(02-06-2012 02:18 PM)NIU007 Wrote:   didn't look at it that way. Just thought there would be 4 quads. Anyway, I'd prefer to keep it as it is. I don't expect the West to be down forever in basketball, or the East in football.

I think this suggestion is for basketball only.

I would prefer it. No need for divisions, plus it allows for 2 additional OOC games with local schools. For NIU, that would be great considering all the local programs. Maybe even get an annual home/away series with one or two of the IL schools.

(02-05-2012 01:27 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(02-05-2012 01:13 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(02-05-2012 05:30 AM)perimeterpost Wrote:  

(02-05-2012 02:21 AM)zibby Wrote:  We all know about the imbalance in basketball.

I was curious about how imbalanced football is so I went back and looked at all the games from last season. The West won inter-division games 15-4 (including the championship game).

I have no idea how to divide the teams in a way that makes sense, just throwing it out there.

one season is too small of a snap shot. there's no great imbalance, The East has won 5 of the last 10 championships. NIU and Toledo fans like to think that they are heads and shoulders above the East, they're not. NIU didn't win the MACC as much as Ohio epically choked it away. The imbalance in divisions isn't on the top end, its on the bottom. EMU made improvements, now its time for Akron and Buffalo to step up.

Rockets have only 2 MAC losses to NIU the past two seasons with wins@Temple and OU. Bobkitties have lost 12 straight to Toledo. With 3 solid FB recruiting classes, the Rockets' record against the MAC East is not likely to change soon.

Great.

Enjoy your Little Ceasar Pizza Bowl while the East Champ plays in Mobile.

...or Boise

(02-06-2012 07:08 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(02-05-2012 11:38 AM)Howl-n-Prowl Wrote:  

Just get rid of Divisions in Basketball.

I thought about how to execute a 12 team no division strategy and I've come up a quads idea whereby the schools are divided into 3 groupings for home and home scheduling.

No divisions with a 14 game conference schedule (6 games in quad)

Quad I: Buffalo, Kent State, Akron, Ohio
Quad II: EMU, Toledo, Bowling Green, Miami
Quad III: CMU, WMU, Ball State, N. Illinois

Advantages

-14 conference basketball games down from 16 to allow more customized schedules and less concern of a top flight basketball team being dragged don by the MAC schedule.

-Eastern Michigan and Toledo pick up home-home series with Bowling Green which is great for the fans of all 3 schools. EMU and Toledo only have to expose their RPI to CMU, WMU, BSU, NIU four times a year instead of 8 times as they do currently.

-Ball State and Western Michigan would only have to expose their RPI to CMU, WMU, EMU and Toledo six times a year down from 8 times.

-Buffalo and Northern Illinois on the fringe of the MAC geographic area would have 2 more opportunities to schedule locally to improve fan interest.

-A later start to Mid-American Conference play might be good in terms of building anticipation among the fanbase. To not start MAC play until the second weekend in January when the students are back in town on all campuses would be a nice feature of going to 14 games.

That is actually not a bad idea. I would imagine the largest complaint would come from Miami, losing the opportunity to play the other "East" teams home and home.