Merger Talk

[`MM9]

what is this Division 1-A football team rule?

Is it LSA, or national?


and why?

[Karl Lynch]

The rule is national. All nine conferences follow it.

Div. A teams are defined by whether or not a school has Div. 1 football. Div. A teams like TCU have the right to play down in Div. B, but must give up certain things. Likewise, a Div. B team can play up in Div. A. The most recognizable Div. B teams playing up are Sonoma State and UCSB.

The rule was put in place to give the entire MCLA a bright line rule for administrability.

[lax4ever]

Karl, what do you think about the concept of moving teams up and down based on how they finish?

[Karl Lynch]

I'm watching an English Premiere League soccer game right now. About three years ago at the LSA league meeting, I threw out the idea for general discussion of the top teams from Div. B moving up and the bottom Div. A moving down. Was not well received.

I think the MCLA got the Div. A v. Div. B distinction right when they set it up. There were lots of debates and all sides to the debate provided good insight and judgment. I think the two division structure on the national level is working real well, just like the NCAA division system.

I don't see a relegation system happening in the LSA.

[lax4ever]

I'm watching an English Premiere League soccer game right now. About three years ago at the LSA league meeting, I threw out the idea for general discussion of the top teams from Div. B moving up and the bottom Div. A moving down. Was not well received.

I think the MCLA got the Div. A v. Div. B distinction right when they set it up. There were lots of debates and all sides to the debate provided good insight and judgment. I think the two division structure on the national level is working real well, just like the NCAA division system.

I don't see a relegation system happening in the LSA.

You don't see it happening because you don't think it would benefit the conference, or because all the teams would not collectively vote the system into action.

[Karl Lynch]

Both. Won't help conference and teams won't want it.

[lax4ever]

well youve been around it longer then I have; I'll take the Karl knows best attitude

[laxforlife]

um.....thats all good commentary but I am still wondering about division B. Is it ok if we only have four teams? I dont know if any other teams are coming out but I am just putting the worst case scanario. I vote for the merger, I dont care if my team gets crushed. I rather be part of a strong division then a weak one, I think it would make the division B teams more serious.

[Karl Lynch]

The LSA can have a Div. B with one team or one hundred. But we need at least six to get an AQ.

[theLaxMJ32]

everyone is gonna have different suggestions but im gonna throw mine down anyways....

Two division format

North

OU
OSU
Tech
UNT
SMU
TCU
BU


South

LSU
Tulane
Rice
A&M
TSU
UT
SU


4 teams from each division go to playoffs

[seulax10]

everyone is gonna have different suggestions but im gonna throw mine down anyways....

Two division format

North

OU
OSU
Tech
UNT
SMU
TCU
BU


South

LSU
Tulane
Rice
A&M
TSU
UT
SU


4 teams from each division go to playoffs

...and is that with a division B? If so, that leaves...

SEU
AC
UTSA

...based on the teams that finished the regular season.

[theLaxMJ32]

well maybe keep the b division as it is and just move UT down to the south giving 6 teams in each division.

[`MM9]

I vote for the merger, I dont care if my team gets crushed. I rather be part of a strong division then a weak one, I think it would make the division B teams more serious.

I dont see how merging would make the LSA stronger....wouldn't it be weaker with 15-20 goal victories all over the place?

[unclaxman23]

The RMLC b split this year and it has worked pretty good.

[JW]

um.....thats all good commentary but I am still wondering about division B. Is it ok if we only have four teams? I dont know if any other teams are coming out but I am just putting the worst case scanario. I vote for the merger, I dont care if my team gets crushed. I rather be part of a strong division then a weak one, I think it would make the division B teams more serious.

You think you wouldn't mind getting crushed? But I first hand experienced an example of this one.

Centenary was a brand new team in the 2004 season and came to Arlington to play it's inaugural game. They made the trip with 13 guys and a Head Coach (Head Coach was a jerk by the way). Coming off of the heels of a 20-3 romping by Baylor we at UTA were wanting to make a statement, we very much took that statement too far.

By the end of the game the score was 35-3. We made a huge mistake of completely destroying this team.

They did not play another game all year and folded their team.

I still feel bad about that.

Guys get frustrated when all that happens in a game is they are getting beat by 20 goals. I don't think that that the merger is the best way to bring about the growth of Lacrosse in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.

I say stay with the Division B. More teams will pop up and in time it will become a respectable division.

I think that with the example that Southwestern sets in the B, we still have an opportunity to make something out of nothing.