Is the SEOAL a dead horse?

[loganlocos]

Jackson, Logan, and Gallipolis are stuck.

Think its hard to travel now, imagine the '20s, '30s, and '40s.

As long as those three are committed the league will be here. Unless someone proposes a REALISTIC alternative, I'm sticking to my guns on the league being around with those three plus whoever else wants in on the fun.

Not sure Portsmouth or Warren have options either, and I for one am glad to be in a league with them.

[Paladin]

I'd agree. The SEOAL isn't going anywhere and all of SEO doesn't want anything to do with the competition level there. I spent a LONG time up here watching the former Steel Valley League when they had only 3 TEAMS for more than a decade -- Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, Youngstown Ursuline and Warren Harding. No one wanted to play them either.

[LetsGoPSU]

Mooney,Ursiline and Harding compared to Logan,Portsmouth, Warren..........come on now

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

I'd agree. The SEOAL isn't going anywhere and all of SEO doesn't want anything to do with the competition level there. I spent a LONG time up here watching the former Steel Valley League when they had only 3 TEAMS for more than a decade -- Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, Youngstown Ursuline and Warren Harding. No one wanted to play them either.

TELL ME YOU HAVE A PRESCRIPTION FOR THAT STUFF.

[Paladin]

Remember , there are LOTS of SEO teams that are FORMER MEMBERS OF THE SEOAL. FORMER ? As in can't win in the league. Its one thing to play an SEOAL team. Its quite another to have to play ALL THE SEOAL. Thats why the league has fewer members. Athens -- former. Meigs -- former, N-Y -- former. Ironton-- former ( TWICE). Wellston -- former. River Valley -- former . Marietta -- former. Soon to be Chilli -- former. Athens, Meigs, N-Y, Wellston, River Valley and Marietta left because they couldn't win. Ironton and Chilli because they couldn't win the championship. Otherwise, you'd see people fighting to get into the toughest league in SEO ( which isn't saying much for the rest of the region). LOgan, Jackson and Gallia are avoided by most in SEO in non-league scheduling. POrtsmouth , for a bad as they have been can't get into a local league. No one wants any part of Warren Local and they haven't been very good either. So for a few teams, the SEOAL will always be home while the rest of SEO remain chicken with the competitive level played there. The biggest schools and baddest league is the SEOAL . And the rest of SEO will duck it.That pretty much assures that there will always be a SEOAL for the handful of teams that are too tough for everyone else to play.

[questionmark]

Athens will not leave the TVC...

They took a gamble leaving the only Conference they ever knew, and the TVC gave them a chance to start anew...( :122249 See What I Did There!)

Athens has found a new home in the TVC and would be foolish to move backward when everything is working forward. (See Warren Leaves TVC!)

Athens has found that being the biggest school has not diminished their chances at post-season play. When Athens went (9-1) and missed the Play-Offs they didn't have much wiggle room in the schedule moving into the new league and ended up filling the non-league portion with smaller schools. They learned from this mistake and have played a very balanced schedule since. The result, 2 Play-Off Appearances!

The Gates for Athens/NY/Alex have been great for the Athens County schools (as well as intercounty Trimble/NY). When money has been so bad for schools, saving money on travel while bringing in huge crowds for schools is just what they needed.

As so many things have changed, many have stayed the same.
Athens - SEOAL (2003)
Nelsonville-York, Meigs, Alexander
Warren, Jackson, Gallia
*Marietta, Portmouth, Logan, Point Pleasant

Athens - TVC (2012)
Nelsonville-York, Meigs, Alexander
Warren, Jackson, Gallia
*Watkins Memorial, Wellston, Vinton County, Waverly

*Only 4 Games changed on the schedule!

Football is not the only sport! I know that is hard for many to wrap their heads around, but there are other sports as well.
Athens still has the most SEOAL Baseball Championships, and has not played in the league for 4 years.

Athens has been extremely talented the past few years and seem to have the talent set for atleast 3 more seasons. However, there will be seasons where Athens struggles, it happens. (See Logan).

Lastly, why would Athens go back and help the SEOAL. The people of Athens remember that last season in Football in the SEOAL and remember what the teams did on those Friday nights when they clearly had the better teams and kept the pedal down.

The OLD SEOAL is gone...
Many FORMER teams have gone on to bigger and better places.
Soon, all the teams will be FORMER SEOAL teams...it is just a matter of time...
And many of those FORMER teams or Chicken teams as Paladin so nicely put it, will hold the keys to the Leagues that Logan, Jackson, Gallia and Warren will be trying to get into...

[Paladin]

This is more than pathetic. Why would you expect the TVC to stay intact and continue to get beat in most sports by a much bigger Athens ? Athens has no shame. However, don't expect the rest of the TVC to sit pat and lose year after year in most sports. Thye'll move to a newly established league or create a division Athens won't be in. Lots of ways to skin a cat. Because of their size, Athens belongs in the SEOAL. But , we all know Athens sucks, especially in their own division. As for the SEOAL, I look for Logan, Jackson and Gallia to remain, as well as Warren. Portsmouth may be considering a change, maybe to independent status and a new coach may have a say in that. Give it a few years, but Marietta maybe back. They are getting their arses cleaned as they already get beat annually by D-6 Zanesville Rosecrans and Zanesville, Dover, New Philly, etc do the same. Geographically , Athens would belong in this group if Portsmouth was gone. That would take the SEOAL back to a 6 team league. Several years back , I predicted that Athens would win big in the TVC when they joined and suggested LOgan continue to play them for the computer points. Leagues are ideally set up to foster competition with like sized schools. When competition is lacking the members of the league do what they have to do to rectify the problem. And in the SEOAL case, long staning tradition and similar size schools will band together. The SEOAL isn't going anywhere. It will survive. Most of SEO will duck it because they can't compete in the league. Too tough, schools too big and for some, travel too imposing. The times will be changing and I expect some folks to return to the fold. The SEOAL isn't as tough as the ECOL for Marietta and the TVC is too easy and small for Athens. TVC won't keep Athens too long and the ECOL will embarrass Marietta. Thats my prediction

[questionmark]

"Why would you expect the TVC to stay intact and continue to get beat in most sports by a much bigger Athens ? Athens has no shame." - Paladin

Really? This coming from a Logan poster...Logan knows exactly how Athens feels right now. Logan year in and year out got to see the benefit of being the biggest school in their respected League. Athens is the Logan of the TVC. Yet, most on here bash Athens for their move to the TVC. The only difference here now, is Athens is winning and Logan is losing, and the Old SEOAL foes do not like seeing Athens have success...

As Far as Athens "sucking" according to Paladin...
(19-2) the past two Seasons with Wins over (Gallia, Jackson, Warren (2), Watkins Mem., Nelsonville (2))
2 League Championships
2 Play-Off Appearences

If that is "Sucking" I really want to know what 'Winning" is...maybe Charlie Sheen can fill me in!

The OLD SEOAL is gone, baby gone!
Jackson or Gallia will be in the TVC-Ohio in the near future...
Warren burned the bridge with the TVC, so their choices are limited...
Marietta is not coming back...
Logan may benefit from a new scenery as they are struggling to compete in the current SEOAL (As the BIGGEST school in the League). (See Biggest doesn't always mean the Best!)

[Paladin]

First , Logan JUST had 3 bad years after dominating the league for several recent DECADES. Athens ? They sucked hind tail for decades. A lot of difference. And then, you RAN. Second, given the vast difference in size, how many years do you think the MUCH smaller teams in the TVC will enjoy losing to an oversized fraud from the SEOAL lunching on the TVC ? And tell me............... how many of the TVC are begging for Jackson & Gallia to join ? Word is, they are unwelcome because of size and competition level. As for Athens in the playoffs, you will have to win MOST of your games to make the playoffs where you'll get embarrassed by real teams who actually played better and bigger teams. If your idea of success is beating up on much smaller and weaker teams only to make the playoff where you get laughed out of the competition, good luck. Other teams simply will not allow their kids to be sacirifical lambs for your misguided sense of "competition" for very long. Just as Marietta will not allow their kids in all sports to be dominated by much tougher teams in the ECOL than the SEOAL they just left. Better travel doesn't get them competition that they can handle , but only get embarrassed by. You obviously never talked to an AD about why and how leagues are structured
. Face it, the TVC showed Athens "mercy". Athens had been embarrassed. Some folks felt sorry for you. But that won't last long.


The SEOAL isn't going anywhere. Some people will be back and sooner than you think.

[Paladin]

BTW, the size problem you accuse Logan of was not significant at all -- Marietta, Warren , Athens, Chilli, Jackson and LOgan were all of similar size. Gallia was down a division. Only Ironton and Portsmouth were down 2 divisions. How does Athens compare overall to the TVC members ?

Its hard to shame the shameless.. 8)

The move allows Athens to exploit the TVC. Logan was in the SEOAL for 80 years and similar in size to most over that time except for only recent changes im student populations dropping.. I know, I know -- you are NOW winning, but why ? Everyone knows why!

[questionmark]

I can see you must be an older person who fears change...I get it, change scares everyone...but not all change is bad!

Logan has always big the biggest school in the SEOAL. That is why the goal was always to beat them.
Athens is currently the biggest school in the TVC-OHIO. We know the rest of the TVC will try their best to beat us.

Logan was Division I for a majority of my High School Career.
The rest of the League was Division II and Division III. 2 Divisions Lower.

Athens is Division III.
The rest of the League is 1 DIII, 2 DIV, 2 DV. 2 Divisions Lower.

The only difference is that Athens actually has another team in the same Division, and Logan did not...why must Athens leave the TVC and Vinton not have to leave because they are in the same situtation. Is it because Athens is winning in Football and Vinton is not? That my friend, is a Contradiction!

Like I mentioned earlier, Athens learned and knows it must schedule a balanced non-league schedule to make the Play-Offs.

Meigs, Alexander, Nelsonville-York, Vinton County and Wellston have no problem with Athens being in the TVC.
Especially because it brings the competition level up in all-sports. This isn't just a Football argument. We know at Athens that our Football program had been in a rut through the 90's and some years in 2000's. We have turned our program in the right direction, and it was nice that it came when we moved into the new league. Also, Athens has done great outside of the TVC League games since the move. Beating former foes Galia, Jackson, Warren twice. Would have beat Logan the last 2 years as well. Like I mentioned earlier, the Athens Football schedule has remained mostly the same since leaving the SEOAL, now with a different importance on League games.

Misguided sense of competition? I guess we better schedule non-league games with teams outside of the SEOAL for better competition then since we played 3 this season. Nelsonville-York will always be a battle between the two schools. Meigs has a new comander in chief who will turn Meigs around. Alexander has done some great things over the past 3 seasons that many never thought their football program would ever do. Jackson really wants in the League and we really want Jackson in the League because they will make the League better (IN ALL SPORTS) and will shut people outside of the League who just can't get over Athens leaving the Mighty SEOAL. Jackson just missed being in the League by 1 vote, and that vote was from a TVC-Hocking team.

I'm done on this Topic, you enjoy your SEOAL for a few more years and we will enjoy the great people at the TVC.
I just hope you Logan people bash this hard on Jackson or Gallia once they are in the League!

[GalliaGrad78]

I would think if Gallia Academy were to move down a league (which I seriously doubt), it would be a move to the OVC, with shorter travel.

[Dundas]

Vinton County gets a pass on being a big school because they were a charter member of the league. Warren would get the same pass had they not left for "greener pastures ".

[Paladin]

hey ?........... I suspect you are young and therefore not really knowledgable about the SEOAL. Logan was never the largest school until recent years, as student population decline began and they had some growth. Logan was barely a D-I svchool. The SEOAL is over 80 years old and Logan was never the biggest school only until recently. He11 at one point, Portsmouth would have been the biggest school. Look at them now . Athens was until recently a D-II school. Ditto Warren, Marietta, Chilli, Jackson and recently, Zanesville. Logan is now a D-II. What don't you understand about SIMILAR SIZED ? Only now is Athens barely a D-III. Your problem is Athens went slumming to the TVC becasue they couldn't win against THEIR PEERS of similar sized schools and LONG STANDING ATHLETIC TRADITION. FRankly, that was a product of meddling parents who had kids doing drugs, alcohol and living a carefree life free from STRENUOUS ATHLETIC PURSUIT. Watch how long the Bulldogs last in the playoffs where they will have to play SER IOUS D-III teams who played bigger and tougher teams than you have in the TVC. Athens remains a joke. I assure you, everyone in the SEOAL will play Athens anytime, anywhere in anything.But then, Athens did play in the SEOAL for 70 YEARS. WHY ? Because they were of SIMILAR SIZE & ABILITY as the rest of the league. The kids at Athens went SOFT and lost , BIGTIME, against their peers. Hiding in a league of smaller schools won't relieve the stark reality -- Athens remains a loser against similar sized schools and a joke in the playoff division they are in.

Again, I repeat -- if Athens ran from the SEOAL because they couldn't win, why would you expect the much smaller TVC teams to remain with Athens while you win everything every year and expect them to stay and not do anything about it ? You obviously aren't very bright either. Leagues are supposed to foster competition where all can expect to win over a period of time.

[ohiostbucks99]

use to be the best conference on the block

[noreply66]

Go SEOAL

[A-Town Big Dog]

Boys, boys.....relax a bit, it is obvious that both of you are old enough to have lived through the Athens/Logan rivalries or at least mutual hatred of years past but chill out just a little. The facts are the facts fellas, Athens was struggling and not competitive in football at the time of leaving the SEOAL, was it a factor in the decision to leave for the TVC...yes probably but it was just one of MANY factors, you don't just up and pull out of a league that you were part of forever without much thought and consideration of all factors, winning football games was a very small part of that equasion. The move to the TVC allowed Athens to rebuild the football program much faster than they would have been able to in the SEOAL without a doubt but, to say that they suck now because of that fact is just plain ignorant in its own right, the only schools from the SEOAL that Athens hasn't either played and/or beaten over the last two seasons are Logan and Portsmouth and I don't think anyone in their right mind thinks either would have beaten Athens so to say anytime, anywhere is kinda silly. Enough of this Athens vs Logan, SEOAL vs TVC stuff. Is the SEOAL going anywhere anytime soon?....most likely not. Gallia, Jackson, Logan, Warren, and Portsmouth have all had success in the league in one sport or another and while some of them are struggling in football currently the league as a whole will survive as long as they want it to. That being said, it isn't going to keep people from speculating about possible changes to the league in one way or another, welcome to the social media age.

[A-Town Big Dog]

For the record, I like the SEOAL and it's member schools and wish them all the best.....well at least on weeks we aren't playing them .

[maniac66]

Always going to have people talking and hating.
Athens going to a smaller league because they couldn't win.
Ironton leaving because they couldn't win.
It will always be like that true or not only the people in power know.
Portsmouth will prob. be the next to leave from size point alone heard they are trying to get in ovc and it may happen.
Gallia who knows I think the OVC would be a good fit for them but then again who knows.
Jackson everytime you turn around they are applying to another league it sounds like soc is on their radar even if soc don't want them lol.
It is what it is.
Logan has few choices if any may the Marrietta route and same with Warren.
Schools change as the landscape dictates and what is best for the schoolos them self's.
I like the SEOAL but you must agree there is alot of travelling in it and Football is not the only sport it has to travel.
Good luck to all the teams in it and I do hope it stays together only time will tell if it does or not.

[NYBuckeye96]

Another reason teams change conferences is money. If a conference is spread out geographically, its doubtful fans will travel in high numbers, which hurts revenue.

I doubt a Portsmouth - Warren football game will ever be a big money maker. Portsmouth-Wheelersburg, yes. Warren-Parkersburg South, yes.

If you can't fill your stands, you can't afford to fund your athletic teams. Utlimately, it all comes down to $$$$$$$$$$$.