Question for all you I-AAers

[JoshUCA]

Being new to the I-AA world...I am a little confused. I thought everyone in I-AA like the nomenclature as it currently is because it separates us from the other schools. but from reading ya'lls responses to the NCAA ruling I get the vibe that yall wanted it changed???:confused:
Could someone please clarify this for me..I don't know but I like the playoff system and I guess I am afraid that if they change the name they will do away with the playoffs....

[OL FU]

Here is the difficulty. We like the seperation but we don't like the seperation. Still confused. We want to be thought of as Division I (which we are) , yet many people see the AA as a lower division (which we are). The name change may have some marketing benefits as to how fans few I-AA, but in the end many fans are going to view schools and teams based on how the media portrays such schools and teams. Changing the name to playoff division versus AA sounds better but in many ways is just as confusing since the Ivies will not allow participation, the best teams in the SWAC can't participate due to conflicting schedules and the AAA's are not perceived as playoff worthy (much debated on this site).

In others words you are correct to be confused.

[MR. CHICKEN]

DUH AVIAN IS SO MIXED UP......AH'M SEEIN' WHITTLE BIRDIES....CIRCLIN' MAH NOGGIN..........:confused::confused::confused:.... ..........BRAWK!

[I-AA Fan]

the Ivies will not allow participation, the best teams in the SWAC can't participate due to conflicting schedules and the AAA's are not perceived as playoff worthy (much debated on this site).

In others words you are correct to be confused.

The SWAC chooses not to participate, they did up until the mid-90's. The NCAA would love to see them participate again, for reason's of racial equity. Also, I-AAA are "non-football" schools. The teams you are thinking of (MAAC, PFL, NE, etc.) are considered non-scholarship I-AA schools ...not I-AAA.

[OL FU]

The SWAC chooses not to participate, they did up until the mid-90's. The NCAA would love to see them participate again, for reason's of racial equity. Also, I-AAA are "non-football" schools. The teams you are thinking of (MAAC, PFL, NE, etc.) are considered non-scholarship I-AA schools ...not I-AAA.

Swac - I know. due to scheduling conflicts of the best teams.
Yep I got the AAA's wrong. sorry I should have said mid- majors.

[I-AA Fan]

Swac - I know. due to scheduling conflicts of the best teams.
Yep I got the AAA's wrong. sorry I should have said mid- majors.

No problem OU, sorry if I came across harsh in any way. It was not intentional.

[carney2]

One person's opinion:

1. "A rose by any other name..." In other words, the name change will not mean immediate substantive changes. Everyone will continue doing what they're doing.

2. Some people feel that all of the "A's" are too much like high school designations, thereby lowering the image of "I-AA" football. (True I-AA footballers have a serious inferiority complex bubbling just beneath the surface. Just for fun sometime, substitute either "Division II" or "club football" for I-AA in their presence and watch the explosion.)

3. No matter what, Georgia, Southern Cal and Ohio State will not begin losing hordes of potential recruits to Georgia Southern, Cal Poly and Youngstown State.

In the end changes will occur, but they will be subtle, long term and unpredictable.

[Mr. Tiger]

Being new to the I-AA world...I am a little confused. I thought everyone in I-AA like the nomenclature as it currently is because it separates us from the other schools. but from reading ya'lls responses to the NCAA ruling I get the vibe that yall wanted it changed???:confused:
Could someone please clarify this for me..I don't know but I like the playoff system and I guess I am afraid that if they change the name they will do away with the playoffs....

Division I-AA fans like the idea that their championship is decided with a 16-team playoff that in theory gives every I-AA team a chance to compete for a national championship, unlike the BCS. However, I-AA fans are not in love with the fact that the media and some non-I-AA fans can't seem to understand that I-AA football in indeed Division I football, not Division II or III. So most here would like to see a name change so that there will be no confusion. Very few here are in favor of scrapping the way I-AA operates, including the playoffs.

[89Hen]

:twocents: I much prefer I-AA to I-PCS or DIP or DIPCS or whatever they're going to come up with. You think I-AA is somehow demeaning or lessens what people think about our teams... wait until after every time somebody says "Oh yeah, Delaware, they're Division I... PCS, you know, not BSC and not mid-major, you know, the ones that have playoffs and don't go to bowl games... " :rolleyes:

I'm telling you guys, I-AA is a MUCH better designation than what is being discussed. Eliminating the AA's will NOT make a difference in any way except costing a ton of money for all the schools and conferences to have to redo all of their logos, banners, websites.... xcoffeex

[DetroitFlyer]

As I see it, 1-AA is just a very confusion division. It seems as though there are 1-AA teams that yearn to be 1-A but will not spend the funds to be 1-A. Then there are schools that fund football at a level slightly above Division III that want to be thought of as 1-AA. We also have the Ivy League that wants to think of themselves as equal to 1-A so they choose to isolate themselves within the 1-AA umbrella in order to be unique. Of course we cannot forget the HBCU schools that like the Ivys choose to isolate themselves within 1-AA in order to retain the revenue generated by “Classics games.” Yes, there is a playoff system in 1-AA, but is does a very poor job of being inclusive of the entire division for a variety of reasons. Until 1-AA can figure out a way for all schools and all conferences to really sign up to be 1-AA teams and the playoffs can be much more representative of the entire division, you can bet your bottom dollar that confusion will remain a mainstay outside the realm of hardcore 1-AA fans…. Division II, Division III and NAIA do not suffer with this identity crisis because all of the teams in those divisions are fully engaged members and all of those teams have a fair shot and willingness to participate in the playoff system.

[OL FU]

No problem OU, sorry if I came across harsh in any way. It was not intentional.

You didn't. Sorry I made you think you did:)

[89Hen]

Flyer, there's a very easy solution to this problem. The NCAA should allow teams to play DII or even III football and still keep the rest of their sports DI. That way, all the non-schollie teams can still play football and still compete for a NC. Are they really afraid that Duquesne having DI women's track is somehow at an advantage over a DII who's women compete at DII? Cripes, look at a team like Georgetown or Villanova who are in a power conference for every other sport, but are they killing anyone in I-AA football? :twocents: :twocents: That's four cents for you.

[DetroitFlyer]

The NCAA responded to concerns by Division III teams about Dayton. The Division III powers of the day did not think it was fair for them to have to compete with what they saw as a "Division I" school. In some respects they were right. Schools like Dayton generally have better facilities, more funding, more fan support, etc. than most of Division III. For whatever reasons the NCAA agreed and booted the likes of Dayton out of Division III all the way to Division I. Schools like Dayton never asked to be part of 1-AA, we were forced by the almighty NCAA. The NCAA did not say we had to spend X numbers of dollars to particpate, so the PFL was formed. 1-AA as a whole has never embraced the likes of the PFL. Meanwhile, 1-AA begs the Ivys to join the party because of name recognition. The Ivys snub 1-AA because in many ways they do not want to lend their name recoginition to the Division.... HBCU's will not give up the big bucks of the classic games. All in all a very divisive and non-inclusive division of college athletics. I'm not so sure that 1-AA would not be better off if only the PFL, NEC, MAAC, IVY, PL and maybe a few others remained, while everyone else just became 1-A regardless of the 63 versus 85 scholarship level.

[89Hen]

Schools like Dayton generally have better facilities, more funding, more fan support, etc. than most of Division III.

And there lies the hypocrasy of the NCAA's decision. Force a team to play with schools like Montana, Delaware, GSU, ASU.... all who have better facilities, more funding, more fan support, etc...

Cripes, Dayton had what, two DIII titles? I guess we should have all gotten together and kicked GSU out of I-AA a long time ago. :p

[DUPFLFan]

DetroitFlyer,

Therein lies the problem...

D-1aa think of the PFL as Division III and the NCAA and Division III think of us as D-1.

Meanwhile we are really in a no-mans land - no playoffs, no scholarships, no respect and not part of the new playoff championship group (or whatever they are going to call it)

[*****]

... we are really in a no-mans land - no playoffs, no scholarships, no respect and not part of the new playoff championship group (or whatever they are going to call it)not yet in the playoffs maybe because of no scholarships, but absolutely part of the new playoff championship group. :nod:

[DTSpider]

I'm glad the name didn't change. 1AA does have come credibility. PCS has none. Right there is Division 1A and Division 1AA. There's some similarity there. It's not perfect, but it's much easier on the fans. The whole BCS, PCS names doesn't sound right. Right now we still have Division I in the name. If there are schools looking for significant national recognition at the 1AA level they have more issues that just the name. I think that most schools want to offer scholarship football to provide a benefit to the campus. We know we're not Michigan, Florida or USC and I'm happy we're not.

[BEAR]

I don't understand the whole D1-AA thing. I mean, if you are D1 in every other sport, then you should be D1 in all sports! UCA recently came from D2 and that level of football was great! I know that D1 schools look down on D2 schools. But I rather enjoyed the equal level of talent on the field, especially the teams like North Alabama and Valdosta. (Both of which I believe should be D1. ) Why does the NCAA only allow 63? schollys at this level anyway? This is D1 right? Not only that but I am tired of AA schools getting the bad rap in the media. I predict that there will be several games this year where AA schools defeat A schools. Why? Because the cost of going to these schools at the A level is going up so much and the economy in its' present condition are moving the talent to the AA level. Here's a question for Ralph...how many NFLrs are from AA schools? I bet it's a high number. If that's the case, then there is no big reason to go to these major schools if your goal is to go pro. I mean there are pro scouts that attend UCA functions..and I do believe UCA is considered a small school. Anyway, I hope one day that football teams are all D1 in title and even on scholarship level so this categorizing of D1 schools will end. Just my :twocents:

[*****]

... how many NFLers are from AA schools? I bet it's a high number...2005 NFL Final Roster Players from Current I-AA Member Schools (http://i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=75164). All NFL teams have at least two former I-AA student-athletes from current I-AA member schools. (Source NFL.com, 1/2/06)
Number (total players): 2,220
Number (former I-AA): 227 (10.23%) from 85 schools and all conferences

The nomenclature thing is primarily for other sport teams from schools that sponsor I-AA. It's just confusing to have just one subdivided sport in all the divisions of the NCAA.

[McTailGator]

Being new to the I-AA world...I am a little confused. I thought everyone in I-AA like the nomenclature as it currently is because it separates us from the other schools. but from reading ya'lls responses to the NCAA ruling I get the vibe that yall wanted it changed???:confused:
Could someone please clarify this for me..I don't know but I like the playoff system and I guess I am afraid that if they change the name they will do away with the playoffs....


They are not going to do away with the playoffs.

It's pure and simple...

It destroy's the ability of the minor I-A's like Ark. State, LaTech, ULM, and ULL to go into a home of some single Mom who doesn't know the difference between Gold and Football, and telling Momma that her kid needs to be playing at a "BIG TIME" Division I program (like those mentioned above), instead of a small, high school type of Division II program like McNeese, NSU, Delaware, Montana, Georgia Southern, Youngstown, etc...

Also, those same schools are even talking down our other D-I programs like Basketball, and Baseball, by telling Momma, we're not a FULL D-I program...

WE ARE DIVISION I...

[*****]

I heard they actually say "Would you like to come to a Division One or a Division Two A School?"

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

One person's opinion:



2. Some people feel that all of the "A's" are too much like high school designations, thereby lowering the image of "I-AA" football. (True I-AA footballers have a serious inferiority complex bubbling just beneath the surface. Just for fun sometime, substitute either "Division II" or "club football" for I-AA in their presence and watch the explosion.)


The problem is that most college football fans (even ESPN pundits) will refer to IA as "Division I" when that term really refers to IA and IAA collectively. It's amazing how many people can't name the four division of college football (seems like only IAA fans can really do it).

[rokamortis]

The problem is that most college football fans (even ESPN pundits) will refer to IA as "Division I" when that term really refers to IA and IAA collectively. It's amazing how many people can't name the four division of college football (seems like only IAA fans can really do it).

Just to further your point: A person I work with who holds a senior position and someone I have a ton of respect for is a CCU fan but also a SC fan. We were talking about maybe one day in the far future Coastal moving to I-A and the expense because we would need to add scholarships and he said "and don't forget we have to upgrade to I-A in all sports". I must have looked at him like he had a second head because of his reaction. But I went on to explain that Coastal is Division I in all sports and I-AA is a football only classification. He said "wow - I didn't know that".

The local radio regularly refers to Clemson and SC as D-I and Coastal as D-II or D-2A.

[HensRock]

As I see it, 1-AA is just a very confusion division. It seems as though there are 1-AA teams that yearn to be 1-A but will not spend the funds to be 1-A. Then there are schools that fund football at a level slightly above Division III that want to be thought of as 1-AA. We also have the Ivy League that wants to think of themselves as equal to 1-A so they choose to isolate themselves within the 1-AA umbrella in order to be unique. Of course we cannot forget the HBCU schools that like the Ivys choose to isolate themselves within 1-AA in order to retain the revenue generated by “Classics games.” Yes, there is a playoff system in 1-AA, but is does a very poor job of being inclusive of the entire division for a variety of reasons. Until 1-AA can figure out a way for all schools and all conferences to really sign up to be 1-AA teams and the playoffs can be much more representative of the entire division, you can bet your bottom dollar that confusion will remain a mainstay outside the realm of hardcore 1-AA fans…. Division II, Division III and NAIA do not suffer with this identity crisis because all of the teams in those divisions are fully engaged members and all of those teams have a fair shot and willingness to participate in the playoff system.

Very well thought out response Flyer.

What I-AA really needs is to be broken up. The NCAA should officially recognize:

I-AAP (Playoff Division)
I-AAB (HBCU Division)
I-AAN (Non-Schollie Division)
I-AAI (Ivy Division)

And each should have their own championship.

[89Hen]

What I-AA really needs is to be broken up.
You needed to go further...

I-AAP (Playoff Division)
... I-AAPNBA (Playoff Division Need Based Aid) for the Patriot
... I-AAPNFS (Playoff Division Not Full Scholarship) for Albany/Stony...
I-AABNITSUOSSU (HBCU Division Not Including TennStU or SavannahStU)
I-AAN (Non-Schollie Division)
I-AAI (Ivy Division)
I-AAWTBPBASIPP (Want To Be Playoffs But Are Sill In Probationary Period)

That would make things a lot easier. :nod:

[BEAR]

I-AAWTBPBASIPP (Want To Be Playoffs But Are Sill In Probationary Period)

That would make things a lot easier. :nod:

Hilarious! xlolx

....wait a minute..that would help us out!:eyebrow: :hurray:

[blur2005]

This has been an interesting thread. But just for Ralph's sake and everyone elses, for those not in the know, it's I-AA, not 1-AA. Just a nomenclature issue.

I personally am ambivalent to the name change, as I can't see major benefits or major disadvantages to the change. So therefore, I guess I say keep things the way they are...but change it if they really want.

[MaxBaer]

I don't understand the whole D1-AA thing.


It seems like even the NCAA is confused about this issue as it relates to Football Administration.

When listing the Sponsoring Institutions on the NCAA web site they categorize Schools as:
Division I-A
Division I-AA
Division II
Division III

However, when they talk about Bylaw Resources on the same web site you can only find:
Division I Manual
Division II Manual
Division III Manual

No wonder the rest of us are having trouble xidiotx