Falconfreak90 wrote:
I spoke with a very important individual in the Athletic Dept last night during the hockey game and this individual stated BG has the option of choosing what division it wants....since we were moved over, we get to make that choice. This person was 95% sure we would be moving back to the East. I think we are heading back to the East....
If we do go to the East, which I have n o problem with, I would like to see the Miami game moved to the end of the schedule. At least right now it looks like it schould be BG and Miami fighting for the division crown so make that the season-ender. Move the UT game to the end of October.
"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools."
- Ernest Hemingway
Warthog wrote:If we do go to the East, which I have n o problem with, I would like to see the Miami game moved to the end of the schedule. At least right now it looks like it schould be BG and Miami fighting for the division crown so make that the season-ender. Move the UT game to the end of October.
I would prefer the east so I could go down to Athens every other year. That's one of the most enjoyable road trips for a football game, even if you do have to park by a dead deer when you get to the game.
I doubt if you will see us move Toledo from the last game of the season. Its a game we can draw for that is less weather-dependent, and Toledo's not going to stop being our biggest rival. Finally, we should be careful not to project current situations into the future too far. There is no way of knowing who in the East is going to be competing for the 2010 division title.
For Football reasons only, I prefer we move to the East for more balance. If things stay like they are today, NIU, UT, and BG will be competing for the one spot to compete in the MAC title game. On the East, Miami won't have as much competition. This year the 3 strongest MAC teams were all in the West and in a typical year, only one of us would have gone to a bowl game. I vote for more balance...move back to the East.
Note: we would still probably have the UT game as a cross over game and that game will always be significant, I don't care which side we're on.
I've gone full circle with it. But I'm inclined to want BG to get back to the east.
We will always play Wee Detroit regardless, so that doesn't mean much. Plus it leads to the chance to beat them twice in one season, which I'd dearly love. On the other hand, it waters down the value of the last regular season game. On the other hand, it might actually create an previously unseen frenzy in NW Ohio as the two teams slug it out over three weeks. On the other other hand, for all you Hindus out there, it leads to the real risk of road rage coming back from Big Detroit.
I do worry about losing games again NIU though. We'd play them in cross-over games. But I have really grown to like the rivalry. However I don't think playing NIU is enough to want to stay in the west.
We have historical roots with the eastern teams. We wouldn't be getting any more "dog" games in the east, than we already have in the west. Playing Akron and Kent would be like adding extra home games each year, and would boost the amount of PR we get in the Ohio papers. It helps make the coaches show on Fox of more value to that network. It helps push harder for Ohio radio stations in our network. Plus, we have been able to draw very very decent road crowds for eastern road trips. I know that I'd be more inclined to travel in-state, than to Dekalb, Muncie, or Mt. Pleasant.
Playing in the "strong" division is not the big deal it seems. When BG made the jump to the west, against its will, the division was basically one team. Now it is us, them, NIU, and with growing trouble at EMU, CMU, and likely WMU.
The East might be easier now, but things change.
Basketball will be a killer.
But then its not a cupcake walk now. And again, BG draws very well on the road in the east. At least it has in the not so distant past.
I think we would gain more by having fans getting into the habit of traveling to road games, and that goal is best served by being in the east.
BGSU has more than enough PR nationally and regionally to not have to worry about recruiting. And we can always use more leverage in Ohio if Akron, Kent, and Ohio are really going to make strides.
I think within a year, folks we be glad to play in the east again. Its a comfortable fit, and I miss the ample bus trips to road games.
NWLB
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One reason that I see a lot of people mention for staying in the West is that we would continue to play NIU every year. Don't these people realize that we would be gaining the opportunity to play Miami every year? Think about it, who is a bigger rivals of ours Miami or NIU? Seems pretty simple to me. And given that we play like crap at DeKalb every other year, why would we want to keep going there? :shrug: :coo-coo:
"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools."
- Ernest Hemingway
Alright, I give. Let's go to the east. I guess I would rather see us play Kent and Miami every year rather than NIU. It is a shorter trip to both, too. Unfortunately I probably won't be in the state next year to enjoy that benefit, though.
If we do go to the east next year, my money is still on us having a home game with NIU on our scheduel. It would seem to make sense for the conference. Here is what I see our home and road games being if this is the case:
Home:
Miami
Ohio
NIU
Toledo
Road:
Akron
Buffalo
Kent
I know I'm missing one there, but I think OU will be here because we played there last year. Miami could be a toss-up because we played there two years ago, but I think they will be here as well. I don't think the conference would make us go to either Toledo or NIU because they were our big road games last year. Heck, going to the east next year could be pretty advantageous!
From the halls of ivy...
It is not my intention to do away with government. It is rather to make it work - work with us, not over us; stand by our side, not ride on our back. Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle it. ~Ronald Reagan
Right now, in football, I don't think playing Miami is any bigger deal than playing Northern Illinois. Miami is the traditional rival, and Miami would seem more likely to be interesting as time goes on. I'm a traditionalist; I like playing Miami.
But right now, these games are even.
And we lose something in the Toledo series by moving to the West.
One could argue that the rest of the East games *might* draw better than the rest of the West games.
But we aren't talking a big difference, and there might not be a difference at all.
We've lost 6 straight to the 'Hawks ('98, '99, '00, '01 and twice in '03!)
