The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

[Nidaros]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

USD absolutely deserves to be smacked for this schedule. You will not see me standing up for this garbage schedule in any way shape or form. This shows me that USD isn't very serious about being in D1. First a crummy football schedule and now this total embarrassment of a schedule. Can we not even call this a schedule. It's more like the trail of embarrassment.

I doubt the movers and shakers within the USD family are likely to give up as easy as Coyote Fan. The schedules will improve with effort. It takes time and being in the right place at the right time, with a friendly smile and extended hand. You have to check your cocky attitude at the door.

[Nidaros]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

I know its a smack thread but smack aside; I can't help but feel sorry for the players. How would you like to be a player on a DI team traveling to NAIA schools to play in front of a few hundred people while walking over a clearly inferior opponent. These women won't get the opportunity to play this level of competition for many more years. They can't get this year back. The transition will be used as an excuse and it definitely plays a role. However, something else is at play here as well.

No doubt it is tough on the student atletes, but the transistion has to run its course and it has to start somewhere. I feel good about SDSU being in year six of D1 rather than year one. That SDSU transistion and schedules were not pretty either. Not trying to be a USD advocate, but I think they have the desire to get to a competitive level of D1. It just doesn't happen over night. Do I savor the feeling of revenge towards the naysayers from USD? For some reason, I dont.

Another point that may be at play here is the difference in AD leadership. Dr. Oien encouraged all his coaches to schedule biggest and best name schools they could. I remember rumors of scheduling Georgia Southern back five years ago, and I thought this was a big bite to chew since I knew they had been D1AA champs several times, but we went and done it and got clobbered the first time around. Coach Stig learned a great deal from that game.

I really can not speak for AD Nielsen, but possibly he has taken a lighter approach in terms of schedules since the first year of the transition allows NAIA and D2 opponnents. Whether that approach works for USD in the long run, only time will tell.

[SDHoops]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Always look at it in a positive way Coyote_Fan. The USD women's players will get a lot of playing time and experience on the court. They also get to end their season against a national powerhouse in UNC. The fact that they are there knowing what the transition process will bring, shows that they are in it for the long run.

[Coyote_Fan]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

I doubt the movers and shakers within the USD family are likely to give up as easy as Coyote Fan. The schedules will improve with effort. It takes time and being in the right place at the right time, with a friendly smile and extended hand. You have to check your cocky attitude at the door.

Who said anything about giving up. Just because I am not happy about the schedule doesn't mean I am giving up, so whatever.

[jackmd]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Always look at it in a positive way Coyote_Fan. The USD women's players will get a lot of playing time and experience on the court. They also get to end their season against a national powerhouse in UNC. The fact that they are there knowing what the transition process will bring, shows that they are in it for the long run.

Excellent points and true for the players recruited since they announced the move. Not true for those upper classmen who were told during recruiting that DII was the right place, long term, for USD. Its not as easy for them to transfer out. I know several of them and losing Lavin and now playing this schedule versus a NCC and DII schedule is a little frustrating. They aren't quitters and they will stick it out (I think) but I understand their frustration. USD coaches definitely mentioned the difficulty SDSU and NDSU would have with the transition to DI when they recruited athletes 4,3, and even 2 years ago. I understand times change and tough decisions have to be made but I'm not a high school athlete trying to decide whats best for me either.

[Nidaros]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Who said anything about giving up. Just because I am not happy about the schedule doesn't mean I am giving up, so whatever.

Okay Dude

[1bunnies]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

I thought they beefed up their schedule playing Northwestern this year. I don't think they could have beat them last season.

[JackJD]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Who said anything about giving up. Just because I am not happy about the schedule doesn't mean I am giving up, so whatever.

Darn, now I wish I hadn't sent him that SDSU T-Shirt.

[TheBisonator]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

I looked at that schedule and just laughed. What, was Westmar College not available??

USD is gonna fail at this DI thing, and MISERABLY.

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

No doubt it is tough on the student atletes, but the transistion has to run its course and it has to start somewhere. I feel good about SDSU being in year six of D1 rather than year one. That SDSU transistion and schedules were not pretty either. Not trying to be a USD advocate, but I think they have the desire to get to a competitive level of D1. It just doesn't happen over night. Do I savor the feeling of revenge towards the naysayers from USD? For some reason, I dont.

Another point that may be at play here is the difference in AD leadership. Dr. Oien encouraged all his coaches to schedule biggest and best name schools they could. I remember rumors of scheduling Georgia Southern back five years ago, and I thought this was a big bite to chew since I knew they had been D1AA champs several times, but we went and done it and got clobbered the first time around. Coach Stig learned a great deal from that game.

I really can not speak for AD Nielsen, but possibly he has taken a lighter approach in terms of schedules since the first year of the transition allows NAIA and D2 opponnents. Whether that approach works for USD in the long run, only time will tell.

Nidaros,

The schedules at SDSU may not have been pretty but there isn't any comparison between the way the schools schedule. It became obvious in transition that we had to schedule some lower division schools to complete the schedule when other schools were in conference but USD's schedule looks like they chose D2 opponents first and sprinkled in a couple of D1 games. Their football schedule has been widely talked about as well.

They've obviously chosen a different path. Their fanbase is clearly not happy about it and that is trouble. It's hard enough to keep the fans engaged during transition but to have them already checking out 3-4 months before the season doesn't bode well.

SUPERBUNNY

[Nidaros]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Nidaros,

The schedules at SDSU may not have been pretty but there isn't any comparison between the way the schools schedule. It became obvious in transition that we had to schedule some lower division schools to complete the schedule when other schools were in conference but USD's schedule looks like they chose D2 opponents first and sprinkled in a couple of D1 games. Their football schedule has been widely talked about as well.

They've obviously chosen a different path. Their fanbase is clearly not happy about it and that is trouble. It's hard enough to keep the fans engaged during transition but to have them already checking out 3-4 months before the season doesn't bode well.

SUPERBUNNY

Good Points, I agree with all except, Coyote Fan is not the entire USD fan base. I have been reading his posts for many years going way back to egroups the precessor to D2Football. No one in Vermintown has his high expectations and quickness to condemn, so he is just one voice in the fan base. Over on other boards, a few USD fans have reigned him in on occasion. So I would not be so quick to judge the USD fan base using the a population sample of one, namely Coyote Fan. I would not be surprised that most of the fan base will be more patient with the schedules then Coyote Fan.

I think too that one of the unknowns of SDSU move to D1 was that we really did not have a good knowledge of the fan base, but I think we know more now and are paying much more attention than back in the days of D2. As many recall we did a marketing study along with Carr's thorourgh evaluational study prior to the start of transition. And its only fair to point out that USD has also taken a different approach too, with the studies. This too could be a step in the wrong decision, particularily if they do not focus on the challenges that lie ahead for USD.

D2 never seemed to be overly concerned about fan bases other than to acknowledge that stands were filled when a program was winning and empty when they were not. The revenue requirements of D1 is a driving force in measuring the fan base. It seems to be more of a science now.

[Coyote_Fan]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

You also forget to mention that I am also usually the first to hand out congradulations and have been very vocal in standing up for USD despite others that have tried putting down USD in rebuttal.

I will speak my mind and speak it truthfully. Sometimes that involves saying things that aren't as easy to read. But if you are going to bring up all the negatives with what I write than you need to in turn bring out just as many positives as well. Don't just see one side of the fence.

[Nidaros]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

You also forget to mention that I am also usually the first to hand out congradulations and have been very vocal in standing up for USD despite others that have tried putting down USD in rebuttal.

I will speak my mind and speak it truthfully. Sometimes that involves saying things that aren't as easy to read. But if you are going to bring up all the negatives with what I write than you need to in turn bring out just as many positives as well. Don't just see one side of the fence.

How is it that your emotional reactions are always the truth? Could you in your flash of wisdom be mistaken?
I been reading your stuff for years now and I know your record so dont get down on me for bringing up your negatives! You are responsible for all that you post just as I am. I thought you would have a tougher skin by now. Have you taken time to talk to the people in Vermillion who put the schedules together? I am sure they would have good explanations for what they have to date.

[SturgisJeff]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Westmar went the way of Yankton College, poof, gone. Did get a couple of nice football jerseys when they auctioned them. I hear the U might schedule Yankton College for a mens game. OOps I mean Yankton Federal Correctional Camp. At least now they have a better class of student. These ones have all been convicted. The official YC to YFCC Smack thread.

[TheBisonator]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Westmar went the way of Yankton College, poof, gone. Did get a couple of nice football jerseys when they auctioned them. I hear the U might schedule Yankton College for a mens game. OOps I mean Yankton Federal Correctional Camp. At least now they have a better class of student. These ones have all been convicted. The official YC to YFCC Smack thread.

Thanks for the info. I originally thought Westmar was still up and running.