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RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

TheBlueliner — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:26:10 GMT

Why can't we concentrate on improving funding for all of our sports? Why do we have to settle for being a one sport school?

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

WIU712 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:59:21 GMT

If it is possible to stay 1-AA in football via the Gateway Conference while dropping to Division 2 for all other sports, I say let's do it.

WESTERN would have natural rivalries with Truman State and UIS.

Makes sense to me.

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

Leatherface — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 07:06:42 GMT

It seems a lot of folks are infatuated with "being D1". Reminds me of a quote I saw recently. "Heh, don't you know my self esteem is commensurate with how well my college does in athletics".

Again, I feel WESTERN needs to stay in D1. Dropping down isn't an option anymore. IMHO

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

western-101 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:25:31 GMT

I think it is interesting that Quincy Universtiy is D-II in all sports but football Where they compete as NAIA

Since the Gateway is a football only conference anyway couldn't we compete in football at FCS and all others at DII?

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

western-101 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:16:12 GMT

There are currently three institutions in Illinois that compete in men's basketball at the DII level. All are members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Quincy University
Lewis University (Romeoville, IL)
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

SIUe will start the transition to D-1 next year and University of Illinois at Springfield will transition to DII.

http://web1.ncaa.org/onlineDir/exec/sponsorship

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

meganeck — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:25:13 GMT

I would love for Western to take a look at Gamble for their head job...

I also would love for Western to bring back wrestling, but I'm sure it would be expensive and I believe they would also have to add a womens sport.

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

WIU712 — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:34:53 GMT

WESTERN would not be the only non Division 1 State University if it were to drop to Division 2.

The University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) is now a full 4-year residential university. UIS is in the process of transitioning from NAIA to Division 2.

UIS has just opened its new baskeball arena this year which seats 3,000. Their original gym had only seating for 500. Kevin Gamble (of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Boston Celtics) is the men's bb head coach.

So if WESTERN were to go to Divison 2, a natural rivalry would be in the works with UIS only 80 miles away.

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

Leatherface — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:09:42 GMT

Guy's, I'm sure the Summit requires men's BB for conference affiliation. However, to play along How about bringing wrestling back?

As far as D2, I have felt in the past that is where WESTERN really belongs-HOWEVER- they can't be the only state university not D1-AND, football can't be sacrificed in any way.

Hopefully they will get a good coach, and the BB can find some success. I still like the concept of increasing football funding, and capitalize on it's high level of interest as WESTERN's true flagship sport.

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

WIU712 — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:54:47 GMT

Eliminating basketball does not make any sense to me.

But maybe we could explore a move to Division 2 where we could be competitive on an annual basis. We could pursue getting into the same conference as Truman State in Kirksville. That would make for a great rivalry between the two as they are not that far apart.

That conference would also cut down on a lot of the travellling that we now have with the Summit. It's worth exploring.

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

western-101 — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:05:06 GMT

in 25 plus years of being D-1 western has never been invited to the dance. Talk about feeling scorned.

Listen L-Nation if the average Joe (Jane) on the street does not know that western is D-1 in BB (or that they even have a team) why don't we dis-continue basketball?

Oh western_101 you are crazy. Really? ....... Western Hall sucks. Our basketball program would be middle of the pack for DII.

D-1 mandate a certain amount of sponsored sports. Great lets pick up Mens Lacrosse and then funnel every remaining dollar into football, end of story.

If we are a football school then let's go crazy on football and be "Known for football" I would gladly take the extra 700,000 we pour into our basketball program (minus 150,000 we would have to put into some BS sport to stay D-1)

I used to think that our BB was on life support, I now realize that it is worse than that, it is not coming back, ever!

What do you think Nation?

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

B-Ball Fan — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:29:45 GMT

WIU02: Boy did you hit the head of the nail directly with your statements. Coudn't agree with you more.

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

WIU02 — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:14:55 GMT

When it comes down to it, what are our actual expectations from Western's basketball program? Are we trying to be more competetive in our conference? Are we shooting for a 20 win season? Are we trying to get to the NCAA tourney? Realistically, we have absolutely no, none, nadda chance of winning a national title in basketball. Our women's team had a future WNBA player on its team for years and couldn't make it to the NCAA tournament once. I hate to be the one to say it, but our basketball team is strictly there for entertainment. And right now, we can't even get that.

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

Leatherface — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:12:29 GMT

I have always felt there should be a 1AA-if you will- for all of D1 sports.( As it is set up in football.) That way schools like WESTERN could have a legit goal of a national championship in sports that are dominated by the *biggies*, ie BB for example. I believe it would benefit a lot of schools, and create more interest. IMHO

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

western-101 — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:43:39 GMT

I wouldn't be surprised if D-1 is split in the next two years.

I think D-3 is spliting soon. Makes sense, for example, you have schools like Illinois Wesleyan and Eureka College in the same D-3 structure, clearly there is a huge disparity between the two.

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

B-Ball Fan — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:01:02 GMT

Heck, most people in West-Central IL. still don't realize that WIU is D-1 like Illinois. That is what 80% of people say when you tell them that.

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

WIU02 — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:29:43 GMT

I would agree with this, and I believe many schools at the D1 level have already adopted this theory. Giving examples in the Big Ten alone, I think most would agree with the exception of a season here and there, Penn St. is a football school, Indiana-basketball, Ohio St.-football, Michigan St.-basketball, Illinois-basketball (not this year). While I give Western credit for trying to balance the two major sports, basketball will always be the stepchild to football. When I tell other people from the state of Illinois that I graduated from Western, most ask how the football team is doing. The only question I've been asked about b-ball from non WIU connected people is, 'do you have a basketball team?'

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

western-101 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:13:31 GMT

[quote]Leatherface (2/29/2008)

Looking at athletic monies, attendance at events, D1 involvements etc. Let me through out an idea. Somewhat tongue in cheek, but.....

Maybe WESTERN should become one of these *one sport schools*. Ala Valpo and others. By this , I mean -Valpo as an example, I believe most would agree that BB is what they are interested in supporting, financing and promoting on a competitive level in D1. Football is limited scholarship, and I get the impression the other sports exist because the NCAA and conference require them to have a full complement. BB is their bread and butter- even some national publicity.

I believe WESTERN should put football in this context. INCREASE THE LEVEL OF FUNDING FOR FOOTBALL. Get to the point where a conference title is common, and playoff success is common. Become known as a football powerhouse- year in and out. Few down years. I consider WESTERN a "football school" anyway, lets put more into it and become a power talked about in the fall each year. It's not like the other sports can garner the attention that WESTERN can tap from the football program.

Like I said, somewhat tongue in cheek, and devil's advocate- but.........

[/quote]

I agree with your thought process 100% Leatherface. Certain schools are known for certain sports. Look at the national profile Appy State has. Complements of their powerhouse football program.

I would be delighted if Western became that Appy State of the Midwest.

RE: Concentrate on one sport???????

Leatherface — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:39:13 GMT

One last thought. I have always felt a college/university should offer as many activities for students as possible. That's good for Knox, Grinnell, Beloit etc. However, at the D1 level, things might take on a different scenario. If WESTERN wants to compete for publicity etc. with the other state schools, they might need to concentrate on their strength, which is football. The interest is there- build on it. Money alone won't win games, however, more for recruiting, salaries,travel,facilities will certainly help.

I'm done now.

Concentrate on one sport???????

Leatherface — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:03:14 GMT