Pinball Chronicles: Competitive Advantage
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A recent trend that is appearing in MCLA Division 2 is the appearance of NAIA teams running completely under the control of their athletic department. These teams have access to many of the things that most club teams can only dream about. These teams for all intents and purposes are VARSITY teams, yep VARSITY.
Currently in the MCLA there is Davenport, Savannah College of Art and Design, Westminster, Tennessee Wesleyan, Missouri Baptist, Lindenwood and the coming addition (according to press releases) of Reinhardt College and Siena Heights. Do these programs who enjoy full time paid coaches, and are almost 100% funded by the school belong in the MCLA? The same MCLA that was founded by true club teams that are NOT run by the athletic department but by the students themselves?
While these teams are running a “NCAA-like” program their schools athletic department has opted for the NAIA, which is a smaller, simpler association of mostly smaller Christian Schools. Most of these smaller NAIA schools do not pride themselves on a great athletic tradition.
Frankly I have not heard of most of the NAIA schools before (probably one reason is there are zero in Minnesota), but I would classify most of the schools to be similar in size to most NCAA D3 schools. They are looking at Varsity lacrosse as a marketing tool for their school in a declining economy, one where small private schools are seeing a significant drop in applications.
So since these VARSITY teams cannot play in the NCAA, where should they play? Is the right fit the MCLA, a organization made up of club teams. I say no.
I say no because these teams have different issues and have a distinct competitive advantage over the club teams that this organization was formed to serve. Even on the MCLA.us the official home of the MCLA it states that “The Mens Collegiate Lacrosse Association is a national organization of Non-Varsity college lacrosse programs.”
Most NAIA/Varsity teams will state that it I am just jealous. Well I am jealous, I wish I didn’t spend hundreds of dollars of my own money to help pay for bus travel, field paint, balls, nets, etc.
I’m also jealous because I spent countless hours of my time making a website, filling out eligibility forms, or painting fields at 5am. Tasks that only a club lacrosse player/coach knows.
Non Lacrosse Thoughts:
1. So excited for St. Patrick’s Day, a big time in the Carlson household. Most people who meet me or my family do not think I am Irish because of the my lack of red hair and dark complexion but thanks to Wikipedia I don’t have to give the story 300 times- Black Irish
2. 24 has once again become the best show on television.
3. The Academy Awards were incredibly boring again this year, all of the movies that are “critically acclaimed” were pretty much terrible. The only good to come out of Slum Dog Millionaire was this.
4. Put the movie “Duets” in your NetFlix queue. I never thought a movie about Karaoke hustling could be entertaining.
5. The NFL draft is going to be wild, a fairly weak class so there will be some serious trades come draft day. I am just hoping the Vikings can get a Right Tackle, Center, Quarterback, corner and Wide Receiver that can start on opening day.
6. TO will be a great teammate in Buffalo this year, but next year he will be cancer in the locker room.
Former SJU attackman Jon Carlson will be blogging about UMLL and Minnesota Lacrosse this spring. He is also a obsessed with Bill Simmons and thinks this blog is taking him one step closer to becoming as cool as him. Besides lacrosse he also enjoys fishing, golfing and driving around in the school bus he purchased with three of his college buddies. He currently lives in Minneapolis, MN and you can find him at the Park Tavern or on Facebook here. [UPDATE- I have given up Facebook for Lent, and I am approching two weeks without it--it has been a tough couple of weeks]
