Opening Day!?!?...

[The "O"]

Is the first day for colleges to play across the nation "too" early? I believe it is the 6th of February maybe ? If not only a week or so later! Way too cold for teams up north of the Mason Dixon line!

[NCBBallFan]

It's cold up north coach, but it sure is nice for those northern teams to be able to hop on a plane in early february and fly down to Texas, California or Florida and get in 6-7 games before returning.

The NCAA is talking about moving the start of the season back to March 1st just because the foul weather in the North gives the southern teams a competitive advantage. It won't be for the 2005-06 season, because it hasn't been voted on, but it may be for the 06-07 season.

At the same time, the NCAA is looking a changing how they do fall practices. Right now, you have a "starting date" and the clock starts ticking. You have "x" days to get your fall work in. If it rains for that month, tough luck on your part. Under the new proposal, there will be a 45 day window for you to schedule your "X" days of workouts in. If the weather is bad one day, you postpone that workout and make it up later. Should make for better falls.

Another thing about moving the season back to March 1st: If it's done, none of the colleges want to loose any games, but there will be up to 3 less weeks in the season to squeeze those current 56 game schedules into. That means that, instead of 4-5 games/week as is currently scheduled, teams will now be playing 5-6 games/week. That's a big hit in the classroom. They want to get the entire season finished in 12 weeks. That means you will average 4.5 games/week in order to accomplish that (3 game set on the weekend with 1 mid-week game on half the weeks and 2 on the other half). Under the current system, the schools need only average 3.7 games/week. (3 game set on the weekend - one mid-week) with an occasional rainout or cancelled friday). The additional full game/week will have a tremendous impact on the college pitching staffs at the smaller institutions.

[The "O"]

This is exactly why I asked the question! Not all schools up north unfortunately are willing or can finance these trips down South. You could tell as a player in college they just didn t seem to be at the same level as our schools down here! What do ya think? :applause:

[NC-dad]

Elon starts out on Feb 4 vs Wofford then they play a 3 game series with
Delaware St.

[cougardad]

Methodist College Open Feb 5th.
Good luck Monarchs! :xyzthumbs

[bball23]

N.C. State opens Feb. 4th against Deleware State.

[rattdd]

UNCC opens 2/12/05 with the Citadel.

[NCBBallFan]

This is exactly why I asked the question! Not all schools up north unfortunately are willing or can finance these trips down South. You could tell as a player in college they just didn t seem to be at the same level as our schools down here! What do ya think? :applause:
I am not in favor of changing the playing season in order to be politically correct. It seems like the NCAA wants to change things NOT to balance the competition but to spite mother nature. Should the NCAA change the recruiting rules so that the Southern Conference can play football at the same level as the SEC? It's the same thing.

I don't see anything being done by the NCAA to balance the level of competition in Hockey .... nor should there. But if the NCAA believes that balancing the competition is so all-fired important then they better start building hockey rinks at the southern schools.

It's a ridiculous piece of legislation.

[bball23]

NCBBALLFAN I agree! :applause: