Realigning the Big Ten

Are you ready for some football?  I hope you are, because it’s coming soon.  If you need more assistance in preparation for football, Sport Change is here to help you.  We’re kicking off our week-long “Are You Ready For Some Football?” series with a look at college football; specifically the Big Ten.

Realigning the Big 12. I mean 10.

The Big Ten is probably the most historic and well-loved conference in college football.  So why have league officials insisted on screwing things up for everybody?

Here are what I see as the three biggest outrages in the Big Ten:

1. The BCS.  I loathe the BCS as much as anybody, even with the new pro-style playoffs.  In this context, I miss the way it used to be.  Every year, the Rose Bowl should be a matchup between the best teams in the Big Ten and the former Pac-Ten.  It worked really well.  National Championship be damned.

2. There are twelve teams.  The Big Ten established it’s identity as a league of ten Midwestern teams over 100 years ago.  When Chicago left in the 1940s, Michigan State filled the void.  MSU was a natural fit for the league, and ten is a nice round number.  Then the league screwed up and admitted Penn State in the nineties.  The Big 11 toppled along unsteadily until Nebraska was added last year.  This addition made sense, but there should not have been more than ten teams in the first place.  Some of our realignments in this post will be reversions to the old ten team league.

3. “Legends and Leaders.”  Are you kidding me?  Dividing the conference into two divisions makes good sense, but I can’t imagine a more asinine way of doing that than what the Big Ten did before last season.  For starters, dubbing divisions with non-geographic random terms is something that makes the Indoor Football League (and it’s “Intense Division“) worthy of ridicule.  Additionally, half of the teams in the Big Ten are both Legends and Leaders, as arbitrary as those terms are.  Also, what if a team doesn’t really fall into either category.  The Indiana football program seems to me to be neither a “Legend” nor a “Leader.”  To top things off, the way teams were randomly placed in either division makes zero sense.  Is competitive balance the objective?  That should never be considered when realigning leagues.  Obviously, any program will have peaks and valleys of success throughout it’s history.  Why build a semi-permanent conferencial structure based on the success of programs in the year of 2010.  What. The. Hell.  

Naming a division after a subjective term is IFL territory. Almost as bad as naming a team the Danger. *shudder*

Debunking the competitive balance nonsense

Competitive balance fluctuates so much in any sports league that it is ludicrous to set things up for the long term based on how good the teams are in the present.  Consider this:  A year ago at this time the inaugural season of the L&L Big Ten was set to begin.  The AP’s Top 25 preseason rankings saw four Big Ten teams on list.  At 10 was Nebraska, a Legend.  At 11 was Wisconsin, a Leader.  At 17 was Michigan State, a Legend.  At 18 was Ohio State, a Leader.  Penn State, a Leader, nearly cracked the Top 25, and three Legends (Iowa, Michigan, and Northwestern) got a few votes.  That is pretty much a perfect competitive balance between the divisions.  You can bet that Big Ten officials were lighting each other’s cigars and penciling in rounds of golf with each other.  They had done it right.

Now flash forward to a mere year later, and see how things have changed after a year of Legends and Leaders.  In the current AP Top 25, you have Michigan (a Legend) shooting up from the dregs of last year’s voting to 8th overall.  Wisconsin (Leader) is at 12 and MSU (a Legend) is at 13.   A Legend, Nebraska is at 17 and a Leader, OSU is at 18.  The two pairs more or less balance eachother out, but with Michigan riding shotgun, the Legends shoot ahead.  Of the Big Ten teams ranked in the Top 25, the Legends have an average rank of 12.6.  The Leaders have an average of 15.  Preseason rankings are somewhat meaningless, but the Legends already have an advantage.  The cigars have been stubbed out and the golf game has been cancelled.  It’ll be interesting to see how things are in one year, five years, twenty years, or however long they continue this Legends and Leaders nonsense.

Every team in the Big 10 can be considered a Legend in some way.  Leaders change year to year and decade to decade.

Before the 2011 season, the Wolverines were unranked and the Legends balanced the Leaders. Before 2012, Michigan is ranked 8th and the Leaders have fallen behind.

 

Time for some Sport Change action!  We are going to explore a few realignment scenarios based on the following criteria.

-The League will be divided into two divisions.  There aren’t enough teams to necessitate any more than that.

-The alignments will keep geography in mind.  Rivalry is the goal, but typically rivalry among colleges mirrors rivalry among geographic areas.  Nebraska may have a bit of a rivalry with Penn State, but that doesn’t mean that Nebraskans and Pennsylvanians are natural rivals.

-As many rivalries as possible will be kept intact.  Most rivalries are between geographic neighbors, so this should be much of a problem.  The trophy traditions that may not fall within a division could still be satisfied with inter-divisional rivalry games each year.

Here’s a refresher on how things are now, in 2012.

This is the way the Big 10 is actually divided.

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Scenario One: The Simple East/West split.

This is as simple as can be.  The six teams west of the Illinois/Indiana border in the West, and the six teams east in the East.

West: Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Illinois

East: Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Indiana

I assume that the reason this wasn’t chosen was because of competitive balance.  That’s BS.  This would’ve been the most fair and objective way to divide the teams, and even the competitive imbalance in 2012 isn’t that extreme.  In the West, Wisconsin and Nebraska are very strong and Iowa, Illinois, and Northwestern could all make a run.  Minnesota sucks, but what else is new?  In the East, Michigan, MSU, and OSU are all ranked in the top 25 and Purdue and Penn State are closer to the fringe.  Indiana sucks, but what else is new?  The balance between East and West is as fair as the balance between Legends and Leaders.

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There should never have been 11 teams in the first place. Major fail.

Scenario Two: A Retro Revert to Ten Teams.

The two most recent additions to the Big Ten are on the Western (Nebraska) and Eastern (Penn State) fringes of the geographic region. It makes no sense historically speaking, and it makes no sense geographically speaking.   With the same split at the Illinois/Indiana border, the divisions are the same minus these two outsiders.

West: Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Illinois

East: Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, and Indiana.

The East is a little stronger in 2012, but as previously repeated:

THE SUCCESS OF TEAMS CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS!!!

Will the Real Legends and Leaders Please Stand Up?

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What is a legend, anyway?

Those last two scenarios just felt too easy.  I like to sweat a little to put together a post, so I’ve taken up the tedious task of discerning who the real legends and leaders of the Big Ten are.  The terms are somewhat arbitrary and subjective, but I’ve used available data to assist in making the decisions.

Legends

What is a legend?  To me, a legend is a tale of success in a bygone era.  In a sports context I would say that Babe Ruth is a legend.  The 1960s Green Bay Packers are a legend.  Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain are legends.  The Famous Chicken is a legend.

My primary criterion for determining legendary teams in the Big Ten was the total number of conference championships from 1896 to 1950.  In my estimation, those are the most legendary years of the Big Ten.  Most of those years saw two or three co-champions, and all were counted as championships in this study.  I think this is a pretty good indicator of the most successful teams during that legendary era:

1. Michigan (20 championships)

2. Minnesota (16)

3. Illinois (9)

4. Ohio State (8)

5. Chicago (7)

T-6. Northwestern (5)

T-6. Purdue (5)

T-6. Wisconsin (5)

9. Iowa (3)

10. Indiana (1)

Chicago certainly belongs in the Legends division. Oh, wait…

Under the guidance of Amos Alonzo Stagg, Chicago University was a powerhouse in the early part of the twentieth century, and is certainly a Big Ten legend.  Since they have not been a member of the conference since the 1940s, they are obviously disregarded in these scenarios.  Michigan State won  a handful of championships in the 50s and 60s, but their roots don’t reach deep enough into the bedrock of legend.  If we were splitting our twelve Big Ten teams into two equal-numbered divisions, the Legends would be Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio State, and two of the following three: Northwestern, Purdue, and Wisconsin.  We can come up with some criteria for tiebreakers if need be, but that may not be necessary.  Our list may get a Big shake-up with our next task.

In the words of Bruce Hornsby: “Sometimes I lead, and sometimes I follow.”

Leaders

What is a leader?  In this context, I see leaders as being the teams that have led the conference in the present and in recent years.  My primary criterion for selection will simply be conference records over the last ten years of play; from 2002-2011.

A Word About Scandals

Leaders set good examples.  The Big Ten had two noteworthy scandals that occurred within the time in question; one minor and one major.  The Ohio State tattoo scandal is pretty inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, and was dealt with appropriately–or even over-appropriately.  OSU vacated all their wins from the 2010 season, and I’ll simply tally that season as 0-1 rather than 7-1.  It really doesn’t matter since OSU is the clear-cut Leader over the last ten years on the gridiron.  In serious matters, the Penn State sex abuse scandal removes any ability of the PSU team to be considered a “Leader,” in two ways.  1. All wins within the time in question have been vacated by the NCAA, resulting in a 0-32 record over that span.  2. Sport Change feels that PSU should not be considered a “Leader” simply because of basic human decency.  Enough said about that.

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A Word About Nebraska

I’m only taking their record (5-3) from one year of playing in the Big Ten.  I could dredge up their records in the Big 12 from 2002-2010, but there’s no point.  Nebraska will not be a Big Ten Legend due to their johnny-come-lately status.  Additionally, they will be a Leader, because you know…they’ve been a good football team for a good stretch here.

In the words of Don Henley: “Johnny-come-lately, there’s a new kid in town.”

 

The Results:

1. Ohio State: 57-15 (.792)

T-2. Iowa: 50-30 (.625)

T-2: Michigan: 50-30 (.625)

T-2. Nebraska: 5-3 (.625)

T-2. Wisconsin: 50-30 (.625)

6. Michigan State: 41-39 (.513)

7. Purdue: 37-43 (.463)

8. Northwestern: 36-44 (.450)

9. Minnesota: 28-52 (.350)

10. Illinois: 23-57 (.288)

11. Indiana: 13-67 (.163)

12. Penn State: 0-32 (.000)

Interesting.  Despite the 2010 victory slate wiped clean, OSU has basically dominated the Big Ten lately.  It’s a wonder what free tattoos can do for a football program.  The four way tie after that will be interesting to sort out.  I knew Indiana has a terrible football program, but…yikes!  Almost each year of the last ten they’ve gone 1-7.

Indiana=Yikes. When will the football program get their Bob Knight?

Time to sort all this out.  Let’s start with the Legends.  Michigan is definitely a towering legend in the Big Ten.  Minnesota and Illinois are easy Legends since they did most of their winning about a hundred years ago.  Time to flip to Leaders for a second.

Michigan State is a semi-legend in the Big Ten, but they certain have a Leader quality to them.  As previously mentioned, Nebraska is easy to pick.  Iowa has been around awhile, but with only three pre-1950 championships and with their recent respectability, they’re a Leader.

We’re halfway there and the easy part is done, so let’s recap.  Definite Legends are Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois.  Definite Leaders are MSU, Nebraska, and Iowa.

Let’s assess the toughies one by one:

–Wisconsin won the first two Big Ten championships outright in 1896 and 1897, but only tallied three more over the ensuing 55 years.  I think their recent and current success puts them into the Leader category.

-Purdue also won five championships during the early era and have only won two since.  Though they’ve been just below .500 over the last ten years, they have some respectability.  One of those “two since” was the Drew Brees team of 2000, so let’s call them a Leader.

Remember Darnell Autry? He was the singing cowboy.

-Northwestern was also in that early five championship gridlock, and other than the Darnell Autry era, they haven’t seen much success since.  Their .450 percentage says mediocre more than leader, so let’s honor those five championships and call them a Legend.  That also lets them be in the same division as Illinois.

-Indiana is really hard to gauge since they are pretty terrible in both categories.  It’s impossible for me to call them a leader with a 13-67 record over the last ten years.  They won a Big Ten championship outright in 1945 and shared another in 1967, so let’s call them a Legend.

-Ohio State is tough to gauge for the opposite reason.  They’ve always been good and are somewhat legendary–especially with all their success in the 1960s and 1970s.  However, I can’t ignore the fact that they have actually been the leader of the Big Ten for all but two of the last ten years.  One year was a random 4-4 season in 2004 that was followed by an 8-0 season of 2005.  The other was the vacated win season of 2010 that they actually did lead on the football field.  I guess good leaders don’t get free tattoos, but give the kids a break.  Leader.

-Penn State is painful to consider for either category.  If there was an Embarrassments division, they would lead the way.  They are absolutely not a Leader, so the cold process of elimination comes into play.  What I’m going to do here is look back in time.  Well before Sandusky.  Even before Paterno and his toppled legacy.  Before they joined the Big Ten, Penn State was independent like Notre Dame, so there’s no record of conference history.  In 1912, the Nittany Lions were undefeated and won what we would call a National Championship today.  In 1911, they were also what we would call champs.  Going way back to 1887, they won both of the two games they played that season.  Though their history will always be a tarnished one, I grudgingly call Penn State a Legend.

If you look back far enough, you can find something to respect about Penn State football.

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Scenario Three: True Legends and Leaders (if forced to include Penn State)

Here it is, all sorted out:

Legends: Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Northwestern, Indiana, and Penn State

Leaders: Michigan State, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue, and Ohio State.

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Let’s do one more.

Scenario Four: The Way it Should Be (if we’re using the Legends and Leaders divisions)

We’ll imagine that Penn State and Nebraska were never allowed in.  We’ll also make a quick swap to facilitate rivalries.  Sorry to pull the Hoosiers out of Legendary status, but we’re going with the Battle of Paul Bunyan’s Ax.

Legends: Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Northwestern, and Wisconsin

Leaders: Michigan State, Iowa, Purdue, Ohio State, and Indiana.

Yep.  Indiana is a Leader.  God Bless America.

And God Bless You for sticking with this post.  More “Are You Ready For Some Football” action coming soon!  It’ll be the NFL next.  I promise.

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SPORT CHANGE

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Best Brands in Independent Baseball and Collegiate Summer Leagues

Hearing about Roger Clemens joining the Atlantic League’s Sugar Land Skeeters got me to thinking about some of the great brands that exist below the radar, in independent baseball leagues and collegiate summer leagues.  I guess you could call these minor league teams, but only in the sense that they are minor to the Major Leagues.  They have no official affiliation with teams in the American League or the National League, so why are even worth thinking about?

Clemens is joining the Skeeters, so let’s use that as excuse to talk about semi-pro baseball.

The beauty of these leagues is that a team can exist and play competitive ball in small and mid-sized cities across the continent.  Just about anywhere that you live, you can catch a game on a day off; whether in your town or a short drive away.

For this “Boys of Summer” post, Sport Change is dipping back into these trenches to find some great “brands” within the following independent leagues: The American Association, the Atlantic League, the North American League, the Canadian American Association, the Frontier League, the Mexican League, and the Pecos League.

We’ll also scour the ranks of the collegiate leagues: Cape Cod, Coastal Plain, Futures Collegiate, New England Collegiate, Northwoods League, Prospect League, Texas Collegiate, and the West Coast League.

We’re looking for great nicknames that are unique, alliterative, regionally-relevant, or otherwise terrific.  We’re looking for teams that seem to have their act together, attendance wise.  Also, we’re looking for great logos or uniforms.  Let’s do it:

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The Diablos used to bring the heat in the AA Texas League before going rogue in the American Association.

American Association of Independent Professional Baseball

The AAIPB is an a bit of an odd duck.  The thirteen teams in the league are all within the central time zone, but span north to south from Manitoba to Texas with stops all along the way.  Some teams were absorbed with folding of the Central League and the Northern League.  Other are defectors from MiLB, such as the El Paso Diablos.  The Diablos are a terrific team and would be included on our “Best Brands in the Minors” post if they were still playing in the minors.  Great nickname, a nice fan base, and a terrific chili pepper logo.  The Winnipeg Goldeyes, formerly of the Northern League, draw the most fans in the league and have held their brand since 1994.   Another former Northern Leaguer, the St. Paul Saints, have terrific promotions and pull in about an average of 5,000 fans per game playing in a big league market.  Having BIll Murray as a part-owner doesn’t hurt.  Another team that shares a market with MLB is the hilariously-named Kansas City T-Bones, who do quite well.  I’m also a fan of the prairie-appropriate Sioux Falls Pheasants of South Dakota.  The Amarillo Sox have a bland nickname, but their yellow uniforms reflect the “amarillo” in their name.  They might as well be the Yellow Sox.  Another Texas team, the new-this-year Laredo Lemurs have hit upon a family-friendly brand that is unique, alliterative, and funny.  Rookies of the year.

The Laredo Lemurs will claw their way into your heart.

Atlantic League

I’ll start with the new Clemens club, the Sugar Land Skeeters.  I think that’s a pretty brilliant nickname, and I love the logos featuring a fierce mosquito poking his proboscis through various objects, such as a baseball and the state of Texas.  Good choice, Clemens.  I’m also a fan of the Bridgeport Bluefish nickname, though the B-Fish draw the lowest fans in the Atlantic League.   Many of the other brands (Patriots, Revolution, Barnstormers, Blue Crabs) are bland or already in use, but one from among those we pluck the Long Island Ducks, who draw the most fans and have a logo that would put Oregon U to shame.

Move ovah, Oregon. Lawng Island is claimin’ da Ducks.

North American League

The NAL is composed of six Texan teams, two Californian, and two Hawaiian.  Names like Stars, Colts, Thunder, and Cats blend into the background.  I’m a big fan of the wine-country Sonoma County Grapes nickname.  It’s funny, but just a few days ago I suggested that as a replacement for Vines in the Hillsboro, Oregon name brainstorming process.  I also love Na Koa Ikaika Maui.  That means strong warriors of Maui.  It’s a name so regionally-relevant that it’s hard to pronounce.  Plus, that is a cool logo.  On the Texan side of things, I like the Abilene Prairie Dogs and Edinburg Roadrunners.

The Jackals are the lead dog in the Can-Am league, but it’s a pack of only five dogs.

Canadian American Association

The Can-Am league will begin playing games against teams in the AAIPB.  Do I smell a merger?  The Cam-Am has dropped down to only five teams.  Of them, I like the New Jersey Jackals the best. The Rockland Boulders and Worcester Tornadoes are OK.  I think a merger would make sense here.

By the time we’re done here, every furry North American mammal will be mentioned.

Frontier League

Most of the teams in the Frontier League are based in Illinois and Indiana, with a few outliers here  and there.  The Evansville Otters are a terrific brand.  I also enjoy the Traverse City Beach Bums and Schaumburg Boomers.  The Joliet Slammers are an hilarious reference to two prisons in the Joliet, Illinois area.  Their logos are a jailbird in striped pajamas and a prison–complete with razor-wire.  Though I find it a little too goofy, the Normal Cornbelters brand is built to sell.

The Mexican League’s Saraperros draw over 8,500 fans per game, sew it seams that they’re doing something right.

Mexican League

The Mexican League is different from the rest of these leagues in many ways.  Technically, it’s part of Minor League Baseball, though the teams are not considered affiliates of MLB teams.  The league was founded in 1925, so there’s some history here.  Attendance is on par with the other AAA leagues, the International and the Pacific Coast.  Since it differs from the other Leagues in the farm system in so many ways and functions more like an independent entity, I thought I’d include it here.  For starters, the Diablos Rojos del Mexico or Mexico City Red Devils are pretty badass.  Their logo is a baseball on fire.  I’m also intrigued by Saraperros de Saltillo or Saltillo Sarape Makers–it’s one of the few textile industry nicknames; sharing a common thread with the Lowell Spinners.  I’m a big fan of the Guerreros de Oaxaca (Oaxaca Warriors–unintentional alliteration) and their double ax logo.  That’s a brand with some teeth.  My underdog favorite is the Pericos de Puebla.  Parrots make a terrific minor league nickname, especially in the Mexican League.

The Pericos are fun and accessible. Just like Mexico.

Pecos League

The tiny Pecos League has only six teams and very low attendance numbers.  I’m not impressed with the Roswell Invaders brand.  It seems gimmicky much in the same way that the Las Vegas 51s does.  I like the Ruidoso Osos nickname–they make up for having the overused “Bears” moniker by the pleasant way the name rolls off the tongue.  My favorite here is the White Sands Pupfish, a reference to a little fish found only in Southern New Mexico.  My only recommendation would be a cartoon pupfish for a logo.

The Pupfish are the pride of the Pecos League, but they should hire a cartoonist to design a new logo.

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Collegiate Summer Leagues

Here are the true boys of summer.  The players in these leagues are college joes trying to remain active ballplayers throughout the summer.  The games and equipment more closely resemble the minors than college, and some of the teams are able to consistently draw fans.  Some of the players get drafted and make their way to success in the pros, so each league has a roster of alums.  There are more collegiate leagues than those listed below, but these seem to be the most tracked and talked about.

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The Kettleers seem innocent enough. But then you do some research on how they got their name.

Cape Cod Baseball League

The Cape Cod Baseball League was founded in 1885 and has many all-stars, hall-of-famers, and baseball legends on it’s alum list.  The teams are all well-established, with the most recent (Brewster) being birthed in 1988.  Major League Baseball has been subsidizing the league for many years, and they’ve also put pressure on some of the teams to not use the same brands as teams in MLB.  So recent years have seen some switches to new nicknames, whereas others have either assimilated with the pro clubs or simply stuck their guns.  Chatham changed from Athletics to Anglers, Orleans changed from Cardinals to Firebirds, and Hyannis changed from Mets to Harbor Hawks.  Of the three, I like the Hyannis Harbor Hawks the best due to the triple alliteration (great in Scattergories!) and their bizarre logo.  Though the Falmouth Commodores have appeal, the most interesting brand has to be the Cotuit Kettleers.  The name refers to a somewhat nasty bit of history wherein the white folks traded a copper kettle and a hoe for the land.  My guess is that the natives didn’t fully understand the terms of a real estate transaction or what “land ownership” meant to the whites.  Anyway, it’s 2012 and the Kettleers’ ballpark is surrounded by trees and looks like a great place to catch a game.

Is it a ball with spikes or a blowfish with seams?

Coastal Plain League

The CPL is a league with some energy.  There must just be something about semi-pro baseball in the mid-Atlantic.  In addition to the Southern League, Sally League, and Carolina League–you’ve got the Coastal Plain League.  The league has 15 teams in the Carolinas and Virginia.  The nickname that seems most creative on the surface is the Columbia Blowfish of South Carolina.  The old logo is a blowfish with baseball seams making a ridiculous face.  They also seem to draw well.  The Outer Banks Daredevils look like fun and may be a good excuse to visit a beautiful part of the country.  The Peninsula Pilots of Hampton have a great logo and the alliteration is nice.  The Forest City Owls are very appealing and much more classy than the Orem Owlz of the Pioneer League.  Then there are the Wilson Tobs.  What’s a Tob, you ask?  It’s short for tobacco.  This cracks me up.  You gotta love how the Tobs weathered the political correctness of the 90s and kept an unhealthy North Carolina tradition alive–or at least on life support.

The Wilson Tobs are keeping a tradition alive. If only smoking could do the same thing.

Futures Collegiate Baseball League

The FCBL is made up of nine team in New England.  Perhaps the most interesting brand is the Old Orchard Beach Raging TIde .  Talk about a mouthful.  The Martha’s Vineyard Sharks would be more intriguing if the nickname was actually the Vineyard Sharks.  There’s not much else to mention about the FCBL except that maybe the league seemed very superficially buttoned-down New Englandy except for the team in Massachusetts–the Wachusett Dirt Dawgs.  God bless America.

Another furry mammal wins hearts.

New England Collegiate Baseball League

The more respectable New England League seems to be doing things right.  I’m so glad to see that the Laconia Muskrats have chosen to lionize a marginalized mammal.  The Mystic Schooners and Newport Gulls put you right there on the Atlantic, and the Vermont Mountaineers of Montpelier are having some fun.  Montpelier Mountaineers would be a better name, though.  The Lake Monsters have already coiled their tail around the state.

Meet the Beetles

Northwoods League

The Northwoods League is the most successful of the collegiate baseball leagues.  Of the 16 teams in a four state + one province area, a few good brands stand out.  First, the Madison Mallards have to be mentioned.  The Mallards draw over 6,000 fans per game average, and flourish in a college town with folks ready to swill beer and eat bratwurst.  The Rochester Honkers refer to the ubiquitous Cananda geese in the region.  The lowly Alexandria Beetles have a cute logo and fun name.  The Wisconsin Woodchucks of Wausau are a good complement to the aforementioned Muskrats.  The La Crosse Loggers are alliterative and regionally-relevant, and the Green Bay Bullfrogs present a light-hearted counterpoint to the sacrosanct Packers.

We’ve already gone this far, so why not embrace the Woodchucks as well?

Prospect League

The Prospect League has 12 teams littered throughout the breadbasket and rust belt.  The brands that stand out are the Hannibal Cavemen of Missouri, the Chillicothe Paints (as in horses) of Ohio, and bizarrely, two teams named the same thing: the Slippery Rock Sliders of Pennsylvania and the Springfield Sliders of Illinois.  The former is a reference to the baseball pitch and the latter a reference to the type of turtle.  Advantage: turtle.

Springfield bests Slippery Rock in the clash of the Sliders.

Texas Collegiate League

The oil-soaked teams in the TCL keep intimidating nicknames (Bombers, Generals, Strykers) popular across Texas and Louisiana.  One name of interest is the East Texas Pump Jacks, with an angry donkey as a mascot.  The other is the Acadiana Cane Cutters of Lafayette, LA, who make us remember the lost art of scything.

Acadiana continues the TCL tradition of nicknames that refer to the intense professions that the players may someday have.

West Coast League

Finally, we take it to the coast.  The WCL is inappropriately named, since all nine teams are in Oregon, Washington, or British Columbia.  The late Yakima Bears of the Northwest League may have been well served to take notes from the two best brands in the WCL, both in the same region as Yakima.  The first is the Wenatchee AppleSox, who are a good logo away from a good, wholesome, tasty brand.  The other is the Walla Walla Sweets–a reference to the sweet onion that made the city famous.  What a sweet note to end our post on.

Let’s end this on a sweet note.

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Thank you for your perusal.  Please comment and stay tuned.  Within the next week, Sport Change will keep cranking out the baseball posts before we leap with both feet through the goal post of football season.

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SPORT CHANGE

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Northwoods League: Expansion and Realignment Scenarios

Congratulations to the La Crosse Loggers, 2012 Northwoods League Champions!  Now it’s time to get back to school, you lazy bums.  Do you think playing baseball will pay off those student loans?

Now for the next step in their journey: becoming actual loggers.

Of course, baseball will pay off.  It’s a game of dreams.  It’s a…field of dreams.  That previous line is a Sport Change original.

Continuing along in our two week “Boys of Summer” baseball blast, it seems like a good time to revisit the Northwoods League.  Previously, we explored some of the bizarre qualities of the current alignment of the Northwoods League.  Here’s a link to that post.

For the uninitiated (or those that don’t live in the Upper Midwest) the Northwoods League is America’s most successful and thriving summer collegiate baseball league.  The sixteen teams in mid-sized cities are comprised of college ball players who wish to keep playing through the summer yet not be paid, and thus, maintain their college eligibility.  The teams are in no direct way connected to MLB teams or any minor league system, whether independent or farm club.  These college joes are giving themselves the opportunity to play in front of good-sized crowds using wooden bats and MiLB regulation balls.  Then at night, they deliver pizza and sweep out movie theatres.  Or just freeload off their parents and host families.  Yep.  Host families, just like foreign exchange students.  Now that is endearing.

The ballplayers are like foreign exchange students visiting the exotic Upper Midwest.

In this post, I’d like to have some fun exploring potential new franchises for the NWL and then realigning them in a ways that make sense.  In the interest of orienting one’s self to the current teams and the Sport Change simple realignment proposal, click here.

As you can see, the teams are mostly clumped in central Minnesota and Wisconsin with a few outliers: Waterloo, Iowa; Battle Creek, Michigan; and most dramatic–Thunder Bay, Ontario.

First, I will explore potential expansion teams using the following criteria:

-Stadium.  Obviously, a serviceable stadium is paramount to any city that intends to support a team.  By and large, the stadiums that are currently in use in the NWL are stadiums that were at one time used by teams in other leagues.  Which brings me to my next criterion..

-Precedence.  For starters, we’ll just look at cities that have at one time hosted teams in the Northwoods League, the A-ball Midwest League, the now-defunct Prairie League, and the now-defunct Northern League.  Additionally, we’ll explore poaching teams from the Frontier League and the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.  And since this is a fun fantasy, I’ll throw in some improbable non-precedent fantasy candidates.

-Market.  A populous willing to buy tickets, apparel, and otherwise support the team is certainly a plus.  In some cases, like Madison’s, the franchise holds the potential to be a true moneymaker.  In some cases, making enough to keep the wheels on the bus and the tank full of gas is a bare minimum.  Considering the small size of some of the markets and the lack of MLB affiliation, the NWL draws pretty well.  The low end (Alexandria, Thunder Bay) draw just under 1,000 fans per game (average) while the leader (Madison) sets the bar quite high with 6,000+ per game average.  The league average is around 1,700 these days.  Not too shabby, and in fact more than the Advanced A Florida State League in the farm system.  For our purposes, we’ll also aim for cities with a minimum of 10,000 people, but with an emphasis on cities with 50,000+.

-Geography.  If any league can look beyond money for a minute and seek geographic common sense, this might be it.   Why?  Because of money.  In the form of travel expenses that tally up for these tiny teams as they travel far and wide.  However, based on the current geographic layout, it seems that common sense has taken a backseat after all.  We’ll use the current layout as a template and consider the following regions to be within the bounds: All of Minnesota, all of Wisconsin,  the northern edge of the three Is: Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana, and eastern Michigan.  Also: the eastern edge of the Dakotas, southeastern Manitoba, southwestern Ontario, and what the heck, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, eh?  I’ll assign each candidate a compass direction or two and use that as another tool to make selections.

Using these criteria, here are the top candidates:

Free and Clear (no current team in this city)

-Austin, Minnesota.  Directions: South or West.  The home of Spam once hosted a NWL team called the Austin Southern Minny Stars.  Austin’s population would put them on the lower end of the NWL spectrum.  The city is close to Mankato and Rochester, so that would be good for travel and rivalries.

-Brainerd, Minnesota.  Directions: North or West.  As recently as last year, Brainerd hosted a team in the Northwoods League.  Of course, they folded.  I tend to shy away from cities that have recently lost their team.  It’s hard to make a case for them.  The one thing Brainerd has going for it is location.

-Dubuque, Iowa.  Direction: South.  Dubuque has been the host city of a few different Minor level baseball clubs, most notably the Midwest League’s Dubuque Packers.  The Northwoods League used to have a team called the Dubuque Mud Puppies.  Perhaps they could be coaxed back.  Dubuque is a good sized city in Kinsella Country and seems well suited for a club.  Of course, the NWL would have to beat the Pioneer League and perhaps even the Midwest League to the punch.

-Grand Forks, North Dakota.  Directions: North or West. The Grand Forks Channel Cats used to call the Northwoods League home.  Could it happen again.  Maybe.  Grand Forks has about 50,000 people, so it fits the size range.  It would be another team marooned far to the Northwest, but isn’t that what the Northwoods is?

-Kenosha, Wisconsin.  Directions: South or East.  Kenosha is snuggled right between Milwaukee and Chicago in a high-population stretch on Lake Michigan.  Kenosha has a nice old ballpark that was once home to the Kenosha Comets of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, made famous in A League of their Own.  The former Midwest League Kenosha Twins also used Simmons Field; which was later used by the Frontier League Mammoths and the Kenosha Kroakers of the…wait for it…Northwoods League.  It seems logical in a lot of ways, so we’ll keep it on the table.  The downside is that none of these teams stuck.

-Kalamazoo, Michigan.  Direction: East.  The Kalamazoo Kings recently dropped out of the Frontier League, and Homer Stryker Field lies vacant.  Kalamazoo is a good-sized city and would provide the perfect rival for Battle Creek.

-Manitowoc, Wisconsin.  Direction: East.  The Manitowoc Skunks stunk up the NWL for a few years in the 90s, and it’s a bit hard to see them crawling back.  However, Manitowoc has one unique advantage: the ferry.  I picked the East as their direction because I like the idea of a baseball team catching the Manitowoc-Ludington ferry across Lake Michigan to play the teams in the Great Lakes State.

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Frontier League (Potential Poachings)

The Frontier League is similar to the Northwoods except for two main differences.  1. The players are post-college or undrafted and get paid to play.  2. Most of the teams are in Illinois, and none are West of that state.  A bizarre Pioneer league anecdote:  there’s a team called the Road Warriors.  Just the Road Warriors.  They have no home.  Where are they based out of?  Nowhere.  They are the Road Warriors.  OK, Pennsylvania.

-Rockford, Illinois.  Direction: South.  Rockford is a nice-sized city that has hosted teams ranging from the Midwest League’s Cubbies to Geena Davis’s Peaches.  The only drawback is that the Rockford Riverhawks currently call the Frontier League home.

-Schaumburg, Illinois.  Directions: South or East.  The Schaumburg Boomers just started play last year, so I’d imagine they’d try to give the Frontier at least another year or two.  Or the Frontier League give them another another year or two.

-Traverse City, Michigan.  I like this one.  Kalamazoo left the Frontier, and now the Beach Bums are the sole team in the “Mitten.”   They are a marooned alone in Michigan, just like the Battle Creek Bombers.  Hmmm.

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American Association (Potential Poachings)

The American Association is certainly an odd duck.  It’s a collection of teams stretching from Laredo, Texas to Winnipeg, Manitoba.  They are apparently old teams that are upset at MiLB (like the El Paso Diablos) as well as the remnants of the old Northern League–like these teams listed below.

-Fargo, North Dakota.  Directions: West or North.  The Redhawks have been around for a long time–since the Northern League hey day of the nineties.  It’s hard to envision poaching any teams from the AAIPB, especially the ‘Hawks, who do a good job filling seats.

-Gary, Indiana.  Direction: East.  The Rail Cats are having a fine time now, and Gary just doesn’t seem like the Northwoods.  Let’s leave Indiana for the Frontier League.

-Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  Direction: West.  If there’s a chance, it’s here.  The Canaries draw pretty low, and if the team were to move elsewhere (how about oh, Abiliene), a Sioux Falls franchise could be birthed in the NWL.

-St. Paul, Minnesota.  Direction: West.  I don’t see it.  Other than Madison, no other NWL team draws up to the level of the Saints.  They seem to be in a different category.

-Winnipeg, Manitoba.  Direction: North.  This is tempting, with Thunder Bay in need of a rival.  However, there are two factors to consider: 1. Thunder Bay (and Canada, really) might not be that practical for the Northwoods League.  I’ll explain later.  2. Winnipeg is a larger market better suited for competing against teams in Kansas City or St. Paul.  The Goldeyes are likely to stay where they are, but maybe we won’t totally throw them out.

Speaking of throwing teams out of the running, let’s eliminate: Brainerd, Rockford, Schaumburg, Gary, and St. Paul.  Then let’s rank the remaining top ten and give ’em a quick brand:

Rankings from most appropriate to least:

1. Traverse City  (they remain the Beach Bums)

2. Dubuque (got to resurrect the great name of Mud Puppies)

3. Kenosha (Kroakers is similar to Bullfrogs, and I prefer the Frontier nickname, the Mammoths)

4. Kalamazoo (the Keepers is tempting (get it?), but in honor of Bell’s beer: the Brews)

5. Austin (too easy: the Spammers)

6. Manitowoc (let’s bring back the Skunks)

7. Grand Forks (I’m not a fan of Channel Cats, so how about Knives…get it?)

8. Sioux Falls (Canaries works fine)

9. Fargo (Redhawks...sure)

10. Winnipeg (Always like the Goldeyes moniker)

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Realignment scenario #1: Add Top Four.

For this scenario, let’s just take the top four expansion teams.  That’s Traverse, Dubuque, Kenosha, and Kalamazoo.  Let’s align:

North: Thunder Bay, Duluth, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Green Bay

West: Willmar, Mankato, St. Cloud, Rochester, Alexandria

South: Waterloo, Dubuque, Wisconsin Rapids, La Crosse, Madison

East: Battle Creek, Traverse City, Kalamazoo, Lakeshore, Kenosha

Click here for a map of this scenario 

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Realignment scenario #2: Keep those Four and Add Four More

For this scenario, four more teams are added to those from Scenario #1.  The added teams are: Winnipeg, Grand Forks, Fargo, and Austin.

North: Duluth, Thunder Bay, Alexandria, Winnipeg, Grand Forks, Fargo,

West: St. Cloud, Mankato, Rochester, Willmar, Austin, Eau Claire

South: Waterloo, Dubuque, La Crosse, Madison, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin

East: Green Bay, Lakeshore, Kenosha, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Traverse City

Click here for the map

What’s to like?  The East is in nice shape with three teams in Wisconsin and three in Michigan.  Though the North is so spread out, there’s something cool about Canadian and Dakota teams.

What’s to loathe?  Alexandria should be in the West, Eau Claire should not be in the West, the South teams aren’t so southern.  There are other ways to align, but if we’re keeping the Canadian teams in the North, this is one of the few ways to do it.  I’m not a big fan of this one, so let’s keep moving.

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Realignment scenario #3: Thunder Bay Moves

Speaking of moving, in this scenario, the Thunder Bay Border Cats are moved.  Why?  A few reasons: 1. They are the second lowest in ticket sales throughout the league, despite playing in a good-sized city.  2. They are far removed from any other team–even Duluth is a haul.  3. Last year, a series of games in Thunder Bay was postponed repeatedly.  Why?  I’m not sure, but it may have something to do with the logistical nightmare of making sure that every member of the visiting team has both a passport and a clean criminal record to make it across the border.  So even though I’ve got love for the B-Cats, let’s imagine they move to….Kalamazoo.  I just can’t stand to see Battle Creek alone out there East of Lake Michigan.

North: Duluth Huskies, Eau Claire Express, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, Wisconsin Woodchucks

West: Alexandria Beetles, Mankato Moondogs, St. Cloud Rox, Willmar Stingers

South: La Crosse Loggers, Madison Mallards, Rochester Honkers, Waterloo Bucks

East: Battle Creek Bombers, Green Bay Bullfrogs, Lakeshore Chinooks, Kalamazoo Brews

Click here for map

I like this scenario, and I think it makes the alignment slightly better than my initial Northwoods League Realignment.  I could see the NWL actually doing this, so all the better.

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Scenario #4: AAIPB Disbands.

This scenario plays on the fantasy of the AAIPB (American Association of Independent Professional Baseball) disbanding.  Maybe some of the Texas teams find their way to the Texas League–especially the El Paso Diablos and Laredo Lemurs–through some sort of MiLB realignment.  The Kansas City T-Bones may go hungry.  Anyway, the teams in question here would be the five that I mentioned above.  Let’s say that Gary gets absorbed into the Frontier League and the NWL takes the St. Paul Saints, Sioux Falls Canaries, Fargo/Moorhead Redhawks, and Winnipeg Goldeyes.  Let’s see how that shakes out:

North: Thunder Bay, Duluth, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and the St. Paul Saints

West: Alexandria, St. Cloud, Willmar, Fargo Redhawks, and Winnipeg Goldeyes

South: Waterloo, La Crosse, Rochester, Mankato, and Sioux Falls Canaries

East: Madison, Lakeshore, Green Bay, Wisconsin Rapids, and Battle Creek

Here’s the map

That worked alright.  Originally, I had Sioux Falls in the West, St. Cloud in the North, and St. Paul in the South.  When I tried it this way, it just looked better.  Especially because yellow is the color I use for the South and Canaries are yellow.  OK, one more scenario:

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Scenario #5: the Lovable Longshots

If you’ve followed this post for this long (unlikely) then you’re probably ready for anything.  In that spirit, I present to you: the Lovable Longshots.  These are four teams that are added because there is something lovable about them.  Some are fun ideas as host cities and some fit a geographic niche within the league.  All four are very unlikely to host teams.  Let’s get lovable!

Here are the eight:

-Ashland, Wisconsin.  A small city on Lake Superior represents the northern half of Wisconsin and fills a need for another Northern team.  The team will be called the Sportsmen as a tip of the hat to hunting and fishing, as well as all other sports.

-Bemidji, Minnesota.  Another good team to too represent a big chunk of land.  A city famous for Paul Bunyan and Babe will be the Bemidji Blue Oxen with singular form being Blue Ox.

-Decorah, Iowa.  A nice position in the driftless region near Waterloo and La Crosse.  Decorah is famous for Norwegian heritage, so as such; the Nordics.

-Marquette, Michigan.  Say yah to da U.P., eh?  Marquette’s a decent sized city and as a tip of the hardhat to the old mining tradition, the Miners will play ball in the 51st state.

Add those four in and then four from the top ten list: Traverse City, Manitowoc, Dubuque, and St. Paul.  Here’s how it is:

North: Thunder Bay, Duluth, Wisconsin, Eau Claire, Ashland Sportsmen, and Marquette Miners

West: Alexandria, St. Cloud, Willmar, Mankato, and St. Paul Saints

South: Rochester, Waterloo, La Crosse, Dubuque Mud Puppies, and Decorah Nordics

West: Green Bay, Lakeshore, Madison, Battle Creek, Traverse City, and Manitowoc Skunks

Here’s the last map

Alright.  Got that out of the system.  Now to shut up about the Northwoods League.  Thanks for reading.

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SPORT CHANGE

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Weighing in on NHL Realignment

Hockey’s Sport Change initiation has come sooner than was expected.  Perhaps I felt a tinge of remorse for leaving the NHL out the recent Assessment of Cities in the Big Three posts.  Perhaps it is the Big Four after all.

Most of my hockey knowledge was comes from “Ice Hockey,” the 1988 release for Nintendo Entertainment System.

My NHL knowledge is somewhat paltry.  I’m aware of some of the history and am familiar with the teams, but certainly lack the intimate details that I have for the NFL or Minor League Baseball.

However, I can’t help but weigh in when it comes to an actual realignment scenario; one that will likely be in place a year from now.  For a refresher, here’s what the NHL currently looks like:

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Western Conference

Central: Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Nashville, St. Louis

Northwest: Calgary, Colorado, Edmonton, Minnesota, Vancouver

Pacific: Anaheim, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Jose

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Eastern Conference

Atlantic: New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh

Northeast: Boston, Buffalo, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto

Southeast: Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay, Washington, Winnipeg

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It all sounds just fine until you get to that last team: Winnipeg.  It made a lot more sense when the Jets were still the Atlanta Thrashers.  This is one of the main reasons for the discussion of realignment for next year.

The different colored circles around the logos represent the proposed divisions.

Here’s what was placed on the table and agreed to last winter:

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Western Conference

Division A: Anaheim, Calgary, Colorado, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Jose, Vancouver

Division B: Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis, Winnipeg

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Eastern Conference

Division C: Boston, Buffalo, Florida, Montreal, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Toronto

Division D: Carolina, New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington

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I find this scenario to be pretty good on the whole.  The most striking element is that there are 16 teams in the West and 14 teams in the East.  The reason for this must have something to do with scheduling, so I’ll play along for now.  I’m going to weigh in using a few normal realignment criteria:

-Geography.  It seems that the main reason for this realignment is travel; and travel equality in particular.  The idea that teams should be on as equal footing as reasonable when it comes to travel distance.

-Rivalries.  I don’t know much about rivalries in the NHL, so had to look it up.  I’ll do my best.

-Bias.  As is the case in most sports, I favor historical teams and leave the futures of unestablished or relatively unpopular teams on uncertain terms.  In addition to the Original Six, I have a leaning toward Canadian franchises; as I feel that hockey is largely Canada’s sport.  I’ll get more into this in future posts about NHL relocation.

Don’t Mess with the Original Six!

My biggest issue with the proposed realignment scenario is Division C.  The five Northeast teams in that division are all solid rivals and should stick together.  Almost as an afterthought, the two Florida franchises are glued on.  There are mutable NHL teams in Nashville, Carolina, St. Louis, etc. that would be better rivals for the Florida franchises.  Let’s see what we can do:

(teams that moved are italicized)

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Division A:  Anaheim, Calgary, Colorado, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Jose, Vancouver

Division B:  Carolina, Columbus, Dallas, Florida, Nashville, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Washington

Division C: Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto

Division D:  Minnesota, New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Winnipeg

Once again, Winnipeg is the Wildcard

What do you know?  It looks like Winnipeg is the wildcard once again.  If Winnipeg were still in Atlanta, a simple swap with Washington would do the trick.  The conference designations seemed worthless, so I tossed them out.  It seems kind of dumb to have a Western conference with 16 teams, when only 12 teams are West of the Mississippi; including two right on the Mississippi.  I’m not a big fan of this scenario, so I’ll share one that I think is more idea.   In this one, I’ve maintained a structure similar to the one currently in operation.  Some of the divisions are kept exactly the same and some are switched up.  Teams that were shuffled are italicized.  Here it is:

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Western Conference

Central: Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, St. Louis, Colorado

Northwest: Calgary, Edmonton, Minnesota, Vancouver, Winnipeg

Pacific: Anaheim, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Jose 

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Eastern Conference

Atlantic: New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh

Northeast: Boston, Buffalo, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto

Southeast: Carolina, Florida, Nashville, Tampa Bay, Washington

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Pretty simple stuff.  Just a three way trade: Colorado to the Central, Nashville to the Southeast, and Winnipeg to the Northwest.  Sure, Winnipeg and Minnesota are pretty far from Vancouver, but that’s part of playing in any pro league West of the Mississippi: you have to travel.  Additionally, I think Winnipeg would benefit from placement within the same division as fellow Canadians.  Big fan of Colorado in the Central.  I remember being in Colorado in 1997, watching the infamous brawl between the Avalanche and the Wings on TV.  That is a significant rivalry.  Nashville certainly makes just as much sense (if not more) in the Southeast as in the Central.

The brawlers share a division in my ideal realignment scenario.

I guess I’m getting my feet wet with the NHL.  Or should I say getting my feet icy?  I’ll have more posts about the NHL (and NBA) around the time of their face-off/tip-off dates in October.

Thanks for reading.  Tomorrow begins the two week “Boys of Summer” stretch.

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SPORT CHANGE

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Sport Change Schedule

Here’s what to expect from Sport Change over the next couple of weeks:

After the boys of summer are gone, the gridiron heats up.

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August 15th-29th:

With sunny season fading fast, these two weeks will be mostly dedicated to the boys of summer.  I meant baseball, not that Don Henley song.  A stray article about this or that may pop up, but mainly Sport Change will be posting on MLB, MiLB, and the Northwoods League.  Some specific posts I hope to publish related to MLB are: Rays relocation scenarios, exploration of A’s relocation talk, rebranding the Astros, expansion, and realignment.  For the minors, I’d like to hit: realignment scenarios, relocating/rebranding a few teams, brand exploration, creation of a new A-Ball league, and discussion of which franchises should come back.  I’ll also fiddle with the Northwoods league a bit.

August 29th-September 5th:

Football kickoff mania!  A few posts about NCAA football, including a realignment of the ridiculous “legends and leaders” divisions in The Big Ten.  Of course, there will also be ample NFL talk: discussion of realignment and other big picture stuff, plus Los Angeles talk, relocation to other cities, expansion, and maybe a rebranding or two.

As always, stay posted!

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SPORT CHANGE

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Northwoods League Realignment

Haven’t heard of the Northwoods League?  I’m not surprised.

Keeping college jocks off the streets since 1994.

The Northwoods League is a summer collegiate semi-pro baseball league–the most sucessful such league in the country.  Their season is based around academic calendars for various colleges to enable players to stay active through the summer playing ball with wooden bats in front of decent crowds.  For instance, the Madison Mallards average over 6,000 fans per game.  That’s more than many AAA clubs and even starting to give the Rays and Indians a run for their money.  The league’s schedule similar to short-season A ball in the MiLB system, except that these players are still in college rather than already drafted and placed in a farm system.  Current players like Allen Craig (Beetles), Andre Ethier (Honkers), Ben Zobrist (Woodchucks), and Curtis Granderson (Mankato) all paid some dues in the Northwoods league.

Structurally, the league consists of 16 teams divided into two divisions: North and South.  The North division consists of 6 teams from Minnesota that stretch the Gopher State from tip to toe as well as teams in Thunder Bay, Ontario and Waterloo, Iowa.  The South division has seven teams in central/southern Wisconsin and one team marooned over in Battle Creek, MI.

For starters, the North and South designations are completely asinine.  The quick fix: make the North the West and make the South the East.  If I was the Northwoods League commissioner, I’d be dusting my hands and tearing off a bonus check.

Canada’s representation has to cross the border to play the Bucks. The Minnesota-Iowa border, that is. They ain’t called the Border Cats for nothin’.

But that’s just too easy.  Travel is a major burden for these small-time franchises and it’s ridiculous to spend the summer sending buses from Waterloo, IA to Thunder Bay.  That’s a long ride.  So is Eau Claire to Battle Creek.  I wonder if they ever debate taking the ferry across Lake Michigan.

Since teams exclusively play their regular season within their division, I say we break up the teams into four divisions of four.

Here goes:

North: Thunder Bay BorderCats, Duluth Huskies, Wisconsin Woodchucks, Eau Claire Express

West: Alexandria Beetles, Willmar Stingers, Mankato Moondogs, St. Cloud Rox

South: Waterloo Bucks, Rochester Honkers, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, La Crosse Loggers

East: Battle Creek Bombers, Green Bay Bullfrogs, Lakeshore Chinooks, Madison Mallards

Click here to view a map of this new scenario

This isn’t an ideal scenario.  For instance, Thunder Bay is much closer to St. Cloud than Wausau, but St. Cloud fit better as a West team.  Madison is south of Wisconsin Rapids, but is also closer to Battle Creek.  You gotta crack a few eggs.

Well, maybe not duck eggs!

In another post, I’ll have some fun by introducing some fantasy expansion teams that will be placed geographically just so.  It’s kind of like playing God.  Look for it.

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SPORT CHANGE

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