Talk about Bizarre:
http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...land-play/

Due to a weird scheduling rule, the Golden Eagles will have to forfeit league games against Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word.

Here’s what happened: According to NCAA Bylaw 20.9.8.1, “An institution may schedule and play not more than four basketball games, including any contest (e.g., scrimmage, exhibition), in an academic year against institutions that are not members of Division I.” Oral Roberts has played regular season games against Cameron College and Dallas Baptist and exhibitions against Northwood and Rogers State. None of those four teams are Division I programs. That’s ORU’s maximum allotment.

But the issue is that Incarnate Word and Abilene Christian are transitional Division I programs, meaning they are technically members of Division I yet and count against that maximum of four games. As first-year members of the Southland, they only play against other league foes once, and the rest of the team’s in the league were supposed to adjust their schedule accordingly.

Ouch. ORU can consider this their parting gift from the Southland Conference.

Kudos to the NCAA for once again focusing on what's important in college sports, as opposed to, say, fake classes and student-athletes that can't read. [/sacrcasm font]

I'm actually good with this. And one of the schools I support has a problem with this too.

Why are Division I programs scheduling these low end schools? I get UIW and ACU, but the other four are inexcusable. As is my school (So. Alabama)'s scheduling of Dillard, Spring Hill College, and the University of Mobile.

(01-08-2014 12:56 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  I'm actually good with this. And one of the schools I support has a problem with this too.

Why are Division I programs scheduling these low end schools? I get UIW and ACU, but the other four are inexcusable. As is my school (So. Alabama)'s scheduling of Dillard, Spring Hill College, and the University of Mobile.

They shouldn't schedule non D-I schools as regular-season games, but we all know why they do -- to inflate their victory total. In the case of a program that's not doing so well (maybe ORU or USA is in this boat), those extra Ws might mean a .500 overall record; in case of a program that's a bit better but not great, it might mean they get to 18 or 19 wins and that allows the coach to argue to the AD and boosters that the program is on the rise.

(01-08-2014 12:53 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  Kudos to the NCAA for once again focusing on what's important in college sports, as opposed to, say, fake classes and student-athletes that can't read. [/sacrcasm font]

Normally I'd agree with you on this- but if you know going in that the most D2 games you can play is 4, and you have 2 new conference schools that will count this year as D2, you should have some shred of common sense to not schedule 4 others.

The rule should bother anyone when the count includes scrimmages and exhibitions. Now, when they are actual regular season games, may the rule run roughshod, I say. But non-seasonal stuff? Seriously?

Quote:Ouch. ORU can consider this their parting gift from the Southland Conference.

I bet this is why they left, actually. I doubt this "suddenly" happened. And the Southland has to take some blame for this...make the transitional programs wander around as an independent longer.

(01-08-2014 01:32 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  The rule should bother anyone when the count includes scrimmages and exhibitions. Now, when they are actual regular season games, may the rule run roughshod, I say. But non-seasonal stuff? Seriously?

Quote:Ouch. ORU can consider this their parting gift from the Southland Conference.

I bet this is why they left, actually. I doubt this "suddenly" happened. And the Southland has to take some blame for this...make the transitional programs wander around as an independent longer.

Very possible. Though I would have thought if that were the case, we would have heard about it 4-5 weeks ago when they left.

(01-08-2014 01:36 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(01-08-2014 01:32 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  The rule should bother anyone when the count includes scrimmages and exhibitions. Now, when they are actual regular season games, may the rule run roughshod, I say. But non-seasonal stuff? Seriously?

Quote:Ouch. ORU can consider this their parting gift from the Southland Conference.

I bet this is why they left, actually. I doubt this "suddenly" happened. And the Southland has to take some blame for this...make the transitional programs wander around as an independent longer.

Very possible. Though I would have thought if that were the case, we would have heard about it 4-5 weeks ago when they left.

I would expect ORU to take the high road, like they kind of did. From the article:

Quote:“When the 2013-14 men’s basketball schedule was created, we thought that exhibition games against non-Division I opponents were exempt from the four-game limit,” the school said in a statement. “Our men’s basketball program put together its schedule for 2013-14. The schedule went through the standard athletic department approval process that includes several administrators, and unfortunately, the discrepancy was not discovered.”

It goes a bit nebulous in the portion italicized. Only ORU administrators? Conference administrators? ORU didn't throw anyone under the bus other than themselves. But, yeah, the Southland should have done some QA work there and have noticed it. It's bad oversight all around.

ORU won't get forfeits counted against their overall season record.

But the Southland is counting the cancelled games as ORU losses in the conference standings.

Quote:The NCAA will not recognize ORU's missed games as forfeits and will instead view the games as no contests, thus preventing any violation, according to a press release.

But forfeits will be recorded in the Southland standings and will be utilized in the seeding process for the conference's postseason basketball tournament.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/or...af227.html

(01-08-2014 01:57 PM)Wedge Wrote:  ORU won't get forfeits counted against their overall season record.

But the Southland is counting the cancelled games as ORU losses in the conference standings.

Quote:The NCAA will not recognize ORU's missed games as forfeits and will instead view the games as no contests, thus preventing any violation, according to a press release.

But forfeits will be recorded in the Southland standings and will be utilized in the seeding process for the conference's postseason basketball tournament.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/or...af227.html

Now, that's the "don't let the door hit you on the way out" gesture. LOL...WOW.

(01-08-2014 01:32 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  The rule should bother anyone when the count includes scrimmages and exhibitions. Now, when they are actual regular season games, may the rule run roughshod, I say. But non-seasonal stuff? Seriously?

Quote:Ouch. ORU can consider this their parting gift from the Southland Conference.

I bet this is why they left, actually. I doubt this "suddenly" happened. And the Southland has to take some blame for this...make the transitional programs wander around as an independent longer.

They left because they saw the writing on the wall: Southland is determined to have everyone playing football and ORU wants nothing to do with that.

It is too bad Lamar couldn't get one of these forfeits so Pat Knight wouldn't finish the year with zero conference wins. When are they going to fire that guy?

(01-08-2014 01:14 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(01-08-2014 12:56 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  I'm actually good with this. And one of the schools I support has a problem with this too.

Why are Division I programs scheduling these low end schools? I get UIW and ACU, but the other four are inexcusable. As is my school (So. Alabama)'s scheduling of Dillard, Spring Hill College, and the University of Mobile.

They shouldn't schedule non D-I schools as regular-season games, but we all know why they do -- to inflate their victory total. In the case of a program that's not doing so well (maybe ORU or USA is in this boat), those extra Ws might mean a .500 overall record; in case of a program that's a bit better but not great, it might mean they get to 18 or 19 wins and that allows the coach to argue to the AD and boosters that the program is on the rise.

Neither ORU nor USA are bad programs. In fact they actually are normally at the top of their respective conferences. Both have gone to the NCAA's recently, and USA even got an at large NCAA bid in 2008. Neither needs to schedule games like they have.

At least from the USA perspective, the issue is that the school has trouble scheduling home games. Which I think is BS on their part.

(01-08-2014 12:56 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  I'm actually good with this. And one of the schools I support has a problem with this too.

Why are Division I programs scheduling these low end schools? I get UIW and ACU, but the other four are inexcusable. As is my school (So. Alabama)'s scheduling of Dillard, Spring Hill College, and the University of Mobile.

Tom, at least schools like USA and USM tend to schedules local college for these non-D1 games (Although I'll admit, I don't remember hearing of the University of Mobile ever).

That's why I don't mind when USM plays William carey or Dillard, but the AD has to know the limits (which apparently Oral Roberts' forgot).

Atlanta paper today talking about Georgia self-reporting 2 violations. One because Coach Richt texted a recruit good luck (in the playoffs). Had he tweeted, it would have been ok. Another because the UGA facebook page said simply, "Good Luck in the playoffs. Coach Richt." Apparently it is an NCAA violation to promote an event that recruits may participate in.

And yet we only have minor tweaking to the NCAA structure.

(01-10-2014 09:14 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  

(01-08-2014 12:56 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  I'm actually good with this. And one of the schools I support has a problem with this too.

Why are Division I programs scheduling these low end schools? I get UIW and ACU, but the other four are inexcusable. As is my school (So. Alabama)'s scheduling of Dillard, Spring Hill College, and the University of Mobile.

Tom, at least schools like USA and USM tend to schedules local college for these non-D1 games (Although I'll admit, I don't remember hearing of the University of Mobile ever).

That's why I don't mind when USM plays William carey or Dillard, but the AD has to know the limits (which apparently Oral Roberts' forgot).

For the record, The University of Mobile is a private Baptist school located in Prichard, AL. They play NAIA.

Its still stupid to play games against Spring Hill, U of Mobile, or Dillard. Perhaps one game is okay, but not three.

The Sun Belt and Southland ought to get together and do a challenge series in November or December. For example:

Arkansas State - Central Arkansas
UALR - Northwestern State
Louisiana - Lamar
ULM - Southeast Louisiana
South Alabama - A&M Corpus Christi
Troy - New Orleans
Texas State - Incarnate Word
UTA - Stephen F. Austin
Georgia State - Houston Baptist
Georgia Southern - Sam Houston State
Appalachian State - Nicholls State

This works especially well if the next Sun Belt all-sports addition is New Mexico State or Missouri State. Both Lamar and New Orleans are former Sun Belt members, so they have history with many of the schools.

(01-11-2014 08:45 AM)chargeradio Wrote:  The Sun Belt and Southland ought to get together and do a challenge series in November or December.