Conference altering and toxic fandom can hurt a festive mood. Yet, good stories still exist.
Signing Day Blues
I will never begrudge an athlete or school making a fuss about signing day. That player’s collegiate journey begins with the stroke of a pen. Additionally, the vivid graphics announcing said signing brings joy to everyone and it should. Yet, the early signing period felt different this year. If you watch the ticker, each FBS school grabs prospects from all corners of the globe. However, one thought continues to gnaw at me. How many of these same players will still be wearing the same school jersey a year or two from now? Make no mistake, players should be able to find the best educational, athletic, and financial situation for them. Yet, this signing period feels like something’s missing. Some of these players will have new homes.
The Congress of Doing Too Much
While the transfer portal looks like it will remain a part of collegiate athletics for the long run, an aspect bothers me. When did fanbases believe that they hold dominion or sway or an individual player and their decision? Worse, the sense of entitlement extends to voicing their displeasure with a players’ families. Case in point. former Oklahoma offensive lineman Cayden Green. Green, originally from Kansas City, hopped in the portal, choosing Mizzou. Apparently, some knuckleheads in the Sooner fanbase, decided to reviewbomb, Green’s father, who works as an insurance agent. Find those reviews and reaction here. Cayden Green’s father’s career is just that, his. Under no circumstances should delusional fans attack it. Root for who you want, it’s part of the game. Yet, when you go out of your way to attack a family member because of a transfer, that ventures beyond fandom. Seek help.
#Oklahoma fans are leaving one-star reviews for the business owned by a parent of a player who recently transferred to #Mizzou. pic.twitter.com/s1IFa4Aepo
— Message Board Geniuses (@BoardGeniuses) December 21, 2023
Great By the Lake
College basketball, especially around this time of year teems with stories of achievement and perseverance. Mercyhurst University began play in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in 2009. During their sixteen-year tenure, the women’s basketball team enjoyed just two winning seasons. When head coach Brooklyn Kohlheim took the job in Erie, she understood the mountain of work ahead of her. After systemically building a roster to compete, Coach Kohlheim led the Lakers to a 15-14 record last season. This season, the Lakers dropped their first two games before running off eight straight wins. While Bailey Kuhns and Danielle Grim anchor the offense, Mercyhurst’s calling card is defense. By holding conference opponents to 55 points and a 35.7% shooting percentage in conference, PSAC opponents have started to understand that points against the Lakers are at a premium.
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Greener Grass?
As of this writing, Florida State trustees will meet on the Friday before Christmas to discuss an exodus from the ACC. Now, that may seem like an overreaction to the CFP snub, let’s unpack a possible future. Will the FSU’s departure lead to the end of the ACC? Maybe not. Schools like South Florida, Memphis, even West Virginia would seamlessly fit. Are they suitable football replacements for the Seminoles? No. However, the ACC represents a step up for USF/Memphis and a chance to compete for West Virginia. In all honestly, one hidden victim of FSU’s departure will be the American Athletic Conference. The remaining ACC schools do not possess many viable options. As a result, an outright raiding of the AAC gives the ACC an infusion of teams needed to survive. Conference jumping will always have a ripple effect and collateral damage spreads through the landscape.
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Vindication
Today, I spoke to Great American Conference Commissioner Will Prewitt. Last Saturday, one of the GAC’s founding members, Harding University, captured the NCAA Division 2 national football championship. While Commissioner Prewitt displayed great pride in the Bison victory, he articulated an interesting point. That victory serves as vindication for one of the NCAA’s youngest conferences. Plus, Harding rolled through the season, despite completing only twenty-six passes. Opponents dealt with a rushing attack that amassed 6,161 rushing yards and 79 touchdowns. Teams knew the run was coming and could not stop it. For Harding, the GAC and similar conferences, the championship sends a clear message that the Great American Conference is for real.
The Buzz in Montgomery
Without much in the way of national fanfare, Alabama State University men’s basketball hosted the University of Southern California. The 7,400-seat Dunn-Oliver Acadome packed fans to the rafters to see their school play the Trojans. While the Hornets lost by twenty, the victory comes from the fact that an HBCU stadium filled to capacity. Hopefully, the Hornets can build off the large crowd and give their faithful more to cheer and celebrate.
A House in Disarray
Earlier this week, Texas Southern University geared up to name former Alcorn State University coach Fred McNair as their new head football coach. In a case of ” see, what had happened was”, TSU failed to reach a quorum when naming McNair as the new head coach. Two members of the Board of Regents preferred another candidate to lead the Tigers. As a result, the job and McNair’s status hang in limbo. Alcorn State shut the door on a McNair return by promoting defensive coordinator Cedric Thomas. TSU possesses a proud athletic legacy and tradition. However, watching the disorganization from afar sullies a bit of that shine. With early signing day in the rearview mirror, Texas Southern University made a crucial error in building a quality athletic program.