InstantForum.NET v4.1.3LeatherneckNationhttp://www.leathernecknation.com/DoNotReply@leathernecknation.comTue, 07 Sep 2010 03:51:40 GMT20http://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspxWestern should ID a "core" group of sports that are important and fund those sports at 90% of NCAA max scholarships.<br><br>Actually what I think the SL should do is have that core group of sports and require all schools to fund those sports at 90% of NCAA max for scholarships.<br><br>I would have these sports as core sports in the SL.<br><br>men's hoops<br>soccer<br><br>women's hoops<br>volleyball<br>soccer<br><br>I would also force all SL schools to sponsor those sports.Thu, 01 Apr 2010 05:41:43 GMTTheBluelinerhttp://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspxLacrosse is more expensive and there are not ten other Midwest teams to schedule. Also, if you add the sport people are going to want men's and women's Lacrosse together. That would cancel out the Title IX benefit. Field Hockey would share the soccer field (same dimensions) allowing for any resources invested to impact three teams. It would finally push the school to reward two quality soccer programs. I listed how easy it would be to renovate John MacKenzie Field in another post. By building a solid seating structure on the East side with concessions, bathrooms, locker rooms, and a small training room underneath WIU would have a great facility. It could seat about 1,000 fans and have a very modest press box. IHSA events could be held there (revenue...) and it would be a gem for recruiting. The best part about it is that it shouldn't cost more than 1,000,000 for the athletic department to build. Student money could be used because the Rec could access some areas (concessions and bathrooms) during student intramurals events (concessions could create revenue for them.... notice the trend? leaders working together and making small consistent revenue). It would be nice to get the port a potty look off the intramural fields too.Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:37:55 GMTHail Leatherneckshttp://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspxHail Leathernecks Isn't that the truth? Which one do you pick? Some nicely put ideas Hail Leathernecks. I don't necessarily agree with them all but I think you have some good reasoning and ideas to think about. I might be swayed, who knows. Lacrosse...where would we recruit for that? Iowa and some of those other schools have long histories of lacrosse. East coast recruitment would be required for success I think. Could be fun though as you noted.Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:06:55 GMTLokal Yokalhttp://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspxI didn't vote because I could not pick just one. I will start with the potential move to DII. It is the wrong way to go (I use it as a wake up call but seriously nothing would be gained) and it will never happen. If we just acted professional and worked hard success would be available for WIU in the Summit and DI. <br><br>I think the removal of TVA will finally happen due to the horrible handling of Coach P (maybe a condition of the settlement?). P needed to be let go after the season. While not performing to WIU football standards he didn't do anything that would call for a mid season termination. Regardless, being average (or below) should not be allowed for any athletic department. I do want to congratulate him on the athletes GPA though. I am not all about hating... <br><br>Swim and dive should not be dropped because with the number of walk ons they bring in what they cost. If you look at expenses they do not even reach 100K. The facility from what I understand is acceptable (is this correct swim people?) for D1 standards. I would argue the lockers rooms need renovation. However, we do need to scholarship sports to their maximum NCAA limit. If we have to lose a weak link so we can strengthen others fine. If it actually comes to it swim and dive is the first to be cut. Somebody is going to be upset about this decision and I understand that. They did not win any duals this past season and never finished in the top half of any meet. If there is really a Title IX issue we should add Field Hockey (women). We have the field space. SLU, Mich St., Iowa, Ball State, Indiana, Central Mich., Kent State, Miami (OH), and Louisville would be the other teams in the Midwest. Kind of a cool and random sport to add. If the costs get off set so be it. I would rather have an added women's team and then bust @s$ to raise money or enough he// to fully scholarship the other sports. It would stop any Title IX complaints for years.... <br><br>Our conference is fine. When the Dakotas moved in it stabilized everything. We have a chance to win and be competitive in every sport playing in the Summit. Southern Utah needs to be shown the door (obnoxious travel), thank goodness Centenary is leaving. We can schedule in state games for non conference and be fine. I have no clue why people assume we can make a move to greener pastures. If OVC called I would leave but I know Horizon will not call on WIU. Oakland and others are ready to make a similar move and hold much better credentials. <br><br>I addressed what it would take to be a true DI school in regards to facilities in the money crunch post (page 2). It is very honest and the numbers are legit. It ended up being around 38 million dollars for eveything. Obviously you would prioritize things and move forward from there. It would need to be broken up over a 12-15 year time period. I think that if you finished the football stadium and people saw the improved facility (and if used right better performance) other projects would start to fall in line. <br><br>The community will support a winner. Macomb will be connected to Peoria in the next stimulus package according to Ray LaHood (USA Transportation Secretary from Peoria) by a four lane road. It will create a surge for Macomb in every way and allow WIU to access another market in a much more efficient manner. A 50 minute drive to Peoria would help recruiting, travel, sponsorships, and much more.Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:38:52 GMTHail Leatherneckshttp://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspxDon't get me wrong on this because I too wish we were with the Horizon League, BUT 1 program will NOT get us an invite.Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:36:31 GMTB-Ball Fanhttp://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspx[quote]<b>B-Ball Fan (1/20/2010)</b><hr noshade size="1" class="hr">It is fine and dandy for everyone to say let's go to Horizon, let's go to Ohio valley, but...... You have to be invited and last I knew, no was inviting us.[/quot<br><br>This is very true. Before there can be any new conference affiliation, we have to get our ship in order. <br><br>However, when Mo gets the Basketball program back to winning (which he will) then we need to seriously make it a priority to extricate ourselves from the current conference affiliation which no longer makes sense.Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:41:23 GMTwestern-101http://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspxIt is fine and dandy for everyone to say let's go to Horizon, let's go to Ohio valley, but...... You have to be invited and last I knew, no was inviting us.Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:22:16 GMTB-Ball Fanhttp://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspx...maybe WIU could cut a few programs without a lawsuit threat if we allowed women to play football!.....just kidding....Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:22:48 GMTarlen54http://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspxOh good, I was hoping that we could talk about title IX.<br><br><br>Hey folks, it ain't no secret we have got to get our facilities looking like D-1 facilities. Also, I feel we have outstayed our relevance in the Summit League. This league does not have any of the same members or the same name of the league we were a charter member in. I say we make like the Crusaders and join the Horizon. Hell, logistically even the OVC makes more sense (although that would pose a problem with football then).Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:21:46 GMTwestern-101http://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspxIf you check other schools, including those in our conference, you will find that those with FB programs generally have added additional sports so that there are more total women's sports options then men's sports options to make up for the disparately large number of football programs. <br><br>While we might like to resolve this by adding women's sports, financially we can't support an increase. So the solution then becomes eliminate men's programs if you wish to keep FB, e.g., 10 women's and 8 men's sports.Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:59:42 GMTFan56http://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspxThe ratio is consistent with most universities that field a football team, so i'm not sure what you're trying to get at. I didn't recommend cutting only the women's swimming and diving team nor any other women's only sport.<br><br>As a football fan and someone who takes pride in the football team I wouldn't want to see it go. Plus I feel it would be a negative for the university. I feel this because WIU in Macomb, IL is viewed by a lot of outsiders as a less then average college and if we cut our biggest sports program it would only cause an even more negative view of who we are and where we're heading. <br><br>There would be articles outside the Macomb area if we cut the football team. I'm sure the first time the swimming and diving teams were cut, there was much printed out there. If so, most people probably thought, "Western had a swimming team????"<br><br>Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:47:13 GMTletsgoneckshttp://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspxYou support cutting swimming but feel we must keep football.<br><br>Look at what other universities are doing - cutting football because it is so expensive.<br><br>And we do need to be careful in terms of gender equity. Currently we are treading a very fine line saying we are equitable by having the same number of men's and women's sports. Yet, the overwhelming trend is to have more women's sports than men's because of the great numbers disparity football causes. There is not other team with 100 players and a practice squad with in the neighborhood of 60 full scholarships, plus a dozen coaches.Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:03:35 GMTFan56http://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspxI like the poll and most have missed the original post. I voted for eliminating some sports. It would be nice to have as many sports options as possible, but financially it doesn't make sense.....sorry swim fans, but I feel football is a more important program to the university and swimming should be axed AGAIN. This would free up some cash and help aid in the financial down time.<br><br>I'm against moving down to DII as I believe we can still compete at the DI level. Next years football team will do much better and I'm talking .500 or better. It looks like the basketball team is getting a little better and next year they might be in a position to make things happen. Big fan of Coach MO and his recruiting ability!!!!! With that being said I'm a strong believer that basketball and football performance can impact each others recruiting. Look at Villanova (FCS Football Champs/Good Basketball), UNI (ranked in BB and always a great fb team), and if I recall SIU was making bball noise around the time they turned around their football program.<br><br>A move in conference would help for basketball, but lets wait until we actually do something in a weaker league. Then we can talk.<br><br>Upgrading of the football and basketball arena's would be ideal, but that costs money. Tuff times and not a lot of recent success in the programs might hinder the chances of this happening anytime soon.<br><br>Finally, I think the coaching and admin changes are coming. Like everything else we'll have to wait and see.<br><br>Good luck to everyone in 2010 and as always.....Lets go Necks.Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:05:12 GMTletsgoneckshttp://www.leathernecknation.com/Topic6795-10-1.aspxI have not seen a poll in a while, maybe now is a good time for one.<br>Happy voting!<br><br>Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:21:47 GMTsealhall74