Does anybody know how they will handle the title IX issues?

They're adding 2 more women's scholarships than men's. Supposedly, that will get them close enough under the recently watered-down Title IX interpretations.[/quote]

I'm sure I could find it if I searched long enough, but could someone put a link to the new interpretations. Thanks.