Year of Upheaval and Transformation

 

written by STEVE ULRICH your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III   >> Hello Tuesday. Let's talk DIII. >> Today's Word Count: 1,629. About six minutes but well worth it. >> Thanks for reading D3Playbook. It was my pleasure to bring this newsletter to you throughout 2021. Here's to a better 2022 for all!   Send D3Playbook to my inbox, please. TOP STORY 1. Year of Upheaval and Transformation by Ralph Russo, Associated Press "From court losses to political pressure to questions about how — and if — athletes should be compensated, the NCAA and college sports have faced all sorts of potential existential threats for more than 100 years. The difference in 2021 was volume. It was as if a century’s worth of issues fell on college sports all at once. Lawmakers took aim at the NCAA, undercutting its ability to govern. The Supreme Court issued a scathing rebuke of the so-called collegiate model. Internally, a new era of athlete empowerment was clumsily ushered in with all sorts of unintended consequences. Another wave of conference realignment swept through college sports, causing disruptions and distrust among its leaders. “I think it is unquestionably an unprecedented potential crisis the NCAA is facing today,” said Gabe Feldman, the director of Tulane University’s sports law program." >> Court Awareness: "If 2021 was about upheaval in college sports, 2022 will be largely defined by reform. College sports leaders will attempt to redefine the NCAA. The goal is to shift power away from the national governing body to conferences and schools, while still maintaining the association; To be more accommodating to the wide-ranging goals and needs of a wildly diverse membership, while still remaining tethered through competition." >> Between The Lines: "For Divisions II and III that will mean little change. In Division I, which is comprised of 350 schools that compete in the NCAA’s biggest championship events — such as the March Madness basketball tournaments — the transformation could be radical." >> What's Next: "A restructuring or reimagining of the NCAA and its top division is in many ways a chance for the leaders of college sports to prove to lawmakers, judges, athletes and — to some extent — each other that college sports can manage its own house." >> Be Smart: "Core questions need to be asked about what schools should be in Division I. Is there a need for a new division that provides even more autonomy and power to the wealthiest schools and conferences? And if so, will smaller schools be squeezed out of the marquee championship events by shrinking access or the inability to keep up as the most powerful schools play by their own rules? Or both?" >> Continue Reading A MESSAGE FROM BLUEFRAME TECHNOLOGY     Did you know BlueFrame Technology has advanced integrations with top automated cameras like the Hudl Focus? Showcase your teams and student-athletes with BlueFrame’s full streaming service priced perfectly for D3 budgets….or use their Production Truck software to stream with your current provider. Step up your game this year and STREAM LIKE A PRO with BlueFrame. Learn more today! FEATURE 2. Memories of John Madden by David Jablonski, Journal-News "The news of John Madden’s death on Tuesday brought back memories of Madden for people in Springfield. A Super Bowl-winning coach with the Raiders who became a NFL broadcasting legend, Madden, 85, died unexpectedly, according to reports. In 1982, Madden and broadcast partner Pat Summerall visited Wittenberg University during the NFL strike to call a game between the Tigers and Ohio Athletic Conference rival Baldwin Wallace. The game was played on a Sunday, Oct. 3, and aired on CBS in 65 percent of its markets: almost all of the East and West coasts, all of the Midwest and much of the Southwest. Only five markets, including Columbus, declined to air the game. The idea to call games at the lower levels that fall came about because Madden and Summerall were tired of sitting around the studio talking about the strike, which started after the Week 2 games on Sept. 19 and lasted 57 days, reducing the 16-game season to nine games." >> Situational Awareness: "CBS decided on the Tuesday before the game to go to Springfield. Wittenberg and B-W agreed to move the game from Saturday to Sunday." >> Take The Long Way Home: "Madden took a 14-hour train ride from Grand Central State in New York to Toledo and then rented a car for the three-hour ride to Springfield." >> The Key Stat: "As for the game itself, Baldwin Wallace won 16-14 in front of a crowd of 5,438. Wittenberg ran 36 more plays and gained 151 more yards but had a punt blocked, committed two turnovers and twice failed to gain a first down on fourth-and-short, once at the Baldwin Wallace 1-yard line. Wittenberg finished 7-2 that season. Baldwin Wallace finished 10-1 and beat Ohio Northern 24-0 in the OAC championship game." >> Read More ECOVID 3.  Spectators Not Welcome Unfortunately, the first story of 2022 centers around COVID-19 and its impact on Division III athletics. A large number of contests were postponed or canceled Monday and more will be on the way. As teams conclude non-conference play and prepare for league competition, what will conferences do regarding postponements? Can contests be rescheduled in the small window available? Should they? As of this morning, it appears that colleges and universities are prepared to continue athletic competition, as an ever-growing list of schools moves to remote and/or online instruction for the start of January. Many schools are moving to a restriction or prohibition on spectators.  Restricted (22) These schools are mostly restricting spectators to those within the college community or those on a pass list. Connecticut (3): Connecticut College, Trinity, Wesleyan Illinois (2): Illinois College, Lake Forest Indiana (1): Earlham Maine (3): Bates, Bowdoin, Colby Minnesota (1): St. Olaf Massachusetts (5): Amherst, MIT, Smith, Tufts, Williams New York (4): Bard, Hamilton, Hunter, RPI Pennsylvania (1): Franklin & Marshall Vermont (1): Middlebury Wisconsin (1): Carroll Must Show Proof of Vaccination or Recent Test (8) These schools are mostly restricting spectators to those who can display proof a vaccination/booster or a recent COVID-19 negative test. Illinois (2): Augustana, North Park Massachusetts (1): Brandeis New York (4): Baruch, Hartwick, RIT, Union Ohio (1): Denison No Spectators Until Further Notice (39) These schools are prohibiting all spectators as we understand. California (1): Chapman Connecticut (3): Eastern Connecticut, Mitchell, Western Connecticut Georgia (1): Emory Illinois (1): Knox Maine (1): Maine Maritime Maryland (1): Goucher Massachusetts (7): Clark, Dean, Emerson, Mass-Boston, MCLA, Simmons, WPI Missouri (1): Washington U. New Jersey (1): Ramapo New York (13): Brooklyn, Farmingdale State, Manhattanville, Maritime, Mount St. Mary, Mount Saint Vincent, Old Westbury, Purchase, St. Joseph's (Brooklyn), St. Joseph's (L.I.), Sarah Lawrence, SUNY Poly, Yeshiva Ohio (1): Hiram Pennsylvania (3): Bryn Athyn, Dickinson, Eastern, Swarthmore, Widener Tennessee (1): Rhodes Virginia (1): Mary Baldwin The list is not complete nor comprehensive. A MESSAGE FROM D3PLAYBOOK Thank you for considering a gift to D3Playbook. Your gift helps us offset the costs of operating the newsletter and enables us to continue to provide the quality you have come to expect. My heartfelt thanks to those who have already generously contributed. Join them today.   Donate to D3Playbook RANKINGS 4.  Unanimous #1's Madie Leidt, Middlebury (photo by Will Costello) Adrian received all 20 first-place votes to earn the unanimous No. 1 position in the latest USCHO.com Division III men's ice hockey poll. And Middlebury garnered all 15 first-place ballots to receive the unanimous top spot in the women's ice hockey poll. Men Adrian (20), 12-1 Geneseo, 11-1-1 Utica, 9-2 Augsburg, 11-2 Hobart, 9-2-1 Babson, 8-1-2 Wilkes, 9-2 Norwich, 6-1-4 Endicott, 8-2-1 U. of New England, 8-1-1 Games We're Watching (hopefully) No. 2 Geneseo vs. Stevenson No. 3 Utica vs. No. 14 Curry No. 4 Augsburg vs. No. 13 UW-Stevens Point No. 5 Hobart vs. No. 8 Norwich No. 11 Aurora vs. No. 12 St. Norbert No. 15 Elmira vs. New England College Women Middlebury (15), 7-0 Plattsburgh State, 10-2 UW-Eau Claire, 13-1 Elmira, 10-2-1 UW-River Falls, 10-1 Gustavus Adolphus, 9-2 Norwich, 7-3 Nazareth, 12-0 Adrian, 7-2-1 Endicott, 9-2-1 Games We're Watching (hopefully) No. 1 Middlebury vs. No. 10 Endicott No. 3 UW-Eau Claire vs. St. Norbert No. 4 Elmira vs. No. 7 Norwich No. 6 Gustavus Adolphus vs. No. 9 Adrian Colby vs. Wesleyan RANKINGS 5.  Back On Top Randolph-Macon took advantage of Yeshiva's first loss of the season to ascend to the top spot of the D3hoops.com men's basketball poll. And while the Yellow Jackets were on the move, the Hope Flying Dutch stayed put for the 13th consecutive time atop the women's poll Men Randolph-Macon (15), 10-1 UW-Platteville (9), 13-0 Illinois Wesleyan (1), 9-2 UW-Oshkosh, 12-1 Yeshiva, 14-1 St. Joseph's, Conn., 8-0 Washington, Mo., 10-1 Marietta, 8-2 Wheaton, Ill., 11-2 Christopher Newport, 13-2 Games We're Watching (hopefully) No. 3 Illinois Wesleyan vs. No. 14 Elmhurst No. 6 Wheaton, Ill. vs. North Park No. 11 UW-La Crosse vs. UW-Stout No. 22 Hardin-Simmons vs. LeTourneau About Last Night No. 23 Wesleyan improved to 12-1 with a 94-88 triple-overtime win at Amherst (8-2). Sam Peek led the Cardinals with 36 points. It was the second-longest game of the DIII season, tied with Alvernia and Stevenson's triple OT thriller on December 4. Brandeis and Tufts went five extra periods on Dec. 4 before the Judges pulled out a 108-102 decision. Women Hope (25), 11-0 Christopher Newport, 13-0 Amherst, 7-0 Transylvania, 10-0 Whitman, 10-1 Simpson, 11-1 Trine, 10-2 UW-Whitewater, 11-1 Tufts, 8-1 UW-Eau Claire, 11-2 Games We're Watching (hopefully) No. 8 UW-Whitewater vs. No. 18 UW-Oshkosh No. 3 Amherst vs. Babson No. 9 Tufts vs. Smith No. 10 UW-Eau Claire vs. UW-Platteville Wheaton, Ill. vs. North Park Scoring The Basketball Birmingham-Southern leads DIII in scoring offense at 95.8 and has hit the century mark in five games. Christopher Newport (93.3) has also reached 100 points five times. TRANSACTIONS 6.  Comings and Goings   ELIZABETHTOWN - Cecilia M. McCormick resigned as president 1 THING 7.  Bye-Bye, BlackBerry by Jaclyn Diaz, NPR "That old BlackBerry buried in the bottom drawer along with loose batteries and forgotten chargers won't work anymore starting on Tuesday. The company behind the once ubiquitous devices reminded customers that on Jan. 4 it will stop running legacy services for its BlackBerry 7.1 operating system and earlier BlackBerry 10 software, as well as its Playbook OS 2.1 and earlier versions. This means devices using this old software will no longer reliably function, including for data, text messaging and phone calls, including to 911, BlackBerry said. It's a change that has been a long time coming." >> Worth Noting: "Owning a BlackBerry was once considered a status symbol among politicians, business leaders and everyday users. Customers largely abandoned the device and its full external keyboard and small (by today's standard) screen once smartphones came on the scene." >> Continue Reading   Thanks for starting your day with us. What did you think of today's newsletter?  Please invite your friends to sign up for D3Playbook

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