(11-07-2019 03:34 PM)FrankAnderson Wrote:  

(11-07-2019 03:23 PM)ljmhurons Wrote:  They dropped men’s swimming and diving. 34 MAC titles. 34 times more than football.

Conveniently leaving out the fact that softball only had one MAC title. The exact same number as football.

My point was that success didn’t figure into which sports to support and which to abandon.

(11-07-2019 09:42 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-07-2019 09:17 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Friends,
Talking with Athletic Director Wetherbee, this was a compromise with the court. Eastern would be able to drop softball, but add lacrosse. He (Wetherbee) also said that spending for lacrosse would be cheaper then softball. If, this last statement is true, then this is the direction Eastern wants to move.
I know there will be complaints about spending for football, and making lacrosse sacrifice, but things are what they are. One more point about expenses. Wetherbee said a major factor for dropping softball was the large amount of money spent on spring trips.

Excellent Ken.

I remember when dropping softball first came up I looked at their schedule and it looked similar to that of baseball.

baseball and softball are very expensive for cold weather schools because their seasons start so early and the need to get out of the cold in Feb and March. Those trips can be long and expensive. Tough on both expenses and academics.

I have no problem with collegiate baseball but because of the calendar it is a very difficult sport for schools in the Midwest. The season is over and students are gone for summer before the weather gets summer-like.

Two very good posts guys.

The regular baseball season ends in mid-May, just as baseball weather arrives. I love baseball, it is the reason I chose to attend EMU but I abhor freezing thus for the past two seasons I can count my attendance on one hand. Pitching in such weather cannot be good on a young man's arm either. Buffalo and Akron don't participate as well.

Midwestern baseball has had just TWO teams reach the finals in the last 52 years, EMU in 1976 and U-M last year, it is not relevant nationally. It's time to implement an idea that has been previously discussed, fall baseball. Divide the season in two halves, the first half starting in late August and concluding in early October and the second half starting in mid March and concluding as usual in mid May.

I know it sounds weird and there will be complications but Midwestern teams could save spring trip money playing each other in the fall. Their schedules could produce a volume of games rivaling Southern teams, perhaps attractive better recruits as well.

(11-07-2019 06:41 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(11-07-2019 09:42 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-07-2019 09:17 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Friends,
Talking with Athletic Director Wetherbee, this was a compromise with the court. Eastern would be able to drop softball, but add lacrosse. He (Wetherbee) also said that spending for lacrosse would be cheaper then softball. If, this last statement is true, then this is the direction Eastern wants to move.
I know there will be complaints about spending for football, and making lacrosse sacrifice, but things are what they are. One more point about expenses. Wetherbee said a major factor for dropping softball was the large amount of money spent on spring trips.

Excellent Ken.

I remember when dropping softball first came up I looked at their schedule and it looked similar to that of baseball.

baseball and softball are very expensive for cold weather schools because their seasons start so early and the need to get out of the cold in Feb and March. Those trips can be long and expensive. Tough on both expenses and academics.

I have no problem with collegiate baseball but because of the calendar it is a very difficult sport for schools in the Midwest. The season is over and students are gone for summer before the weather gets summer-like.

Two very good posts guys.

The regular baseball season ends in mid-May, just as baseball weather arrives. I love baseball, it is the reason I chose to attend EMU but I abhor freezing thus for the past two seasons I can count my attendance on one hand. Pitching in such weather cannot be good on a young man's arm either. Buffalo and Akron don't participate as well.

Midwestern baseball has had just TWO teams reach the finals in the last 52 years, EMU in 1976 and U-M last year, it is not relevant nationally. It's time to implement an idea that has been previously discussed, fall baseball. Divide the season in two halves, the first half starting in late August and concluding in early October and the second half starting in mid March and concluding as usual in mid May.

I know it sounds weird and there will be complications but Midwestern teams could save spring trip money playing each other in the fall. Their schedules could produce a volume of games rivaling Southern teams, perhaps attractive better recruits as well.

Excellent idea, Jerry.

Dear Jerry,
I like it! Makes the most sense of playing in decent weather.

(11-08-2019 09:10 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Jerry,
I like it! Makes the most sense of playing in decent weather.

I like it as a concept, but remember the college baseball season ends with the college world series in June. I just don't know how the NCAA would handle such a request. Also remember there is the MLB draft in early June.

Don't mean to go O/T, but I wish MI high schools would have spring ball. I remember in high school, loooooooooooooong time ago, that varsity football players had to lift or do indoor track in winter and then outdoor track or baseball in spring.

If you want h.s. FB players to get better in spring, do spring ball. The south knows how to do it. They probably sing, "This is how we do it" as contemplate getting tons of scholarship offers from college across the country.

(11-06-2019 09:05 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(11-06-2019 08:36 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  

(11-06-2019 08:25 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports for women in the country! It's fast paced as well! We've it here where I live!

I don't know the numbers but I'm sure it pales in comparison to softball. Softball is still growing in popularity with thousands of girls playing the sport in Michigan. Every high school has it. Very few have lacrosse. Softball would be a better way of surviving the state of Michigan. Besides, emu already has a facility for softball.

That I agree with.......Lacrosse the equipment is very expensive to purchase.

Men's lacrosse equipment is costly. Women's lacrosse only requires a stick and goggles.

Dear eastcoasteagle,
I think they also need gloves to protect their hands and wrists. Similar to hockey.

(11-08-2019 10:17 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear eastcoasteagle,
I think they also need gloves to protect their hands and wrists. Similar to hockey.

Only goalies wear gloves in women's lacrosse.

(11-07-2019 03:41 PM)ljmhurons Wrote:  

(11-07-2019 03:34 PM)FrankAnderson Wrote:  

(11-07-2019 03:23 PM)ljmhurons Wrote:  They dropped men’s swimming and diving. 34 MAC titles. 34 times more than football.

Conveniently leaving out the fact that softball only had one MAC title. The exact same number as football.

My point was that success didn’t figure into which sports to support and which to abandon.

This is a whole apples and oranges conversation.

The only meaningful discussion is within gender not between genders.

Women's softball is only relevant vis-a-vis other WOMEN's sports. Ditto for MEN's, e.g., S&D vs. say track and field or baseball.

Can't say, "Let's cut a bad women's sport so we can save a really good men's sport."

(11-08-2019 04:16 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-07-2019 03:41 PM)ljmhurons Wrote:  

(11-07-2019 03:34 PM)FrankAnderson Wrote:  

(11-07-2019 03:23 PM)ljmhurons Wrote:  They dropped men’s swimming and diving. 34 MAC titles. 34 times more than football.

Conveniently leaving out the fact that softball only had one MAC title. The exact same number as football.

My point was that success didn’t figure into which sports to support and which to abandon.

This is a whole apples and oranges conversation.

The only meaningful discussion is within gender not between genders.

Women's softball is only relevant vis-a-vis other WOMEN's sports. Ditto for MEN's, e.g., S&D vs. say track and field or baseball.

Can't say, "Let's cut a bad women's sport so we can save a really good men's sport."

The goal was allegedly to cut spending. A dollar saved in women’s sports is no different than a dollar saved in men’s sports.

(11-06-2019 06:30 PM)emu79 Wrote:  https://emueagles.com/news/2019/11/6/eas...21-22.aspx

This is a story about women's lacrosse as a MAC championship sport.

https://www.uslaxmagazine.com/college/wo...dd-program

Dear eastcoasteagle,
Checking online for women's lacrosse equipment, the following was mentioned as needed; sticks, gloves, eyeglasses, mouth pieces, and cleats. There were additional pieces of equipment that could be used, such as a helmet, but that was not considered as needed.
So, the costs are going to be more than just sticks.