DII Championship - Shepherd v. Northwest Missouri State

BobLovely · Fri Dec 18, 2015 7:38 am

Since this game is local for me, I will attend. Tickets are $25. The game is being played at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas at 3:00pm tomorrow. With Northwest Missouri State being a local team, I expect a good crowd. A sunny day with a high of 50 degrees is expected.

Bob

Fri Dec 18, 2015 8:09 am

BobLovely wrote:Since this game is local for me, I will attend. Tickets are $25. The game is being played at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas at 3:00pm tomorrow. With Northwest Missouri State being a local team, I expect a good crowd. A sunny day with a high of 50 degrees is expected.

Bob

I don't think you could ask for a nicer day for football. Have a great time.

For those that don't know, Northwest Missouri State has long been a power in Division II. They've won championships in '98, '99, '09, and '13, and were championship runner-up in '05, '06, '07, and '08, and obviously they'll be one or the other again this year.

BobLovely · Fri Dec 18, 2015 9:48 am

ST_Lawson wrote:
BobLovely wrote:Since this game is local for me, I will attend. Tickets are $25. The game is being played at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas at 3:00pm tomorrow. With Northwest Missouri State being a local team, I expect a good crowd. A sunny day with a high of 50 degrees is expected.

Bob
I don't think you could ask for a nicer day for football. Have a great time.

For those that don't know, Northwest Missouri State has long been a power in Division II. They've won championships in '98, '99, '09, and '13, and were championship runner-up in '05, '06, '07, and '08, and obviously they'll be one or the other again this year.

Thank you Scott! Sporting Park is a great place for this game with first class amenities. Northwest Missouri State is an excellent DII program.

Bob

leatherface · Fri Dec 18, 2015 11:11 am

I just read on the MIAA site that tickets are about gone. 18,000 or so expected. Interesting, the first 7 rows will not be used on the sideline areas because it's hard to see. We were at the K-State spring game held there, and that is true. The grand kids wanted close to the players, so we sat in row 3. However, it's difficult to see much the way the stadium is set. Remember, it's a soccer stadium,but, a great place.

BobLovely · Fri Dec 18, 2015 2:50 pm

One of my executive coaching clients works for Sporting Kansas City so I am attending the game as his guest. I am pleased to hear the game is a near sellout...

Bob

Fri Dec 18, 2015 4:13 pm

leatherface wrote:I just read on the MIAA site that tickets are about gone. 18,000 or so expected. Interesting, the first 7 rows will not be used on the sideline areas because it's hard to see. We were at the K-State spring game held there, and that is true. The grand kids wanted close to the players, so we sat in row 3. However, it's difficult to see much the way the stadium is set. Remember, it's a soccer stadium,but, a great place.

FCS championship game is in a soccer stadium too...sounds like it's worked out great for that event so far as well (especially for Bison fans that like to completely take over Frisco for the weekend).

BobLovely · Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:08 am

This was a fun game to attend. It was an excellent day for football and Sporting Park is a great venue for a DII championship game. Northwest Missouri State was dominant. This team could compete at the FCS level based on their size, speed and depth. They would likely give Western a very tough game.

Bob

leatherface · Mon Dec 21, 2015 7:55 am

Bob, glad you had a good day. We will be in KC later this week. Yes, a few years ago Northwest was "begging" to play Western,however, Western had enough sense not to do it. A lot of folks don't know how strong the MIAA is, and the quality of football players.

Mon Dec 21, 2015 8:15 am

leatherface wrote:Bob, glad you had a good day. We will be in KC later this week. Yes, a few years ago Northwest was "begging" to play Western,however, Western had enough sense not to do it. A lot of folks don't know how strong the MIAA is, and the quality of football players.

Yea, it's kinda a lose-lose situation for us.

If we win, then...well...it's a win, but it doesn't count towards our D1 win count. Essentially the playoff committee ignores Div. II and III wins (they kinda treat FBS losses the same way, unless there's something very significant about it...they didn't penalize us for losing to Illinois, for example), so if you want to get to 7 D1 wins (which is usually the barrier, although as we found out this year...6 can make it if you have a really tough schedule and the right wins), then you essentially have to go 7-3 the rest of the season and be 8-3 overall.

If we lose, then that's pretty bad. The playoff committee doesn't really differentiate between a D2 Northwest Missouri State and a D2 Northwestern Oklahoma State (they went 3-8) if you lose. You lost to a D2, and they don't look favorably on that. You'd have to nearly win-out to overcome the "stigma" of that...even if it is a very good D2 team.

It's kinda the same for FBS playing FCS (although they can count an FCS win as a D1 win for bowl eligibility). If you're an FBS and you lose to an FCS...regardless of whether it's North Dakota State or Missouri State...it's still a "lower-level" loss.

The only "good" that can come of it is likely another home game since we'd almost assuredly be paying them to come to Macomb.

sealhall74 · Mon Dec 21, 2015 9:13 am

ST_Lawson wrote:
leatherface wrote:Bob, glad you had a good day. We will be in KC later this week. Yes, a few years ago Northwest was "begging" to play Western,however, Western had enough sense not to do it. A lot of folks don't know how strong the MIAA is, and the quality of football players.
Yea, it's kinda a lose-lose situation for us.

If we win, then...well...it's a win, but it doesn't count towards our D1 win count. Essentially the playoff committee ignores Div. II and III wins (they kinda treat FBS losses the same way, unless there's something very significant about it...they didn't penalize us for losing to Illinois, for example), so if you want to get to 7 D1 wins (which is usually the barrier, although as we found out this year...6 can make it if you have a really tough schedule and the right wins), then you essentially have to go 7-3 the rest of the season and be 8-3 overall.

If we lose, then that's pretty bad. The playoff committee doesn't really differentiate between a D2 Northwest Missouri State and a D2 Northwestern Oklahoma State (they went 3-8) if you lose. You lost to a D2, and they don't look favorably on that. You'd have to nearly win-out to overcome the "stigma" of that...even if it is a very good D2 team.

It's kinda the same for FBS playing FCS (although they can count an FCS win as a D1 win for bowl eligibility). If you're an FBS and you lose to an FCS...regardless of whether it's North Dakota State or Missouri State...it's still a "lower-level" loss.

The only "good" that can come of it is likely another home game since we'd almost assuredly be paying them to come to Macomb.

I want next coach to come in with a badass "No risk - no reward" attitude. Play the best competition at all times and throw your best punch at everyone.