OOC Scheduled game cancellations

[SDSULAX]

After the scheduling deadline had passed and the schedule was locked, did you have any Out-of-Conference (OOC) teams cancel their games with you, leaving an empty hole in your schedule and possible At-Large-Bid qualification problems? If so, what would you suggest doing so this doesn't become a problem next season, and what are you doing to fill the hole in your schedule?

[Matt_Gardiner]

Probably not the ideal solution and it could be affected greatly by conference rules, etc. We were contacted by a team after the deadline had passed to schedule, but decided to schedule the game anyway and just pay the fines. I think net net we decided to spend an additional $220 over typical costs to make this game happen.

The most important thing I would think is to be careful about who you pick to play OOC games against. At the end of the day (this is may sound unduely harsh) if another team backs out on you it is nobody's problem but your own. If they are a team on shaky ground, the game could go away. If you scheduled your game against Michigan, BYU, St. Johns, St. Thomas etc. you can be confident the game will happen.

No matter what the conference rules are, the schedule is never 100% locked. If you need an additional game for the at-large, you just have to buck up and weigh other options. Decide if it is worth the extra cost of attracting a team after the deadline or go travel to another team. If you are anywhere near the At-Large bubble, teams will want a game against you.

I think the long-term solutions is to have the conferences handle these situations. If we schedule an extra game against Creighton (Within Conference-Not Required) and we back out. Creighton has a gripe with us and the conference has a gripe with us. It can be handled internally and is not as embarrassing to the conference as us backing out on an OOC game. Now if we called Dayton up today and told them we are not coming in two weeks, we have embarrassed ourselves and more importantly we embarrassed the GRLC. The conference should handle these different situations differently to take into account that us backing out on Dayton also embarrassed all the other GRLC teams indirectly. What is done is done, and all the conferences can do is clean up their mess and prevent it from happening again.

[murphlaxtx]

Actually, we are put in a bad situation in this area right now. We had both Nevada and Wisconsin- Steven's Pt cancel on us (Nevada in December and UWSP in early January). Now we are uncertain about the status of the 3 other OOC games we had scheduled. There needs to be a set cut off date where teams can back out. Past that date there should be a fine. We now have ZERO guaranteed OOC games.

[LaxRef]

Actually, we are put in a bad situation in this area right now. We had both Nevada and Wisconsin- Steven's Pt cancel on us (Nevada in December and UWSP in early January). Now we are uncertain about the status of the 3 other OOC games we had scheduled. There needs to be a set cut off date where teams can back out. Past that date there should be a fine. We now have ZERO guaranteed OOC games.

The solution seems obvious to me: if Team A cancels a game with Team B after the deadline, then Team A should have to pay whatever the additional cost there is for Team B to schedule with another team.

[Rob Graff]

LaxRef:

I don't contest your point, but it's unfortunately not that cut and dried a problme. For example, many teams have "filled' their weekends and cannot add additional games.

Rob

[LaxRef]

LaxRef:

I don't contest your point, but it's unfortunately not that cut and dried a problme. For example, many teams have "filled' their weekends and cannot add additional games.

Rob

At the very least, it seems to me that the team making the late cancelation should have to pay a fine, and that it should be used to compensate the injured party in some way (preferably by paying for them to schedule a replacement game, but if that isn't possible then they should get monetary compensation). I mean, this sort of thing could theoretically knock a team out of the national championship picture by making them fail to meet the OOC game requirement, right?

[Adam G]

Mr. Obvious here, but would a required forfeiture for the cancelling "a" team after "x" date do anything to help the matter?

[murphlaxtx]

Nevada actually cancelled the game in early November, we just haven't been able to get a replacement. As for UWSP, they sent an email on 12/21/2006.....however, I did not see it until after the holidays. Regardless, at that date, it would be extremely hard to find a replacement. All I know is that teams that get cancelled on in that situation should not be held responsible if they do not reach the minimum requirements. Let's face it, it is hard to get teams down here to Texas at all, let alone with late notice (at least to play Baylor)

[SDSULAX]

Remember the three OOC game requirement is a MCLA requirement not a individual conference requirement. I can think right away of 6 games that were cancelled within the last 7 days, a little late to fill the holes, that is a lot different than having a game cancelled in November before the schedule deadlines were set. I agree with you Scott, you had the games scheduled, it isn't your doing that they did not happen.

[murphlaxtx]

Needless to say, we are still looking to replace those games. Nevada definitely cancelled in adequate time. However, usually by then most trips are already planned.

[Campbell]

One thing you can do is get teams to sign a contract/agreement before you are past the point of being able to schedule other schools. If they don't agree to it, then don't schedule it. If you need to meet At large bid requirements for OOC games then make sure those games are solid, even if that means traveling for all your OOC games.

[SDSULAX]

I was wondering is that a common practice for the LSA to do game contracts?

[SDSULAX]

Now if we called Dayton up today and told them we are not coming in two weeks, we have embarrassed ourselves and more importantly we embarrassed the GRLC. The conference should handle these different situations differently to take into account that us backing out on Dayton also embarrassed all the other GRLC teams indirectly. What is done is done, and all the conferences can do is clean up their mess and prevent it from happening again.[/quote]


I think that it is ironic that the OOC games that were cancelled in the WCLL were from teams in the GRLC and LSA. I can't wait to see what the LSA and GRLC does about their teams scheduling OOC games and cancelling them after the start of the season.

[Campbell]

I was wondering is that a common practice for the LSA to do game contracts?

I don't know what teams do in the LSA as far as contracts for OOC games. When I coached we didn't do contracts, however, we didn't travel that much either. Basically, it doesn't matter what other teams do, if it works for your program then use it. I think A&M had an agreement (don't know if they were contracts, or how they were done) with Michigan for games over a couple of years. Also, this is a good deal for a team because if you happen to have a lackluster year, you know you still have quality opponents to play the following year.

[Matt_Gardiner]

I have never used game contracts. I have signed others game contracts. The CCLA is using them for everything this year I believe.

It is not as binding as a contract, but I have always used email to schedule because of the records it creates. If I have a conversation over the phone about scheduling I will send out an email with 24 hours recapping my impression of the conversation.

For example... Just to make sure we are on the same page, my impression of our conversation is that SLU will travel to play your time provided that you are able to get another team.

OR... Please read this email as a confirmation of what I said on the phone that SLU will be traveling to X to play a game on X date and at X time.

It is just a good way to show there was no miscommunication or misunderstandings. Then if there is a problem, it is clear whose problem it is.

I have had multiple changes that were not discussed with me that were rammed down my teams throat. I have had games moved from Friday night to Saturday afternoon. I have had a third team added to a weekends trip without consulting me. While I could back out on the third team, they scheduled their trip under the impression that they would get in an extra game against us. I did not back out of any of these games, but would have felt justified doing so as it was not what I agreed to. Without an e-mail trail, I could not defend myself if I backed out.

You just need to be cautious about who you are scheduling with and what the distances are. I would be wary of any team coming to play us if the trip required the use of an airplane. The amount of resources and organization required to make that trip happen is extensive. If the team does not have a history of making long trips, that trip may go away. I still believe backing out on OOC games should have repercussions, but at the end of the day each coach should evaluate who he is playing and why. You need to keep your team protected and question the other teams ability to travel to play you. As the rules stand now, you are responsible for playing 3 OOC games. If you do not (for any reason) you do not qualify for an at-large bid. The league can not make concessions for individual teams. Again I am sorry if it sounds harsh, but you need to be wary of who you schedule your games against. As a side note, I pay close attention to the facilities that a team has before I travel to play them for similar reasons. I try not to schedule trips to places that could get easily rained or snowed out. To me having access to artificial turf dramatically increases the chance that I want to travel to play you. I do not want the risk of depending on a particular game and having mother nature take it away.