Looking Back at Division 2

[Coyote_Fan]

Why is it that many Jackrabbit fans look back at Division 2 as if it is some kind of disgrace or something. I am not saying everyone is doing this but many are. It must be some kind of an arrogance thing or something. Didn't SDSU just get done spending their entire past existance in the D2 classification? I hear things like a D2 National Title means very little, or NCC titles are made to have a lesser meaning now or something to that effect. Winning a game or two against good D1 programs does not have more meaning than winning a national title at any level. If that is the general feeling it sure goes along way to discrediting what your womens backetball team just did a few years ago. I think it is important for your school to move ahead but to diss everything D2 is kind of like giving your own past history a huge slap in the face. It's like saying gosh I just wasted my whole life to this point in time going and watching SDSU athletics at the D2 level. SDSU may be D1 now but no one knows what the future will bring as far as the classification levels go for the NCAA. If certain schools move up or if the NCAA does a reclassification SDSU could very easily end up in the same divison as many of the teams that they were D2 with in the past. They might even end up in a conference down the road with some of these very same schools that are currently being ripped on for being inferior.

It's awfully difficult to grow into something bigger and better if you are constantly cutting off your roots.

I am only aiming this message at what could very likely be the minority opinion so don't sweat it if you are one that doesn't look down upon D2.

[89rabbit]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

The reality is that NDSU got more national press yesterday by beating Wisconsin then they ever did by winning any D-II Championship.  SDSU's Men's and Women's Basketball teams played a total of 2 Nationally televised games during our D-II years (once each, both National Championship games).  This year the Men's team has been on National TV three times.

A Championship at any level of NCAA compition is an impressive thing.  However, it seems to me that to most casual sports fans, if it isn't D-I and they are not somehow associated with the school then they really don't care.

Craig and Mike are a classic example, they are sports talk hosts (they make a living talking about sports) in a market that is a D-II stronghold and yet when Kennesaw State moved up to D-I this year they said they had never heard of them.  This in spite of the fact that Kennesaw State won the D-II National Championship in Men's Basketball in 2004.

One could also argue that D-II is changing as each year more and more of the better D-II programs leave and are replaced by smaller programs from the NAIA and NCAA D-III ranks.  As SDSU has grown we have just moved back up to where we belong playing the UNIs, Fresno States, and the like.  Schools that like us, once were D-II but have ascended to the highest level of NCAA competition D-I.

Still another way to look at it would be to compare what we did in D-II to graduating magna *** laude from high school.  A nice achievement, one that you should be proud of and can never be taken away from you, but an achievement that once you get to college you don't talk about much because you are having to do it all over again at a higher level.

In most cases, unless we are talking about a smack thread, I don't think most SDSU poster are trying to run D-II down so much as accept reality.  A reality that is far easier to see now that our prospective has changed.  

Again that reality is that to most casual fans across the country, if it isn't D-I then they don't care and that we as a University have graduated to the highest level of NCAA competition.



Go State!  ;D

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

I think there is a distorted preception around the State that SDSU has made a big mistake in moving up to D1.
People like Coyote Fan seem to continue to make this the issue, when in reality, things at the D2 level at USD are not going all that great either. All these preceived bad things happen at the end of the D2 football season and we are all suppose to get out our crying towels and join the love sob for USD. The best way to deflect attention from USD problems is bring up SDSU. Craig and Mike do that often. Your basketball team drawing 1448 for a conference game? How come?

[RodentiaX]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

I don't see people trashing D-II. What I do see is that the smack talkers don't seem to recognize that D-II is a lower level of competition. I do follow D-II sports, I get to Bemidji State games when I get the opportunity. I'd love to see them win the NSIC. But I know that even if BSU won a national championship, it would get very little national media attention.

[filbert]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

It's awfully difficult to grow into something bigger and better if you are constantly cutting off your roots.

This is good, a USD fan trying to run agricultural metaphor smack against the Land-Grant school, in support of the old "bitter, bitter, bitter" argument.

Highly amusing. Thanks.

[jackmd]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

I see South Dakota's DII team lost to another Minnesota school over the weekend. NSU may want to petition to have that logo transferred north.

[filbert]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

I see South Dakota's DII team lost to another Minnesota school over the weekend. NSU may want to petition to have that logo transferred north.

As in "Northern State . . . South Dakota's GOOD D-II team" ???

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

Until these recent posts I had no idea that Northern was having that much success in D2, They are #5 in the nation-pretty cool... I hope they win the national championship.

I have completely lost touch with whats happening in D2, I hadnt even looked at a national poll until today. I guess usd is struggling?  News to me...

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

Until these recent posts I had no idea that Northern was having that much success in D2, They are #5 in the nation-pretty cool... I hope they win the national championship.

I have completely lost touch with whats hapening in D2, I hadnt even looked at a national poll until today. I guess usd is struggling?  News to me...

The NSU item is news to me as well.

[filbert]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

The NSU item is news to me as well.

I would love to see the Wolves on SDSU's early-season home schedule next year and for many years to come. It would easily put 7,000 into Frost Arena again.

[Jacked_Up]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

Because of SDSU's history, Jackrabbit fans probably follow D-II sports closer than 98 percent of all college sports fans. Some of us even wish teams like USD, UNO, UND and NSU well. No one much beyond the I-29 corridor cares a whit about D-II, however, and national interest is waning as D-II continues to water down. A couple of fans of former NCC rivals who pop off on this site seem to have difficulty accepting reality. It's amusing.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

I too would like to see the two exhibition games that I believe we are allowed at the beginning of the season against Northern and one other South Dakota school. Northern travel well with fans and I think that would be a sure sellout.

[filbert]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

I too would like to see the two exhibition games that I believe we are allowed at the beginning of the season against Northern and one other South Dakota school. Northern travel well with fans and I think that would be a sure sellout.

Oh, I don't think I'd waste a big crowd like that on an exhibition game. Bring on Northern for a game that counts for both teams. Even playing NJIT twice next year, we'll still have two allowed games against non-D-I opponents. Make one of them Northern and have some fun with it.

If you want to drive USD fans just absolutely stark raving bonkers crazy, do a home and home with NSU. Heh, heh, heh.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

I don't think we have a choice, but to play a DII game as an exhibition. Also a regular season game against a DII team does nothing for our RPI and would be a waste. I think we would get plenty of people there for a home exhibition game.

[Jacks99]

Re: Looking Back at Division 2

I would argue against playing a rival for exhibition. They are games for gearing up for the regular season: Working out the rust, trying new things, playing extra players.

In a way it's a no win situation. Play to win and not get everything out of the game. Play to prepare for the season and risk getting knocked off by a DII team.

Maybe in a few years when the men are up where the should be. As for the women, it wouldn't matter the last two years.