Is the SEOAL a dead horse?

[fortdawg]

Logan looked northward, Warren and Jackson want out, Portsmouth is rumored to be leaving, only Gallia seems happy about staying, yep that is some league you boys have. I wish you all the happiness and sincerely hope everybody stays with you. By the way---exactly what time does the Girls Basketball team make it back to Vincent after a school night game in Portsmouth?

[freethrow]

foger about basketball how about the softball and baseball and track teams with early start time. at least basketball as a later starting date. Look at the TVC what were they thinking adding South Gallia??? easy wins??? South Galla to any place takes forever. Belpre to Miller or South Gallia. They AD's weren't thinking of travel when they made this call.

As far as the SEOAL they wll be fine and I've heard they will be adding two new teams

[fortdawg]

Agreed, on the travel.

[Daniel Larusso]

Athens voted for expansion in the SEOAL, and then announced their departure before one conference game was even played. Besides being cowardly, it made absolutely no sense to then cite travel concerns as their excuse for leaving.

I agree with Paladin. I can't see the TVC Ohio schools putting up with losing to Athens in everything every year for too much longer. Whether it be forcing Athens out of the conference (kicking and screaming of course) or a separate division where they don't have to play Athens, something has got to give. I bet Athens has won more TVC titles in 5 years than they won in 70 in the SEOAL. In a couple of years River Valley will also be joining Athens' list of sacrificial lambs in the TVC. No problem, In Athens they don't need respect, they are the kings of the TVC.

[goUK]

option 1 (look south for more members)

ironton
portsmouth
gallia
jackson

option 2(look north for more members)

logan
warren
gallia
jackson

chillicothe is leaving right?

i think either way you are stuck with a 4 team conference and better hope gallia doesnt go to the OVC.

logan/warren are too far away from ironton/portsmouth

by minimizing travel, you will decrease complaints

[goUK]

i still think this would be the best option but probably couldnt happen for 7-10 years

logan
marietta
chilli
athens
warren
jackson
gallia

[93Bulldog]

Thank goodness I washed my hands of all the hatred and animosity towards Athens by other SEOP posters ... thanks for the laughs though - you guys can be very entertaining at times. I kind of wish though the Athens AD would get on here and post the truth behind Athens leaving the SEOAL for the TVC ... I can tell you right now that I have sat down with him at baseball games and discussed it numerous times - and the language and reasonings he talks about resemble nothing what posters on SEOPS say.

you guys are waaaaaay off base ... but continue to believe as you do ... its fun to read your theories and assumptions.

[Paladin]

Let me address travel -- the "strain" on the SEOAL really began when the expansion began ( Ironton, Portsmouth, Zanesville & Chilli) because really long travel was created. But go look at a map -- Logan, Athens, Warren, Marietta, Jackson & Gallia aren't that bad, which is much of the old SEOAL before expamsion. Travel in that line-up isn't a major problem. It never was when the league was structured that way. Only the extreme edges ( Ironton , Portsmouth, Chilli & Zanesville) stretched it badly. With the exception of Athens, the competition was good among those schools. Natural rivals as well . Portsmouth is now isolated and far from most schools , so they'll look for alternatives, including independent. I expect Marietta back if the league goes to the 6 teams I named. That leaves Athens and look at a map ( they are right in the middle of that geographically ). At that point , travel ISN'T an excuse. It is once again a league of 6 SIMILAR SIZED SCHOOLS and long standing tradition and rivalry. Athens can't win everything every year against much smaller schools and expect the TVC to sit pat. So I not only expct the SEOAL to survive, I just named the composition of the league in the future. In that line up, travel isn't a major problem.

[Paladin]

BTW, 93 bulldog.................. I'd LOVE to hear the "OFFICAL" excuse(s). Fire away !

[Paladin]

93bulldog ?

[93Bulldog]

Plan on doing an article on the TVC web site here soon ... need to get ahold of the Athens AD to see if he will do it ... I don't want the info coming from me, it would be much better to hear it from the horses mouth. It may help - but probably won't ...with the things I hear and see on here - it appears like any facts won't help anyone change their mind ... its like watching Democrats and Republicans try and convince the other side their policies are better.

you have your mind made up - and changing it seems impossible ... but still, doing an article sounds fun so I will try and do it anyways.

[Paladin]

sure sounds like you are ducking the issue. IF THERE ARE REASONS, it shouldn't be difficult to sum them up and put them out for FULL DISCLOSURE and discussion. I suspect the REAL REASON WAS LACK OF COMPETITIVENESS. But everyone is all ears to hear the "real reason(s)". Surely, the "reasons" are quite simple and straightforward as the school "viewed" them. Since you claim to know and Athens is gone, don't be gutless and hide the "real reasons", if they "actually" exist . You only make Athens out to look even worse by hiding what should have been FIRM CONVICTIONS for the real reasons used to validate leaving the SEOAL. Most of us believe sincerely we know the reason already.

Make your case and state the reasons.

[noreply66]

Athens voted for expansion in the SEOAL, and then announced their departure before one conference game was even played. Besides being cowardly, it made absolutely no sense to then cite travel concerns as their excuse for leaving.

I agree with Paladin. I can't see the TVC Ohio schools putting up with losing to Athens in everything every year for too much longer. Whether it be forcing Athens out of the conference (kicking and screaming of course) or a separate division where they don't have to play Athens, something has got to give. I bet Athens has won more TVC titles in 5 years than they won in 70 in the SEOAL. In a couple of years River Valley will also be joining Athens' list of sacrificial lambs in the TVC. No problem, In Athens they don't need respect, they are the kings of the TVC.

Do not know the numbers but while Athens was in the SEOAL-- they have won many basketball championships,won tons of track titles,probably second to Logan--might have the most baseball titles, wrestling, soccer, golf together are large numbers.. It wouldn't shock me one bit if you took all of the titles while Athens was in the SEOAL and it would be the most of any team.

[93Bulldog]

How about my point of view ...

why drive one hour and play in front of 100 people ... when you can drive 15 minutes and play in front of 2,000?
why welcome the 50 people Portsmouth brought to R. Basil Rutter field (the last time we played them) ... when you can welcome 3,000+ that attened the NY/Athens game last year?
why drive an hour-and-half on a Tuesday night to play Portsmouth - or even the hour drive to Warren or Gallia - when you can drive the 10 minutes it takes to Alex and NY? (THERE ARE TONS OF OTHER SPORTS BESIDES FOOTBALL)

MONEY, TIME, TRAVEL ... ALL GAINED IN SWITCHING LEAGUES ... and don't forget a league affiliation goes all the way down to the 7th and 8th grade teams ... the weeknight road trips for 12 and 13 year olds to Portsmouth, Warren, Gallia and Chillicothe (cause they were in back then) I'm sure helped the decision.

Face it ... switching leagues benefited Athens in every way, shape or form ...

I'm sure Athens saw a much better opportunity and they took it - I wouldn't blame anyone for making such a decision ... you do something to better yourself - good for you - who am I to pass judgement.

[93Bulldog]

RULE #1 IN ANYTHING ...

IF YOU CAN MAKE TWICE AS MUCH MONEY IN HALF THE TIME ... THEN DO IT.

Saving gas and pay for bus drivers - while the gates to sporting events has doubled, if not tripled since Athens joined the TVC ... pretty smart decision, IMO.
Having the kids at home by 10:00 on a weeknight - as opposed to 12:00 ... (from the academic folks involved in the decision - that was a HUGE FACTOR I'm sure)

- when you leave a game at Alex, NY, Meigs and even Vinton ... you jump on a bus and come home ... when your down in Portsmouth, Chillicothe, Warren, Jackson and Gallia you have to stop and eat ... the volleyball team can play a game at Alex and can be home before dark - there is a big difference between the two ... and did I mention 'The Alley' was packed for that match-up?

[Paladin]

Again I'll repeat -- Zanesville , Ironton and Chilli gone. Ditto Marietta. Much of the competition is now gone. Portsmouth is the only bad road trip and not sure how muh longer they will be around. $$$$$$$$$$$$ is now your reason ? It sure isn't competition. That depends on how much longer the TVC is going to allow you to eat their lunch and collect their bucks in a one sided affair. My educated guess is, many of the athletic directors are looking at THEIR POINT OF VIEW and see a one sided affair. That which you like ( very easy competition, local travel, $$$$$$$$) may not be yours much longer. If the TVC teams bail on you, then what ? And one sided affairs rarely, if ever, remain with good attendance. After all, why go if the decision is known before the game is played ? Why waste your $$$$$$$$$$ ? Surely you can't expect everyone to be that dumb ? If you expect everyone to sit still for 70 years ( like your association with the SEOAL, bad ? trips and all) in the TVC while you win everyting, you are kidding yourself and no one here.

I suspect most have their own opinion what the real reason was.

[A-Town Big Dog]

Paladin: I will agree totally with one of your points, I believe that the SEOAL of the early and mid 90's could exist again under the right circumstances with Logan, Gallia, Jackson, Athens, Warren, and Marietta getting back together. Only time will tell but one thing is for sure, our opinions really mean very little in decisions like these no matter how much we wish they did.

[93Bulldog]

Those teams you mentioned WEREN'T GONE when Athens switched - which is what I thought we were talking about ... "why Athens switched leagues."

BTW ... ATHENS DOESN'T DOMINATE THE TVC ... REMEMBER, THEIR ARE OTHER SPORTS BESIDES FOOTBALL.

BOYS BASKETBALL ... VINTON COUNTY IS THE TOP DOG.
FOOTBALL ... ATHENS HAS WON ONLY 2 TITLES SINCE 2008 ... 2-OUT-OF-5 IS DOMINATING?
VOLLEYBALL ... ALEXANDER WON THE TVC-OHIO TITLE - NELSONVILLE-YORK JUST WON A DISTRICT TITLE SATURDAY .. AND ALEX IS USUALLY THE TEAM TO BEAT.
BASEBALL ... CAME DOWN TO ATHENS/MEIGS THIS YEAR AND ATHENS WON ... MEIGS WON IT LAST YEAR.

I CAN GO ON-AND-ON ...

HERE ... JUST GO BRUSH UP ON YOUR TVC-OHIO HISTORY BEFORE THROWING OUT THE 'DOMINATION' WORD .... http://trivalleyconference.com/History.html

[93Bulldog]

I think some folks are confused over the size of schools amongst the leagues.

The difference between Athens (the biggest in the Ohio) and Nelsonville-York (the smallest) is closer than some other leagues by far.

Athens - 297
Nelsonville-York - 151
(a difference of 146 boys)

Logan - 478
Portsmouth - 179
(a difference of 299 boys!)

Tri-Valley - 396
Crooksville - 150
(a difference of 246 boys!)

"THE TVC-OHIO IS ONE OF THE MORE BALANCED LEAGUES IN SOUTHEASTERN OHIO IN TERMS OF SIZE ... BUT CONVINCING ANYONE OF THIS FACT IS JUST STUPID - THEY REFUSE TO LOOK AT THE FACTS."

[Dundas]

Athens made the right choice in joining the TVC. They already played most of the Ohio schools in every sport prior to the switch. The gates have improved tremendously. Athens did what Jackson and Warren wanted to do for the exact same reasons. Closer travel, more money, and lastly, easier overall competition. The only question I would like to hear the answer to would be, why did Athens vote for an SEOAL expansion and then use travel as a factor in leaving? That's the only thing I don't get..