OVC & SOC Merge Talk

[goUK]

Since the OVC is so perfect, I think I am looking at this in a completely wrong way..... I think the SOC should send out 4 invites into their league.

1. Portsmouth
2. Ironton
3. Piketon
4 . Jackson

After they accept, lol, then refigure the league on a more Competitive balance!

The OVC is just about perfect, why would they change it? Since 2015 when Ironton joined the OVC, Gallia, portsmouth, fairland and coal grove have all beaten ironton. So i dont see the problem with the OVC as is. The biggest issue is Portsmouth is not competitive in any sport but they are a pretty good fit i feel. Ironton's only team Sport OVC championships are in Football and Softball i believe. Hardly dominant when you look outside of football. All schools have "their" sport.

Football- ironton
Boys soccer- Gallia Academy
Girls Soccer- Rock Hill
Volleyball- Gallia Academy
Wrestling- Gallia Academy
Boys Basketball- Fairland
Girls Basketball- Fairland
Baseball- Gallia?
Softball- Rock Hill?
Track- I am not sure about this

If i were the SOC, I would absolutely invite Jackson and Ironton. If the OVC were to add anyone, i think the only logistical answer would be Oak Hill and Jackson. Teams like Gallia, Fairland Portsmouth, West, Minford, and waverly (that would be in the big school division) would not be very inviting to have to play Burg, ironton and jackson every year so i cant see that passing a vote.

[pmow3]

This is what needs to happen.

I’ll just post this here and let everyone tell me how it won’t work. And that’s fine.
But I think, more than ever, it’s what needs to happen. For the better of both conferences.


Division 1
Ironton
Burg
Portsmouth
Waverly
West
Fairland
Gallia

Division 2
Valley
Minford
Rock hill
South point
Coal grove
Oak hill
Northwest
Chesapeake

Division 3
ND
East
Green
Eastern
SV
So Gallia
Manchester
And I might be missing someone.

You’d still have 3-4 games you could go schedule and play up or play down if you need to for your own program.
Travel excuse doesn’t hold water with me. All teams have a few games that are an hour away already.
Almost all of these teams play or have played the others that would be in their division within the last 10 years, so there is no new anything here.
Just do it.
Get Ironton away from these OVC mismatches.
Give the big schools a real conference
Let the middle group have a chance to compete against the same size or same level of talent.
Every week would be great games.
Every team would be playoff ready.

Go ahead everyone.
Blow this idea to hell. I’m ready.

[KCol]

This is what needs to happen.

I’ll just post this here and let everyone tell me how it won’t work. And that’s fine.
But I think, more than ever, it’s what needs to happen. For the better of both conferences.


Division 1
Ironton
Burg
Portsmouth
Waverly
West
Fairland
Gallia

Division 2
Valley
Minford
Rock hill
South point
Coal grove
Oak hill
Northwest
Chesapeake

Division 3
ND
East
Green
Eastern
SV
So Gallia
Manchester
And I might be missing someone.

You’d still have 3-4 games you could go schedule and play up or play down if you need to for your own program.
Travel excuse doesn’t hold water with me. All teams have a few games that are an hour away already.
Almost all of these teams play or have played the others that would be in their division within the last 10 years, so there is no new anything here.
Just do it.
Get Ironton away from these OVC mismatches.
Give the big schools a real conference
Let the middle group have a chance to compete against the same size or same level of talent.
Every week would be great games.
Every team would be playoff ready.

Go ahead everyone.
Blow this idea to hell. I’m ready.

I agree with the above alignment 100 percent.

[art_vandelay]

pmow: makes too much sense so of course it won't happen! But to me, that looks like a darn good conference that would be a better fit for the smaller schools.

I know for a fact though that the SOC has been talking about a 3rd division for football. It's starting to become clear that the current setup is not good for a lot of schools and changes are needed.*

[mattash]

I could almost see Valley, Oak Hill, Northwest, Rock Hill, Coal Grove , Minford, West, and Peake forming a new league.

Add south point and fairland make it a 10 team league

[pmow3]

I could almost see Valley, Oak Hill, Northwest, Rock Hill, Coal Grove , Minford, West, and Peake forming a new league

Yes…. They should

[pmow3]

The problem with it not being accepted by the SOC is you would have to do it for every sport.
And that would put Chesapeake and northwest playing each other in other sports. And that’s a rough drive for other sports that might play 2 times a year. Long weeknights.

[mattash]

Add south point and fairland make it a 10 team league

[mattash]

Then Portsmouth, Waverly, Gallia, Ironton, Burg and Jackson can start one.

[mattash]

The problem with it not being accepted by the SOC is you would have to do it for every sport.
And that would put Chesapeake and northwest playing each other in other sports. And that’s a rough drive for other sports that might play 2 times a year. Long weeknights.

Not really, that by pass makes it nice

[mattash]

All games would be within hour to hour 10’of each other

[Beergogglebluez]

Then Portsmouth, Waverly, Gallia, Ironton, Burg and Jackson can start one.

Portsmouth would struggle to beat any of those teams. It’s not 2001 anymore. Trojans a .500 team most years.

[VetteMan]

Would probably be a great idea. Most certainly would be a great benefit for a number of schools that are struggling right now trying to be competitive. Therefore, it makes too much sense, so it will likely never happen.

[goUK]

Portsmouth and gallia would never agree to this. Im sure west and waverly would need some convincing too.

[ValleyStrong]

Something like this should happen, and it does make too much sense. SOC board and OVC board should do the right thing by the kids and mege. It will allow a more balanced season, and make for better games all around.

[greygoose]

This is what needs to happen.

I’ll just post this here and let everyone tell me how it won’t work. And that’s fine.
But I think, more than ever, it’s what needs to happen. For the better of both conferences.


Division 1
Ironton
Burg
Portsmouth
Waverly
West
Fairland
Gallia

Division 2
Valley
Minford
Rock hill
South point
Coal grove
Oak hill
Northwest
Chesapeake

Division 3
ND
East
Green
Eastern
SV
So Gallia
Manchester
And I might be missing someone.

You’d still have 3-4 games you could go schedule and play up or play down if you need to for your own program.
Travel excuse doesn’t hold water with me. All teams have a few games that are an hour away already.
Almost all of these teams play or have played the others that would be in their division within the last 10 years, so there is no new anything here.
Just do it.
Get Ironton away from these OVC mismatches.
Give the big schools a real conference
Let the middle group have a chance to compete against the same size or same level of talent.
Every week would be great games.
Every team would be playoff ready.

Go ahead everyone.
Blow this idea to hell. I’m ready.

Dude I love it, I think you have 3 fairly even divisions but I have said and will continue to say this though and it pertains to Ironton. Some might not believe me or even think it could happen but I think with what they have going on down there they'd be hard pressed to find a league in this area. They've simply ruffled too many feathers of a lot of teams and I could easily see them basically black balled and left out of the equation. I don't want to hear anything about but this or that about it from Ironton faithful as I don't care, I'm simply saying from the outsiders take these coaches and AD are fed up with the Ironton situation. In this scenario I could see Ironton left out and Minford goes into Division 1.

[goUK]

It really comes down to jackson. Do they like their current setup or would they prefer

Burg
Jackson
Ironton

Waverly??
Gallia??
Fairland??
Minford??
West??

Im going to guess its a hard no for most of the bottom.

[greygoose]

Portsmouth and gallia would never agree to this. Im sure west and waverly would need some convincing too.

Correct I don't think with what Ironton has had going on last few years that most of those teams would agree to it. Portsmouth, Gallia, Waverly would be hard no's involving anything with Ironton and I'm going to guess Fairland and West would be as well. Burg might be ok with it but going to be honest given the amount of animosity between the 2 I don't think they'd ok it either.

[greygoose]

It really comes down to jackson. Do they like their current setup or would they prefer

Burg
Jackson
Ironton

Waverly??
Gallia??
Fairland??

Jackson if you watch over the years is VERY loyal to the conference they're in and as such I don't think they'd make a move unless the FAC was folding.

[PTrojan59]

[quote=mattash post_id=2023898 time=<a href="tel:1664762398">1664762398</a> user_id=2]
Then Portsmouth, Waverly, Gallia, Ironton, Burg and Jackson can start one.

Portsmouth would struggle to beat any of those teams. It’s not 2001 anymore. Trojans a .500 team most years.
[/quote]

Yeah I always laugh at these when I see them. Portsmouth would never win this league. Would likely finish last every year even. Trojans athletics aren’t what they used to be. They’d be the smallest school in this league. It’s not like they are the draw they once were. The stadium isn’t full on Friday nights, the gym isn’t full during basketball season anymore. I like what Kalb is doing with the football program. The basketball program was turned around by Collins, however in recent years it’s went down a bit. But pump the breaks on hypothetically joining a league that you’ll finish last in consistently. Make no sense not only from a football standpoint but other sports as well.