Here's something I wonder a lot. Everyone knows about home court advantage in basketball. Over the past 5 years, in MAC conference games, 66% of the men's hoops games have been won by the home team. In football, the number is normally in the mid 50s, or pretty even. People still talk about home field advantage? What do you think? How big is it?
Well, I wrote this question, so that gives it away. Obviously there is a home field advantage. The numbers are probably screwed up a little because there are always at least two or three MAC teams who couldn't beat anyone anywhere. Still, I believe the record shows that you can win on the road in the MAC. In basketball, even bad teams go .500 or so at home. So, my answer is that there is a home field advantage, but it is not as large as believed by the coaches and perhaps even the bloggers.
The MAC has started to run advertisements in games touting the conference's integrity, saying that the league is "showing the way." What do you think of this approach? Playing on a great thing in our conference, or asking for trouble?
I do believe that the MAC is a purer and more honest version of college athletics. It is one of the things that I like about being a MAC fan. I always say, you can compete in the MAC and also graduate your players. It is not necessary to choose. Having said that, the commercial had a funny feel to me, like when Gary Hart told reporters to follow him around if they thought he was cheating on his wife. The MAC is virtually scandal-free though not scandal-free. And I'd feel better if the commercial cited some third-parties saying that they are leading the way.
The MAC has been working pretty hard to step up its digital game of late, with a mobile app and more video content. What grade do you give the MAC for its online presence and why?
It is much improved. I have the mobile app and I like it and I am glad to see the MAC site featuring more video. I'd like to see more highlights and less player and coach interviews. Rarely does anyone say anything interesting.
So far, the MAC has only 1 win over BCS opposition and a handful of FBS wins, but a few close calls in big games. How satisfied are you with the MAC"s out of conference performance?
I have been a consistent critic of the MAC's performance against non-MAC teams, and this year is more of the same. The MAC used to specialize in BCS upsets...this year, the only BCS team to lose to a MAC team is Indiana, and you know, they are barely BCS. We might get a couple this weekend...I like UT @ Syracuse and OU @ Rutgers, but even those wins are not huge feathers in their caps. It seems like we get paired up with the Sun Belt in bowl games and lose, and that our teams are not yet good enough to pull real upsets.
Rank ;em.
NIU
UT
Temple
WMU
Miami
OU
Ball State
BG
CMU
Kent
Buffalo
EMU
Akron
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